Between the Ears Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#25 Q&Q — What Are You Unwilling to Feel? Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

In this question-and-quote episode, Arnold Beekes asks a question that cuts deeper than it first sounds: what are you unwilling to feel? He draws a careful distinction from simple suppression — this isn't about emotions you don't even know you're avoiding, but ones you already know are there, deep down, that you're actively choosing not to sit with. He gives two grounded examples: knowing your work has stopped challenging you and you want something different, but refusing to feel that because of the mortgage and the kids' university fees standing in the way; and a 20-year friendship that's turned into constant complaining and blame, leaving you tired and frustrated every time, while you keep telling yourself loyalty means staying anyway. He pairs it with a quote — "A fast food mentality will not bring you three star meals" — using the appeal of fast food's instant gratification (tastes good, arrives fast, followed by a stomach ache and hunger two hours later) as a literal example, then widens it figuratively to anything worth having: fast results at the gym, a new language, or an early promotion. His point: three-star outcomes take time, effort, and discipline, and expecting the fast-food version of anything worthwhile will only work against you.

🔗 About Your Host (Arnold Beekes)
🌐 Website: https://bio.link/beekes
💪 Brain Gym: https://braingym.fitness
🧠 Brain Athletes: https://brainathletes.club
🚀 Innovation Athletes: https://innovationathletes.club
🎓 Join our Skool brain-fitness community: https://www.skool.com/brain-fitness-7070

Roy Coughlan · The Podfather Network — Editor & Promoter
Website: https://roycoughlan.com/
Virtual Assistants: https://va.world/
Private Networking Group: Learn about a Private Networking Group in 50 US States & 49+ Countries with 700+ Members https://connectedleaders.academy
Brain Upgrade: https://brainupgrade.org/
The Authority Alliance: A Foundation of Experts — community for entrepreneurs, coaches, and thought leaders to connect, collaborate, and grow their authority together: https://theauthorityalliance.com/

#BetweenTheEars #BrainUpgrade #QuestionAndQuote #EmotionalAwareness #Discipline #PersonalGrowth #ArnoldBeekes #Mindset #Uniqueness

#24 Mirror Neurons Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Arnold Beekes explains mirror neurons — brain cells that fire both when you take an action and when you simply watch someone else take that same action — and why understanding this changes how you should think about your own mental practices. Because the brain doesn't fully distinguish between lived, observed, and imagined experience, holding an image of yourself as healthy or capable can genuinely trigger the same neural response as actually living it. But Arnold is careful to flag what most self-help advice leaves out: it's not enough to just picture or say something, you have to feel it too. He uses affirmations as the clearest example — saying "I have a two million euro house" while feeling like you can barely afford a rented room creates a contradiction between feeling and imagination that cancels the affirmation out entirely, which is exactly why so much of that advice fails to work. He illustrates the same mechanism with two contrasting examples: watching a war movie can generate real sadness or anger even though you were never in a war, while watching a beautiful nature video can genuinely lift your mood the same way actually being in a rainforest would — meaning you don't need an expensive safari to get some of its emotional benefit, just conscious, positive use of your own mirror neurons. The episode closes with a striking piece of everyday beauty: new science on how whale populations play a far larger role in ocean carbon cycling than previously understood, with their waste fertilizing phytoplankton blooms that absorb carbon dioxide, and their carcasses sustaining deep-sea ecosystems for decades after death.

#BetweenTheEars #BrainUpgrade #MirrorNeurons #Neuroscience #Mindset #PersonalGrowth #ArnoldBeekes #Visualization #EverydayBeauty

#23 Q&Q — How Am I Loving Myself? Sep 13, 2026

Show notes

In this question-and-quote episode, Arnold Beekes tackles a question many people instinctively label selfish: how am I loving myself? He makes the case that self-love isn't ego or self-interest — it's the actual precondition for loving anyone or anything else, since a self-critical inner state directly shapes the outer reality you attract. He argues this is something to practice daily, not something to arrive at once and forget, since the inner critic most of us have built up over a lifetime doesn't disappear on its own. He pairs it with a sobering quote: "The longer you allow yourself to be damaged by negative behavior from others, the more unlikely it becomes that you can fully recover." Arnold connects this to the compounding effect of constant negative inputs — 24/7 news, complaining friends, people always comparing and criticizing — becoming your normalized environment the longer you stay in it. He shares a personal, vulnerable example: his own mother, who instinctively looked for the dark side of everything, from good weather ("but it will start to rain") to anything else in front of her, believing that worry and anxiety were somehow protective, when in reality they just made everyone around her feel lousy. His closing message: while you can't always choose your circumstances, you can choose your friends, your media, and what you read — and those choices matter more than most people realize.

