Polymathic Being Podcast

Today’s topic strives to untangle and understand what is actually meant when we use populism as a pejorative. As with much of politics, we find that its use reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of a critically important concept, and that the solution is far easier to achieve individually than we’re told. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscribe

Today’s topic wrangles with a contradiction between male and female consumption of erotic content. Men tend to prefer visual, and women tend to prefer verbal. This, in itself, isn’t the contradiction; that occurs when we have such different perspectives on the acceptability of those media as well as the twists and turns of female sexuality we aren’t supposed to discuss in polite company. Let’s go...

Today’s topic addresses the challenges of an uncritical use of AI in writing. On the one hand, AI represents a transformative tool that can help unlock creativity, improve research, sharpen arguments, and challenge bias. On the other hand, it can lull the author into a sense of agreement, feeding their ego, and drowning their voice in the banality of the average. Let’s dig into the consequences an...

Today’s Topic is Part 11 in our Keys to Innovation series and tackles the idea of “Settled Science,” showing just how myopic and resistant to new information that idea really is. Worse, it lacks creativity and locks out innovation when consensus can no longer be challenged, preventing us from learning, unlearning, and relearning. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subsc...

Today’s topic forces us to face two rules that govern our lives. The first is evolutionary biology, and the second is soul maturation. We’ll see how ignoring these two rules creates chaos in society and how understanding, appreciating, and embracing them creates fulfillment. A quick caveat before we get going: This topic is going to make many people uncomfortable, and my intent isn’t to offend. I’...

Today’s topic introduces two amazing writers on Substack who are helping improve the health and resilience of… anyone. The focus is on Functional Fitness, which simply means being able to do what you want, when you want, without significant limitations, no matter your age, condition, or experience. You’ll discover that, when you embrace the challenge, how much potential you’ve left on the table. G...

Today’s topic builds on a new concept that resonated with me: the idea of a PolyPath as opposed to a Polymath. It’s the same thing from a different framing that I’ll exemplify as we explore the multiple paths my career has taken. It’s been both an asset and a liability, but understanding what it means can also help take the fear away from others who would like to try something new. This one is ext...

Today’s topic is another collaboration with my cousin and co-conspirator Jared Bruder . It explores the idea of embodying Christian ideals and the challenge to be Christ-like. We also explore how this same pattern exists across multiple religions and philosophies, and how it is the most rewarding place to be. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscribe

Today’s topic looks at the importance of the unique phases of human femininity that differentiate us from much of the natural world. We’ll explore the power behind each of the three phases as well as the shadow archetypes that emerge when we don’t properly mature through those phases. At the end, you’ll get a preview of my third novel, Rebirth, where these ideas are fused together. Music credit to...

Today’s topic introduces a new systems thinker as we collaborate to tease apart the drivers of the nerodivergent craze. In doing so, we’ll discover just how broad neurotypical really is, how that unlocks appreciation of diversity, and how the truly neurodivergent aren’t who we, or they, think they are. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscribe

Today’s topic is Part Ten in the Keys to Innovation series, continuing to explore how to unlock your capability both personally and professionally. The Science of Good Enough helps to put aside the fear of imperfection, bracket the outcome against continuous maturation, and reduce the overall effort of success. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscribe

Today’s topic addresses our desire to change the world as we see best while failing to change the one thing we can: ourselves. This is where these topics become so important because the real work is facing what we see in the mirror and recognizing that we have the power to fix what we see… as long as we understand the reflection. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subsc...

Today's topic dusts off some critical leadership lessons from my time working in Lean Six Sigma that I’ve incorporated into every job I’ve had since. It’s a critical lesson in both leadership and followership to ensure we are involved, aligned, and empowered. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscribe

Today’s topic challenges us to rethink our expectations of men and demand more than the trappings that society tells us mark manliness. The reality is something much harder, much deeper, and much simpler; you have to die. Let’s dig in and find out how our culture has failed to mature boys into true men. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscribe

Today's topic is a collaboration with another great writer on Substack, focused on how sympathy is being labeled as empathy, then weaponized, and how we can mature our sympathetic responses into true empathy and, ultimately, emotional resilience. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscribe

Today’s topic zooms out to a macro view of life to appreciate the sheer number of different lives and experiences, then zooms back in to explore how little actually separates our worlds. It’s a great technique for gaining perspective, humility, and humanity while appreciating our diversity and uniqueness. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscribe

Today’s topic applies the Polymathic Mindset by first exploring how it’s neither new nor unique across cultures. We’ll then show how embracing polymathic ideas from India can broaden our horizons and lead to a more fulfilling life. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscribe

Today’s topic holds a mirror to our engagements with AI, reflecting how we view both technology and humans. It’s an inversion that will hopefully help us become more human-centric while improving our relationship with a transformative technology. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscribe

Today’s topic builds on the previous Keys to Innovation series and focuses on a real-world example where the avoidance of complexity, pushing the easy button, and not understanding the whole system can have catastrophic consequences. Thankfully, there are well-known solutions that we can apply to any technology or organization. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscri...

Today’s topic  asks you to reflect on whether you’re balanced in your identity or falling into the trap so many find themselves in, where others define who you are and satiate you with narcissistic validation. By the end, you’ll understand the problem and have a path to crafting a true identity intentionally tethered to firm anchors that help navigate the chaos of life. Get full access to Polymath...

Today’s topic  dives into a situation where, on one hand, people reject personality tests yet, on the other hand pathologize personality. In the middle of all that chaos, true pathologies run amok without the refining light of imperfect, but useful, measures of personality. I promise, we’ll untangle that mess in the end! Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscribe

Today’s topic takes a look at a potential paradox within the Polymathic mindset, where, on the one hand, there are experts who speak authoritatively outside of their expertise to the detriment of knowledge. On the other hand, our charter here on Polymathic Being involves exploring far outside of traditional silos of expertise to find counterintuitive insights. Let’s look at the cure Ultracrepidari...

Today’s topic is another that names what shall not be named, in what underpins our modern dating culture. Yet, in doing so, we can make it better by excising some of the worst expectations and behaviors that plague the dating world. Let’s grapple with this situation and see how we can improve it. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscribe

Today’s topic looks at the benefits and risks of natural paths, that is, those flows in life that we sometimes follow without knowing, or block without understanding. Both behaviors lead to risk, and only by understanding and investigating can we find the proper balance. Get full access to Polymathic Being at www.polymathicbeing.com/subscribe

Today’s topic tackles the common tendency to correct destructive leadership behaviors by renaming the goal. This is the challenge with Servant Leadership, where the rebranding is both unnecessary and leads to something just as destructive as what they wanted to avoid. Thankfully, there’s a balancing point we can find to unlock true leadership and reinvigorate our teams. Get full access to Polymath...