Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement

A boat is safe in the harbor. But that is not what boats are built for.

We tend to view our lives as a single, continuous narrative. But in reality, we are a series of temporary selves, each with a distinct beginning and end. The teenager who dreams of adventure is not the same as the retiree who seeks comfort. When we defer our dreams, we aren't saving them for later; we are denying them to the person we are right now.

This episode explores the "Regret Minimization Framework"—a tool for navigating the uncertainty of...

How to master cognitive flexibility by understanding the biases that keep you stuck.

In WWI, generals sent horses against machine guns. Cognitive Rigidity mean they couldn't reimagine the battlefield.

In this episode, I break down the five mental traps keeping you stuck. We look at why you value your own bad ideas more than good ones (The Endowment Effect) and why you can’t stop scrolling TikTok instead of working (Hyperbolic Discounting). We even cover why Einstein—the genius of flexibility—eventually got stuck in his ways and rejected quantum mechanics.

Actionable Takeaways:

How the mind blinds us to reality by showing us what we want to believe.

We don't see with our eyes; we see with our stories. In 1951, psychologists proved that fans from opposing teams physically saw different fouls during the same game. This is the power and danger of perception.

It is the tension between what is real and what we believe is possible. When a doctor gives a patient a placebo, the patient heals not because of medicine, but because of the story of the medicine.

In this episode, we explore the...

How to make smarter decisions that improve your life by understanding your mind and it's hidden psychology.

We are all storytelling creatures, desperate to fit the world into a narrative that makes sense to us. Thus, we build echo chambers not because we are stupid, but because we are afraid.

The Confirmation Bias is a shield against the discomfort of being wrong. The Availability Bias shapes our worldview based on the loudest stories, not the most important facts.

This episode reviews 7 cognitive biases the explore the friction between what is comfortable and what...

Think you konw what you're doing with you money on your mind? Think again.

You walk into a cinema and buy the $12 large popcorn because the medium is $10. You think you got a deal, but you actually just fell for the "Decoy Effect."
Your brain is wired to latch onto the first number it sees.

In this episode, I break down the psychological pricing traps that businesses use to hack your wallet.

We also cover why Sir Isaac Newton lost his fortune to the Sunk Cost...

Ever caught yourself defending a dumb idea just to look smart?

That's your ego controlling your brain. Cognitive biases and ego team up to screw your decisions daily.

Picture this: confirmation bias has you cherry-picking facts that stroke your self-image, while ego whispers you're too smart for mistakes. Spot the traps like Dunning-Kruger (overestimating skill) or sunk cost fallacy (throwing good money after bad).

Takehomes:

Point at one bias daily: "Am I ignoring counter-evidence like a muscly Irishman blocking the door?"

Test decisions: Can you drop it on your...

You think you're rational? Think again. We love feeling like thoughtful decision-makers, but the truth is we're riddled with cognitive shortcuts.

Daniel Kahneman's Nobel Prize-winning work breaks down the systems of our mind. We constantly substitute hard questions with easy ones; e.g. Buying a stock because you like the company, not because you've done the data.

This episode cuts through the 300,000-word book to show you exactly how these shortcuts lead to everything from bad investments to pointless stress about the weather. It's time to stop letting your brain’s simple tricks run your wh...

We can try all the things: new habits, different mindsets, therapy, medication, or god save us... self-help books.

Yet to no ones surprise: we don't wake up a different person, we don't start doing all the things we keep saying we will eventually do, we don't even lose weight...

What is the deal? Are we broken? Is there a way to fix ourselves?

It all comes down to a single question.

Who are you VS. Who do you want to be?

Thoroughly confused, conflicted and curious...

Inner Peace vs Retail Rage - How do shops design our experience to remove our decisions and make us to FOMO into all sorts of weird situations?

This episode peels back the slick banners and countdown timers to show the tiny psychological tricks that turn shoppers into hunters. Scarcity, anchoring, and anticipation aren’t marketing buzzwords — they’re brain hacks.

Retailers riff off ancient instincts: spot a rare fruit, grab it. Online, those instincts run on caffeine and fast clicks. The result? We chase status, reassurance, and an imagined better life via object...

Most problems in the world aren't random accidents, they're built into the systems we live in. When we look closer we find systems all around us drive the currents that change the world.

Systems Thinking is a key idea in science, politics and business, but it knows no boundaries as systems show up everywhere.

In every era of humanity we created new systems in politics, law, technology and economics to deal with the problems of the day. As new challenges arise in the 21st century, from the future of...

What if “enough” wasn’t a number — but a moment?

This conversation explores the quiet art of leaving nothing essential undone. We talk about the trap of “more” — more savings, more time, more planning — and how it steals the urgency that makes life vivid.

To die with zero regrets isn’t to die empty; it’s to die complete. Like an artist who finishes a painting not because it’s perfect, but because it says what it needed to say. We explore how generosity, timing, and intention turn ordinary years into extraordinary ones. It’s not about consuming your...

99% of podcasters quit before episode 20. Why do 1% keep going... and what does it teach us about ourselves?

Paul Davies interviews Sam on the psychology of motivation, self-determination, signalling theory and more as we break down the psychology of what makes people podcast.

