Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement

The science behind spreading Christmas cheer and getting people to like you. Not only is Elf a wonderfully silly and enjoyable Christmas movie. Its premise is based on a fascinating concept that can be explored using psychology. What happens when an adult is raised by elves? Not only do we get to revisit a great story but we can learn about: Attachment Theory Identity Development Social Contagion and spreading good vibes Family Systems Nuerodivergence and upbringing effects The psychology of Jor and Wonder A great way to learn some science and develop your own sense of curiosity and wonder is to dive headfirst down rabbit holes of psychology and overly analyse movies for the sheer hell of it. It's a great movie and there's lots to learn about ourselves, Christmas and happiness when we look beyond the candy canes and maple syrup. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors: 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset 🐏 Unbound Merino - Highest quality Merino wool clothing 10% off with code 'PSYCHOLOGY' UnboundMerino.com Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - Growth Mindset Chapters: 00:00 Diving into Buddy the Elf's Psychology 01:14 Psychological Underpinnings of Elf 04:47 Buddy's Positive Coping Strategies 06:04 Identity, Cultural Adaptation and Stages of Identity Development 09:20 Buddy's Social Interactions 11:43 Social Contagion Theory 13:38 Buddy's Authentic Enthusiasm 16:10 Neurodivergence and Buddy's Brain 21:10 Psychology of Joy and Wonder 24:27 Family Systems and Buddy's Impact 27:04 Lessons from Buddy the Elf 28:14 Conclusion: Spread Joy and Wonder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does psychology say about the role of information in building wisdom and lasting change in our lives? There is an explosion in self-help content. From gurus on Tik Tok to 85,000 self-help books being published a year. But what actually works? This episode explores the psychology of learning and how to put information into practice: How to identify time-wasting nonsense? 3 steps to build a healthy content diet The best forms of content for retention and lasting changes? Take home strategy to build deeper wisdom You'll come away with an improved growth mindset that doesn't fall for promises of instant results and is ready to put time and effort into cultivating wisdom instead of consuming it. Recommended Books: Slow Productivity - Cal Newport The Power of Habit - Charles Duhigg Pachinko - Min Jin Lee Wild Swans - Jung Chang Replay - Ken Grimwood Dalai Lama's Cat - David Michie And The Mountains Echoed - Khaled Hosseini The Mood Of Future Joys - Alastair Humphreys Siddartha - Herman Hesse Science References: Dr Robert Sternberg - What is Wisdom and How Can We Develop It Dr Patricia Alexander - The Development of Expertise: The Journey from Acclimation to Proficiency Dr Paul Zak - The Neuroscience of Narrative Transportation: Why Inspiring Stories Make Us React Dr Keith Oatley - Fiction: The Narrative Simulation of Social Worlds Dr Richard Nisbett - The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors: 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset 🐏 Unbound Merino - Highest quality Merino wool clothing 10% off with code 'PSYCHOLOGY' UnboundMerino.com Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - Growth Mindset Chapters: 00:00 How to actually help yourself with self-help 01:18 The Paradox of Modern Self-Help 02:36 The Slow Wisdom of Ancient Cultures 03:06 The Harm of Fast Advice & Illusion of Instant Mastery 05:01 Cal Newport's Framework for Personal Development - Three Types of Self-Help Content 06:17 The Candy Bar of Self-Help: Social Media 07:06 The Protein Shake: Longer Form Content 07:50 The Full Meal: Books 10:08 The Power of Narrative Transportation 19:27 The Value of Diverse Perspectives 20:56 Building a House of Personal Growth 22:08 A Balanced Approach to Content Consumption 24:13 The Danger of Overwhelming Amounts Information and Instructions 27:07 Conclusion: Cultivating Wisdom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Modern technology amplifies our fear and emotions. FOMO is on the rise. Whether you are worried about being invited to a party, checking social media, or finding it harder to make decisions. FOMO is increasingly driving our emotions and actions. It is a deeply natural feeling built into us through hundreds of thousands of years of evolution. But it hasn't kept up with our incredible pace of technological change. Part of the reason we have such a decline in mental health is we can compare ourselves to the perfect lives all around us in the digital world and feel we don't stack up. This episode will help you understand what's really going on: The evolutionary roots of FOMO How our modern world is making us anxious Why ADHD is on the rise Where to take back our focus What to celebrate and look up to. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors: 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset 🐏 Unbound Merino - Highest quality Merino wool clothing 10% off with code 'PSYCHOLOGY' UnboundMerino.com Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - Grow Chapters: 00:00 Psychology of FOMO 04:03 Evolutionary Roots of FOMO 08:15 Modern Technology and Social Media's Role in FOMO 10:18 Consumer Culture, Crypto and Parasocial Relationships 14:31 Psychological Costs & Impact on Mental Health 15:50 FOMO and Decision Making 17:17 The Rise of ADHD 18:54 Abundance vs. Scarcity Mindset 21:09 The Joy of Missing Out (JOMO) 21:36 Practical Tips to Overcome FOMO 25:17 Conclusion: Embracing the Present Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The small but very real problems that hold you back in a big way. Personal finances feel just that, personal. Yet most of our issues are fundamentally quite predictable and universal based on different mindset patterns and beliefs we pick up. Money isn't a completely natural tool; it is a human invention that helps us overcome trade and resource accumulation problems. Learning the basics of how to think about money and deal with it allows for us to become a master of our own future. From Lifestyle inflation to investing strategy or the issue of inaction feeling you have to learn more first This episode covers the 14 biggest mistakes we make when we think about money. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors: 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset 🐏 Unbound Merino - Highest quality Merino wool clothing 10% off with code 'PSYCHOLOGY' UnboundMerino.com Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters 00:00 14 habits that keep you poor 00:24 1st bad habit - Starting tomorrow 00:52 2nd - Starting too many and not finishing any 01:45 3rd - Paying yourself last 02:51 4th - Not investing in yourself 03:34 5th - Reading a lot and not doing 04:27 6th - Not knowing your income or expenses 06:02 7th - Getting comfortable with bad debts 07:28 8th - Not having an emergency fund 08:44 9th - Lifestyle inflation 10:17 Ad break 10:28 10th - Hanging with the wrong crowd 12:02 11th - Blaming your circumstances 12:35 12th - Focusing purely on saving now 13:16 13th - Investing without a strategy 14:38 14th - Waiting for perfect conditions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Psychology of the 5 Types of Non-Player Characters - How to Fix Them and Be a Main Character Thinker. The same story plays out online every day. The same people are getting outraged about the same things again and again. Like Clockwork. The human brain is highly optimised to rely on heuristics and simplistic decisions. Modern media hijacks this system to control our beliefs and emotions based on the agenda of other people. This episode helps listeners build autonomy over their beliefs and emotions by learning the different types of Non-Player-Character: The Conformist NPC - Believes the consensus politically correct ideas The Contrarian NPC - Believes the opposite of the consensus and seeks conspiracy The Disciple NPC - Believes their preferred leader The Tribalist NPC - Follows the tribe and us vs them mentality The Averager NPC - Seeks the middle ground without understanding the merits of an argument. Learn the psychology of the processes behind each NPC type and how different types of critical thinking systems or defence systems get turned on and off based simply on who delivers the message. Building your own worldview is one of the most important things you can do in an increasingly confusing and polarised world. Sources: Gurwinder - Why You Are Probably An NPC People Shot to Death by US Police By Race FBI Crime Data USA National Suicide Data Journal Review: Health of Vaccinated vs Unvaccinated Children Vaccine Research Overview: The Vaccine Question Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors: 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset 🐏 Unbound Merino - Highest quality Merino wool clothing 10% off with code 'PSYCHOLOGY' UnboundMerino.com Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 Psychology of Modern Culture and Predictability of Crowds 01:24 The Brain's Information Processing Shortcuts 03:09 Gurwinder on NPC's 04:48 System One and System Two Thinking 07:08 The Influence of Social Media and Algorithms 07:56 #1 The Conformist NPC 14:38 #2 The Contrarian NPC 21:49 #3 The Disciple NPC 26:03 #4 The Tribalist NPC 30:29 #5 The Averager NPC 36:51 Strategic Cognitive Resource Allocation 38:12 Recap of NPC Types and Strategies 39:31 The Importance of Selective Deep Thinking Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The surprising techniques to be more yourself - that also make you more interesting. There are endless self-help books and blogs about how to increase your charisma. In the same way you can increase your sales skills by following a checklist but there is something fake about it. Instead, we look at little-known ways you can naturally get better at being yourself. We can then expand on our own natural tendencies and be more interesting to the people