The Science of Self | Personal Development Podcast

Peter Hollins | Personal Development Author
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Social Sciences
  • Biweekly

Looking to boost your motivation, build better habits, and improve your mental health? The Science of Self delivers research-backed personal development strategies focused on behavior change and habit formation. This podcast presents the work of Peter Hollins — researcher and bestselling author in applied psychology and human performance — narrated by Russell Newton. Each episode breaks down the science behind motivation, mental performance, and lasting behavior change into clear, actionable strategies you can use right away. New episodes every week.

  1. Oct 19

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Audiobook Preview | Unlocking Hidden Solutions with Your Diverse Skill Set

    In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of combining seemingly unrelated skills to solve complex problems. The Weekly Collision technique is introduced as a simple yet powerful tool for generating ideas and improving your approach to challenges at home or in the workplace. By pairing two different skills each week, you can uncover new solutions that neither skill alone could have produced. We explore real-life examples like how insights from working behind a pastry counter helped design better boxes for pastries. Each episode wraps with a challenge encouraging listeners to apply these concepts to their own lives and share their experiences in the comments section below. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:12 Chapter 5: Make Your Skills Collide 4:02 The Supermarket in the Machine Shop 7:05 The Thursday Meeting 10:12 The Useful Idea Shows Up Past Line Six 13:54 Sunday’s Skill, Monday’s Problem 16:10 Introduce Them on Purpose 20:12 Chapter Summary 20:57 Try This Week 23:05 Outro You don't have to be the best at one thing. You become rare by combining a handful of solid skills. This book lays out a four-step method for doing it: See It, Stack It, Build It, Prove It. Become One of One by Peter Hollins: Chapter 5, an audiobook preview. The release date will be announced. This preview is shared with permission and is available on this channel for a limited time. It will come down when the audiobook is released. Audiobook details: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HM2TLJRZ #WeeklyCollision #diverseskillset #problemsolving

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Audiobook Preview | Unlocking Hidden Solutions with Your Diverse Skill Set

  2. Oct 19 ·  Bonus

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Audiobook Preview | Unlocking Hidden Solutions with Your Diverse Skill Set - Voice over Work - An Audiobook Sampler

    In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of combining seemingly unrelated skills to solve complex problems. The Weekly Collision technique is introduced as a simple yet powerful tool for generating ideas and improving your approach to challenges at home or in the workplace. By pairing two different skills each week, you can uncover new solutions that neither skill alone could have produced. We explore real-life examples like how insights from working behind a pastry counter helped design better boxes for pastries. Each episode wraps with a challenge encouraging listeners to apply these concepts to their own lives and share their experiences in the comments section below. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:12 Chapter 5: Make Your Skills Collide 4:02 The Supermarket in the Machine Shop 7:05 The Thursday Meeting 10:12 The Useful Idea Shows Up Past Line Six 13:54 Sunday’s Skill, Monday’s Problem 16:10 Introduce Them on Purpose 20:12 Chapter Summary 20:57 Try This Week 23:05 Outro You don't have to be the best at one thing. You become rare by combining a handful of solid skills. This book lays out a four-step method for doing it: See It, Stack It, Build It, Prove It. Become One of One by Peter Hollins: Chapter 5, an audiobook preview. The release date will be announced. This preview is shared with permission and is available on this channel for a limited time. It will come down when the audiobook is released. Audiobook details: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HM2TLJRZ #WeeklyCollision #diverseskillset #problemsolving

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Audiobook Preview | Unlocking Hidden Solutions with Your Diverse Skill Set - Voice over Work - An Audiobook Sampler

  3. Oct 19

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Peter Hollins Audiobook | Chapter 6

