Ed Stott & The Big Life Questions

The nueroscience of intuition & how to hone it as your super power. Professor Joel Pearson is a neuroscientist who's been studying how the brain processes unconscious information for 25 years. He's on a mission to distill the science of intuition into simple, practical rules that are easy to follow and can improve decision-making. His book is called The Intuition Toolkit. He shares his simple rule...

How do you form the habits you actually want to commit to & break those ones that are holding you back? Today - I'm going to get you the answer to those questions. My guest is Dr Gina Cleo - she has a whole damn phd in the topic of behavior change and is an adjunct professor at Bond University in Australia. She's the author of The Habit Revolution. CONNECT WITH US Connect with  That's Helpful  & ...

When was the last time you got curious about your life? I mean, really curious: stopping to examine your beliefs, the way you work & even why you can never seem to switch off? If you're anything like me the answer is probably never, but curiosity can be a phenomenal catalyst for growth. That's what award winning journalist Meena Alexander's book is all about - it's called How To Be Curious & it's...

If you've ever felt like you're not quite being true to yourself & you're living the life that's juuuust not quite the one for you, you're going to want to listen to this. My guest today has been there and she's made it her career to help others out of that very tricky spot. Kat John is the host of the Real Raw Relatable podcast and the author of Authentic, Coming Home To Your True Self. TRIGGER W...

Programs like ChatGPT can seem overwhelming if you're not tech savvy, but using AI as your shiny new assistant is more simple than you think. If you're yet to put ChatGPT or one of the many other AI to work, you're missing out on the ultimate productivity boosting, time saving tool - all you need is the know how! Leanne Shelton is a Global AI Coach, she's going to share exactly what you need to kn...

Worry doesn't get us anywhere, but figuring out HOW to stop worrying is an impossible task, so how can we do it better? Well my guest today is an expert in worry - she's going to talk us through why we do it & how to turn it into something that is actually helpful! Kate Sweeny, is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside where she runs the Life Events Lab. Want to becom...

If you're a millenial woman, the menopause is likely much closer than you think. So how can you prepare to embrace it rather than endure it? Dr Jess Blomfield says it's completely possible with a little bit of knowledge. In this episode we talk through some of the early signs & symptoms, how to advocate with your doctor & the role we can all play in pushing for a cultural shift in how we approach...

Want to know how to get your dopamine working for you instead of against you? It's a powerful driver & with a little knowledge it can be your in-built super power. Dr Anastasia Hronis is a clinical psychologist and the author of The Dopamine Brain, Your Science Backed Guide to Balancing Pleasure and Purpose. You're going to learn about what dopamine really is & how to get it to work with you, inst...

For something that should be simple, resting is remarkably tricky - so how do we master this lost art? And why should we make it a priority? Well Claudia Hammond has become somewhat of an expert in the topic - she's a psychology lecturer, award winning broadcaster & the author of The Art of Rest: How to Find Respite in The Modern World which draws on her work on the world's largest ever survey int...

If you have a business idea, or you just know you want to work for yourself but you're not sure how to make it happen, this conversation is for you. You probably have no idea where to start, little to no money, not much business experience & a whole heap of 'what ifs' holding you back from getting started… Well back in 2011, Karina Irby was right where you are now.  Today, she now runs & owns a mu...

Fallen out of love with your job? Can't get an interview? Don't have the right connections? Not sure what to do next? The next 40mins are just for you! Global career coach Claire Seeber is answering your top career dillemas. Claire's first episode resonated with SO MANY of you that she's joined our little self improvement club once again to answer your trickiest career questions - all things I've...

How do you split them - especially when one of you earns more than the other, if the worst happens - who gets what & how do you talk about them without killing the spark? Today's topic is a contentious one - one that so many couples will have come across & searched for a solution - I'm talking finances, not just yours but your partners too. These are the big questions that journalist & author Nico...