we are inherently interested in. Some lessons in the episode: Increasing the depth of your interests Stop trying to 'fit in' to other peoples standards Prioritise your areas of effort Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors: 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset 🐏 Unbound Merino - Highest quality Merino wool clothing 10% off with code 'PSYCHOLOGY' UnboundMerino.com Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters 00:00 Why fit in when you were born to stand out? 00:59 Create more interesting interests 02:31 The maths of interest - 10x depth = 100x more interesting 03:38 Examples of geeking out that are fascinating 09:10 When to stand out 14:31 When to chill out 16:14 Conclusions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Art of War: High School Edition Mean Girls was one of the biggest movies of 2004 - Twenty years later it still touches the themes that teenagers struggle with the world over. Navigating cut-throat social hierarchies and the urge to morph our identity to fit in. Regina George is the villain of the movie. She is always ready to take others down and manipulate anyone around her to retain power. But there is more going on than meets the eye. In this episode: Where narcissism comes from How high-school screws with our morals Why do we become submissive to mean people What people get wrong about Mean Girls and Regina George By revisiting the story of Mean Girls and examining the character of Regina George in detail we can learn a lot about how we navigate the world ourselves. This movie is full of psychological goodies for those looking for them and totally worth a re-watch for the curious amongst us. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 Psychology and Writing in Mean Girls 01:27 Relational Aggression in Adolescence 03:34 Regina George: The Rulebook 06:47 Social Dynamics Manipulation Tactics 10:17 Diagnosing Regina George's Personality Disorder 10:51 Antisocial Personality Disorder 11:48 Borderline Personality Disorder 13:27 Histrionic Personality Disorder 14:38 Narcissistic Personality Disorder 17:38 Understanding someone through their Relationships 21:22 The Real Tragedy of Regina George 25:52 Final Thoughts and Trivia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What are the secret drivers behind the year's biggest shopping day, and why is there so much fighting? Black Friday has become an inescapable part of life, with a deal notification even popping up as a type this... (thanks Grammarly I don't need 50% off) But it wasn't always this way. In the early 1950's Philadelphia after Thanksgiving, a flood of traffic would swell for the local football game and downtown shopping. Cops called the gridlock "Black Friday" as a derogatory term. It was slowly adopted by shops and morphed into the retail phenomenon we know today. We pull the curtains back on this crazy day: Psychological levers that get us to spend Case studies of different fights and drama How shopping impacts our emotions What are we really seeking from a deal Learn about why our rational thinking gets turned off as shops manipulate our minds to get us into a buying frenzy and how it can turn violent. And whose fault is it? Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 The Contradiction of Black Friday 02:20 A Brief History of Black Friday 05:01 The Perfect Storm of Psychological Triggers 07:12 Case Studies of Black Friday Madness 09:29 Deindividuation, Competition, Social Contagion and Polyvagal Theory 11:34 Cyber Monday and Online Shopping 15:41 The Financial Costs of Black Friday 17:45 Global Perspectives on Black Friday 19:31 Human Nature Revealed by Black Friday 20:49 Social Dynamics & the Irrationality of Value 21:32 Final Thoughts on Black Friday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A 3 part decision framework to understand and solve any frustration. Ultimately all problems are a perception of the mind. Sometimes there is a way around or through the problem that we can't see. This episode Sam Webster explores a framework to help us diagnose the problem we are experiencing so we can correctly deal with it. Problems we want to have - Small problems that are connected to a bigger goal we want (see the last episode) Problems we can't change - Realities of life we need to accept Problems we don't want to have - Actual problems we need to creatively and logically solve This episode covers the whole framework with details on steps 2 and 3. To listen to the full set of ideas for part one see the last episode on real advice to build gratitude that doesn't suck. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 Problems are illusions of the mind 01:22 3 types of problems you might complain about 02:02 #1 The problem you want to have 02:39 #2 Problems you have to accept 03:56 Our issue with dreaming of what isn't 08:05 #3 - the problems you dont want to have 08:51 The right mindset towards what can and can't be changed 09:58 Priorities to get right in life 11:16 Our plague of too many desires 14:29 Determining if a problem is worth dealing with 15:56 Growing up and wisdom 17:00 Using complaints as tools to reflect, learn about, and improve yourself 18:57 Wise words to leave you with Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Burn the manifestation guide and step away from the affirmations. Here are some unusual but realistic ways to build happiness, wonder and gratitude for the world around you. We all know we "should" build more gratitude if we want to be happier. You may have heard of gratitude journalling or even be practising it. Today we explore ideas that aren't spoken about but make a difference to your baseline enjoyment of life. Some themes we highlight: The recurring problem with goals Fighting the natural focus on flaws Building a polymathic curiosity Raising our baseline everyday gratitude Zero affirmations Whether you are highly sceptical of the positive or spiritual aspects of gratitude or just fed up with the endless bad news. It can feel hard to feel grateful when things seem so overwhelmingly difficult but this episode will teach you two ways to fight our focus on flaws and see reality with greater clarity. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Gratitude 01:35 Common Problems with Gratitude 04:12 Recurring theme - great achievements will come with problems 07:05 Planning for Problems 08:46 Gratitude in Relationships 09:31 Break Time 09:40 Contextualizing Gratitude and Building Curiousity 12:42 Appreciating Modern Innovations 13:18 Resources for Building Gratitude 16:01 Recap - Choose to see the positive side of things 17:58 Next Week's Episode 18:06 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5 practices to adopt and 3 bad habits to avoid to improve mental clarity and decision-making. This episode covers some of the best lessons from Cal Newport's writing on Deep Work and Slow Productivity. We focus on becoming deeper thinkers who question easy answers and build opinions from a place of deep understanding. Top lessons: How to avoid shallow thinking traps Understand where your opinions come from Interval Training for concentration Ways to think like an intellectual Increase your working memory Understand ideas from multiple perspectives Enjoy slower and more purposeful progress This episode is a blueprint for building wisdom and clarity of thought and we can't recommend Cal Newport's work enough and his ideas shared in this episode. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Cal Newport Links Website - https://calnewport.com/ Deep Questions podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/deep-questions-with-cal-newport/id1515786216 Deep Work - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25744928-deep-work Slow Productivity - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195889760-slow-productivity Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 The Erosion of Deep Thinking 01:46 Using Charlie Mungers Inversion Approach for deep thinking 02:22 [Bad Habit #1] - Outsourcing Our Thinking 03:25 [Bad Habit #2] - Prioritizing Fast Emotional Hits 04:19 [Bad Habit #3] - Checklist Mentality 05:02 System One vs. System Two Thinking 06:13 [Deep Habit #1] - Improving Information Quality + Reducing Quantity 07:46 Cal Newport's Timescales of Consumption 09:34 [Deep Habit #2] - Comfort with Boredom 11:03 Sanitizing Your Phone & Building Phone-Free Activities 13:35 [Deep Habit #3] - Cultivating Attention 16:23 Tracking Your Progress 18:00 [Deep Habit #4] - Increasing Working Memory 21:47 [Deep Habit #5] - Practice Being Intellectual 22:13 Pairing Primary and Secondary Sources 23:02 Richard Feynman's Idea Documents 25:46 Adopting Intellectual Curiosity 27:38 Benjamin Franklin's Deep Thinkers Club 28:12 Launching a Book Club 29:02 Rebranding the Podcast to Psychology Vs. 30:15 Starting a Second Podcast - History of Innovation 31:56 Episode Summary and Final Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stop getting in your own way by spotting the lies your mind wants you to believe. Learn about the psychology behind the hidden biases that blind us from the truth. This episode explains the main reasons behind the biggest mistakes you make in life and how to overcome them. Takes homes: The link between IQ and the ability to lie to ourselves Warning signs that you aren't being truthful 3 biggest mistakes Sam made last decade 3 ways to catch your own ego This is a deceptively easy listening episode with big take-homes. Host Sam Webster Harris tells us about the 3 biggest mistakes he made in his life and how clearly ego was behind them. These stories show how blinded we can be by our beliefs that we fail to see the obvious answers right in front of us. We round up the episode with some lessons to take forward to be more aware in our own lives of where we trip ourselves up. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 Unconscious bias and why we lie to ourselves 02:54 IQ and ego 05:28 How well do you understand information 07:58 Being aware of your flaws 10:44 Mistake 1 - Unscientific scientist 14:01 Mistake 2 - Unbalanced Balancer 18:14 Mistake 3 - Unentrepreneurial Entrepreneur 22:47 Recap 23:05 Tips on how to become an ego detective 24:27 Tip 1 - Write Down 3 Big Errors You Made 25:24 Tip 2 - Nurturing Strategies 26:46 Tip 3 - Find your low ego crowd 27:17 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How to use AI to avoid lazy thinking traps and think deeper, faster, and with greater perspective. Tim O'Shea joins the podcast to talk about ways to genuinely improve your thinking with AI. Employing a self-improvement coach is expensive. As well as a writing coach or a therapist or a coder or an accountant or an SEO strategist. Generative AI has been heralded as giving us the tools to do all of these things on one simple interface. But the reality of using it can seem clunky and well-limited. We explore ways to make the most of AI's like ChatGPT and Claude to improve your creativity and problem solve. How to uncover lost memories Improve your writing and storytelling Get an elite advisor on anything Think bigger and think differently Generate useful and surprising ideas and connections. Whether you want Warren Buffet to review your investing choices and teach you to be a better investor or you want Morpheus's advice on finding your purpose in life. With a playful approach you can unlock a lot fo fun and creativity and this episode should give you some ideas you haven't thought of before. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Tim O'Shea X - @TimOSheaHQ Website - TheBoost.ai Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 Balancing technology and personal growth 03:45 Using AI as a guide 05:40 Creative prompts to spark ideas 08:15 Unlocking hidden memories using AI 10:00 How to ask for help 13:23 Writing and Creativity: A Personal Journey 17:05 Great stories happen to people who tell great stories. 19:13 Using AI for Personal Stories 25:46 Capturing elusive thoughts in real time 27:45 AI and Thought Translation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mental models, hard truths & priceless wisdom I wish I knew 10 years ago. From how to really think about IQ or Money to establishing the point of your life in a confused society. This episode covers 34 of my favourite and unintuitive lessons this year for getting along in the world without regrets. Some of the main themes covered: Pursuing the right things Working with your emotions Improving your career and work life Making the most of your potential Building your own independent beliefs Focussing on what truly matters Creating your own luck Overcoming ego and identity Seeing society with a rational viewpoint If you enjoy psychology, philosophy and contemplating how the world and our minds work this episode will have a few insights for you. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 34 Lessons for life - Exploring Thought-Provoking Ideas 02:14 The Importance of Understanding Books 03:03 Are You Pursuing a Shadow Career? 03:41 The Reality of Side Hustles 04:23 The Necessity of Exercise 04:56 Doing Your Best Work When Not Working 05:48 Ideas are stepping stones 06:23 Money as a Tool 07:03 Life is Too Short for the Wrong Pursuits 07:45 The Importance of Approach 08:32 Practicing Desired Emotions 09:44 Finding Yourself 10:16 Developing Your Personal Voice 11:13 Discipline Over Talent 11:49 IQ and Success 13:10 Apply Yourself Accordingly 14:17 Making Others Feel Clever 15:07 Think Bigger 16:06 Setting Higher Standards for Yourself 16:26 No One Thinks About You as Much as You Do 17:02 Make Your Life Story Interesting 17:55 First Principles Thinking 19:05 Learn from Others' Mistakes 20:04 Too Much of Anything is Bad 21:07 Society is an Accident 21:44 Embrace Unplanned Opportunities 22:30 The World is Duct Taped Together 24:15 Question What You Take for Granted 26:02 Build Your Own Beliefs 28:04 Keep Your Identity Small 28:51 Understanding Biases 30:41 Empathy Makes the World Nicer 30:51 Life is About Contrasts 31:33 Anger is a Useless Emotion 32:30 Camera Angles and Stories 33:56 Big and Small Things Matter 34:34 Final Thoughts and Birthday Wish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Conflicted, Confused, and Ready to Vote - Uncovering the discombobulated thoughts of the great undecided who will sway the election. We dive into the hidden forces in our minds that sway our decisions when we don't know how to decide. From Free Will to Confirmation Bias, Appearances and a Turn of Phrase. What doesn't matter and what could make all the difference in a voters mind. We cover: Where do our preferences come from How we shortcut confusing decisions into simple flawed decisions The impact of last-minute scandals What each side doesn't understand? The irrational nature of sensible people Who has been overlooked by politics and what are they thinking The 60th US election coming on November 5th between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump has been on the news non stop for a year. Finally, it will all be over and we can move on with our lives. 