    The Wright brothers’ journey to flight began with a simple letter in 1899. Wilbur wrote to the Smithsonian asking for guidance on what to read about flying machines. The reply pointed him and his brother Orville towards valuable resources that would shape their two-year project loop: Try → Get Feedback → Find the Error → Adjust → Try Again. This method is now scaled down into a practical "30-Day Build," focusing on one real project, aiming for a visible outcome, and iterating weekly. We delve deeper into how this method works today. Choose your own project with a specific goal and deadline, make an initial attempt within the first week of starting, get feedback from peers or customers, identify what went wrong, tweak it slightly, and try again next week. This loop not only accelerates learning but ensures each effort is grounded in real-world outcomes. Butler's study showed that repeated quizzes with feedback enhance recall significantly—a principle reinforced by Dyson’s 5,127 prototypes over five years. Each prototype answered a question the previous one raised. Your project needs a similar iterative process: try something new each week and observe how it performs against your goal. This method encourages you to adjust based on tangible results rather than theoretical knowledge. For those stuck in copying mode, making that first original change can be daunting but essential for true learning. Start by asking someone who knows more to critique your work, whether a customer or a mentor. Each iteration should focus on one variable at a time so you can pinpoint what works and what doesn’t. This approach ensures your efforts are focused and effective. Remember, real-world feedback is key. Ask an honest customer or a knowledgeable peer for input regularly. Push your AI tools to critique rather than generate work. The goal is to build skills by working through problems firsthand, making each mistake count as part of the learning journey. So pick your project today, set your number and date, make that first attempt within seven days, and let the feedback loop begin. #non-fiction Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:12 Chapter 6: Learn by Building 4:10 Studying Feels Like Progress 5:36 Why Making Beats Reading 7:44 Turn the Light On: One Error, One Change, Every Week 13:26 Size the Build 16:25 Use AI Like a Sparring Partner 18:16 Ben’s Thirty Days 22:16 Chapter Summary 23:14 Try This Week 25:15 Outro You don't have to be the best at one thing. You become rare by combining a handful of solid skills. This book lays out a four-step method for doing it: See It, Stack It, Build It, Prove It. Become One of One by Peter Hollins: Chapter 6, an audiobook preview. The release date will be announced. This preview is shared with permission and is available on this channel for a limited time. It will come down when the audiobook is released. Audiobook details: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HM2TLJRZ

  4. Oct 19 ·  Bonus

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Peter Hollins Audiobook | Chapter 6 - Voice over Work - An Audiobook Sampler

    The Wright brothers’ journey to flight began with a simple letter in 1899. Wilbur wrote to the Smithsonian asking for guidance on what to read about flying machines. The reply pointed him and his brother Orville towards valuable resources that would shape their two-year project loop: Try → Get Feedback → Find the Error → Adjust → Try Again. This method is now scaled down into a practical "30-Day Build," focusing on one real project, aiming for a visible outcome, and iterating weekly. We delve deeper into how this method works today. Choose your own project with a specific goal and deadline, make an initial attempt within the first week of starting, get feedback from peers or customers, identify what went wrong, tweak it slightly, and try again next week. This loop not only accelerates learning but ensures each effort is grounded in real-world outcomes. Butler's study showed that repeated quizzes with feedback enhance recall significantly—a principle reinforced by Dyson’s 5,127 prototypes over five years. Each prototype answered a question the previous one raised. Your project needs a similar iterative process: try something new each week and observe how it performs against your goal. This method encourages you to adjust based on tangible results rather than theoretical knowledge. For those stuck in copying mode, making that first original change can be daunting but essential for true learning. Start by asking someone who knows more to critique your work, whether a customer or a mentor. Each iteration should focus on one variable at a time so you can pinpoint what works and what doesn’t. This approach ensures your efforts are focused and effective. Remember, real-world feedback is key. Ask an honest customer or a knowledgeable peer for input regularly. Push your AI tools to critique rather than generate work. The goal is to build skills by working through problems firsthand, making each mistake count as part of the learning journey. So pick your project today, set your number and date, make that first attempt within seven days, and let the feedback loop begin. #non-fiction Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:12 Chapter 6: Learn by Building 4:10 Studying Feels Like Progress 5:36 Why Making Beats Reading 7:44 Turn the Light On: One Error, One Change, Every Week 13:26 Size the Build 16:25 Use AI Like a Sparring Partner 18:16 Ben’s Thirty Days 22:16 Chapter Summary 23:14 Try This Week 25:15 Outro You don't have to be the best at one thing. You become rare by combining a handful of solid skills. This book lays out a four-step method for doing it: See It, Stack It, Build It, Prove It. Become One of One by Peter Hollins: Chapter 6, an audiobook preview. The release date will be announced. This preview is shared with permission and is available on this channel for a limited time. It will come down when the audiobook is released. Audiobook details: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HM2TLJRZ