Besides analysing what's driving the trend to start a podcast we also learn about why humans do anything and how to make your own decisions for the right reasons.

Learn:

- How to keep a side hustle fun instead of it being a chore

- What on...

What if the life you're living is just a metaphor for the life you're meant to live?

Pressfield kept his typewriter buried under spare parts in his truck. He knew it was there. Thought about it constantly. But he was too terrified to dig it out and write. So he drove. For years.

Shadow callings aren't about laziness—they're about proximity without risk. We fall into fixed mindset thinking this is all we can do.

We become English teachers instead of novelists, consultants instead of founders, gallery workers instead of artists. We stay cl...

What if winning isn't a destination? What if it's the quiet act of becoming slightly better than you were when the sun rose this morning?

Frank Dick spent five decades asking "How do we help people see their own progress?"

As British Athletics' legendary Director of Coaching, he discovered something profound. We're wired to notice missing buttons but blind to the ones that are there. His Four Rs framework (Reason, Reality, Reflection, Response) is a mindset shift in how we define growth mindset psychology.

Every competition, meeting, and conversation is an invitation to a...

Ever notice how the people who never mess up also never win big? Frank Dick, the legendary British Olympic coach who led Team GB through its golden era, calls this "the risk of winning."

For over 50 years, Frank coached Olympic champions like Daley Thompson and Sebastian Coe. His growth mindset framework reveals a counterintuitive truth about mental strength: failure isn't falling off your bike—it's refusing to get back on. This episode unpacks the hidden psychology behind mistakes, character formation, and why vulnerability might be your greatest competitive advantage in self-improvement.​

You'll discover:

Why m...

Ever said "you just need the right mindset" without knowing what that actually means? You're not alone. Most people use mindset like a magic word—vague, fluffy, and completely useless.

This episode breaks down what mindset really is through psychology, not wellness guru nonsense. You'll learn the difference between growth mindset (seeing failure as learning) and fixed mindset (believing ability is static), why abundance mindset beats scarcity thinking, and how open-mindedness isn't about accepting everything. The fisherman story reveals how we all fake understanding of concepts we never properly learned.

You'll discover:

Why sp...

Panic less, enjoy more - treat time well and it will treat you well.

Humans have a difficult relationship with time. Sometimes just a birthday can lead to spiralling mental health.

Yet time is the medium of existence that gives us all the experiences that make life so great.

Of course, time also ages us and ultimately robs us of everything we ever have and ever loved.

With the right mindset we can enjoy it and use it wisely.

We cover:

Build a mindset that doesn't care what other people think, because you know what actually matters to you.

In this episode we examine insightful ways to take control of your life and define where it's going.

We steal some of the best questions and ideas from existential psychology that you can try applying to your own life.

GUEST

Jodi Wellman is the author of "You Only Die...

Rethinking the problem and our mindset from scratch when it comes to this whole life thing.

What if the problem isn't your schedule—it's your metaphor?

We've inherited a story about work and life as opposing forces, locked in eternal combat for our limited hours. This story feels true because everyone tells it. But stories shape reality.

Consider this: your life contains multitudes. Work, yes. But also relationships, creativity, health, community, growth. None of these oppose each other inherently.

A parent who calls their family "their life" earns respect. Someone who ca...

We evolved shame as a gift. A signal that whispers when we've drifted from who we might become. What if the discomfort you feel isn't the problem, but the compass?

This episode explores a surprising truth: the hardest patterns to change aren't the ones destroying us, but the ones keeping us comfortably mediocre. Yet they hold us back and sometimes shames even stops us from acknowledging they exist.

But we need to step back and ask if we are truly happy with our choices, the way we live our life and what we would...

Our cognitive biases and ego can muddy the waters of our minds and block the path to clear communication.

Today's episode provides strategies on how to be both a more effective thinker and communicator.

Topics:

Freebies

Influence the Show

Dame Stephanie Shirley built a billion-dollar tech empire from her kitchen table in the 1960s, pioneered remote work before anyone knew what Wi-Fi was, and discovered the psychology behind turning survivor's guilt into unstoppable motivation.

This isn't some feel-good story about "everything happens for a reason." It's a masterclass in how your brain can rewire trauma into resilience. Stephanie shows us that the experiences that nearly destroy us often contain the exact ingredients we need to build something extraordinary.

Reframe your biggest setbacks as your competitive advantage—they teach you what "real problems" actually look li...

We chase alignment with our purpose, values, passions but can sometimes get a little lost on the way.

Life has a scary habit of passing us by in a rush and Sam has just turned 35 years old and feeling very philosophical about the whole thing.

We take a tour of some of the big problems in society people struggle with and the paradoxes that make them difficult.

From waning attention spans to political chaos or the lenses and mindsets that we view life with. Sam weaves together some of the hottest topics into...

You know that Stupid questions = Stupid answers. It's the same for boring questions. If you want to live a meaningful life with space for personal growth and connection with those around you.

The answer is fantastic questions.

Questions that help you understand yourself better and your partner.

Questions that lead to conversations where you really see each other deep down at a human to human level.

Topaz Azides, is an Emmy-winning director who spent a decade analyzing 1,200 couples to understand why some thrive while others stall. He discovered that humans are "...

