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334 episodes
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Growth Mindset: Psychology of self-improvement Growth Mindset Psychology
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- Education
Explore the Psychology of peak performance across all spheres of life. Dive headlong into the wonderful world of dissecting mental models, mindsets and mastery.
Armed with a stack of science and a boatload of curiosity, we uncover the mechanics of the mind.
Understand: “What”, “How”, and “Why” it does what it does.
Learn to build resilience and a Growth Mindset.
With over 8 million downloads this is your informative and entertaining hub for psychology and the science of self-improvement.
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Cognitive Rigidity & How Einstein Overcame The 5 Biases That Keep Us Stuck (You Can Too) - [#5 Cog biases]
How to uncover our fixed mindsets and the biases that keep us stuck?
We dive into the concept of cognitive rigidity and the five cognitive biases that affect our daily lives:
Functional fixedness and how to be more creative
The endowment effect and irrational valuation of possessions
The bandwagon effect and are terrible relationship with social pressure
Hyperbolic discounting and why we are so lazy
The Zeigarnik effect and why we endlessly ruminate
Through personal anecdotes and historical examples, including insights from Albert Einstein's life, we explore how these biases shape our behaviour and decision-making.
Learn practical strategies for overcoming cognitive rigidity, enhancing your mental flexibility, and achieving a growth mindset.
Don't miss this enlightening and informative episode!
Further reading:
Einstein - Walter Isaacson
Thinking Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman
Predictably Irrational - Dan Ariely
Sponsors:
Cozy Earth: Luxury Bamboo sheets and Loungeware that become softer as you use them.
35% off code 'GROWTH' - CozyEarth.com
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20% discount code 'GROWTH20' - SleepyClub.co.uk
ShortForm: Summaries and guides for the world's best books and ideas.
FREE trial and 20% off annual fee - ShortForm.com/Psychology
Meet Sam
Free Call - Schedule Link
Influence the Show
Feedback - Request and Ideas Form
Growth Mindset pod:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
Mail - GrowthMindsetPodcast(at)gmail.com
Insta - SamJam.zen
Newsletter - Expansive Thinking
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Cognitive Rigidity
00:29 A Personal Story of Cognitive Rigidity
03:47 Defining Cognitive Rigidity
04:53 Functional Fixedness
09:36 Overcoming Functional Fixedness
11:00 The Endowment Effect
15:06 Overcoming the Endowment Effect
16:26 The Bandwagon Effect
20:24 Understanding Hyperbolic Discounting
25:10 Einstein's Personal Struggles and Successes
29:28 The Zeigarnik Effect: Unfinished Tasks and Obsession
33:56 Relationships and Social Media: The Open Loop Trap
38:34 Einstein's Journey: Genius and Cognitive Biases
40:53 Embracing Growth and Self-Acceptance
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Life's Infinite Games: Understanding Our Choices & Playing By Our Rules
Practical Psychology for navigating life's challenges and cultivating joy.
Sam Webster Harris explores the concept of life as a series of games, blending psychological insights with practical wisdom. He discusses how every aspect of life involves some form of gameplay, from professional networks like LinkedIn to personal decisions and social interactions.
We dig into the intersection of Philosophy and Psychology to understand the experiencing self and how we navigate our moments.
Sam emphasizes the importance of understanding the different 'modes' of approaching life's games—machine, intelligent, and zen. He advocates for living authentically, focusing on self-amusement, and challenging societal norms.
Learn to apply some of the more surreal and abstract concepts of the mind into real life:
How to understand what game you are playing?
Establish what is really at stake
Define the rules for yourself to play your own game
Have more fun
The episode encourages listeners to reassess their motivations and redefine what winning means in their personal game of life.
Further reading:
Godel, Escher, Bach - Douglas R. Hofstedter
Finite and Infinite Games - James P. Carse
The Infinite Game - Simon Sinek
The Way of Zen - The Taboo of Knowing Who You Are - Alan Watts
Sponsors:
Cozy Earth: Luxury Bamboo sheets and Loungeware that become softer as you use them.
35% off code 'GROWTH' - CozyEarth.com
SleepyClub: Doctor-approved natural sleeping aid that improves sleep quality. Safe to take every day.
