Something You Should Know

Latest Episodes:

How the Human Mind Learns New Things & Finding Hope in the Coronavirus Crisis Mar 26, 2020

Show notes

While it’s natural to brag a little about your kids or your job or anything else you are proud of., you really have to be careful. A little bragging goes a long way and too much can be a turn off. This episode begins with a discussion on how much is too much. https://www.readersdigest.ca/health/relationships/things-need-stop-bragging/

Ever wonder why some things are really easy for you to learn and other things are hard? And what is the best way to learn something that doesn’t come naturally to you? Daniel Willingham is a cognitive scientist who studies learning and memory and he is author of the book Why Don’t Students Like School (https://amzn.to/2x8uc6l). Listen and you will hear some surprising insights into how humans learn – or don’t learn and you will hear some wonderful strategies to help you learn anything better.

There has likely been a time in your life when you or someone you were with forgot their toothbrush. Consequently, you probably wondered if it was okay to share a toothbrush - just once. Find out in this episode. http://www.rd.com/health/healthcare/sharing-a-toothbrush/

Life has changed dramatically due to the coronavirus. As a result, there is a sense of sadness or even hopelessness in the air. To inject some hope and optimism into the situation is Dr. Shane Lopez who was one of the leading experts on hope. I interviewed him a few years ago and sadly, he died shortly after that interview. Dr. Lopez authored a great book on the subject called Making Hope Happen (http://amzn.to/2j7su8N) and after you listen I think you will feel much more hopeful about your life and the future of mankind.

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How to Get People to Instantly Like You & How Complaining Makes You Stupid Mar 23, 2020

Show notes

Staying at home with nowhere to go can certainly put you in a bad mood. So this episode begins with some scientifically proven ways to improve your mood right away. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4234616/Six-ways-make-happier.html

Some people seem to just have that ability to just be likable. How do they do it? You are about to find out when you listen to my guest Nicholas Boothman, an expert on personal communication and author of the book How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less (https://amzn.to/2TYCK8J)

Hand sanitizer is hard to come by. But you can make your own without too much trouble. In this episode you will hear a simple recipe from a former CDC official to make effective, homemade hand sanitizer. And you can find that recipe here: https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-make-hand-sanitizer

Complaining is a problem – whether you are a complainer or you live with one. In fact, complaining makes you stupid and ruins your chances for success. Trevor Blake author of the book, Three Simple Steps (http://amzn.to/2rmLFUw) explains some of the science behind complaining and why being around a complainer can suck the life right out of you.

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SYSK Choice: Interesting Math of Everyday Life & Lose Weight Without Dieting Mar 21, 2020

Show notes

Everyone knows that coffee can help you think and focus and can even improve your mood – especially that first cup in the morning. Years ago, coffee advertising contained the tagline… “Coffee, the THINK drink.” But it just may be that all the research showing how good coffee and caffeine are for mental function is flawed. If you are a coffee drinker, you are going to want to hear this. http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2012/08/21/caffeine-the-silent-killer-of-emotional-intelligence/

Then, we look at all the math you use in everyday life. Mathematician, Jordan Ellenberg, author of the book How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking (http://amzn.to/2uyMDx6) reveals just how important math is and how it is constantly changing. He also discusses how not to be tricked by statistics and numbers that are designed to mislead you.

People do better work when they get a reward. It applies to people at work or kids at home – and it comes as no surprise. What’s interesting is that it actually depends on the type of reward. It doesn’t have to be a big reward, it just has to be the right reward to get people to do their best work. I’ll explain. Source: Dr. John Hoover, author of the book “The Art Of Constructive Confrontation” (https://amzn.to/2UcskBf)

Why don’t diets work? Diet books and programs are as popular as ever but we continue to get heavier. Yoni Freedhoff, M.D., author of the book The Diet Fix (http://amzn.to/2vMM55m) explains the reasons why your next diet is likely doomed to fail and what works better to get the weight off and keep it off.

