Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 69: Neil deGrasse Tyson on Cosmic Perspectives, Aliens, AI and Thinking Scientifically Jul 06, 2023

Show notes

My guest is the renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. He is the fifth head since 1935 of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City and the first occupant of its Frederick P. Rose Directorship. He is a research associate of the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History. He is also the author of fifteen books—many of them international bestsellers—including the #1 best seller Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, and His most recent is Starry Messenger Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization.

Niel is also the host of the Emmy-nominated podcast StarTalk, as well as two seasons of Cosmos, televised by Fox and National Geographic. He has received 21 honorary doctorates as well as NASA's Distinguished Public Service Medal. The man has an asteroid named after him, for heck's sake.

On the show, we discuss the book Starry Messenger and his scientific perspectives on a variety of topics, including:

Ballroom dancing (you read that right)
The book's purpose and defining a cosmic perspective
The overview effect
The history and Impact of space exploration
Revisiting the moon landing
The Allegory of the Cave
His view of Mars missions and the commercialization of space
Space as supply chain, the solar system as backyard
His personal vision for the future
How to think scientifically
His one conspiracy theory
On scientific consensus and what to do in its absence
The social importance of probability
On God and faith
UFOs, aliens, and the Fermi Paradox
Artificial Intelligence and the new generative AI's
What's it like to go to the movie theater with Neil
His favorite time-travel movie

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com

Ep. 68: Defeating Delay: Dr. Tim Pychyl On Solving the Procrastination Puzzle Jun 23, 2023

Show notes

"You can delegate the activity but not the responsibility; you can share the praise but not the blame. the most finite, limited resource in our lives is time." - Dr. Tim Pychl

Larry speaks with Professor Tim Pychyl about the impact procrastination has on our well-being. This isn't about managing or optimizing a to-do list; procrastination affects the whole of your life.

Tim is a retired psychology professor whose research focused on understanding why we can become our own worst enemy through procrastination. In addition to journal publications and co-edited scholarly books, including Procrastination, Health & Well-Being, and Counseling the Procrastinator in Academic Settings, Tim wrote the brief and accessible Solving the Procrastination Puzzle: A Concise Guide to Strategies for Change. An award-winning teacher, Tim has shared his passion for learning through his iProcrastinate podcast and blog on Psychology Today.

In this episode, we delve into a variety of topics, including:

On teaching and the importance of presence
Defining and qualifying procrastination
How procrastination differs from normal delay
Rational and irrational delay
On self-regulation failure
Future self-theory
Getting started
Strategies/tactics
Priming the pump and the five-minute rule
Recognizing avoidance when it appears
Procrastination and depression
Acceptance and self-compassion
On ego depletion theory and replication
On extended will

Enjoy!

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com

Ep. 67: How To Get Unstuck: Adam Alter On The Structure Of Breakthroughs Jun 09, 2023

Show notes

Getting stuck is inevitable. I hope you find yourself getting stuck only rarely, but when you do, know that breakthroughs aren't too far behind - Adam Alter

Today we are going to look at the challenges of creative blocks, inertia, and the accompanying feeling of being stuck, whether it be a project, product, or personal life, and, more importantly, when we find ourselves in these states - how to get unstuck, what is the step by step structure of a breakthrough.

My guest is Professor Adam Alter.

Adam Alter is a Professor of Marketing at New York University's Stern School of Business and the Robert Stansky Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellow, with an affiliated appointment in the New York University Psychology Department.

Adam is the New York Times bestselling author of two books: Irresistible (March 2017) and Drunk Tank Pink (2013), and his latest which is also the topic of the podcast - Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most

Adam has also written for the New York Times, New Yorker, Washington Post, Atlantic, WIRED, Slate, Huffington Post, and Popular Science, among other publications. Adam's academic research focuses on judgment, decision-making, and social psychology, with a particular interest in the surprising effects of subtle environmental cues on human cognition and behavior. His research has been published widely in academic journals and featured in dozens of TV, radio, and print outlets worldwide.

In this episode, we delve into these subjects:

The commonality of creative blocks why progress isn't always a straight line.
How Our reactions to being stuck might be the real problem.
The process of getting unstuck can lead to valuable advancements.
Why the creative process is often lengthy and messy, contrary to many people's expectations.
Why breakthroughs often seem accidental and come after hitting a wall.
Do breakthroughs happen more commonly in a group (remote work)
Does creativity decline over time?
Breakthrough tactics, including the "friction audit."
The role of environment in creativity and progress is significant.
The use of AI as it relates to creative blocks.
When should someone quit vs. persist - and much more

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com

Ep. 66: AI. Progress or Peril? Pedro Domingos On Where We Are Now and What's Next. May 10, 2023

Show notes

"Learn to use AI. That's, that's my message. You wanna learn to use AI as a professional and as a citizen in your personal life. The more you know how to use it, the better you'll make of it, the better your life will be. AI gives power; like any technology, it gives power to those who understand it and use it" - Pedro Domingos

Recent developments in AI, specifically consumer-facing generative AIs, are helping people create a lot of cool content while also generating a ton of concern. A big bucket of that concern is AI alignment - what are the possible unintended consequences to humans? The internet transformed our relationship to information, but it took a few years; now, AI is doing it in real time.