13% of people remain undecided but with their vote being crucially important in an otherwise 50:50 race, the nuanced factors that sway their thinking have never been more important. Tune in to uncover the psychology of last-minute voters and the hidden mind games controlling the election. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 Beyond politics - the psychology of elections 02:27 Introduction to Election Tipping Points 03:16 Heuristics and Decision Making behind voter psychology 04:13 Voter Biases and Simplification 05:02 The Role of Vibes in Decision Making 05:39 Campaign Influence and Free Will 07:36 Impact of Random Events 09:00 Trump's Resilience to Scandals 09:26 Comparing Trump and Kamala Harris 15:37 Elon Musk's Influence 16:59 Campaign Strategies for the Final Week 20:43 The Power of Podcasts in Campaigns 23:10 Trump's Podcast Strategy 26:55 Kamala Harris's Debate Performance 27:38 Media Misconceptions About Psychology 33:43 Collective Dissatisfaction in Politics 36:43 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We celebrate 'hard work" but forget to consider the benefits of thinking "hard thoughts". This episode teaches how to navigate uncertainty without taking easy options by building a capacity for complexity. Allow doubt to improve our decisions Understand multiple causes behind outcomes Reduce judgement of others Improve your field of vision Weight statistics properly Take ownership of forming opinion without using others Accept lower confidence and greater accuracy The mind is full of complexity and it relentlessly tries to optimise and take shortcuts. This serves is well in many aspects but cultivating a practice of taking the harder path in our thinking allows us to see hidden truths behind out assumptions. To arrive at better decisions we need to learn to balance uncertainty with statistics and see beyond our limited field of view. It isn't easy but the benefits can greatly improve your outcomes and your mindsets. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 Benefits of thinking hard thoughts 01:12 Optimizing for the wrong things 03:59 1st - Elimination of doubt 06:55 2nd - Single cause explanation to complex events 09:12 3rd - Justification of your own action whilst judging the actions of others 12:02 Morgan Housel - we are blind to the vast majority of what people are thinking 12:12 Lessons from the book 'Evil' 14:20 4th - Your own field of vision is the same as everyone else's 18:05 5th - The desire to prioritize stories over statistics 20:46 6th - Outsourcing our hard decisions to the opinions of pundits, consultants, and experts 24:09 7th - Overconfidence 26:21 Annie Duke - Thinking of bets 28:22 Accepting probabilities and the reality of a situation 29:33 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A lot of the self-improvement industry and advice is backwards. The more books we read the further away from our goals we become. Ultimately we want to be happier yet we are accruing more and more things to fix before we are happy with ourselves. In this episode, we explore the biggest paradoxes where the work we do can make us more brittle and breakable: Effortlessness Paradox - The harder we try the harder we make it Happiness Paradox - Pursuing Happiness instead chases it away Validation paradox - Seeking external validation prevents internal validation Emotions paradox - Suppressing emotions makes them overwhelm us The Shadow - Rejecting our flaws makes them worse Planning Paradox - Overplanning reduces adaptability Self-Improvement Paradox - The more things you find to fix the more broken you feel Searching and finding can be different things. We learn a more subtle approach to self-improvement that spends more time building wisdom and focusing on smaller immediately actionable steps with less chasing and running in circles. We find answers to the question "How do we balance the art of wanting to improve whilst also wanting to live in contentment in the present?" Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 The Effortlessness Paradox 03:08 The Messy Reality of Self-Improvement 04:23 Introduction to the Growth Mindset Psychology Podcast 05:14 The Paradox of Pursuing Happiness 07:49 The Paradox of Validation 10:52 The Paradox of Emotions 12:53 Carl Jung and the Shadow Concept 13:49 Acceptance Over Rejection 15:07 The Planning Paradox 16:29 Understanding Uncertainty Tolerance 16:47 Steve Jobs' Journey of Adaptability 17:27 Embracing the Unexpected 18:06 The Paradox of Self-Improvement 18:44 The Dunning-Kruger Effect in Self-Help 19:49 The Slow Process of Real Change 22:12 Balancing Self-Improvement and Acceptance 25:22 The Timid Cat Analogy for Happiness 26:33 Final Thoughts and Farewell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A masterclass on showing up as your best self. No toxic overworking or ultra-positive crap, but instead knowing and being yourself. We learn how to: Honestly understand our emotions Resist unnecessary mental time travel Distinguish our wants