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How to Change Anyone’s Mind & Could Machines Really Take Over the World? Mar 19, 2020

Show notes

You have probably been eating peanut butter since you were a kid. And that turns out to be a really good thing. This episode begins with a look at the amazing and little known health benefits of eating peanut butter – as long as it is the right kind of peanut butter. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323781#health-benefits

Changing someone’s mind is difficult if not impossible - or so it seems. However, minds do change so clearly it can be done. Jonah Berger joins me to explain how. Jonah is a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his latest book is called The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind (https://amzn.to/33hpVJE) . Listen as he explains the fascinating research on how to get people to agree with you.

The experts are saying that one of the ways to prevent the spread of coronavirus is to NOT touch your face. Good luck with that! Listen as I explain why trying to not touch your face is almost certainly going to make you touch it even more. https://www.wired.com/story/cant-stop-touching-your-face-science-has-some-theories-why/

Could machines really get so smart they could take over the world – or is that just in the movies? Some scientists have expressed real concern that we could create machines that actually become self-aware and could in fact become smarter than we are. Joining me to discuss whether that is a real possibility or just science fiction is John Markoff, a science writer for the New York Times and author of the book Machines of Loving Grace. (http://amzn.to/2j55XgN)

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The Psychology of Self-Deception & How Weather Really Works Mar 16, 2020

Show notes

If you have an iPhone, you have likely struggled moving the cursor around in a text message or email. However, there is a very simple way to easily maneuver the cursor to exactly where you want it to go - that many iPhone users don't know. This episode begins with an explanation of exactly how to do that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMevwmsbrTk

You are deceiving yourself about yourself. Everyone does it. We rationalize and excuse our behavior and tell ourselves things to make us feel good. Clinical psychologist Dr. Cortney Warren is an expert on self-deception and she offers some valuable insight on how we deceive ourselves, why we do it and the harm it causes. She also has some strategies to help you to stop doing it that I know you will find helpful. Cortney did a TED Talk on the topic which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpEeSa6zBTE Her website is https://choosehonesty.com/

You may think that while you sleep not much is going on – but in fact there is a lot going on. Yes your body is resting but it is doing so much more. Listen and find out all the things that happen to you while you sleep. http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/conditions-diseases/what-happens-during-sleep#slide-9

So much of what you do is determined by the weather. And there are a lot of fascinating things about weather that you probably don’t know – but you are about to. Listen as I talk about the weather with meteorologist Simon King, a very popular weather presenter for the BBC in England and he is author of the book What Does Rain Smell Like (https://amzn.to/2xjnD0M)

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SYSK Choice: Weird Things that Influence What You Eat & How to Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck Mar 14, 2020

Show notes

If you were to stand in downtown Detroit and start walking south for as long as it took, what is the first foreign country you would encounter? This is one of the fascinating questions/facts that I know you will find interesting – and might even win you a drink in a bar bet.

Then, it is so weird what things influence your opinion and enjoyment of the food you eat. You might like to think you are too smart to be fooled by things like the color of the plate, or the music being played or the weight of the silver ware. But you are. Researcher Charles Spence, author of the new book, Gastrophysics: The New Science of Eating (http://amzn.to/2sk9L3f) will amaze you with what he has discovered.

You often see celebrities who claim that drinking gallons of water is what keeps them looking so youthful. But is that really true? Listen and find out. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/drinking-water-for-better-skin

Listen as film director and writer Steve Stockman, author of How to Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck (http://amzn.to/2trbnrR) offers some brilliant and simple techniques that will help you take better, more interesting video that people will actually enjoy watching.

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How to Be the Best at Anything & Why It’s Hard to Ask for Help (But Do It Anyway) Mar 12, 2020

Show notes

What makes a good dancer? Some of it is subjective but there is one particular body part that seems to make all the difference. This episode begins with an explanation of the magic of good dancing. http://www.nature.com/articles/srep42435

How do you get to be the best at something? You might think those elite performers are just naturally gifted in some way. However, science says no. Anders Ericsson has been studying what it takes to get to the top of your game for several years and he joins me to discuss the surprising results. Anders is the author of the book Peak: Secrets of the New Science of Expertise. (https://amzn.to/3athIoj)

People disagree over whether vitamin C can do anything for a cold – but there is no disagreement over the benefits vitamin C offers when you are under stress. Listen as I explain what it does and how much you need to take to get the benefits. https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200304/vitamin-c-stress-buster

You’ve heard your whole life - “If you need help, all you have to do is ask!” Well that turns out to be more true than you probably ever imagined. Wayne Baker has spent a long time researching this. He is a professor of Business Administration & Faculty Director of the Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He is also author of the book All You Have to Do is Ask (https://amzn.to/2VMts12) and he joins me to explain the amazing power of asking for what you need.