The ego is more unruly than you think. We dissect how it works and how to make it work for you.

When you don't watch it carefully your brain will trick you into thinking it knows things it doesn't. This can lead to all sorts of disasters.

Learn 3 ways that your ego get's in the way of real growth and learning and how to build a stronger and more open mindset.

Lessons:

Create Space: Begin by admitting what you don't know to open the door for discovery.

Ever felt like you're fighting a losing battle with your own brain? Addictions are like that. We learn the mindsets and psychology to build self-awareness and take control of your decisions and behaviours.

Jeremy Lipkowitz, a former Buddhist monk, meditation teacher, and coach is the host of "Unhooked: breaking porn addiction podcast". He helps men break free from compulsive behaviors—especially porn addiction—and build lives of integrity, discipline, and deep fulfilment.

Topics:

- The role of shame in all addictions

- Why porn is rapidly growing and difficult addiction

...

You want your kid to magically become some badass, challenge-eating machine?

Lectures don’t work, praise gets boring, and perfectionism is just another word for control freak. We dive into the reality behind both teaching and practicing a growth mindset.

Firstly it starts with you living a growth mindset so this episode is primarily a masterclass on building one yourself.

Self-efficacy is crucial for resilience and overcoming setbacks that hit us everyday. Yet there are so many nuances when you try to teach a growth mindset. The wrong praise makes things worse, Even be...

Ever felt like life’s locked you in a box and thrown away the key? Tom Davies (GeoWizard) knows the feeling—and he picked the locks with curiosity and a pinch of madness.

This isn’t your standard self-help fluff. Tom went from odd jobs and dead-end days to having 1.4 million followers watching his adventures. His fame launched when he crossed Wales in a straight line, just because he asked, “What if?”

His adventures aren’t just geography—they’re psychology in action. Discover why quitting a steady job for a “silly idea” might be the sanest thing you...

Freedom doesn’t arrive when you finally “figure it all out”—it arrives the moment you move.
We’ve built mental walls around the idea that creativity is genetic and strength is inherited. But imagine a world where every step, stretch, or stumble is a tiny act of liberation, welding new circuits of possibility in your brain. Picture the mountaineer navigating a cliff, or a child learning to throw—a dance as ancient as humanity itself, and just as transformative. The lesson isn’t in chasing overnight genius, but in discovering that each deliberate movement is a brushstroke of reinvention...

Positive Psychology applied to the shortness of life. This episode is a repeat of a masterclass from last year on living wider and deeper with psychologist and author Jodi Wellman.

We cover:

As they say "Get busy living, or get busy dying".

Jodi has a morbid fascination with positive ideas from existential psychology to help brighten your day.

Jodi Wellman

Have you ever wondered how important something really is, yet lacked a reference point to put it into context?

These days news, apps, jobs or neighbours comments all seem to be infinitely important and it's somewhat distracting. If you want to actually do stuff you need to know what is important and screen out the rest.

Sam shares a framework for working out the impact of any idea or event that adds context to anything around you. From an idea in the shower to nuclear weapons everything has it's place

<...

We think fitness is about the body. But in truth, it begins in the story we tell ourselves.

In this conversation with Jake Parker, we explore fitness not as a battle of discipline, but as a shifting of identity.

Humans evolved in a world of scarcity where every calorie mattered. Now, in a world of abundance, that same wiring works against us. The magic, Jake suggests, is in designing new defaults. Defaults where exercise becomes an act of self-kindness, food choices become votes for the person you want to be, and consistency becomes less a...

It's not just what you do, it's how you do it.

We are increasingly bombarded with demands and equally confused by how important everything seems.

Growing up every year the next exam will make or break the rest of your life... The reality is some things don't matter and other things matter much more than you will ever know.

Saying hi to that stranger that becomes your wife, helping a friend start that stupid idea, putting way too much effort into a dinner party.

We only have so much time and...

Ever felt like you were wrestling with more than just a campfire? Me too. Turns out, controlling fire is a bit like trying to control your own mind; tricky, unpredictable, and full of surprises.

In this episode, we have an episode drop from Sam's new show "How to Change the World; The History and Future of Innovation".

We dive into the wild story of how humanity’s obsession with fire set us on the path to becoming who we are today. We’ll talk about global wildfires and backyard barbecues, and how both are wove...

What if success isn’t about working harder or even more achievement, but about how we feel day to day?

In this episode, Mike Winnet invites us to reconsider the very stories we tell about ambition and achievement.

The culture around entrepreneurship often creates illusions; mirages shimmering in a desert of social media noise.

Mike challenges us to step beyond these distractions and ask: What if the real path is serene, sane, and sustainable? This episode reveals how transforming our metrics for success can free us from the endless hustle, empowering us to cr...

The art of making work not suck; how playing helps you stress less (and achieve more).

In today’s episode, we challenge the architecture of adulthood, built brick by brick with “shoulds”. Using stories of ancient ancestors and modern cubicles, we’ll ask:

Why do we surrender to seriousness, and at what cost?

You’ll learn how the prison of comparison, the tyranny of the checklist, and our fear of imperfection rob us of the very autonomy we crave:

Build tiny rituals that make work feel less like war, more like wonder. Duration: 00:25:08

Imagine training every day for a decade… and still losing. Then figuring out one question that changes everything.