#BetweenTheEars #BrainUpgrade #QuestionAndQuote #SelfLove #SelfCompassion #PersonalGrowth #ArnoldBeekes #Mindset #Uniqueness

#22 The Happiness Taboo Sep 13, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Arnold Beekes unpacks a striking piece of psychology history: an article by Scott Barry Kaufman revealing that Abraham Maslow — the famous psychologist behind the pyramid of needs — wrote a chapter back in 1969 concluding that a substantial portion of how happy you are comes down to the luck of your genetic draw, and then chose never to publish it, fearing the implications. Arnold argues that suppressing this finding for over 50 years has quietly caused enormous suffering, leaving countless people to believe there's something wrong with them for not being as happy as everyone around them, despite doing all the "right" things — gratitude journals, exercise, self-help books. He draws a direct parallel to the business and entrepreneurship world, where the same "follow these seven steps and you'll be a millionaire" formula gets sold as universally guaranteed, and when it doesn't work, people turn the blame inward instead of questioning the promise itself. Arnold's takeaway is a reframe, not a resignation: this isn't proof you can't be happy, it's proof that you are genuinely unique, and that a practice working for one person is never a guarantee it will work identically for you. The episode closes with a genuinely moving moment of everyday beauty: footage of Spanish footballer Nico Williams, fresh off a championship win, finding his mother in the stadium and handing her his gold medal — a tribute to the journey she made walking through the Sahara from Ghana to build a better life for her family in Spain.

#BetweenTheEars #BrainUpgrade #Happiness #Psychology #SelfCompassion #PersonalGrowth #ArnoldBeekes #Uniqueness #EverydayBeauty

#21 What Do You Believe That Others Think Is Insane? Sep 13, 2026

Show notes

In this question-and-quote episode, Arnold Beekes challenges groupthink head-on — the pressure to quietly change your own opinion just to fit in, avoid looking weird, or avoid being the exception. He asks: what do you believe that other people would think is insane, and dares you to hold onto it rather than conform. He shares his own example — a belief that we live in a simulated reality, an idea David Icke was mocked for over 20 years ago that now has growing scientific support behind it. His point: looking insane at first doesn't mean you're wrong, it might just mean you were early. He pairs it with a quote: "If you always blame someone else, you will not grow and others will dislike you." Arnold connects this to a culture of constant criticism and blame — on social media, in everyday conversation — arguing that blaming others keeps you stuck reacting to someone else's creation instead of generating your own ideas, and radiates a low, uninviting frequency that pushes people away rather than drawing them in.

#BetweenTheEars #BrainUpgrade #QuestionAndQuote #Groupthink #PersonalGrowth #Mindset #ArnoldBeekes #SelfAwareness #Uniqueness

#20 Everydayness Sep 13, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Arnold Beekes makes the case that "everydayness" — showing up daily, not just occasionally — is the actual hallmark of excellence in any domain, whether that's music, sport, nursing, or building a better world. He pushes back on the excuse of being too busy, arguing that anyone excellent at anything got there through consistent daily practice, never once-a-week effort. He connects this directly to the modern distraction problem: smartphones and social media offering constant, fear-based content that pulls people into comparing themselves to others, which actively works against the discipline everydayness requires. Arnold offers three simple daily practices: learn something (however small), create something (even just a pencil drawing), and care — for yourself as much as for others, since most of us are far better at the second than the first. He adds true self-analysis — checking in honestly with what you're feeling, thinking, or even physically sensing — and walking, sharing his own remarkable story of being told by a surgeon he might never walk again after destroying his heel, and now walking over an hour every morning. The episode closes with its usual moment of everyday beauty: the story of Florence Loma Rivo in Kenya, who escaped female genital mutilation and child marriage herself and turned that experience into a mission — building a school and rescue center for girls facing the same threat today.

#BetweenTheEars #BrainUpgrade #Everydayness #Discipline #PersonalGrowth #Mindset #ArnoldBeekes #DailyPractice #EverydayBeauty

#19 Q&Q — What Makes You Cry? Sep 12, 2026

Show notes

In this short question-and-quote episode, Arnold Beekes poses a single question: what makes you cry — and not just full tears, but burning ones too? He reflects on experiencing burning tears daily lately, and offers a reframe: tears, whether from sadness, beauty, love, loss, or meaning, are signs from the heart asking you to pay attention to what's been suppressed for far too long. He pairs it with a quote from Albert Camus — "Men must live and create, live to the point of tears" — meaning to live so fully and honestly that life moves you into awe, joy, heartbreak, and gratitude, rather than staying safe, numb, or half asleep.