A Life Brief will align your daily actions with your ambition & values. So how do you create one? Bonnie Wan is a brand strategist - she's spent the last three decades helping huge brands like BMW, Pepsi and Heinz get clear about their purpose so they can grow and innovate. Almost 15 years ago, she turned these skills to her own life when she was going through what she describes as a 'crisis of me...

Does manifesting work? Neuroscientist Professor Joel Pearson says yes! Here's why…  By this point we're all familiar with the concept of manifesting & if you're listening to this podcast I'm guessing you've tried it too. But as you know our little self improvement club is FIRMLY backed by science - so what does it say? Professor Joel Pearson is a neuroscientist who's been studying how the brain pr...

Being the hardest worker doesn't always pay off. So how do we channel all of that time and effort into something that does?  Well Claire Seeber is the author of Less Hustle, More Happy. She's a career consultant who's spent the last 16 years in HR across many roles & multiple countries, she's had a front row seat watching the difference between the people who get ahead & those who don't.  Spoiler...

Where does your kids' temperament come from, how strict should you be & is it okay to be a 'good enough' parent? Honestly, the last few months have truly humbled me - being a parent is HARD and with so much advice out there, it's VERY tricky to know what's best for your children. So what IS good for your kids? Luckily, Dr Norman Swan has done the work for us - from birth to ten years old in his ne...

Aging can be a fairly daunting experience & when the topic comes to mind most of us try to move on  and clear it from our thoughts as quickly as possible. But award-winning journalist Melissa Doyle is urging us to take an active role in aging to push back against ageism and make the experience healthier and more connected for us all. In this conversation Mel shares her aging toolkit & the lessons...

So often we prioritize romantic relationships above all others - whether it's searching for a 'soul mate', choosing who we spend our time with or who takes priority in our lives…But according to Rhaina Cohen, the idea that a romantic partner is the only kind of relationship that can fulfill our emotional needs and bring meaning to our life is an incorrect one.   Rhaina is an award winning producer...

When it comes to role models, toddlers may not be the first people you think of. Their reputation for tantrums, impulsivity, distractedness and general chaos doesn't put them at the top of most people's list. But Hasan Merali says you're wrong. He's a pediatric emergency doctor and the author of Sleep Well, Take Risks, Squish The Peas: Secrets from the Science of Toddlers for a Happier and More Su...

Often we see so many traits & behaviors as directly tied to our morality - including those around how we look, feel, think and act. But journalist & author Rebecca Seal says many of the things we've been told are bad are actually just as useful as the good. Her latest book is called Be Bad, Better: How Not Trying So Hard Will Set You Free. Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me...

Grief is one of those things that many of us still have no idea how to talk about. Whether we've lost someone or know someone who has lost someone it can be very uncomfortable to know what to share, when & even how to just broach the subject. This struggle is one Cariad Lloyd knows well. After losing her dad at 15, she says she only really started to understand her grief when she was 34 and pregna...

We all know how essential a good night's sleep can be for our health, but whilst we might be prioritising our bedtime routine, our partner's night time habits may be the thing that's costing us a perfect night's sleep. Whether they're a champion snorer, elite level fidgeter or they just have a completely different sleep schedule to you - it doesn't take much to affect our eight hours. So what can...

If you're anything like me, ageing is probably something you try not to think about. But it doesn't have to be this way - we can embrace ageing, help to combat ageism & make the most of all the brilliant things that come with it, without denying of course that it's not all wonderful. So how do we do it? Well, lucky for you, my guest today is an expert in this.  Anne Karpf is a writer, sociologist,...

A good skincare routine can be a truly fantastic thing, but with SO many products on the market making wild claims, it is incredibly hard to know where you should be focussing your time, not to mention your money. Fear not though, Dr Michelle Wong is here to help - you might know here as Lab Muffin Beauty Science on social media where she's been debunking the beauty industry since 2011. She's a co...

The saying goes - win the morning, win the day. But, if you're anything like me - your morning will be determined by your inbox, who calls first or what's been dropped in your lap that day. Productivity expert Donna McGeorge says this way of working is a big mistake and could see the quality of your work suffer, not to mention the extra hours spent at your desk later in the day. So how can we take...