Olympic gold medallist Ben Hunt-Davis didn’t win because he trained harder, he’d been doing that for years and kept losing. He won because he and his crew started asking one question before every decision: Will it make the boat go faster? 

In this conversation, Ben shares the messy reality of chasing big dreams. We talk about missing teams by one place, eating 7,000 calories a day, and why sacrifice isn’t always sacrifice if you’re...

Ever look back at something you obsessed over… and now you can’t even remember why?
This episode’s about that gap. The gap between what you care about today and what future-you will actually give a damn about.

We’ll talk about puppies that can’t tell a cushion from a laptop, people who think their city is the center of the world, and why your 16-year-old self thought video games were the meaning of life. Turns out, value isn’t fixed. It drifts. Sometimes overnight. Sometimes over decades. The trick is spotting which things are worth fi...

Feel like your focus constantly slips through your fingers? Like you’re juggling five projects but none are actually moving the needle? You’re not alone—distraction is the silent killer of progress.

In this episode, we break down how John Lee Dumas built a million-dollar podcast empire with one secret weapon: laser-sharp, relentless focus. Forget multitasking; mastery comes from saying no to everything except what truly matters. It’s like training a muscle—the more you exercise your focus, the stronger it gets. And yes, it requires cutting out noise, ignoring shiny distractions, and embracing the uncomforta...

Everyone loves a good habit but what's the science that makes some work and others not so much?

Real growth isn’t about lightning bolts, but the quiet art of consistency.

In this episode, we zoom out to see habits not as chores, but as choices that shape our identities, day after day. Ancient stoics, modern neuroscientists, even a friend and his broken snack safe remind us: transformation is gentle, cumulative, and surprisingly within reach.

We can challenge the myth that willpower is enough and find out what is.

What if everything we believe about wisdom and maturity is backwards?

Most of us carry this quiet assumption that growing up means becoming someone else... someone more serious, more predictable, more aligned with what society expects.

What if wisdom isn't about following prescribed paths. It's about developing an intimate relationship with your own evolution. True maturity emerges when we stop trying to prove ourselves and start honoring our authentic desires.

This episode challenges the tyranny of "should" and invites us into a more generous understanding of human development. The most mature thing you...

What if your rock bottom was actually a launchpad? Melissa Monte, host of the Mind Love podcast, shares how hitting her lowest point became the catalyst for building a life she truly loves.

Melissa's journey wasn't a straight line to success. After facing trauma, bad relationships, and even a felony charge for someone else's crime, she found herself in a jail cell with a choice: let her limitations define her or use them as guideposts. She chose the latter, teaching herself digital marketing and eventually launching a successful podcast.

This episode dives into the raw, m...

What if the stories we tell about stress and adversity are holding us back? What if the most resilient people are not the strongest, but the most adaptable?

This episode is an invitation to rethink resilience. Dr. Steven Stein shares how the hardiness mindset shifts our relationship with challenge. A concept born in military research but relevant to artists, entrepreneurs, and everyday heroes.

It’s not about stoicism or sheer willpower; it’s about seeing meaning in difficulty, embracing uncertainty, and committing to a journey bigger than the immediate obstacle. T

You’ll discov...

We revisit a classic episode to understand the circuitry of the self as we uncover the neurological pathways behind the Ego and explain what the Default Mode Network is.

Topics covered:

Starting with Hans Berger's pioneering work with EEG this episode covers the history of Default Mode Network discovery, its role in ADHD symptoms, and the impact...

Ever tried surfing and ended up just swallowing seawater? That’s what life feels like when you’re glued to the problem and forget to look up.

In this episode, I share how learning to surf taught me more about perspective than any self-help book ever could. We’ll break down why your brain loves to panic, how focusing on the wrong thing can make you fall (literally and metaphorically), and the simple hacks that help you zoom out when you’re stuck in the weeds.

Think of it as a manual for getting out of your...

Ever feel like creativity is reserved for “real” artists? Rick Rubin’s 12 rules say otherwise. They’re for anyone who wants to live and create with more honesty.

Rubin, the legendary producer who can’t play an instrument, built his career by helping others strip away what’s fake and tune into what’s real. His rules aren’t about being clever; they’re about noticing, subtracting, and getting comfortable with discomfort.

I’ll share how Rubin’s approach helped me stop overthinking and start making things that actually felt like me. Think of creativity as tuning a radio: you...

The best lessons don't come from others, but from yourself.

As Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living". This episode invites you to rethink how you engage with your past and future selves as a continuous dialogue of growth.

Journaling, sending future emails, and revisiting your old favourites aren’t just nostalgia trips — they’re time machines for your brain.

I share my own cringe-worthy stories from my own teenage journal flipped my self-doubt into confidence. Science backs it up: writing boosts memory and emotional clarity, and connecting with your future self h...

Attachment theory and how to avoid the mistakes everyone makes when they learn about it.

It’s probably your attachment style. Think of it as the relational software installed in your brain during your first 18 months. This episode is a crash course in understanding your programming and avoiding common mistakes.

