Convergence

Brendan discovers his food is continuing to Gaslighting him, Mark meets the Mayor of Bike Shed, and plans begin for Brendan’s 40th. (00:00) - Your food is Gaslighting you (02:40) - Willpower (06:32) - Being right (20:08) - The Mayor of Bike Shed (26:12) - So, what do you do? (36:34) - Internal family systems (43:12) - Brendan’s 40th birthday plans (01:00:24) - Saying no (01:04:08) - Bag Links Vect...

Profound insights and entertaining takes on life's quirks. This episode delves into a rich tapestry of personal experiences, legal challenges, and engaging banter, highlighting the Brendan’s journey through litigation, personal development, and humorous everyday observations. Key discussions include the unique wear patterns on a wooden desk, the intense preparation for and insights from an arbitra...

Exploring Personal Identities, Happiness, and Human Experiences Mark and Brendan discuss individualism, happiness, and personal identity, particularly gender identity. They discuss societal pressures, the implications of aligning too closely with a specific identity, and the importance of personal happiness and acceptance. The conversation also touches on their personal experiences with team sport...

Cycling, Personal Reflections, and Drug Experiences Mark starts with some cycling anecdotes that include several instances of bike theft and the acquisition of an e-bike. The discussion expands to cover topics of legality and accessibility of cycling for visually impaired individuals. Beyond cycling, they explore deeper themes of personal growth, the use of psychedelics for enlightenment, and refl...

Legal Battles, Lifestyle Changes, and the Value of Choice Beginning with a detailed account of a legal arbitration, where Brendan recalls a revelation about contract terms that could potentially turn the case in his favor. The discussion then shifts to the intricacies of the legal process, including the strategies and shortcomings of opposing legal representations. Later, Mark and Brendan discuss...

Silence, Social Awkwardness, and Streamlining Podcasts: A Journey of Personal and Professional Growth This episode delves into the social intricacies of Brendan’s path to self-improvement through a Refuge Recovery silent retreat grounded in Buddhist practices for addiction recovery, and the challenge of managing cravings and self-realization in silence. Mark takes a trip to Cambridge for a podcast...

A Conversational Odyssey on Growth, Challenges, and Game Mechanics. Mark and Brendan share personal transformation stories, from overcoming health and self-esteem challenges to finding joy and resilience in the face of life's adversities. The discussion delves into the including the importance of self-improvement, confronting one's shadows, mentorship under notable individuals like Tom Merritt, an...

Navigating Change and Creative Fulfillment The conversation shifts towards the importance of meeting various needs through creative outlets and work, examining the pitfalls of setting lofty ambitions without considering the holistic impact on one’s wellbeing and happiness. Mark explores the struggle of maintaining a creative project, Morning Creative, amidst feelings of burnout and discontent, und...

Mark and Brendan have a banter of a good time discussing updates to a bunch of ongoing topics. Mark updates his Sticky Point Of View from last episode. And later, Mark reveals the next evolution of his project Morning Creative, and how he’s crafting a quiet space for Brendan, I mean everyone, to do their creative work. Brendan makes some BOLD claims about what veganism is, controversial! Brendan a...

AI written shownotes: In this episode titled 'Convergence 18', the hosts delve into a plethora of topics, reflecting and sharing personal experiences. Beginning with an intriguing discussion on their reflections about dealing with sales and projecting their ultimate creation, they proceed to discuss the prospect of offering a premium experience with custom 'loot crates' that includes books, blue-l...

The latest on Mark’s standup set and Godmode, some quirks of human behaviour, and Mark comes to a realisation on air. Links Alchemy: The Magic of Original Thinking in a World of Mind-Numbing Conformity , by Rory Sutherland Network (1976) Enter Godmode

Is there mould in your coffee? Charlatans, experts, and is Steven Bartlett really the one to tell the difference? And the fascination with fasting Links Life in the Fasting Lane: How to Make Intermittent Fasting a Lifestyle – and Reap the Benefits of Weight Loss and Better Health , by Dr Jason Fung, Eve Mayer, Megan Ramos Fast This Way: Burn Fat, Heal Inflammation and Eat Like the High-Performing...