My guest on this episode is Professor Pedro Domingos.

Pedro is a leading AI researcher and the author of the worldwide bestseller "The Master Algorithm." He is a professor of computer science at the University of Washington in Seattle. He won the Special Interest Group on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Innovation Award and the international joint Conference on AI John McCarthy Award, two of the highest honors in data science and AI.

Pedro helped start the fields of statistical relational AI, data stream mining, adversarial learning, machine learning for information integration, and influence maximization in social networks.

On this episode, we run the gamut to include...

Where are we with generative AIs
Pedro demystifies LLMs (Large Language Models)
Progress and problems with generative AIs
Hallucination in AI - and Illusion in humans
The homunculus fallacy
Risks, regulations, known-unknowns
Comments on existential threats
The S curve in emerging technologies like AI
AI's possible impact on employment and the economy
Artificial General Intellience or AGI
Goals and end games, is AGI the goal?
Does he think LLMs AI's like ChatGPT are conscious?

No matter your technical level, you'll enjoy this discussion with Pedro. He is passionate about the subject matter, no surprise - much of what he's predicted has come to pass in the field, And if you feel a tinge of AI anxiety, consider this a bit of exposure therapy.

Listen and learn more about how these systems work and how they might impact your life.

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com

Ep. 65: Kevin Kelly With Excellent Advice For Living. Apr 27, 2023

Show notes

"The root of my optimism comes in kind of a basic observation, that if we can create 1% more than we destroy every year, that 1% compounded over time is civilization. So the delta, the difference between a gain and very tiny gain, is hard to see in the present." - Kevin Kelly

My guest is well-known technologist and futurist Kevin Kelly. Kevin is a renowned American writer, editor, and futurist, best known as the co-founder of Wired magazine. He has made significant contributions to the fields of technology, science, and culture. He has written several books, including "Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems, and the Economic World," "New Rules for the New Economy," "What Technology Wants," and "The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future."

He explores recent developments in technology as well as shares some great life advice from his upcoming book aptly named, "Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I'd Known Earlier. In this conversation, we talk about these topics and more.

Living in a "protopia" and the net 1% compounding principle
Embracing problems as capacity improvers
Why Kevin's optimistic
Societal implications of AI
Current state of AI and its role in job market
AI's resemblance to the early internet
What's different this time
A "universal personal intern"
Extended Mind and its relation to AI and tools
Opinions on cryptocurrency and blockchain technology
What Kevin worries about
Discussing new book and advice for living
Practical tips on embracing change, prototyping life, and active listening.

Enjoy!

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com

Ep.64: Reboot Part 1: Jerry Colonna On Crucible Moments and Starting Over Apr 17, 2023

Show notes

"When we surface subroutines when we surface belief systems, we unleash a certain kind of potential, a certain kind of energy that enables us to do the one thing that a leader must do every day. Be creative" - Jerry Colonna

Jerry Colonna, often referred to as the 'CEO whisperer,' is the co-founder of Reboot.io, an executive coaching and leadership development firm dedicated to the notion that better humans make better leaders. For nearly 20 years, he has used the knowledge gained as an investor, an executive, and a board member for more than 100 organizations to help entrepreneurs and others lead with humanity, resilience, and equanimity.

Prior to his career as a coach, Jerry was a partner with JPMorgan Partners (JPMP), the private equity arm of JPMorgan Chase. Previously, he led New York City-based Flatiron Partners, which he founded in 1996 with partner Fred Wilson, which became one of the nation's most successful early-stage investment programs. He is also the author of Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up, which is also the touchstone for our conversation.

There is something about Jerry.

In 2017, WIRED published a piece on Jerry wherein this was written titled "This Man Makes Founders Cry." I don't know if it's how he talks or looks at you, but when talking with him, I felt some sort of sympathetic energy field; it was like a psychic hand on the shoulder. When we spoke, I was dealing with a monster of a cold, coupled with Jerry's superpower, turned this conversation into a coaching session of sorts.

Jerry talks about leadership and crucible moments, moments that can be transformative, leading to a new or altered sense of identity. These moments often put our character to the test.

If you are in any state of upheaval or change or know someone who is, please listen. Not just for the excellent advice, but there is something beneficial about hearing this level of empathy in someone's voice.

On the show, we discuss these topics and more …

State of leadership currently
Why Jerry has a reputation for making people cry
Jerry's story, leaving JP Morgan
How to leaders can deal with uncertainty in business
The importance of soft skills coupled with hard skills
Separating genius from personality
Breaking open vs. shutting down
What "rebooting" means
What do first when you're laid off
Mountain equanimity
Work as an opportunity to become better humans

Enjoy!