20% discount code 'GROWTH20' - SleepyClub.co.uk
ShortForm: Summaries and guides for the world's best books and ideas.
FREE trial and 20% off annual fee - ShortForm.com/Psychology
Meet Sam
Free Call - Schedule Link
Influence the Show
Feedback - Request and Ideas Form
Growth Mindset pod:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
Mail - GrowthMindsetPodcast(at)gmail.com
Insta - SamJam.zen
Newsletter - Expansive Thinking
Chapters:
00:00 The Concept of Life as a Game
01:28 The Rules of Life's Games
03:17 The Games of LinkedIn and Appearance
06:30 Life Lessons - Philosophy for fun and success
11:36 Your Point of View is First Player
14:03 The Three Modes for Playing Games
15:00 Applying the Modes to Social Media, News and Health
17:00 Final Thoughts
18:00 Housekeeping and Recommendations
Topics:
understanding life games and personal growth
how to play life games on your own terms
mastering life games for more fun and success
psychological models for better life decisions
navigating life's games with mental models
building mental strength through understanding games
enhancing life strategies with cognitive psychology
applying psychology to everyday life games
tips for playing life's psychological games
dealing with societal expectations psychologically
philisophical insights into life's hidden games
developing self-awareness in life's games
practical psychology for navigating life's challenges
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Curious Psychology: Overcoming Cognitive Load, What Is Expectation Violation & How Reactance Theory Explains War
What is the source of anger and how do we learn from everything in life?
This episode explores how to investigate our assumptions and find a deeper understanding of the world around us.
We use psychology to investigate our curiosities and find unexpected and useful lessons for life whilst having fun.
Cool moments coming up:
The difference between Intrinsic load, Extrinsic Load and Germane Load
How Expectation violation is the worst thing ever
Where does anger come from?
Which is Sam's favourite nation on the planet
Further reading:
What's Our Problem - Tim Urban - UK Book - US Book
Tiny Habits - BJ Fogg - UK Book - US Book
Predictably Irrational - Dan Ariely- UK Book - US Book
Sponsors:
Cozy Earth: Luxury Bamboo sheets and Loungeware that become softer as you use them.
35% off code 'GROWTH' - CozyEarth.com
SleepyClub: Doctor-approved natural sleeping aid that improves sleep quality. Safe to take every day.
20% discount code 'GROWTH20' - SleepyClub.co.uk
ShortForm: Summaries and guides for the world's best books and ideas.
FREE trial and 20% off annual fee - ShortForm.com/Psychology
Meet Sam
Free Call - Schedule Link
Influence the Show
Feedback - Request and Ideas Form
Growth Mindset pod
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
Mail - GrowthMindsetPodcast(at)gmail.com
Insta - SamJam.zen
Newsletter - Explosive Thinking
Chapters:
00:00 Curious Investigation and Sam's Newsletter Mishap
03:37 Understanding Cognitive Load Theory
03:48 Intrinsic and Extrinsic Load Explained
05:00 Germane Load and Tangents
07:41 Applying Cognitive Load Theory to Newsletters
09:27 Expectation Violation and Perceived Control
11:56 Reactance Theory and Personal Freedom
14:23 Overwhelm and Habits
15:08 Embracing Curiosity over Anger
19:10 Innovative Ideas for Blog Consumption
21:25 Book Recommendations and Book Club
22:48 Final Thoughts and Recommendations
Topics:
applying psychology to solve everyday problems
understanding cognitive load theory in daily life
strategies to manage intrinsic and germane load
how expectation violation affects decision-making and anger
exploring reactance theory in personal relationships
practical tips for managing anger effectively
building sustainable habits using psychological principles
cultivating curiosity for personal growth
implementing a growth mindset in daily activities
using psychology to enhance problem-solving skills
cognitive strategies to reduce daily stress
learning to handle emotional reactions with psychology
techniques for fostering curiosity and innovation
the role of cognitive load in learning new skills
overcoming barriers to personal development with psychology
psychological approaches to habit formation
mastering emotional self-regulation through psychology
insights into reactance theory and personal freedom
practical psychology to improve mental resilience
transforming mindset for better life outcomes
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How To Train Your Mind (Tip: It is NOT a muscle)
The secret to unparalleled success is not enduring endless misery.