On a shorter-than-usual episode, Brendan shares his journey with EMDR, and Mark won some money on a TV game show with his dad and got a surprise Internet reaction. Links Ant & Dec's Limitless Win – Series 3, episode 4 About that time my dad and I won £250,000 on TV

Brendan shares updates on Godmode, Mark shares updates on Morning Creative, and they both discover that while we all want to make big improvements to our lives≤, the secret is not to be weird about it. Links The Chimp Paradox , by Prof Steve Peters Morning Creative on YouTube Values – Episode 22 of the A-Z of Happiness

Brendan proves why he is “a dapper wizard”, and Mark shares his worthy goal. Links Sujith Ravindran MKBHD on “quitting” YouTube Godmode How to Begin: Start Doing Something That Matters , by Michael Bungay Stanier Thinking – Episode 20 of the A-Z of Happiness Unique Hammond The Serenity Prayer God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, a...

Brendan and Mark review a YouTube video with 1.25 million views that they’ve never seen. Would you take a stand-up course? Brendan finds out to what extent his yoga practice has been paying off, and he has a name for his programme. Links Hi Ren , by Ren I'm a Terrible Person , by Rooney Do You Realize? , by the Flaming Lips Clarity & Connection , by Yung Pueblo Guided meditation This begins at...

This week: what is Convergence for? Brendan is working on a method, and Mark wonders what it would be like if you started a business and didn’t know who it was for. Links Affirmations for Empaths: A Year of Guided Journaling , by Judith Orloff The Empath's Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People , by Judith Orloff Libby app Brendan & Mags: “Hot Two” “In Defense of Food” Author Off...

Self-discovery and personal growth are ongoing journeys that can lead to profound insights and perspectives. Through discussions about embracing oneself, accepting different aspects of life, and finding joy in the process of exploration, today’s episode highlights the importance of continuous learning and the potential for transformation. It emphasises the idea that happiness and fulfilment come f...

Continuing their chat from last week, Mark and Brendan get into true self, connection, and universal consciousness, while trying to skewer it before things get too heady. Links Three Principles (Sydney Banks) Billy Connolly Vehicles & Animals – Athlete Morning Creative

We need to be mindful of offering help and advice to others. While we might have good intentions, we have to respect others' readiness and willingness to receive help. Pushing too hard or trying to change someone might end up creating resistance and strain in relationships. We need to ask permission, offer questions for reflection, and be aware of boundaries when trying to support others on their...

In this special episode, Brendan reflects on his desire to help his friends who are going through similar health issues but are resistant to his advice. He discusses his own experiences in a toxic relationship and the challenges he faced in finding his own path to recovery. He shares his frustration with societal control and his passion for being a healer. His recording mentions abuse, suicide and...

Listening to our bodies and addressing the root causes of discomfort is crucial. We need to prioritise a holistic approach to health, considering both our physical and mental wellbeing. This week, Brendan and Mark talk about open communication and boundaries, forgiveness and self-reflection, and the universe tapping us on the shoulder… and sometimes downright slapping us in the face. Links What is...

Life can be fragile, and unexpected events can happen at any moment. We need to appreciate the present moment and be grateful for our wellbeing. This week, we get into some serious events from the week, as well as some B&M favourites like empathy, universal basic income, and the ideological challenges surrounding welfare systems. Plus we get into the understanding and compassion needed for oth...

Sometimes, taking a step back and reevaluating our projects can lead us to unexpected realisations and opportunities for growth. We need to listen to our intuition and be open to exploring new paths that might better serve our authentic selves. On this episode, Brendan and Mark discuss the concept of dancing with the universe, the nature of time, and the impact of outdoor advertising. Links Notion...

It turns out that manifestation and self-improvement might just be able to help us overcome self-doubt, expand our possibilities, and achieve a sense of trust and confidence in ourselves and our goals. The challenge is raising our self-worth and breaking through the glass ceilings and limiting beliefs that hold us back from realising our dreams. We also need to make sense of our past experiences a...