A Bit of Optimism

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**A Bit of Optimism**

My career is an accident. It started when I set out to rediscover my passion and reignite a spark I’d lost — and that journey led me to the work I do now.

If you know me from my books or my speaking, you know I’m fascinated by why people do what they do. What makes someone find joy and meaning in their life, or pursue something far greater than themselves?

I started A Bit of Optimism to explore those ideas and expand my own perspective. This podcast is a trove of honest conversations, with people who challenge me, teach me, or simply help me see things in a different way. Some guests are household names, and others you may be meeting for the first time. But each one of them has something to share that can help all of us grow.

So if you’re looking for a spark — some insight, inspiration, or just a reminder that good things are possible — join me on A Bit of Optimism!

Let’s grow together.

Latest Episodes:

A New Paradigm for Trust with entrepreneur Yat Siu Nov 14, 2023

Show notes

We have lost trust in almost everything.

Yat Siu has a clear vision for how we can solve our large-scale trust issues and enhance human coordination.

For every problem technology creates, technology also has a solution.

This is…A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Yat Siu and his work check out:

https://www.animocabrands.com/

Humanize with designer Thomas Heatherwick Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

We used to care about beautiful architecture.

Luckily, Thomas Heatherwick still does. He is on a quest to make the world less boring.

You may not know Thomas yet, but you know his work. He's designed iconic buildings and experiences and he says our cities have become dreadfully unhuman and our lack of beauty is negatively impacting our physical and mental health.

He's a truly original thinker with great insights into how to innovate, create, and humanize.

This is...A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Thomas and his work check out:

His new book, Humanize: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Humanize/Thomas-Heatherwick/9781668034439

https://www.heatherwick.com/

Teammateship with NBA champion Shane Battier Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

High-performing teams require more than just a leader. Great teams come from great teammates.

Shane Battier won't be in the NBA Hall of Fame, but he was one of the greatest teammates to ever play professional basketball. He won back-to-back NBA Championships with the Miami Heat and was named the league's Teammate of the Year during their second championship run.

His insights into trust, discomfort, and "teammateship" are essential for teams -- and teammates -- of all types.

This is...A Bit of Optimism.

The Future of Leadership with educator Elizabeth English Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

When we want wisdom, we turn to people older than us. But there is a lot to be learned from younger generations too.

Elizabeth English knows this. She’s the head of one of the most innovative schools in the country, The Archer School for Girls and has spent her career working with -- and learning from -- younger generations.

We sat down to talk about: the problems facing parents today, why kids need and thrive from rules, boundary setting, phone addictions, and how her students make her hopeful for the future.

This is...A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Elizabeth and her work check out:

https://www.archer.org/about/from-the-head-of-school

Remember Love with the poet Cleo Wade Oct 17, 2023

Show notes

We are told from a young age to pursue love—romantic love, self-love, divine love. But how do you actually define love? And once you do, how do you find it?

Cleo Wade is the right person to ask. She's a poet whose latest book is called “Remember Love: Words for Tender Times.” Our conversation about love led down many paths: we talked about appreciating pain, staying present, and the resurgence of poetry.

This is... A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Cleo and her work check out:

her new book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/724180/remember-love-by-cleo-wade/

https://cleowade.com/

Purpose over Profit with Thrive Causemetics CEO Karissa Bodnar Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

How do you run a thriving company that cares more about impact than about profit and margins?

Karissa Bodnar is a genius CEO who dedicated herself to building a cause-based company. Thrive Causemetics started out of her one-bedroom apartment and now it’s a massively successful brand that has donated over $139 million of value to those in need.

We sat down to talk about finding your purpose, leading younger generations, and so much more.

This is… A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Karissa and her work check out:

https://thrivecausemetics.com/pages/our-story

Beautiful Conflict with the poet Yung Pueblo Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

How are you? It’s a question we get asked everyday, but we hardly ever answer it honestly.

When Diego Perez — also known under his penname, Yung Pueblo — started asking himself that question and answering honestly, his entire life changed.

In this conversation, Diego opens up about his own struggles with addiction and shares hard-earned wisdom about conflict, spirituality, and so much more.

This is...A Bit of Optimism.

For more of Yung Pueblo's work check out:

his new book out today The Way Forward

https://yungpueblo.com/

Power with author Robert Greene Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

How do people become powerful? Can understanding power protect us from those who wield it too strongly?

When Robert Greene first set out to write about power, he didn’t have much of it. He worked odd jobs and was largely at the mercy of other people’s power. Now, his book “The 48 Laws of Power” has given him the power he wrote about. He sat down with me to share what he’s learned on both sides of that spectrum.

This… is a Bit of Optimism.

For more on Robert and his work, check out:

https://powerseductionandwar.com/

Failing Well with professor of leadership Dr. Amy Edmondson Sep 19, 2023

Show notes

Failure is the secret to success. Our failures are agents of inspiration, iteration, and innovation.

Dr. Amy Edmondson is the Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School and her newest book "Right Kind of Wrong" is all about how we can change our relationship with failures and start “failing well.”

This is…A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Dr. Amy Edmondson and her work check out:

https://www.amazon.com/Right-Kind-Wrong-Science-Failing/dp/1982195061

https://amycedmondson.com/

https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6451

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycedmondson/

https://twitter.com/AmyCEdmondson

https://www.instagram.com/amycedmondson/

Happier-ness with author Arthur Brooks Sep 12, 2023

Show notes

You’ll never achieve perfect happiness. This might sound like bad news, but it’s actually a good thing. Because being happy is not a final destination, it’s an ongoing practice. In short, it’s happier-ness.

That’s a term Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey coined in their new book “Build the Life You Want” where together they lay out a blueprint for a better life. And they would know: Arthur has studied the science of happiness for over 25 years, and I have never had a conversation with him that I haven’t left with a life-changing perspective on what it means to live a meaningful life.

This conversation was no different.

This… is a Bit of Optimism.

For more on Arthur and his work check out:

https://www.amazon.com/Build-Life-You-Want-Science/dp/0593545400

arthurbrooks.com

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