Only Human – News, Analysis, and Insights from the World of Human Performance

This week’s episode of the  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern  podcast kicks off season two of the show by reevaluating the concept of workmanship—starting with replacing the common “job-centric” association of the word with the idea that  everything  we do should be a proud reflection of our capabilities, habits, passion, and commitment to our goals. Strive to ensure that the words you speak and the...

Time Management is one of the most sought-after skills in the modern work and life environment. But can anyone really manage time, which rolls on with every click of the second hand? In this episode, Tony argues it is really self-management we are after, and provides key insights on the psychology of time management, strategies, and real-world tips for making the most of every day.

The phrase, “I’m doing my best,” is often used as an excuse when expectations aren’t met, however ironic it is. We’d like to propose that instead of using this phrase to justify failure, we can turn it into a mantra of continuous self-improvement. Join us for this week’s episode of the  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern  podcast to learn how Tony shows three distinct steps that allow us to reflect on...

“Deviance” is typically a negative term used to describe those who violate social norms or fail to meet even the lowest standard of performance. But on the other side of the performance spectrum are positive deviants, who defy norms and expectations by discovering their unique greatness. In this episode of the  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern  podcast, Tony reminds us that recognizing deviance at th...

Do rules really limit us? Or can they create a unique form of clarity that allows for more innovation and new approaches? Join us for Episode 17, where we are going to look into all this and more as we discuss the “Freedom of a Locked Room.”

In this episode of the  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern  podcast, our host—and author of the book,  Going Pro: The Deliberate Practice of Professionalism —delivers a tale from our past, recounting briefly the history of professionalism. Starting with its religious roots as someone who “professed” or  vowed  to a religious order, through its use to signify different levels of skill and attainment wit...

The theme on this week’s  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern  podcast episode will resonate with our maintenance-minded listeners: neglect leads to failure. In machines, this can have deadly consequences—but even in personal relationships we’re not guaranteed time to mend neglect before some sort of reckoning. Tony explores personal loss, our shared understanding of grief, adds his insights, and leaves...

On this extra-personal episode of the  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern  podcast, Tony dives into his own past to tell the tale of someone he knew who was destined to become either a rebel or a rogue. Using this true story as an example, Tony shows the clear psychological factors and motivators that differentiate rebels—which society  needs —and rogues, which we need to avoid for our own safety.

Tony discusses the increasing prevalence of victimhood in our society, and how it can limit our perspective and options. He outlines an approach called “psychosocial strength” as a way to take on the oppressors in our lives  - both internal and external - with a fighting chance of winning.

This week on the  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern  podcast, Tony dives into how changes in technology have altered the “mental wiring” of the human brain through digital content. Far from a hand-wringing diatribe about the evils of modernity, this episode looks at the evolution of cell phone use over just a few decades, from a novelty to a ubiquitous item for daily survival. Along the way, he says w...

What do the world’s highest performers do differently than the rest of us?  Join  Dr. Tony Kern’s Only Human  podcast to learn the steps of Deliberate Practice, the staircase to Mastery.

Being here means you’re interested enough in human performance to have read a few books, listened to a few talks, and accumulated a few ideas about what works and what doesn’t. This week on the Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern podcast, join us for an exploration of Tony’s Top 5 myths about human performance, based on his own discoveries and deep knowledge on the subject. Ideally, Tony’s scouring of t...

On this week’s episode of the  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern  podcast, join Lead Detective Tony as he unravels a mystery involving multiple secret identities that obfuscate the truths we seek to learn. We all utilize a few different identities to order our lives and interact with the world, but too many of us fail to investigate and understand them—to our detriment. So, be less enigmatic (at least...

This week’s episode of the  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern  podcast features heroic dragon-slaying exploits as we delve into caverns where the three-headed dragon of apathy, frustration, and cynicism lurks, seeking to devour our dreams, desires, and purpose. Though its venomous heads are deadly, we thankfully have the wisdom of C.S. Lewis and the heroic Bilbo Baggins to guide our weapons, slay the...

The biological metaphors continue on this week’s episode of the  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern podcast. Under the microscope this time are  ants , providing Tony a way to explain the concept of lateral thinking and develop questions about how tiny actions and behaviors—performed by individuals—compound and contribute to the greater good of the group (society, organization, etc.). Besides the inter...

Join us on the  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern  podcast this week for our first-ever response to a viewer question about the current state of education and learning. Tony opens a (hopefully metaphorical) Bucket of Snakes, promising three additional episodes on the topic! This episode kicks things off as Tony ponders a favorite quote from Cesar Chavez and outlines his personal philosophy on educatio...

Battling the insidious force known as the Complacency Doctrine can be a struggle if we don’t have the right tools. In this week’s Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern podcast, join Tony in the fight as we discuss the importance of discovering a personal purpose. Learn how to craft a unique personal purpose statement that will carry you through the midst of uncertainty, get a glimpse at Tony’s heart as he...

Complacency kills; sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly and progressively. Welcome back to episode 4 of the  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern  podcast. On today’s episode, join Tony as he discusses the oft-sinister roots of complacency in modern society; how it grows in the individual through distraction, deception, polarization, hard-headedness, and shallow thinking; and finally, the three powerful m...

In a world where artificial intelligence can generate thousands of ideas in the blink of an eye, is there any room for human ingenuity any longer? On this episode of  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern,  we explore where ideas come from; how they are expressed, refined, and reinvented; and why human beings are still thesource of the best ideas. Our creativity and outside-the-box thinking are what make...

For thousands of years, mankind has hidden behind the cliché derived from Cicero’s famous quote that “to err is human;” a white flag of surrender to foreseeable—and preventable—failures. But the cost from following this path of apathy and complacency is far too great to continue unaddressed. Join us for this second episode of  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern,  where we discuss the fallacy of “unavoi...

Join us for the inaugural episode of  Only Human with Dr. Tony Kern , where we discuss the true nature of heroism. What does it mean to be a hero in the modern world? Who should we recognize as our own heroes and why does it matter? We learn about the small acts of character and action that prepare people to rise to the occasion and discover that heroes arrive at the critical points in their desti...