Through Another Lens Podcast

I didn't expect an iceberg to open the door. Or that an 11-year-old would hold my gaze like a Zen monk while I explained the subconscious. We were sitting together, my grandson and I, talking about the mind. I asked him to imagine an iceberg. "The part you can see above the water," I said, "is your day-to-day thinking. What you're doing right now. Talking to me, listening, thinking about what you...

The Mobius Mind How refusing to pick a lane led to breakthrough thinking I'm sitting outside at a café in Santa Barbara. The sun is warm on my face, and I can see exactly where we are — this little table by the window. It's 2003. I'm 48, in that space between Wavefront and whatever comes next. I've brought in two great guys — Robert and Brett — to help me shape what I think will be a personal bran...

I had just left Wavefront. This was early 2002. I didn't have a plan. Didn't have a product. Hadn't met Kymberlee yet. No introNetworks on the horizon. Not even a whiteboard sketch of what was next. I was wandering, really. But when your brain runs on systems and visual metaphors, it doesn't exactly sit still. Even when you want it to. So when I ended up at a wildlife film festival here in Santa B...

"Coach Richard delivers his pickleball wisdom, we all just listen, then he says 'Good talk' and walks away. Nobody talked back! This hilarious habit sparked a revelation: certain phrases don't just stick with us—they completely hijack our brains and become our unconscious operating system. In this episode, Mark explores how sayings choose us, from borrowed wisdom like 'See One, Do One, Teach One'...

Our animal companions often become unexpected mirrors, reflecting back chapters of our lives we might otherwise forget. In this personal narrative, I trace my journey from a childhood surrounded by 37 rooftop cats to my current life with two bonded Ragdolls. Along the way, I've learned about care, loss, and finding connection on nature's terms, not mine. If an animal has ever chosen you, you'll re...

The pizza was burning. Not a wisp. Not a curl. A full-on billow of dark smoke forced its way out of the oven and into the living room like an angry guest. It was 1975, Los Angeles. I was 20, newly settled in Santa Barbara, and down in L.A. to visit my younger brother, Tim. He was hosting a party at his rental house. Like a lot of young-adult spaces, it was held together with folding chairs, takeou...

There's a strange kind of clarity that shows up in your seventies. Not in the 'I've got it all figured out' way, but more like a long view finally coming into focus. I look back and think: How did I make it through all of that without knowing what I know now? And also: What even is it that I know now At 21, I found myself divorced with a small son to raise. Everything I thought I knew about adulth...

Welcome to See What You Think, the podcast where I share stories that spark reflection, connection, and a little bit of wonder. I'm Mark Sylvester, and each episode, I take you on a journey—sometimes personal, sometimes unexpected—but always meaningful. My hope is that you'll walk away seeing things just a little differently. This week's story begins on a Santa Barbara beach, where a conversation...

This week on See What You Think , I'm sharing my winding path from reluctant teenage runner to martial artist to pickleball enthusiast at 71. But this isn't just about sports—it's about the communities that shape us and the decisions that determine how we'll experience our later years. You'll discover why "training for the future" matters at every age, how finding your tribe transforms physical ac...

Have you ever wondered what leadership lessons come from being fired in a restaurant on Mother's Day? I learned that true leadership isn't about controlling chaos—it's about becoming the calm center while everything spins around you. What does it take to be the eye of your own storms? The story read by the author. Get full access to Through Another Lens at marksylvester.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of See What You Think , we present an AI-generated conversation exploring the world of Oddly Useful Robots —a collection of quirky, AI-driven tools that are equal parts practical and whimsical. Using Notebook LM , we transformed raw insights into a casual, engaging dialogue, diving into how robots like Gastro Gnome , TeaKu , and The Veil & Crumb turn everyday moments into something...