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Peter Hollins Audiobook | Chapter 6 - Voice over Work - An Audiobook Sampler

  5. Oct 14 ·  Bonus

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Audiobook Preview | Chapter 4 Learning Skills: Depth vs Breadth - Know When to Stop - Voice over Work - An Audiobook Sampler

    You don't have to be the best at one thing. You become rare by combining a handful of solid skills. This book lays out a four-step method for doing it: See It, Stack It, Build It, Prove It. In this chapter, we explore the idea that not every skill needs to be mastered completely. The book suggests focusing on "Minimum Viable Competence," which is enough proficiency to get a job done effectively without wasting time or resources. We delve into how different skills require varying levels of depth within your professional toolkit. The conversation touches on practical examples and personal anecdotes from the likes of Joe Gebbia, one of Airbnb’s founders, who emphasizes the importance of light learning for immediate application rather than exhaustive training. The text also discusses strategies like using an exit test to define when a skill is learned well enough and practicing skills from memory to solidify knowledge. By applying these principles, you can allocate your time more effectively across different tasks, ensuring that each new skill contributes meaningfully to your overall stack without overcommitting resources. Think about the last skill you tried to learn thoroughly versus how much of it was truly necessary for your needs. #learning-skills #education-strategy #skill-depth-versus-breadth #minimum-viable-competence #continuous-improvement Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:12 Chapter 4: Learn Only as Deep as You Need To 3:09 Airbnb Learned Just Enough Photography, Then Stopped 6:24 Someone Who Knows Data 9:50 Why Enrolling Feels Safer Than Starting 11:39 Match Each Skill’s Depth to Its Job 15:04 Define Done Before You Start 18:07 Pull It Out Instead of Putting It In 20:03 Chapter Summary 21:00 Try This Week 23:58 Outro Become One of One by Peter Hollins: Chapter 4, an audiobook preview. The release date will be announced. This preview is shared with permission and is available on this channel for a limited time. It will come down when the audiobook is released. Audiobook details: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HM2TLJRZ

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Audiobook Preview | Chapter 4 Learning Skills: Depth vs Breadth - Know When to Stop - Voice over Work - An Audiobook Sampler

  6. Oct 13

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Audiobook Preview | 1

    You don't have to be the best at one thing. You become rare by combining a handful of solid skills. This book lays out a four-step method for doing it: See It, Stack It, Build It, Prove It. Become One of One by Peter Hollins: 1, an audiobook preview. The release date will be announced. This preview is shared with permission and is available on this channel for a limited time. It will come down when the audiobook is released. Audiobook details: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HM2TLJRZ

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Audiobook Preview | 1

  7. Oct 13 ·  Bonus

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Audiobook Preview | 1 - Voice over Work - An Audiobook Sampler

    You don't have to be the best at one thing. You become rare by combining a handful of solid skills. This book lays out a four-step method for doing it: See It, Stack It, Build It, Prove It. Become One of One by Peter Hollins: 1, an audiobook preview. The release date will be announced. This preview is shared with permission and is available on this channel for a limited time. It will come down when the audiobook is released. Audiobook details: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HM2TLJRZ

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Audiobook Preview | 1 - Voice over Work - An Audiobook Sampler

  8. Oct 13

    BECOME ONE OF ONE | Audiobook Preview | 2

    You don't have to be the best at one thing. You become rare by combining a handful of solid skills. This book lays out a four-step method for doing it: See It, Stack It, Build It, Prove It. Become One of One by Peter Hollins: 2, an audiobook preview. The release date will be announced. This preview is shared with permission and is available on this channel for a limited time. It will come down when the audiobook is released. Audiobook details: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HM2TLJRZ

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About

Looking to boost your motivation, build better habits, and improve your mental health? The Science of Self delivers research-backed personal development strategies focused on behavior change and habit formation. This podcast presents the work of Peter Hollins — researcher and bestselling author in applied psychology and human performance — narrated by Russell Newton. Each episode breaks down the science behind motivation, mental performance, and lasting behavior change into clear, actionable strategies you can use right away. New episodes every week.

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