We break down the four main styles: Secure, Anxious, Avoidant, and Disorganized. We explore the classic Anxious-Avoidant trap, where one person chases and the other retreats, creating a cycle of frustration. More importantly, we debunk the myth that these styles are a life...

Where does the scarcity mindset, imposter syndrome, and loss aversion come from?

Welcome to a mindset masterclass from history. Learn if the very instincts that kept humanity alive are now keeping you from truly living.

For 290,000 years, we survived by playing it safe, following the tribe, and hoarding resources. These weren't character flaws—they were survival strategies in a world where innovation could mean death.

You’re not lazy. You’re just listening to the wrong voice in your head.
This episode breaks down 5 invisible saboteurs that make you think you're stuck. The reality is you're just thinking the wrong thoughts.

Think of your brain like an iPhone. If it runs on a 2012 mindset, don’t expect 2025 results.

Sam dives into the limiting beliefs that sneak into our self-talk, from the myth of perfectionism to the lie that you “don’t have enough willpower.” You'll hear how comedians bomb for years, why imposter syndrome gets worse with success, and what cats ca...

Ever wonder why you can recognise your friend's face instantly but struggle to remember where you put your keys? Your brain is running the most sophisticated learning system ever created, and most of us have no clue how it actually works.

Nicholas Shea is an Oxford and King's College Researcher working in philosophy of mind, cognitive neuroscience and artificial intelligence.

He breaks down the fascinating psychology behind how we build concepts in our minds. Think of concepts as mental shortcuts - when you see a dog, you don't analyse four legs, fur...

Let's unpack the heart of attention, addiction, autopilot and self-sabotage.
This episode is a deep dive into the junk food of thought: addictive mental loops that hijack your attention, and keep you stuck repeating the same boring patterns — again and again and again.

We talk about why your thoughts are like badly designed software, why addiction makes your brain less creative, and how to actually take back control. From scrolling email to self-sabotaging loops, it turns out the enemy isn’t the internet… it’s your untrained mind.

Reframe addiction as a self-inflicted cognitive handicap...

Mental Constraints: How to change your thoughts and break invisible limits you can't see
This episode is a ride through dimensions—space, time, and your own mind. It’s like stepping outside your body mid-coffee to ask, “Wait, what the hell am I doing?”

From Zen bugs to aeroplane windows, Sam breaks down how we’re all stuck in routines that make life two-dimensional. And the worst part? We don’t even notice.

You’ll learn:

Why your habits aren't just habits—they're constraints dressed as convenience

How to inject randomness into...

What if everything we believe about finding love is designed to keep us searching instead of finding?

This episode debunks some of the worst common advice and showcases what's genuinely useful.

It might start with you. The people most focused on finding the perfect partner often remain alone, while those focused on becoming the right partner tend to attract extraordinary relationships.

Shift from scarcity-based dating to abundance-based connection:

Understand "optimal search theory"

Focus on shared vision for the future rather than identical current interests

Recognise that generosity...

Ever felt like life just sucker-punched you out of nowhere? That's exactly what Nassim Taleb calls a Black Swan event.

Most people think they can predict the future by looking at patterns. They study charts, analyze trends, and feel safe in their little bubble of certainty.

However, the biggest events that shape our lives—market crashes, pandemics, breakthrough innovations—are the ones nobody sees coming. ..

Beyond that, it's about how your brain tricks you into thinking you understand a world that's fundamentally unpredictable:

Stop trying to predict everything and start building resi...

The tools of thinking that fueled the Growth Mindset and fast decisions behind the success of Jeff Bezos.

Bezos frames business as a series of silent promises: to customers, to colleagues, to the future. Each promise is a primitive—simple, sturdy, waiting to be linked. When those links form, independence evolves into interdependence, and a whisper becomes a flywheel.

In this conversation, we explore how “Day One” thinking keeps the path clear, how a “regret-minimization lens” invites bold choices, and why “single-threaded leadership” protects the soul of a project.

Name your primitives—identify the small assets...

Ever wondered how to really change the world?

After thinking about the question for too long, Sam has started a new podcast to answer it.

Sam's new show 'How To Change The World' tells the stories of the greatest innovations throughout the entire history of humanity.

As he goes, he'll be breaking down the mental models and frameworks to create change.

The show can be found on major podcast players:

Self-help is sometimes the opposite. It can end up increasing your task list with a bunch of unrealistic expectations you never achieve.
Today’s conversation is about navigation, not directions.

We explore the quiet difference between a compass you trust and a checklist someone sells. Passport stamps matter less than the personality you bring to the journey; so does the company you invite to walk beside you.

We trade a stack of generic self-help books for three simple ideas you can put on a sticky note.

The answer might no...

A sunflower doesn’t hold strategy meetings to decide which way to grow. It simply tilts toward the light.

This conversation with Dr. Harry Cohen invites us to do the same. The heliotropic effect—our quiet, evolutionary pull toward positive energy—may be the simplest, most overlooked lever of leadership and community.

We explore what happens when you become the light source instead of chasing it. Why a six-second smile hacks brain chemistry, how a clean apology resets trust faster than any marketing funnel, and what my own networking face-plant taught me about...

Uncover what it really takes to build greatness.

There's much more to genius than effortless intelligence or risky business bets. We dive into the consistent habits that drive long-term results for coming out on top.

