Smart People Podcast

In this episode of Smart People Podcast, Dr. Alexandra Sowa, an expert in obesity and metabolic health, reveals the groundbreaking science behind GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and their impact on weight loss and overall health. Dr. Sowa explains how hormones like insulin, GLP-1, and leptin influence hunger, satiety, and fat storage—and how these signals can become disrupted, leading to weight gai...

Introducing 'Reflections,' a new twist on our classic podcast format. In this special new series, I'm flipping the script - instead of interviewing an expert, I'm sharing my personal takeaways, insights, and action items from our previous conversation. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at how our expert's wisdom is impacting my life, and discover how you can apply these lessons to your own jour...

What if you could taste intensity, experience life fully, and connect deeply with existence? Join us for a fascinating conversation exploring the world of mysticism. We delve into the concept of mysticism as a mode of experience and way of life, beyond religious practice. Discover how embracing the unknown can transform your life. Our guest shares insights from their latest book, revealing the pra...

Introducing 'Reflections,' a new twist on our classic podcast format. In this special episode, I'm flipping the script - instead of interviewing an expert, I'm sharing my personal takeaways, insights, and action items from our previous conversation. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at how our expert's wisdom is impacting my life, and discover how you can apply these lessons to your own journey...

Join award-winning neurologist Richard Cytowic as he reveals the surprising reasons behind our screen addictions. Our brains, unchanged since the Stone Age, are woefully unprepared for the temptations of modern technology. Cytowic explains how ancient instincts like desire, reward and competition are hijacked by Big Tech, leading to unhealthy attachments. Discover the hidden mechanisms driving you...

For decades, “disruption” and “change” have been seen as essential to business growth and success. Whether it’s a merger or re-org or a new office layout, change has become the ultimate easy button for leaders, who pursue it with abandon, unleashing a torrent of disruption on employees. The result is what our guest calls “life in the blender”—a perpetual cycle of upheaval, uncertainty, and unease....

Today, most office workers are expected to operate with industrial-era efficiency. Yet the work that matters most in our technology-dominated workplace–generating brilliant ideas, solving complex problems, and learning–can’t be manufactured like outputs on an assembly line. Instead, we need a new, HYPEREFFICIENT way of working: rather than imposing the rhythms of work on our brains, Dr. Mithu Stor...

Are you tired of quick fixes and short-term thinking? Do you want to make a lasting impact but feel stuck in outdated systems? In this episode we interview one of the all-time greats, Seth Godin, about his new book, This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans. Tune in to learn how to drive positive change, whether you’re revolutionizing an industry, sparking a movement, or building a career. Seth's book,...

How does the wealthiest country on earth run out of protective gear in the middle of a public health catastrophe? How do its parents find themselves unable to locate crucially needed infant formula? How do its largest companies spend billions of dollars making cars that no one can drive for a lack of chips? The last few years have radically highlighted the intricacy and fragility of the global sup...

Are you tired of feeling trapped by the pressure to be perfect? In this episode, Dr. Mary E. Anderson, author of The Happy High Achiever, shares practical strategies to help you overcome perfectionism and unlock your full potential. You'll learn how to recognize and challenge the limiting thoughts and behaviors holding you back, and discover science-backed tools to cultivate happiness, confidence,...

In this episode you will discover how the heart of economics is ultimately about wellbeing, not just income, and how understanding these connections can help us make better decisions for a more prosperous future. Andrew's book, How Economics Explains the World: A Short History of Humanity, is available wherever books are sold! You can learn more about Andrew at andrewleigh.org. Support the Show -...

This week, we're talking stress - but not just managing it, mastering it. Join us as we explore the latest research and strategies for transforming stress into a powerful ally for achieving your goals and living a happier, healthier life. Our guest, Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe, shares her expertise on how to wield stress wisely and cultivate resilience in the face of chaos. Tune in for a refreshing pe...

In this episode, we delve into the online origins of white nationalism, a movement that has led to devastating consequences, including the deadly Charlottesville rally and the January 6th insurrection at the US Capitol. We examine how social media platforms and online forums have enabled the spread of white nationalist ideologies, often under the guise of free speech. By understanding the online r...