#BetweenTheEars #BrainUpgrade #QuestionAndQuote #Camus #Emotions #PersonalGrowth #ArnoldBeekes #SelfAwareness #Uniqueness

#18 The Power of Language Sep 12, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Arnold Beekes explores language as what he calls an invisible straitjacket — something almost nobody recognizes as a limitation, yet it shapes and restricts nearly every connection we try to make with each other. He walks through why: the sheer number of mother tongues across the world, the fact that even speaking seven languages himself (he's currently learning Spanish, his seventh) still leaves him limited in certain conversations, and how communication breaks down even between people who share a language, let alone across a genuinely global world. Arnold introduces Marshall Rosenberg's framework of Nonviolent Communication — observation, feeling, need, and request — and explains why each step is harder than it sounds, particularly feeling, since most of us have spent a lifetime suppressing our emotions rather than naming them. He shares a personal story from his own coaching journey, when he was asked for the first time what he actually wanted, only to realize he could only articulate what he didn't want. That leads into two striking examples of language working against us: longevity researcher Bryan Johnson's slogan "Don't Die" (and the incurable immune disease diagnosis that followed), and Anita Moorjani's childhood fear of cancer, drilled into her as "I must not get cancer" — who went on to develop cancer before her well-known near-death experience. The episode closes, as always, with a moment of everyday beauty: research on how nature videos, even watched on a screen, can meaningfully reduce stress when direct access to nature isn't available.

#BetweenTheEars #BrainUpgrade #Communication #NonviolentCommunication #Language #Mindset #PersonalGrowth #ArnoldBeekes #StressRelief #NatureTherapy

#17 When do you feel that you are fully present? Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

In this Q&Q episode of Between the Ears, Arnold Beekes asks a question that sounds simple but reveals just how rarely we actually experience it — and then makes a compelling case for why boredom might be one of the most underrated tools you have. Another sharp, thought-provoking episode that is over before you know it.

The Question

When do you feel that you are fully present?

Most of us are either replaying the past or rehearsing the future — rarely actually here
Arnold noticed it himself during his morning mobility exercises — losing count because his mind was elsewhere thinking about an unpaid internet bill
He feels most present when reading something he genuinely cares about — rumination, emotions, mental health
Full presence isn't a default state — it's something worth noticing, cultivating and returning to deliberately
When do you feel it? In conversation, in nature, in flow? That answer tells you something important

The Quote

"There is no room for creativity if you are busy following orders."

Large and small companies alike suffer from a creativity drought — because people are too busy meeting expectations to think freely
Your brain needs space to make new connections — and that space is almost impossible to find when you're constantly trying to please someone above you
Boredom is not wasted time — it is when your brain quietly connects the wires that produce creative breakthroughs
Next time you're standing in a queue or sitting in a taxi, put the phone down and let your mind wander
Creativity cannot be forced into a full head — it needs room

About Arnold Beekes

🧠 Arnold Beekes enables you to have a better life between the ears.
✦ Links: https://bio.link/beekes
✦ Brain Fitness: https://braingym.fitness
✦ Brain Athletes Community: https://brainathletes.club
✦ Innovation Athletes: https://innovationathletes.club

🎙️ Edited and Produced by The PodFather Network LLC
🌐 https://roycoughlan.com/

#BetweenTheEars #ArnoldBeekes #BrainFitness #QuestionAndQuote #FullPresence #Creativity #Boredom #UnleashYourUniqueness #Mindset #PersonalGrowth #InnerWork

#16 Basics of Brain Fitness – Part 2 Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Between the Ears, Arnold Beekes completes his fundamentals series with four more brain fitness basics — covering your body, your social life, your environment and the humility to keep learning. Together with the previous episode, these eight basics form a complete daily framework for a better life between the ears. Plus a beautiful story of one man's 10-year mission to transform an old railroad bridge into something extraordinary.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

Why your body and brain are completely interconnected — and why neglecting one always affects the other
How movement, sleep, nutrition and engaging in the arts all directly impact your brain fitness
Why ultra-processed food is one of the top three global threats to mental health
How the people you allow into your inner circle — and the environment you live in — shape your brain every single day
Why keeping a beginner's mind and staying humble about how much you don't know is one of the most powerful things you can do

The Four Basics — Completing the Framework

Your Body — Movement, sleep, nutrition and arts. All of it connects directly to your brain. Skipping one while working on another is like going to the gym and drinking beer afterwards
Social — Choose your inner circle carefully. Toxic and narcissistic people damage your brain fitness. At the same time, meet new people, connect, wave to strangers on the street
Your Environment — Natural light, fresh air, noise levels, radiation and pollution all have measurable impacts on your brain. Where you spend your time matters more than most people realise
Know That You Don't Know — Humility and a beginner's mind keep learning fun and keep your brain growing. There is always more to discover

Arnold's Mission

To enable better brains and better innovation for better living.

Everyday Beauty

Mike Salarez spotted a disused 120-year-old railroad bridge on the Kansas River and spent 10 years turning it into a reality. Using his P6 approach — public, private, philanthropy, people, purpose and process — he assembled donated materials, pro bono legal support and community backing to create the Rock Island Bridge: now a restaurant, event space and public walkway above the river. One man, one vision, a decade of persistence.

About Arnold Beekes

🎙️ Edited and Produced by The PodFather Network LLC
🌐 https://roycoughlan.com/

#BetweenTheEars #ArnoldBeekes #BrainFitness #BrainFitnessBasics #BodyAndBrain #SocialWellbeing #Environment #BeginnersМind #Mindset #PersonalGrowth #EverydayBeauty

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