They might not be sexy, but if you can leave your ego at the doo,r there's a lot more on the other side.

How to Change the World

Sam's new show can be found on major podcast players:

You’re not lazy. You’re overloaded. And no, another productivity hack won’t save you.

In this episode, I talk about how minimalism isn’t about white walls and hidden kitchen bins—it’s about your calendar, your relationships, your identity.

I unpack the joy of missing out using stories from travel, creative burnout, and watching a guy walk around Britain with nothing but a backpack. Turns out, when you’re doing too much, you're not living—you’re buffering.

We explore how having too many goals is like trying to break a window with a ha...

Love isn’t just a feeling, it’s a pattern. And patterns, when understood, can be changed.

We are the descendants of beings who bonded, lusted, and survived—not by chance, but by biology.

In this episode, we explore the elegant architecture of love, divided into three distinct experiences: lust, attraction, and attachment.

Each has its own hormonal symphony: testosterone’s drive, dopamine’s thrill, oxytocin’s warmth. But these chemicals, while essential, are not our destiny. We must choose how we respond to them.

The opportunity lies in seeing lo...

A system that grows stronger from chaos? That’s not science fiction. It’s nature’s original design.
Nassim Taleb's Antifragile isn't just a book. It’s a lens—a way to see the world not as a series of risks to be avoided, but as opportunities to evolve.

In this episode, we explore what it means to thrive in disorder. From ancient myths like the Hydra, to modern jobs and biological systems, we trace the pattern: fragility is punished, antifragility is rewarded.

What if you built a life where setbacks made you better, not bitter...

Cognitive bias. False memory. The Dunning-Kruger effect. What do they all have in common?

They show how unreliable our minds can be.

In this episode, we explore the science and philosophy of self-knowledge.

From flawed reasoning and failed planning to empathy gaps and epistemic humility. But explained using normal English...

Along the way, we uncover powerful tools to help you become more reliable, more curious, and a little less wrong.

How to Change the World

Sam's new show...

People avoid you for reasons that have nothing to do with your deodorant.
You can be smart, talented, even funny—but if people feel unseen or misunderstood around you, your life gets smaller.

Dr. Steven Stein has tested emotional intelligence in everyone from Air Force recruiters to reality TV contestants. And the results are weirdly human.

EQ isn’t about being soft. It’s about knowing when to shut up, when to speak up, and when to walk away.

This episode breaks down emotional intelligence like it’s a muscle group: you’ve got to...

There are a million ways to waste time.

We don't need a million and one ways to be productive.

We just need to - Do The Thing

It's easy to overcomplicate productivity:

These are all effective ways to not be productive.

In this episode, we cut through the fluff and focus on the pure, simple truths.

How to Change the World

...

We don’t see the future. We predict it — and sometimes we predict disaster before it’s even possible.

Catastrophizing is a mental reflex. It’s your mind, desperate for control, drawing monsters where none exist yet.

In this episode, we explore the quiet space between stimulus and story — the moment you could choose curiosity over certainty.

Relationships, careers, self-worth: all suffer when we confuse our imagined outcomes with inevitable truths. But if we learn to watch the story unfold without believing it, something remarkable...

What if the person you think you are is an outdated idea?

In this episode, we explore how habits form—not from logic, but from history. From childhood rules to adult rituals, your behaviours aren’t just choices. They’re echoes.

We look at behavioural debt: how the past continues to extract payments from your present and what you can do about it.

We look expansively at different ways we pick up all these habits and identities, and then use 5 ideas from psychology and philos...

How often do you say no?

In this episode, I unpack the beautiful mess that is boundary-setting—with stories, psychology, and a touch of Brexit. This episode dives deep into what it really means to assert your needs.

Boundaries aren’t about building walls—they’re more like installing a front door with a lock you actually use. We explore why people-pleasing kills self-respect, how resentment creeps in when you’re too “nice,” and why your future depends on the limits you’re willing to draw today.

What...

What separates those who break from those who bend? A shift—not in strength, but in perspective.

In today’s episode, we look at the 4 quadrants of mental resilience: Control, Commitment, Challenge, and Confidence —using a blend of metaphors, Stoic wisdom, and powerful stories from history.

Think of your mind like a car: control is the steering wheel, commitment is the fuel, challenge is the terrain, and confidence? That’s your engine. From Helen Keller to Joan of Arc, you’ll see how legendary mental strength isn’t born—it’s built. Plus, learn why...

There’s only so much logic you can apply to your problems, at some point you need to work with your biology.

The nervous system it an incredible organ built to help you survive and it can over-ride your conscious processing at will. To stop tripping over our barriers and build true resilience, reduce stress & feel more alive we need there is a way.

Working with your nervous system instead of against it.

On the show we invite Esin Pinarli a licensed therapist and expert in working wi...

The problem with being human is that we believe our version of truth is the truth.

Not because we’re bad—but because we’re wired that way.

This episode is a story of blindness. Not the kind you see—but the kind you don’t even know you have. You’re not as open-minded as you think.

That’s not an insult—it’s just how the brain works. We shortcut. We judge. We protect our ego like it’s a vintage vinyl.

In this episod...