In fact, it's the opposite. We learn how to amplify our abilities in any domain by making the process more enjoyable and actionable.
The brain is like a muscle analogy is a harmful myth. It is based on some half-truths that on the surface make sense.
Learn:
Why we fail at doing hard things
The differences between brain and muscle training
How to train the brain for success
The biggest misunderstanding of Stoicism.
Further reading:
Feel Good Productivity - Ali Abdaal - UK Book - US Book
Slow Productivity - Cal Newport - UK Book - US Book
The Art of Learning - Josh Waitzkin- UK Book - US Book
Sponsors:
Cozy Earth: Luxury Bamboo sheets and Loungeware that become softer as you use them.
35% off code 'GROWTH' - CozyEarth.com
SleepyClub: Doctor-approved natural sleeping aid that improves sleep quality. Safe to take every day.
20% discount code 'GROWTH20' - SleepyClub.co.uk
ShortForm: Summaries and guides for the world's best books and ideas.
FREE trial and 20% off annual fee - ShortForm.com/Psychology
Journal Prompts
Free prompts - Make Hard Things Fun
Influence the Show
Meet Sam - Free call
Feedback - Request and Ideas Form
Growth Mindset pod
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
Mail - GrowthMindsetPodcast(at)gmail.com
Insta - SamJam.zen
Newsletter - Explosive Thinking
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction: The Value of Time
01:00 Challenging Conventional Wisdom
01:55 The Mind vs. Muscle Debate
02:54 Memory and Creativity
04:22 Analogies and Insights
07:21 Differences Between Brain and Muscle
11:06 The Role of Stress and Play
14:53 Finding Enjoyment in Learning
15:30How to enjoy learning an instrument
19:24 Why Alexander the Great Achieved so Much
23:42 The Big Conclusion
28:33 Final Thoughts and Community Engagement
Topics:
training the brain vs muscle growth
how to effectively train your brain
differences between brain and muscle training
stress effects on brain vs muscle
career change for personal enjoyment and growth
entertaining the mind for enhanced learning
cognitive training vs physical exercise
best practices for cognitive enhancement
learning an instrument brain training
The secret to Alexander the Great's success
how stress impacts brain functionality
improving brain function without stress
using entertainment to boost brain power
practical tips for brain training
understanding brain health and physical fitness
innovative methods to train the brain
cognitive development through entertainment
effective brain workouts for professionals
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How Reality Distortion & the 7 Illusions of Perception Impact Everyone (Especially Napoleon) - [#4 Cog Biases]
Cognitive biases distort reality with good and bad results (like really bad).
Today is a fun experiment where we combine Psychology and History. We learn about the 7 perception-based illusions of Cognitive Biases whilst applying them to the life of Napoleon.
We understand how biases can be useful for us and lead us to greatness and how they can also be our downfall.
Cognitive biases covered:
Selective Perception - Why we see things how we want to see them
Exposure Effect - How repetition makes us likes stuff
Baader-Meinhof Effect - Why we notice our car everywhere after we buy it
Placebo Effect - How to make your leg being cut off less awful
Illusion of Control - Why you can't roll dice
Clustering Illusion - How we spot patterns that don't exist
Contrast Effect - Why comparison makes things awful but also wonderful
Further reading:
Napoleon The Great - Andrew Roberts - UK Book - US Book
Thinking Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman - UK Book - US Book
Predictably Irrational - Dan Ariely - UK Book - US Book
Sponsors:
Cozy Earth: Luxury Bamboo sheets and Loungeware that become softer as you use them.
35% off code 'GROWTH' - CozyEarth.com
SleepyClub: Doctor-approved natural sleeping aid that improves sleep quality. Safe to take every day.
20% discount code 'GROWTH20' - SleepyClub.co.uk
ShortForm: Summaries and guides for the world's best books and ideas.