Dr. Tessa West joins us to reveal the surprising reasons behind career dissatisfaction. Drawing from her new book, "Job Therapy: Finding Work That Works for You", Dr. West shares the 5 common psychological sources of frustration that keep us from our ideal careers. From identity crises to feeling under-appreciated, Dr. West offers a working week audit to help you identify your unique stressors and...

Google’s first Chief Innovation Evangelist inspires you to shape your own future, navigate ambiguity and uncertainty with intention, and transform problems and challenges into profound opportunities. We don’t have to be afraid of what the future holds. Rather than bracing for what happens next, Dr. Frederik G. Pferdt argues that you can be making what happens next. You can respond to unexpected ch...

Acclaimed grief educator, Christina Rasmussen, sheds light on how societal expectations and conformity can lead to a lifetime of accumulated, unacknowledged heartbreak. Learn how to recognize and validate these "invisible losses", and understand the Life Reentry® Model to help you break free from the constraints of conformity and rewrite your life story. This will finally free you from your "waiti...

Please enjoy this episode of The Optimistic Outlook hosted by Barbara Humpton, CEO of Siemens US! The original episode can be found here: https://theoptimisticoutlook.podbean.com/e/gen-z-and-the-power-of-multigenerational-teams/. Support the Show - Become a Patron! Help us grow and become a Patron today: https://www.patreon.com/smartpeoplepodcast Sponsors: Babbel - Get 55% off your Babbel subscrip...

We have all seen the new gadgets that use UV light to “sterilize”. Everything from UV light phone cleaners to toothbrush holders, air purifiers, and water cleaners. But does it actually work? Can a simple light keep us healthier and safer? We dive into the science to separate fact from fiction and explore the surprising answers. But that's not all - we also reveal a game-changing new technology th...

Imagine a world where your brain can be interrogated to learn your political beliefs, your thoughts can be used as evidence of a crime, and your own feelings can be held against you. A world where people who suffer from epilepsy receive alerts moments before a seizure, and the average person can peer into their own mind to eliminate painful memories or cure addictions. Neuroscience has already mad...

In this episode, Max Stearns explores the core problems behind America's political mess, showing how social media and our strict two-party system deepen divisions and block real progress. Stearns explains how our current voting system forces people to pick between two bad options, which only increases conflict and stops things from getting done. He presents a bold new idea to solve these issues, h...

If you could rewind your life to the very beginning and then press play, would everything turn out the same? Or could making an accidental phone call or missing an exit off the highway change not just your life, but history itself? And would you remain blind to the radically different possible world you unknowingly left behind? In our episode this week, myth-shattering social scientist Brian Klaas...

Guy Kawasaki is a marketing legend and the first Chief Evangelist Officer at Apple in 1984 when he helped launch and market the first Macintosh computer. In this episode, Guy brings us back to the early days of Apple and tells us what it was truly like working alongside Steve Jobs. He explains his rise and fall at Apple, and what he learned from the best entrepreneur of our generation. He then exp...

The real estate market is the topic of many conversations these days. Are we in a bubble? Is Real Estate still a good investment? Is AirBNB destroying communities? What is the future of real estate agents after the recent lawsuit? In this week's episode we sit down with Dave Liniger, the Founder and President of Re/Max, the worlds largest Real Estate firm, to discuss all of these questions and mor...

Today, we are living through a revolution in biology. Giant strides are being made in understanding why we age—and why some species live longer than others. Could we eventually cheat disease and death and live for a very long time, possibly many times our current lifespan? Venki Ramakrishnan, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and former president of the Royal Society, takes us on a rivetin...

This week we are talking with one of the most prolific authors in decades, Charles Duhigg. You may know him from his NYT Bestselling Books, “The Power of Habit,” and “Better Faster Stronger.” His books have sold more than 5 million copies worldwide! In our episode this week, we are talking about his new book, Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. Communication is a s...