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What You May Not Know About the Food You Eat & How to Get Out of a Rut Mar 09, 2020

Show notes

A lot of items you buy at the grocery store are actually a lot cheaper at the drug store. This episode begins with a look at where the bargains are in your neighborhood pharmacy. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning-organizing/germs-in-new-clothes

Wouldn’t it be nice to get some clear and unbiased advice on nutrition? You are about to. David Katz, M.D. is founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center who studies the latest science about nutrition. Recently he teamed up with food writer Mark Bittman to write a new book called How To Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered (https://amzn.to/2I5Vsor). Dr. Katz joins me to discuss what the latest science says what you eat.

Do you use emojis when you write? While some people think they are a little silly they can serve a very important function when you write texts and emails. Listen as I explain and you might find yourself popping an emoji into your next email. Source: Daniel Goleman, author of Social Intelligence (https://amzn.to/2TrrDE4)

Ever been in a rut? Most people have and it’s interesting because as boring as it is to be stuck in a rut, it can also be very hard to motivate yourself to get out of it. Michael Platt joins me to talk about why we get into ruts and how to get out of one more easily. Michael is a professor of marketing and neuroscience at Wharton School of Business and his website is http://plattlabs.rocks/

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SYSK Choice: What It Means To Be Spiritual & Taming Your Survival Instinct Mar 07, 2020

Show notes

When was the last time you cleaned your credit or debit cards? Or the remote for the TV? There are a lot of things around the house you never think to clean – but you will after you hear this. https://www.fitandfabliving.com/general-health/6435-seven-surprisingly-dirty-surfaces/

How spiritual are you? Psychiatrist Dr. Anna Yusim, author of the book Fulfilled: How the Science of Spirituality Can Help You Live a Happier, More Meaningful Life (http://amzn.to/2tglpsf), discusses what it means to be spiritual and what recent scientific research says about the benefits of spirituality both for your health and happiness.

Don’t you hate it when you grab a pen to write something and no ink comes out? I’ll tell you what the experts say to get the ink flowing again quickly. https://www.wikihow.com/Restart-a-Dry-Ball-Point-Pen

There’s a problem with your survival instinct. Dr. Marc Schoen, Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA’s Geffen School of Medicine and author of the book, Your Survival Instinct is Killing You (http://amzn.to/2uK7sHw) explains how our survival instinct was meant to keep us safe from imminent danger – like a lion who wants to eat you. But today, we don’t need it for that. Consequently, that instinct can cause problems if we don’t learn to regulate it. It can cause us to act inappropriately and can take a toll on our health. So he explains how to manage that instinct and turn down the intensity.

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How to Deal with People Who Drive You Crazy & How Colors Affect Your Behavior Mar 05, 2020

Show notes

Yawning is contagious. We have all experienced that. What’s interesting though is when you notice how soon someone yawns after you do. This episode begins with an explanation of why some people might yawn right away while others might not yawn for a few minutes after your yawn – and what that means. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4137654/

The world is full of irrational people and they can drive you crazy. Since we all have to deal with these people it would be helpful to get some effective strategies. Here with some really good one is Dr. Mark Goulston. Mark is a psychiatrist and author of several books including Talking to Crazy: How to Deal with the Irrational & Impossible People in Your Life (https://amzn.to/2HYz2oL).

Mark is also the host of the podcast My Wake Up Call and his website is www.markgoulston.com. You can access the podcast from his website.

The next time you are in a bad mood, you might want to head to the kitchen. Not to eat but to do something else that has been shown to really lift people up when they are feeling down. Listen as I explain what it is and why it works. https://bit.ly/2VuERSW

You have probably heard and most likely experienced that colors can affect your mood as well as your behavior. Why? Is it conditioning or is it biological and how does it work exactly? Joining me to explain is Brit Garner a PhD student who has a YouTube channel all about science called Nature League https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjkUQ-_fGADyBYrIWviibmg. I think you’ll find what she has to say about color quite fascinating.

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