FREE trial and 20% off annual fee - ShortForm.com/Psychology
Influence the Show
Meet me - Free call
Feedback - Request and Ideas Form
Growth Mindset pod
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
Mail - GrowthMindsetPodcast(at)gmail.com
Insta - SamJam.zen
Newsletter - Explosive Thinking
Chapters:
00:00 Princeton Vs. Dartmouth
01:34 Selective Perception in Politics
02:26 Reality Distortion Fields
04:13 Napoleon's Rise and Fall
05:57 The Exposure Effect
09:06 The Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon
11:24 The Placebo Effect
15:53 The Illusion of Control
18:59 Napoleon's Russian Campaign
21:25 The Clustering Illusion
25:29 The Contrast Effect
30:00 Reflections on Cognitive Biases
33:11 Closing Thoughts and Call to Action
Topics:
overcoming selective perception for personal growth
using the mere exposure effect to build positive habits
Baader-Meinhof phenomenon and mindfulness practices
applying the placebo effect to boost self-confidence
illusion of control and decision making strategies
clustering illusion impact on personal finance
contrast effect in daily life and productivity
psychology of mindset and cognitive biases
cognitive biases and personal development
improving decision making through understanding cognitive biases
Napoleon cognitive biases analysis
how Napoleon's decisions were influenced by biases
cognitive biases in historical figures
psychological analysis of Napoleon Bonaparte
cognitive biases experiments and examples
Napoleon Bonaparte decision making
impact of cognitive biases on leadership
psychological insights into Napoleon's strategies
contrast effect in Napoleon's campaigns
illusion of control in historical decisions
mere exposure effect examples in history
Baader-Meinhof phenomenon historical examples
selective perception in Napoleon's battles
clustering illusion and military strategy
placebo effect in leadership confidence
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The Feynman Technique: Learn to Master Anything
How to break down complexity and build true understanding.
Richard Feynman is a Nobel Prize-winning Physicist and is widely considered one of the greatest teachers ever.
He invented the razor "If someone uses a lot of complexity and Jargon to explain something, they probably don’t understand it."
His 4-step technique uncovers the gaps lurking in our knowledge so we can truly master something.
Further Reading
Biography: Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman - UK Book - US Book
6 Easy Pieces: Feynman's Physics Essentials - UK Book - US Book
Feynman's Lectures: Box set - UK Series - US Series
Sponsors:
Cozy Earth: Luxury Bamboo sheets and Loungeware that become softer as you use them.
35% off code 'GROWTH' - CozyEarth.com
SleepyClub: Doctor-approved natural sleeping aid that improves sleep quality. Safe to take every day.
20% discount code 'GROWTH20' - SleepyClub.co.uk
ShortForm: Summaries and guides for the world's best books and ideas.
FREE trial and 20% off annual fee - ShortForm.com/Psychology
Influence the Show
Meet me - Free call
Feedback - Request and Ideas Form
Growth Mindset pod
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
Mail - GrowthMindsetPodcast(at)gmail.com
Insta - SamJam.zen
Newsletter - Explosive Thinking
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction: The Power of Emotions in Learning
00:55 The Learning Pyramid: Retention Rates
01:21 Effective Learning Methods
02:05 The Role of Emotions in Teaching
03:51 Introduction to Richard Feynman
04:06 Feynman's Contributions to Physics
05:18 Feynman's Teaching Technique
06:35 Step 1: Go Wide and Then Deep
07:26 Step 2: Explain Like You're Teaching a 5-Year-Old
09:02 Step 3: Feedback, Assessment, and Restudying
10:54 Step 4: Organize, Convey, and Review
14:15 Conclusion: The Importance of Simplicity
Topics
Richard Feynman's teaching techniques explained
Understanding the learning pyramid and memory retention
How to master anything with the Feynman technique
Richard Feynman's coolest experiments and insights
Learning pyramid and retention rates comparison
Feynman's method for effective learning and teaching
Richard Feynman’s approach to mastering subjects
Discussion and teaching methods in the learning pyramid
Audio-visual learning vs reading retention rates
Richard Feynman’s impact on education and teaching
Effective study techniques inspired by Richard Feynman
Mastering complex subjects with the Feynman method
Richard Feynman’s contributions to science education
Learning retention: discussion vs teaching methods
Feynman’s experiments and their educational value
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