and our values Get a grip on reality and get a grip on yourself with this short episode with no punches pulled, only real and important lessons. Join host Sam Webster Harris on the Growth Mindset Pyscholgy podcast for an insightful exploration of mental strength and emotional resilience. This episode delves into the differences between mental strength and emotional suppression, and provides practical tips for harnessing mental resources, controlling self-defeating thoughts, and practicing emotional honesty. Learn about 'mental time travel' and its impact on anxiety and depression, and discover mindfulness, meditation techniques, and grounding exercises to stay present. Additionally, the episode covers 8 proven habits to build mental toughness, including gratitude, self-compassion, and embracing a growth mindset. Enhance your mental resilience and face life's challenges with greater fortitude with these valuable strategies. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 Sam: 3 habits to build mental strength 04:25 #1 Be Honest About Your Emotions 06:05 Practical step #1 - Self Reflection 06:15 Practical Step #2 - Naming Your Emotions 06:30 Practical Step #3 - Avoid Judgement 06:47 Practical Step #4 - Seek Some Feedback 07:19 #2 Be Present and Resist Unnecessary Mental Time Travel 09:38 Mindfulness, Meditation &Grounding Techniques 10:36 Schedule some reflections 10:56 Practicing Activities that Require Full Engagement 11:26 Genlty Reminding Yourself 13:20 #3 Distinguish Your Wants and Values 16:00 Reflection, Journaling, Visualization & Accountability 18:30 5 Bonus Habits 18:37 Cultivating Gratitude 19:21 Self Compassion 20:08 Setting and Communicating Your Limits 20:25 Social Support 21:10 Setting Goals and Plans 21:38 Building Growth Mindset = Building Mental Toughness 22:39 Send Off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Unconventional Strategies to finish important things and ease the overwhelm in your life. You might have a burning pile of unfinished side projects. For some reason reading another book on productivity doesn't solve the problem. This episode covers uncommon ideas that actually work even for people with ADHD. This episode will help you: Let go of baggage - cut the things slowing you down Stop fighting - Work with your energy and interests instead of against yourself Identify blockers - stop your projects getting sidetracked Value your time - spend energy where it means the most Overcome perfection - turn ideas into stepping stones From handling creative constipation to finding your calling, understanding the psychology of intentional productivity will provide a kinder way to look at your goals and task list and get your ducks in a row. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 The Junkyard of Unfinished Projects 02:10 The Myth of Finishing Everything 03:02 The Power of Abandoning Unrewarding Tasks 04:30 Start more of What you Finish 05:51 The 80/20 Rule in Practice 08:22 Identifying and Overcoming Blockers 08:58 The Danger of Perfectionism 11:04 Absolute No Go's - The blockers you can't beat 14:06 When to use Delegation and Collaboration 14:27 The Pitfalls of Incomplete Processes 16:44 Growth Mindset and Leaning into Strengths 17:14 Identifying and Delegating Blockers 18:18 Valuing Your Time 20:12 The Paradox of Finishing Unwanted Tasks 21:35 Framework for Achieving Goals 23:33 The Power of Imperfect Action 26:25 Unblock Creative Constipation 30:05 Questions to Ponder and Final Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Win friends and influence people by being yourself, with style We all have different skills that are worth others knowing about. What isn't so easy is communicating those qualities in a believable, effective, and timely manner. Today's episode will show you how to build and tell your story whilst crafting a better presence: Psychology of authenticity Identifying your real strengths How to be memorable Why a little kindness does go a long way You don't need to change yourself but instead work on the art of uncovering the things you hide behind to help you put your best foot forward. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Related Episodes: 7 Wierd Life-Changing Skills: That will make you happier - 19th July 2024 Ego Blindspots: 9 Cognitive Biases to avoid - 7th May 2024 Living the 4-Hour Work Week: Felix Chandler's strategy for being content - 14th Feb 2018 Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 The Power of Perception & Emotional Impact 01:42 Common Mistakes in Self-Presentation 04:58 Being Yourself: The Key to Authenticity 05:35 Developing Your Personal Style 08:12 The Concept of 'Show, Don't Tell' 08:51 The Power of Humor in Self-Presentation 10:07 Actions Speak Louder Than Words 12:09 Crafting Everyday Stories 14:02 Identifying Your Strengths & Turning Strengths into Stories 15:34 Communicating Your Qualities 18:08 Making Your Work Understandable 19:12 The Importance of Kindness 21:57 Sharing Your Cheese Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices