The Armen Show - Page 2 of 14 - Science + Technology Podcast for the Lifelong Learner

244: Scott Grafton | Neuroscientist And Brain Imaging Center Director On Mind/Body Connection In “Physical Intelligence”

Our first guest of 2020 is Dr. Scott Grafton, Bedrosian Coyne Presidential Chair in Neuroscience at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is author of the book Physical Intelligence: The Science of How the Body and the Mind Guide Each Other Through Life.

It was great to talk with Dr. Grafton because his book connected with some concepts from some authors/researchers in past episodes, and described a way of thinking about the physical element of intelligence, and how our motor function is connected with our layers of brain processing. I also went to UCSB, and that is a nice point of similarity.

Dr. Grafton is director of the UCSB Brain Imaging Center and codirector of the Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies. He received BA’s in Mathematics and Psychobiology from the University of California at Santa Cruz and his MD degree from the University of Southern California.

Show notes:

brain scans and positron emission tomography (PET) for understanding of brain function
Dr. Grafton’s career, and what led him to brain and motor function research
running the brain imaging center, and how imaging has developed in recent years
where all the action in the brain is located
visual perception, and how the percentage of vision someone gives to an object relates to its importance in a broad perspective
how it is difficult to maneuver over rocks, and to create robots that would walk across rough rocks
body schema, as it compares with attention schema theory, for physical sensation
the way that practicing something in your mind connects with ability to do the motor action
how the brain creates synergies of muscle movements
how babies have plasticity, and take risks in order to understand their physical environment from scratch
how nature serves as a medicine to people and their well-being
the way that entropy is key to a healthy life, and how one does not benefit from distancing from entropic conditions

You can check out Dr. Grafton’s faculty page, or check out Physical Intelligence on Amazon.

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243: Welcome To 2020

Hello my fellow podcast listeners, associates, colleagues, individuals, audience members, and personnel. We here at The Armen Show Podcast (known for its consistency, variety, depth, and goal-oriented nature) are glad to walk right into the new year of 2020.

The show starts on a noticeably different footing as compared with its presence at the same time last year, and this is a springboard into the forward progression at hand.

Show notes:

where we are at in the great year of 2020
how TikTok is the place where a lot of energy is currently going
some of the plans or ideas for 2020
speaking or some form of speech-providing
ways I can improve my end of the show throughout the year
emotional awareness and better blending with guests
telling more stories, and including more of my own experiences, along with mentions of past guests
how I will be including more elements without thinking if X or Y or Z is the right thing to add in
how I will be looking at other podcasters/creators to see what I can add in or improve upon
what the podcast represents and is meant to express

Keep up with the show and you are keeping up with the movement. Let’s roll onward.

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241: Brian Sweis | Decision-Making Brain Processes, Neuromodulation, And Disorder-Based Research

Image result for brian sweis

The year of 2019 is shortly coming to a close, and we start to bring it home with episode 241, featuring guest Dr. Brian Sweis of the University of Minnesota. He was listed as one of the recipients of the Forbes 30-under-30 description in the category of Science for 2019, and his focus is neuroscience.

He completed the PhD part of his MD/PhD program in 2018, and continues through his MD at this time. His research exists “…at the intersection of affective, behavioral, and cognitive neuroscience and clinical psychiatry and neurology, particularly focused on neuromodulation interventions.” The work he does “… aims to understand how the brain processes information during decision-making and how lasting changes in the synaptic mechanisms of plasticity, particularly in the context of addiction and other psychiatric disorders, give rise to maladaptive behaviors.”

Show notes:

how Dr. Sweis got to where he is in the MD/PhD neuroscience program at the University of Minnesota
why is it relevant that one study the intersection of multiple fields like affective, cognitive, and behavioral science, along with neurology and neuroeconomics
what some of Dr. Sweis’ work on neuromodulation efforts looks like in terms of description and example
how there are biomarkers that are more or less reliable than others to inform researchers of an attribute in place
why decisions are multi-faceted, and can arise from distinct circuit-specific neural computations
the difference between decisions made from an emotional standpoint, versus from a logical basis, and how each can be beneficial in different scenarios
the kinds of animal and human trials that are done to research how the brain is impacted, and what kinds Dr. Sweis performs
what it means to look at decision-making in a neuroeconomic way, assessing comparative values to choices
how disorders can alter how stored information is processed
some of the scientists and advisors along the way that have guided or informed Dr. Sweis, along with the reasons why

I can see why Dr. Sweis was selected for the Forbes designation, and enjoyed discussing with him while he currently is in a study program. He has long-term goals for research, teaching, and medical work, which is a full-throttle set of items. Some of his research application qualities remind me of Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman from episode 201, who discussed his research on dopamine. Dr. Sweis also mentioned my interview with Dr. Robert Sapolsky in this episode, and I have always liked Dr. Sapolsky’s book Behave.

You can check out Dr. Sweis’ material on his University of Minnesota page, follow him on Twitter, or look at some of his publications.

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240: Overview Of “The Armen Show” Podcast In 2019

2019 has been a fabulous year for the podcast. There will be a couple episodes after this one, but this episode serves to describe and summarize the episodes that were covered this year, along with how they link to one another progressing through them.

This year took the show into a different bracket, as far as guests, video, and messages being provided. There was more of authors, researchers, notable individuals, speakers, and stories that resonate. I was glad it went in this direction, and the show is in a good space to start out 2020.

There are no show notes in this description, because the episode itself is a review of the past episodes.

The podcast went to many different sources this year, including Spotify, iTunes, and Google Play, and was then added to YouTube with the selection of episodes that have the guest on video, either from in-person, or on Skype.

May there continue to be more wonderful guests, things learned, and connection. Subscribe, let people know, like on iTunes or other services, leave a review, or do whatever you would like to help the show become more known, reach a larger audience, and lead to greater guest opportunities.

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239: Michael Graziano | Attention Schema Theory And Subjective Awareness In “Rethinking Consciousness”

How does our focused attention relate to what we call “consciousness”? What types of attention are out there, and what are the functions of each type? Professor Michael Graziano explores this and more in his book Rethinking Consciousness: A Scientific Theory of Subjective Experience.

Author Michael Graziano is Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Princeton University, and he has written multiple books on neuroscience, evolution, and human nature. The Graziano Lab at Princeton focuses on the brain basis of consciousness, based on attention schema theory, which was formulated by Professor Graziano.

I talked with Professor Graziano about his book and concepts related to consciousness. The mechanistic approach he brings to the topic is something that I am able to relate with.

Show notes:

what Professor Graziano works on with students in the Graziano lab
how the brain basis of consciousness is studied, and ways that we accept consciousness as defined
what the attention schema theory is, and how the model has two functions for daily living
the way that signals compete with each other in the computational process of attention
how a frog’s form of attention differs from that of a person, and the types of awareness that exist
what “biased competition” is, and and the battle for incoming stimuli to the cortex
why covert and overt attention are both needed, and how they differ
consciousness only being present in a few types of organisms/mammals
the concept of affordance, and how the brain works tirelessly as a prediction machine
why consciousness is defined as a hard problem, and if that difficulty can be usurped with some research method

It was swell to have Professor Graziano on episode 239 of the show. You can check out his lab page at Princeton, see his research publications, or check out his book Rethinking Consciousness on Amazon.

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238: Cameron Porter | Major League Soccer Striker Transitions To Founding And Funding Of Companies

I like people who put their thoughts out there, and furthermore, when they have a “Principles” page on their website that describes the thoughts that guide them. Cameron Porter joins on episode 238 of the show, not only as a former Major League Soccer striker on various teams, but as a current founder and funder for AlleyCorp, an organization that builds transformative companies in New York City.

At AlleyCorp, Cameron “…is responsible for new company R&D, due diligence on seed investments, as well the development of internal tools/initiatives.” Regarding his academic experience, he “… studied computer science at Princeton University where he was recognized as an Academic All-American and William Winston Roper Trophy finalist for high scholastic rank and outstanding qualities of sportsmanship.”

Before the episode, I had checked out his speaking with David Perell on The North Star Podcast, and enjoyed their discussion. My discussion with Cameron ranged from his mindset, to his soccer experiences, to his founding and funding practice.

Show notes:

how Cameron ended up in the founding/funding category at AlleyCorp, transitioning away from his professional soccer career [2:20]
the concept of how greatness is not able to be planned, and the way this message has attached to Cameron’s path [3:40]
what a long-term perspective can provide, and an example of a project that took this perspective into account [5:20]
some of the takeaways that Cameron got from his time at Princeton, including those related to people [6:55]
the way that Cameron sees the soccer portion of his career in relation to what he currently does [10:20]
some differences that may have existed between Cameron and some of his fellow soccer players [12:00]
what led Cameron to playing in the position of striker on the field [14:00]
examples of a fork in life that Cameron had other than the knee injury that impacted his career [14:00]
the concept of whether something will matter in 5 years [18:20]
creation versus consumption, and Cameron’s principle of looking at output instead of input, personally or in the workplace [22:45]
incompetence over malice, and how to look at the feedback or commentary that others send to you [26:45]
perspective on fear, alternatively looked at as uncertainty [30:00]
whether Cameron thought he might have some sort of large injury before it happened on the field [32:10]
entropy in socialization and life, and the way that Cameron would want entropy to be represented in his outputs/projects [34:00]
how podcasts are not as constrained in direction as some other mediums that exist [37:30]
if Cameron would make a podcast, and what it would be about [39:00]
whether audio, video, or text input/output is most preferred by Cameron for content purposes [42:45]

I sure enjoyed having Cameron on the episode. His thoughts are clear, and on point, and he has a warm nature. To the potential of a follow-up episode in a year, to compare the deltas from where he and I were at during the time of this episode. To more good things. You can check out his website at incremental.nyc

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237: Bob Varo | Belgian Music Producer With Sights on Los Angeles

Here we are on episode 237 with music producer Bob Varo. He originates out of the European nation of Belgium, and makes music of the rock or metal variation, or it may be alternative.

We talked about a lot of his musical experiences, what he aims to do in music production in the future, and how his experience has been coming to Los Angeles a few times from Belgium.

Show notes:

the country of Belgium that Bob originates from, and places he has been in or around there
what some of the differences are between his experiences in the music production field in Belgium versus Los Angeles
where Bob has performed or done musical work over the years
how Bob looks to add value to artists he works with, whether it be songwriting, recording, or mixing/mastering
why it is important to flow with the current methods of sound and music generation, with more technological possibilities
challenges that can come up when working with a certain artist
how I met Bob at a house party in the first place
some bands that Bob has known of, or identifies with, or would be glad to work with if given the opportunity
why taking classes can create a small-world scenario that leads to memories for your select grouping
one of Bob’s studio/travel experiences through parts of northern Europe
the difference between those who release music as albums versus “big-hit” singles one after another

Glad to have Bob on the show.

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236: Nick Chater | Perceptual Limitations And Mental Depth Illusion In “The Mind Is Flat”

Does the mind have less depth to it than is readily assumed? Are we able to multitask at all? Professor Nick Chater joins on episode 236 to discuss the qualities of the brain that give it depth or the illusion of mental depth.

Professor Chater is Professor of Behavioral Science at Warwick Business School, has over 200 publications, and has been editor for Cognitive Science and Psychological Review journals.

His research focuses on the cognitive and behavioral sciences, including reasoning, decision-making, and language. He has done experimental, computational, and mathematical studies of basic mental processes.

Show notes:

Professor Chater’s research and past content, as well as his educational history
how the myth of unconscious thought is not applicable
why multitasking is not the way that the brain is built to handle projects and tasks
the way that the material in Professor Chater’s book connects with the interpreter concept from past episodes
how little we can see with our eyes at any one time
risk-seeking qualities versus risk-averse nature in decision-making
how feelings are invented in response to physiological base responses and other processes underneath
the way that some are able to have a sense of other’s feelings, like Gary from a past episode
if it is reasonable to look at what we do in a stimulus-response form of maneuvering

I was glad to have Professor Chater on the show. You can check out his faculty page to see his breadth of publications.

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235: Kai Boyer | Master Trainer And Fitness Coach Specializing In Women’s Physique

Episode 235 comes into the forefront with master trainer and fitness coach Kai Boyer. Her coaching style comes with a great sense of the physiology behind movements. She has solutions for how workouts should be adjusted, in order to make up for gaps in muscular fitness building.

Kai provides a lot of services through her coaching, including a weight loss program, strength training, high performance sports training, interval training, post-surgical rehabilitation, and mean plan building. The main philosophy of her training is the concept of Kaizen, which is about little improvements over time.

I like that concept because we can deconstruct most things in life into little battles to work through, and then the large thing is no longer large. It’s like one of those physics activation energy graphs having a lower required activation energy for the goal you want. Kai uses it for fitness (and her name is in the word Kaizen), but it is able to be applied to various life hurdles.

Show notes:

how Kai got into the fitness category in the first place
the way that Kai built her current client base, and the types of individuals she has worked with in recent times
why nutrition is so important to fitness, even though it doesn’t fit the intuitive thought that the workout is the main component
what Kai eats during a normal week, and what a person would want to include in their diet to be able to build fitness
what workouts to add in to example workout programs to fill in gaps that may exist
how most people don’t like to stretch, and what that can lead to
where certain sports players usually get injured
how many days of strength and workout training one should have as part of a healthy week
whether a person should be more focused on calorie reduction or workout increases, based on their current plan

Having Kai on the show was neat, and she is a straightforward individual. You can check out her site and what she brings to the table at Kai Boyer Fitness.

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234: Dean Hallett | Starting Hallett Leadership After Impacting Organization And Culture At Fox And Disney

Episode 234 gets into the swing of things with guest Dean Hallett, Founder & CEO of Hallett Leadership. During his 17-year tenure at Fox Studios, where he served as CFO, Dean developed a unique and highly effective 9-month leadership training program for early and mid-career managers. The program’s success at breaking down silos across Fox, and fostering a culture of collaboration, led to Dean’s promotion to Senior Executive VP of Operations & Management. Today, the program Dean pioneered at Fox is called the Accelerated Leadership Program (ALP), which “develops tomorrow’s leaders today.”

Decades of experience in a space is something that gives refinement we highly desire when we are looking for a person of quality. Dean has some baseline rules for leadership, as well as understanding of how to facilitate levels of leadership underneath him.

I spoke with Dean about a variety of topics related to leadership, his experience at Fox and Disney, personality traits that matter in organizational leadership, and more.

Show notes:

how Dean deviated from his earlier public accounting track to his positions as CFO of large corporations
why being somewhat introverted can bring value to an organization, and how introverts sometimes have the most to offer
what some examples of Dean providing leadership consisted of
how the reward structure of a corporation affects what people target their efforts toward, and how shifting this reward structure is important for improved culture
what some of the qualities are that Dean looks for in people working around and under him, to have a highly-effective organization
why letting people work their own way and be creative leads to positive and potentially surprisingly positive results
how Dean feels about feeling comfort in life, versus expanding one’s zone
what books have been read by Dean for understanding, including Collaboration Begins With You by Ken Blanchard, and The Tao to High-Performance Leadership by Jack Zwissig
why storytelling has a compelling force to it
how being fearful of training and developing your people sends them away, as opposed to the alternative

It was a pleasure to speak with Dean during this episode, and hear some other stories about his life experiences. He is a full person, as I would describe it, and is on the way in his new path. I always connect more with individuals building their own name and entities. You can check out his coaching material at Hallett Leadership.

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233: Richard Wrangham | Domestication, Aggression, And Human Evolution In “The Goodness Paradox”

Humans have evolved to become more domesticated, and there are multiple variables at work causing this shift. It wasn’t always this way, and human species have had a two-sided relationship with virtue and violence a long period of time. Dr. Richard Wrangham, author of The Goodness Paradox, joins on episode 233 to discuss this shift and relationship.

Professor Wrangham (PhD, Cambridge University, 1975) is Ruth B. Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology at Harvard University and founded the Kibale Chimpanzee Project in 1987. He has conducted extensive research on primate ecology, nutrition, and social behavior. He is best known for his work on the evolution of human warfare, described in the book Demonic Males, and on the role of cooking in human evolution, described in the book Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human. Together with Elizabeth Ross, he co-founded the Kasiisi Project in 1997, and serves as a patron of the Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP).

It was neat to talk with Professor Wrangham about the ways that evolution has impacted humans as they have progressed. We also included some material on his understanding of cooking and its impacts.

Show notes:

how proactive and reactive aggression differ, and why that is important
some of the ways that Professor Wrangham has done research on chimpanzees to understand more about humans
where humans stand on the threshold of reactive and proactive aggression
the elements that separated Homo sapiens from the other species of humans
how intra and inter group cooperation without expectation of future returns works in principle but struggles in person
the impact of capital punishment as a way to reduce societal reactive aggression via conformity
the window of socialization that exists early in life
how the leaders of alpha males of a group impact the rest of the group, and what happens when they die off or are vanquished

Glad to have Dr. Wrangham on the show~ You can check out The Goodness Paradox on Amazon, look at his faculty page, or check out his chimpanzee project website.

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232: Nicholas A. Christakis | Social Networks, Biosocial Science, And The Evolution Of Good In “Blueprint”

As a sociologist and physician, Dr. Nicholas A. Christakis has done research on social networks and the socioeconomic, biosocial, and evolutionary determinants of behavior, health, and longevity. His most recent book Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society shows how evolution has united humanity and put us on a fitting path of progression.

Dr. Christakis is the Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science at Yale University. He received an M.D. from Harvard Medical School, and an M.P.H. from the Harvard School of Public Health. His Ph. D. in sociology is from the University of Pennsylvania. He was voted one of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2009.

His book Blueprint was recently mentioned by Bill Gates in a tweet, as well as on his Gates Notes website. He mentions that Robert Sapolsky of my past reading (Behave) gives “…you a framework down to the biological and hormonal level, while Christakis focuses more on person-to-person interactions.”

Show notes:

what it means for society to have developed into a way of being that is good, and why evolution may have directed that way
how relationship dynamics like monogamy or social structure would develop in similar environments given enough time
why a fixed social environment creates one type of winning people, and a fluid social environment creates a different set
the impact that removing a leader of a group has on the group
what repeats in society from millions of years ago to now
how pair-bonding can be impacted by certain neurotransmitters, and what this represents about us
the kind of research that Dr. Christakis has done, and his views on the current social networks that are popular in society
the way that some past recurring events were responses to human needs, though those civilizations may have not known the “why”
what unintentional, intentional, and artificial communities can tell us about the way people function as a group

It was great to have Dr. Christakis on the show. You can check out Blueprint on Amazon, his Wikipedia, or his Yale faculty page.

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231: David A. Sinclair | Anti-Aging Research And Understanding In “Lifespan”

When it comes to anti-aging research, Dr. David A. Sinclair of Harvard Medical School is on the forefront of research and innovation. He joins on episode 231 to discuss his new book Lifespan: Why We Age – and Why We Don’t Have To.

Dr. Sinclair, Ph.D., A.O. is a Professor in the Department of Genetics and co-Director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging at Harvard Medical School. He is best known for his work on understanding why we age and how to slow its effects. He obtained his Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics at the University of New South Wales, Sydney in 1995.

He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at M.I.T. with Dr. Leonard Guarente where he co discovered a cause of aging for yeast as well as the role of Sir2 in epigenetic changes driven by genome instability. In 1999 he was recruited to Harvard Medical School where he has been teaching aging biology and translational medicine for aging for the past 16 years. He was also on TIME magazine’s 2014 list of the “100 most influential people in the world”.

Show notes:

Dr. Sinclair’s background, and what led him into the field of anti-aging research
what it is about adversity that leads to a chemical response in the body, across sirtuins and more
how aging is not yet thought of as a disease, and how that can change through communication efforts
why society and people can seem stuck in a slowed form of evolution as compared with where we are headed
why studying organisms fighting adversity, similar to how Dr. Cockell studied extremophiles, is the way to find most answers
how stress at a cellular level is different from psychological stress that releases cortisol in the bloodstream
what it means to have senescent cells accumulate in the body as one ages over time
how an optic nerve was regrown in a mouse, and what that means for our potential nerve-based regrowth
what kinds of demands Dr. Sinclair has on his time with regards to the research he does
how the Horvath Clock represents true age of a person beyond external appearance and other metrics

This was an enjoyable episode, and book, that is right on the forefront of aging research and technology. Dr. Sinclair is very active in this space, and it shows. You can check out his website, the book on Amazon, or some of his research.

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230: Steven C. Hayes | Accepting What Is And Pivoting Toward What You Want In “A Liberated Mind”

Professor Steven C. Hayes of the University of Nevada is prolific in the category of psychological research. He has put out over 600 scientific articles and 44 books. Most of his research has been in the categories of human language and cognition as they relate to reducing human suffering. He has built a form called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which is psychotherapy using mindfulness and acceptance.

“Dr. Hayes has been President of Division 25 of the APA, of the American Association of Applied and Preventive Psychology, the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. He was the first Secretary-Treasurer of the Association for Psychological Science, which he helped form and has served a 5 year term on the National Advisory Council for Drug Abuse in the National Institutes of Health.”

He joins me on this episode to discuss topics from his book “A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot Toward What Matters”. It was a great nonlinear discussion that brought up a lot of insights.

Show notes:

why you need to be continually putting effort in some category to have a chance in it
how those who are not ready for the difficult have no chance to acquire the great
what it takes to pivot toward the things you are interested in
how so many of your thoughts can run on auto-pilot until you deconstruct the steps leading to them
where you need to go mentally to clear up a past issue and come to a conclusion
and much more

You can check out A Liberated Mind on Amazon, or check out Dr. Hayes web page, or his Twitter.

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229: Mark Metry | Story, Message, And Goals From Host Of The Humans 2.0 Podcast

We bring it live on episode 229 of the show with a fellow podcaster – Mark Metry of the Humans 2.0 Podcast. He has had wonderful guests like Robert Greene, Mark Manson, Safi Bahcall(previously on my podcast as well), and more.

Mark brings a lot of momentum to the table, across his episodes, speaking engagements, social media postings, and more. He has a company called VU Dream, which is focused on application of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies.

Show notes:

how Mark started his speaking engagements, and where he sees it going
who some of Mark’s memorable guests are, and what he took from his discussions with them
how a podcaster can improve their reach
what one can do to avoid the life of quiet desperation
why one should keep exploration in their mind when making daily decisions, so as not to stick in an exploitative pattern
what some goals are that Mark has regarding his upcoming career

Glad to have Mark on the show. You can check out his podcast on podcast services under the name Humans 2.0. He is also on Twitter at @markymetry.

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228: Bill Sullivan | Genes, Germs, And Curious Forces Within Humans In “Pleased To Meet Me”

Professor Bill Sullivan of Indiana University School of Medicine joins on episode 228 of the show, and we discuss his book Pleased To Meet Me: Genes, Germs, And The Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are, along with related topics.

He is a Professor with a Ph.D. in Molecular & Cell Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, who had focused on genes for drug-resistance in a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. He has experience with epigenetics, parasites, germs, gene expression, and more. Professor Sullivan also has written for numerous outlets like Scientific American and What Is Epigenetics.

I enjoyed speaking with Bill here, and we covered a variety of topics from the book, as well as some extended questions I had from the book’s framework.

Show notes:

how taste can be different in different people based on ability to be a “super taster”
why your gut bacteria is so important in assisting regulation of your mood and well-being
what makes some people more prone to addiction, and the percentages associated with some levels of addiction
what type of environments contribute to drug use, versus the ones that make drug use seem less appealing
how mood requires a balance of many different parameters
why a polygenic trait like height is desired, and what it represents of the person who has it
what epigenetics has to do with adverse childhood experiences and their lasting impact on an individual

Professor Sullivan’s material is available on his website, and his new book is available on Amazon.

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227: Satya Ma Atmo | Therapist Looking Deeper In Her Healing Practice

Do you heal someone by handling their frantic responses to life, or do you look to respond to their inner child who isn’t fulfilled? Therapist and healer Satya Ya Atma joins on episode 227 to discuss healing and the inner person that we can respond to.

Satya brings both a healing practice and a matching style to the framework. I first noticed her having what might be called a chic jungle type of look, and it matches her larger scale message of connecting. She comes from Israel, and was recently in Peru and Brazil in relation to setting up her practice.

Show notes:

how healing is like getting to some of the inner layers of an onion or one of those Russian dolls
where Satya came from, and how that influences her personality or connection with people of that area and elsewhere
why you are only able to see as far as you have traveled mentally or physically thus far
how adults can either be like their inner child or be trapped in a crippling comfort zone
who you should try to change, and whether that should only be you
how rationalization might be a method to keep away from feeling one’s own internal emotions

Glad to have Satya on the show~. You can check out her site at Open To Love.

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226: Get To Know The Full Spectrum Of Someone, And Full-Scale Interview Prep

We bring the stream of consciousness on episode 226. This one covered a variety of topics I had not planned for before the episode started. I handled a few things during the episode, which was nice to add variety, and I mentioned them during.

Part of this episode was about how I’m prepping differently for when I interview Dr. Christakis, in connection with understanding people more holistically. People are not one-faceted individuals, but have layers of experiences and connections.

We don’t do things in a vacuum, and the collective of humanity traveling through time has no unknowns that have been added during the process of entropy reduction. Enjoy the episode~

Show notes:

why looking through all the interviews of one of my upcoming guests is a great way for my interview to go better
how each person is not just a single element, but a combination of their experiences and connections and happenings
what planning the next week or month can do for personal productivity, management of highs and lows, and fulfillment
how things can be light now and heavy later depending on when you handle them
why you can’t think away a feeling that you are in, and how you roll in a feeling until you get out of that headspace
how figuring something out clears an issue, while leaving it untouched lets it show up as soon as possible

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225: Scott H. Young | The Process Of Taking Information In Quickly And Effectively In His Book “Ultralearning”

The show continues forward with Scott H. Young on episode 225, coming out on the launch day of his book Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career. The book is a guide to master hard skills quickly in any category, including languages, science, programming, and more.

Knowing of Scott for many years, this was a great opportunity to connect with him around the same time that his current book was coming out for people to read and take note of. I first found Scott’s blog when I was writing on my blog Timeless Information, and his content always made sense to me as valuable material, and this was only the case with a few blogs at the time.

We had a great chat here, and Scott is thoughtful about all the content he has put out in text, audio, video, and illustrated form.

Show notes:

how ultralearning methods can lead you more quickly through the process of understanding than conventional learning methods
what the MIT Challenge that Scott created was about, and how he documented his process through the experience
why the likely improvement or adjustment to the general school system is likely to come from outside the built-in system that exists
what it is that leads to the title of the book being Ultralearning, instead of just the title Learning
how you distill and refine the essence of learning well, by looking at individuals who have learned a lot quickly
what it can take to see problems from a broader perspective that sees the macro features and gives less weight to micro details
what languages Scott has learned, and how he would quickly learn a language in a new country
how the feel you have during learning can be more important than a specific method you should use to learn
and more

You can check out Scott’s content across the internet. His book Ultralearning is available on Amazon. Separate from that, his blog that I read from back in 2009 continues to have great content that he writes, his Twitter @ScottHYoung includes his quick insights or thoughts (along with series’ of tweets), and his YouTube channel showcases some of his learning adventures and interviews or discussions about books. I see Scott continuing to put out content in the learning and growth categories for years to come, growing his audience and reach. To more great things~.

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