A Bit of Optimism

Confidence is this thing we all need… this thing we all want. Some seem to find it easier than others. Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, found it and it worked. This is… A Bit of Optimism. YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek Twitter: https://twitter.com/simons...

If you ask people in the military what makes them willing to sacrifice themselves for each other, the answer may surprise you. It’s not God or country… it's LOVE.  In business we have colleagues and co-workers, in the military, they have brothers and sisters. Bonds like that inspire people to do remarkable things for each other. I sat down with Brigadier General Michael “Johnny Bravo” Drowley, to...

People tell me that Brené Brown’s work, more than anyone else, is the perfect companion to my work. So what a treat for me to talk to Brené to further explore… and debate, well, a whole lot of things. This is… A Bit of Optimism YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsine...

Occasionally I get to meet someone whose story absolutely inspires me. Quilen Blackwell is that person. He was on the path set for him - good grades, good college, good job - but he decided to follow his own path and his journey was filled with far more difficulty than he imagined. Only through faith, conviction and the generosity of strangers was he able to rise up and become the successful socia...

Where do we find the truth? As the business of news has become, well, a business…it seems to have become more and more difficult to actually find the truth. Even search engines are no help. So I called James Harding, former Director of BBC News and the founder and editor-in-chief of Tortoise, a new news service, to uncover the truth about the truth. This is …A Bit of Optimism. YouTube: http://yout...

Many people have theories, but what philosopher, Dr. James Carse, figured out is more profound. He articulated a basic truth about how the world actually works. His work has had a profound impact on me and my work. So much so, I wrote a book to pick up where he left off. Sadly, Dr. Carse died in September 2020. Fortunately I had a chance to sit down with him a few months before, to chat with him a...

What happens when someone who is obsessed with human behavior, instead of becoming a psychologist, chooses a career in entertainment? Mentalist and illusionist, Derren Brown, has mastered the ability to tap into our motivations and biases to uncover some remarkable things. These days, he’s interested in how we can all be just a little bit happier.  This is… A Bit of Optimism YouTube: http://youtub...

On January 15th 2009, Captain “Sully” Sullenberger, against all odds, landed his US Airways Airbus safely on the Hudson River. How would you have reacted to the sound of the engines shutting down in mid-flight and the captain announcing “brace for impact”? CEO and venture capitalist, Ric Elias, was on that flight. He shared how that near-death experience transformed his views on his business and h...

In life we learn different things from different people. From my friend, retail executive Ann Marie Scichili, I learned about generosity. So, in the spirit of generosity I wanted to share her with you. This is… A Bit of Optimism. YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/simons...

Gucci CEO, Marco Bizzarri, finds joy in the little things. This is his secret. His secret to a happy life, also his secret to leadership. And it works. This is… A Bit of Optimism.  YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek Pin...

We are living in a polarized world filled with fear and uncertainty. There is, however, a way we can overcome all of it - Love.  Grammy nominated singer-songwriter, Aloe Blacc and I, talked about how we must Fight with Love and Fight for Love. This is… A Bit of Optimism. YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsine...

We all want to feel like we belong. We feel safe surrounded by people who see the world the way we see it. This is why we all have to find our tribe. Social psychologist and award winning Harvard professor, Amy Cuddy, certainly found hers - The Grateful Dead.  So I sat down with this lifelong Deadhead to talk about the value of finding your tribe. This is … A Bit of Optimism. YouTube: http://youtu...

What would you talk to organizational psychologist and author of Give and Take, Adam Grant, about? Everything! This was one of those conversations that went in so many directions…and I learned so much. This is … A Bit of Optimism. YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/simon...

Twenty years ago my sister and our family suffered a tragedy that we don’t talk about very often. She wanted to talk about it with the hope that it helps someone. I think it will help a lot of people. This is… A Bit of Optimism. YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsi...

Where does optimism come from? I think it comes from an innate sense that the future is bright. Andy Grammer, an incurable optimist, thinks it starts with pain. I love his point of view. This is not a Bit of Optimism. This is… A Lot of Optimism. YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Instagram: https://inst...

Are you honest? Let me ask the question a different way: have you ever told a lie? You can see the problem. Dr. Lenny Wong has spent years studying this and we talked about how pervasive this “ethical fading” is in so many aspects of modern life and what we can do about it. This is… A Bit of Optimism YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Linkedin: htt...

It’s often easier to learn lessons when we look at extreme cases. I turned to the military to understand trust. To learn about compassion, I turned to Bruce Deel. He’s an extraordinary man and the second chances his organization, City of Refuge, gives people can teach the rest of us how we can do the same. This is… A Bit of Optimism YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.face...

Two things - money and the internet - influence and impact almost everything in our lives. Which is a problem when both are run by just a few companies. Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, co-founders of Facebook and early investors in Bitcoin, have an idea how to give the people back their power. This is … A Bit of Optimism.  YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sim...

Extreme listening are two words that don’t usually go together. But there is no other way to describe what Deeyah Khan does. A Muslim woman, she made a documentary, White Right: Meeting the Enemy, about spending time with white supremacists. Her results were so profound, it raises the question, what if we all had the capacity for extreme listening? This is…A  Bit of Optimism.  YouTube: http://yout...

General Stan McChrystal was the Commander of The Joint Special Operations Command under President Obama and is the author of Team of Teams. He has had a colorful and distinguished career, but what I wanted to talk to him about is how he has lived a life of Quiet Service. This… is A Bit of Optimism. YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Linkedin: https...

We all need courage these days. The courage to speak out, the courage to be optimistic, the courage to take care of our loved ones when we’re hurting. Guy Raz and I talked about where courage comes from and how to find it. Guy is the podcast king. He was also a war correspondent. So he knows a lot about courage. His ideas are absolutely inspiring. This is… A Bit of Optimism. YouTube: http://youtub...

Carolyn Adams is an extraordinary woman. A world-renown dancer, pioneer, and teacher - she is a light that shines bright. I wanted to discover what she’s learned in her purposeful life and get her perspective on what’s going on right now. I loved our chat – I hope you do too. This is… A Bit of Optimism. YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Linkedin:...

We live in a world that is increasingly polarized. Reality, however, is a lot more grey than that, which can make us feel uncomfortable. That’s why I wanted to talk to author, entrepreneur, and activist Jenna Arnold about how we can learn to accept and manage the grey. This is... A Bit of Optimism. YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Linkedin: https...

An entrepreneur is not what most people think…that’s what I discussed with marketing guru and serial entrepreneur Seth Godin and his entrepreneur wife, Helene. I learned a lot and I laughed a lot, I really do love them. This is... A Bit of Optimism  YouTube: http://youtube.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Instagram: https://...

I imagine a world in which the vast majority of people wake up inspired, feel safe wherever they are, and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do. Bob Chapman, legendary CEO of manufacturing company Barry-Wehmiller, has done more than most other leaders to bring that vision to life. A mentor of mine, I asked him to share his thoughts on Leadership. This is… A Bit Of Optimism  YouTube: http:...