Ever notice how you'll curse for days when stuck in traffic but never celebrate hitting all green lights? Your brain's flaw-detection software is working overtime.

In our quest for the ideal—the perfect relationship, the flawless investment, the dream career—we often miss the opportunity to appreciate what's already working. This isn't about lowering standards; it's about recognizing diminishing returns and the opportunity costs of perfectionism.

Gratitude research shows that people who accept small imperfections actually experience more satisfaction and happiness. It's not about settling—it's about optimizing for what tr...

The psychology of mental strength and how to achieve your goals.

The path to extraordinary achievement isn't paved with enjoyment. It's built on something far more powerful: alignment with our deepest values.

Sustainable motivation comes not from the pleasure of the journey but from how we connect our actions to what matters most to us. This isn't about willpower or discipline—it's about meaning-making.

When we frame our challenges within the context of our personal values, we transform mundane or difficult tasks into meaningful st...

What if the key to unlocking your potential was already within you, nestled within the folds of your own mind?

Today we're diving into the science and psychology of hypnosis. It isn't about stage tricks or loss of control. It's about accessing a state of focused attention where the critical mind steps aside, allowing for profound change.

Not only do we learn about how the subconscious mind can be accessed but the techniques and ways that work, backed by science.

It's the difference between...

What if the path to a meaningful life isn't paved with comfort, but with deliberate discomfort?

In this episode, we explore the insidious nature of "flabbiness" - not just of body, but of mind and spirit. We'll uncover how our modern world lulls us into a state of complacent existence, and why the easy path often leads to the hardest life.

Through stories of transformation and philosophical insights, we'll challenge the notion that happiness comes from avoiding difficulty. Instead, we'll discover how embracing challenge and responsibility can lead to...

We're all blind to our own patterns. Even when we think we're self-aware, there's a whole universe of emotional blocks lurking beneath the surface.

Most of us walk around thinking we understand ourselves, but the reality is we're operating on autopilot. This episode features coach Tracy Litt, a performance coach who reveals how seemingly innocent behaviours can actually be fear mechanisms in disguise.

The conversation gets deeply personal as Sam confronts his own emotional avoidance, exploring why he distracts himself during vulnerable moments and can struggle to fully express...

Bruce Lee wasn't just a martial arts icon. He was a master of mental discipline, using six powerful habits that transformed his approach to life and success.

Bruce's journey reveals how deliberate practice shaped his legendary status. Instead of fearing failure, he embraced it as a teacher, carrying notebooks everywhere to capture insights that became contracts with himself.

His methods were surprisingly practical—reading voraciously across diverse subjects, daily goal recitation, and blending Eastern philosophy with Western training techniques. This episode explores how Lee's training wasn't based on natural ta...

What if the greatest barrier to your success isn't what you don't know, but what you think you know that simply isn't so?

This episode explores the subtle architecture of stupidity – not as a personal failing, but as a series of distinct patterns that emerge in all human thinking.

We'll journey through seven varieties, from the straightforward lack of cognitive ability to the more insidious systemic stupidity that quietly infects organizations and societies.

You'll discover how the most brilliant minds often fall prey to overthinking stupidity, rejecting el...

What if the path to happiness isn't where all the spotlights are shining? While most seek contentment in the thin slice of "now," true fulfilment lives in a paradox.

We're stuck in what I call "now-ish" thinking—that anxiety-producing zone of yesterday's failures and tomorrow's deadlines. We're taught to live in the moment, yet rarely consider where our moments are leading us.

True happiness requires an honest look at your 30-year trajectory. Are you building skills you want to master for decades? Hanging with friends who'll still challenge you in...

The mind does a lot of things we are never aware of.

You don't think about how you move or digest, your mind just does it in the background, You also can't witness all the self-sabotaging doors your mind keeps you locked up in.

We all have our own battles that limit us. Maybe how we think about money, or relationships or our own value. Maybe we get nervous about situations and it's our nerves that actually cause the problem we are afraid of.

...

We all know smart people make dumb decisions. But why?

We are all suckers for the illusion of control.

We are convinced that our meddling is needed to achieve our desired outcome. Sadly this misses the important fact that we are causing all our problems.

The episode covers all...

What if misery wasn’t something that happened to you—but something you unknowingly created?

We all have habits that screw us over—whether it’s blaming others, scrolling mindlessly on Instagram, or convincing ourselves that “next week” is when we’ll finally start living.

In this episode, I’m calling out the seven most toxic habits that keep people stuck in their own misery - they're probably (some) things you’re doing right now.

I’ll break down why these habits exist, how society reinforces t...

Ever feel like life’s pulling you in a direction you didn’t choose? Like you’re paddling against a current, but the harder you try, the further you drift?

From social media algorithms to career paths, we’re all caught in currents we barely notice. They can sweep us toward growth or drag us into chaos.

Whether it’s influencers chasing clicks or careers locking us into identities we never wanted, these currents are everywhere. But here’s the good news: just like in the ocean, you can learn to spo...

How to boost creativity and productivity with a gentle yet dedicated approach to getting the best of yourself

Fun fact: The average person has 6,200 thoughts per day.

Most creatives capture zero of them.

What if the secret to unleashing your creative potential isn't finding inspiration, but building systems that make creativity inevitable?