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com

EP. 63: How To Live More and Think Less. Dr. Pia Callesen On Metacognitive Approaches To A Happier Life Mar 31, 2023

Show notes

This podcast is about the problem of overthinking - and how modifying one's metacognitive beliefs can reduce stress, worry, and problem fixation.

Thinking is an amazing capacity we all have. Humans possess the cognitive abilities to form concepts, imagine possible futures, and solve problems, but this same capacity, when it runs amuck, can keep you up at night, paralyze effect decision making and keep you in a loop of worst-case scenarios.

Yeah, not helpful.

My guest is Dr. Pia Callesen, who explains how to use meta-cognitive strategies to break free from this overthinking.

Dr. Callesen is a therapist and metacognitive specialist managing several clinics in Denmark. She has a Ph.D. from Manchester University, and She is the author of Live More Think Less (2020). Her study into the effectiveness of metacognitive therapy for depression, published in Scientific Reports in 2020, suggests that MCT has considerable benefits which might exceed those of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

On this show, we discuss…

Metacognition and metacognitive therapy
Metacognitive beliefs
The self-regulating mechanism in the brain
When less is more when dealing with thoughts
Trigger thoughts
How MCT differs from traditional cognitive therapies
Targeting specific psychological processes
How to postpone worry/rumination
Attention training
The benefits and risks of mindfulness
Detached mindfulness
How attentional awareness helps with depression

As a person who overthinks, I'm already benefiting from much of Dr. Callesen's advice here. I think you will find this interesting and very helpful.

Enjoy!

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com

EP. 62: How Emotions Are Made: Lisa Feldman Barrett On The Neuroscience of Feeling Mar 17, 2023

Show notes

"Feelings, nothing more than feelings" - Morris Albert

In this episode, we discuss how emotions are made - and how insights into how our brains make us feel can help us cope with challenging situations.

My guest is Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, a psychology professor and neuroscientist at Northeastern University, who is the author of seven books on emotion and the brain, including the best-selling book How Emotions Are Made and, most recently, Seven And A Half Lessons About The Brain. In addition to the books, Dr. Barrett has published over 260 peer-reviewed scientific papers. She received a National Institutes of Health Director's Pioneer Award for her revolutionary research on emotion in the brain.

Her groundbreaking research overturns many prior assumptions about how the human brain forms emotions. On this show, we cover these topics …

A discussion about theory in scientific contexts The classical view of emotions
An overview of her research in constructed emotion
The problem with the "amygdala hijack" and the reptilian brain
The brain as a prediction machine
Rationality
Mood and metabolic efficiency
The body-budget
How emotions can be recategorized
A new take on depression
The story of her daughter and the "emotional flu"
Decision-making, rationality, and the use of emotion

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com/podcasts

EP. 61: A Reason Why: Dr. William Damon On Purpose And The Benefits Of A Life Review. Mar 03, 2023

Show notes

This discussion centers on what living with purpose actually means.

My guest is Professor William Damon.

William is a psychologist and professor at Stanford University and a senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. He has been designated one of the fifty most influential living psychologists in the world today and is one of the world's leading scholars of human development. Bills is a pioneering researcher on the development of purpose in life and wrote the influential book The Path to Purpose. His current work includes a study exploring purpose in higher education and a study of family purpose across generations. He's been elected to the National Academy of Education and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

On this podcast, we cover these topics and more.

The multiple definitions of purpose
Vocations/avocations
How purpose can change over time
Is purpose something you find or do
Purpose as a noun vs purpose as a verb
On having purpose vs being purposeful
The benefits of a Life Review
Bill's story about his early family life and his new book A Round of Golf With my Father

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com/podcasts

EP. 60: The Upside of Uncertainty: Embracing the Unknown With Nathan and Susannah Harmon Furr Jan 22, 2023

Show notes

My guests are Nathan and Susannah Fur. Nathan earned his Ph.D. from Stanford's Technology Ventures Program and is an Associate Professor of Strategy at INSEE ADD, one of the world's leading graduate business schools located in France. Susannah, a designer and art historian, founded a women's clothing line inspired by her research of the intricate embroidery of Dutch women.

Our discussion centers on the benefits of embracing uncertainty, specifically the tools outlined in their book, The Upside of Uncertainty.

I've been assembling tactics for years now, accumulating a mental toolbox of sorts for dealing with challenges. Uncertainty is challenging for what it lacks - concrete information.

How do we move forward when we don't fully know what we are dealing with?

We usually don't act; we might freeze or delay having a lack of certainty. Dealing with uncertainty has a lot to do with mindset since we may not know what to handle. What frame of mind will help us act or move forward in the face of uncertainty? We all know making decisions in a state of fear is also suboptimal.

So on this show, we discuss ...