That’s why we have Jeremy Enns on the show. He's built a system that turns random thoughts into profitable content.

Every. Single. Day.

...

The awkward thing about finding our calling. Is that our calling isn’t out there looking for us.

It's easy to be stuck in mediocrity waiting for the perfect moment or for that ambiguous feeling that we are totally ready and blessed with pre-ordained approval to start our ideas.

These days knowledge is abundant and easily accessible. What's scarce is the willingness to show up, create, and launch our thoughts into the world before we feel ready.

In this episode:

Navigating the great paradoxes of the heart. What if everything we believed about perfect relationships was exactly what held us back from creating meaningful ones?

Consider a few classic paradoxes:

This episode explores the delicate threads that weave together seemingly contradictory truths in relationships,

Key topics:

The more we fear loneliness, the more we scare people away.

Connection is our birthright. Yet in our rush to avoid loneliness, we often make things worse.

This is a story about the paradox at the heart of human relationships. But it's also a story about possibility.

Key takeaways:

76% of people regularly break promises to themselves - Why do we keep letting ourselves down?

The uncomfortable truth about why your self-improvement efforts keep failing: it's not about motivation. It's about managing the gap between who you are and who you want to be.

This episode breaks down the exact psychology behind why we disappoint ourselves (hint: your brain is lying to you) and gives you 5 practical systems to fix it. No fluff. No guru BS. Just actionable frameworks.

What you'll learn:

A high IQ isn't useful if you can't make decent life decisions.

Drawing from neuroscience and behavioural psychology, this episode delivers practical frameworks for cognitive development. You'll discover:

Backed by real examples and zero fluff, this episode shares timeless principles that work for anyone, regardless of IQ.

<...

Ego loves company. But success? Success loves silence.

Ever noticed how the loudest person in the room rarely has the most interesting thing to say? There's a reason for that. And it's the same reason why Elizabeth Holmes is in prison while the world's best operators are probably people you've never heard of.

In this episode:

- The "Washington Protocol": How America's first president used strategic humility to build an empire (and why modern leaders keep missing the point)

- Lehman Brothers' $600 billion ego trip...

Make time your secret weapon.

Our success and happiness are often eroded by the 7 habits of highly impatient people. We are losing the ability to focus and glorify instant success. Thus we lose the ability to stick with anything and create meaningful work.

This episode goes through the psychology and philosophy of taking a slower and deeper approach to life:

From ancient stoic...

What If Everything You Knew About Success Was Backward?

Our lives are shaped by contradictions:

These are some of life’s paradoxes, and they are as profound as they are puzzling.

In this episode, we explore 16 of these paradoxes, breaking do...

What if the path to true growth begins with admitting how little you actually know?

The teachings of the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates tells us to use questions to expose holes in conventional thinking.

If you enjoy learning about psychology, self-development, and the inner workings behind success, you’ll discover proven wisdom from ancient Greece on getting out of your own way.

Hear unique Socratic tactics for:

Learn more...

Timeless laws to focus on what matters and live free of stress and anxiety.

No matter what life throws your way this year, adopting a Stoic mindset can set you up for both success and satisfaction.

Join our host, Sam Webster Harris, as he walks through 24 powerful Stoic rules that are just as important today as 2000 years ago. The lessons will help you develop more mindfulness, discipline, generosity, calmness, and contentment in your life. We'll tackle big ideas like controlling what you can control, letting go of resentment, and...

Strategic decision-making approaches to build wisdom in your everyday decisions.

Annie Duke is the author of Thinking in Bets - A book full of genius psychology and poker tips to help you build mental models to make better decisions.

Annie is a psychologist studying cognitive behavioural decision science and in her life as a professional poker player she won the World Series. She was even the highest-paid female player in history when she retired.

Her psychology helped her poker and her poker helped her...

The laws of physics are the only true limits, stop letting your brain set fake limits.

We accrue all sorts of limiting beliefs for different reasons. Our culture and reference points hide them from us. Or fear of failure keeps us small.

This episode explores the psychology of self-limiting beliefs and fixed mindset ideas that sit hidden and unchallenged in our mind.

These limiting beliefs sabotage our potential and the only way to stop them it to take ownership of your own thoughts.

The psychology of beating procrastination, inaction, and confusion that lets you systematically work towards any goal.

Goal setting is easy - Goal achieving is a very different thing.

We dig into the main causes and the often small but subtle tweaks we can make that keep us in check.

Using ideas from psychology and ancient wisdom we see how humans have dealt with the big hairy ambitious goals over history and how you can too:

Stop Dreaming, Start Doing - Action is more important than planning.

We are increasingly addicted to planning yet more and more allergic to doing.

Get your ducks in a row this year as we learn about the psychology behind our goals and dreams and what it takes to knuckle down, make some hard decisions and start taking action.

We discuss some key concepts:

What does it mean to live a good life?

The Stoics were the masters of asking the right questions to focus the mind on what's important.

At the year's end, it's a perfect time to reflect on who you've been this year and who you want to be going forward.

We juggle multiple priorities and hectic demands, so it's easy to get lost in the day-to-day. Today's episode will combine Psychology with Stoicism as we ask the most important questions we can of ourselves...