Something You Should Know

Latest Episodes:

Why So Many People Are Unhappy at Work & A Better Way to Make Financial Decisions May 16, 2019

Show notes

How do you get top dollar when you sell on eBay? Well of course you need good photos and a great description but it turns out some of the specific words in that description can really raise or lower the amount people will pay. I begin this episode with an explanation of that. (http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/money/a38347/how-to-make-money-on-ebay/)

Workers improve when they get feedback. A company’s culture is the key to success. Good leadership is what makes a company thrive. Although you may believe these assumptions to be true, there is some good evidence they are not. Marcus Buckingham has studied people and performance for a long time and he joins me to explode some commonly held beliefs about workers and the workplace. Marcus’ new book is called Nine Lies About Work (https://amzn.to/2HlAkdW). If you work for a living and want to grow in your career, you need to hear this.

Have you ever cracked an egg open and seen a little spot of what looks like blood inside? Is it safe to eat? I’ll explain what the food experts say about where that little spot of red comes from and just harmful it is. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-stir/egg-facts_b_2498764.html)

Decisions about money always seem to be complicated. In part that is because we have so many financial decisions to make and there is a lot of emotion wrapped up in money. Amanda Clayman comes on the podcast as my guest to discuss how we make financial decisions, why it is hard and how to make better decisions with our money. Amanda is a financial therapist and a financial wellness advocate for Prudential. Her website is www.AmandaClayman.com

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Solving the Mystery of the Hamburger & Understanding the Risks in Your Life May 13, 2019

Show notes

If you want to learn something better and faster, there is a little trick that seems to work. We begin this episode by revealing some research from John Hopkins School of Medicine that says a slight change in the way you learn any new skill can make all the difference in the world. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/want_to_learn_a_new_skill_faster_change_up_your_practice_sessions

Nothing is more American than the hamburger. We eat a lot of them. So where did the hamburger originate? Who came up with the idea? How has it evolved over the years? Award-winning writer Chris Carosa, author of the book Hamburger Dreams:How Classic Crime Solving Techniques Helped Crack the Case of America’s Greatest Culinary (https://amzn.to/2Hevorp) did some good old fashioned detective work to uncover the real story of the hamburger. He joins me to discuss what he found.

Your life is full of risks. Almost everything you do has some risk in it- from what you buy in the store to investments to simply driving down the street. Alison Schrager, an economist and journalist joins me to help us all understand how risks work and offers advice on how we can handle risk better. Alison is the author of the book An Economist Walks Into a Brothel: And Other Unexpected Places to Understand Risk (https://amzn.to/2VUkjDZ).

It seems most people are put off by the sound of someone slurping their food. Yet people do it and in some cultures it is considered quite normal. So why do people do it? Does it serve a purpose that only people who slurp know about? Listen to find out. https://www.rd.com/advice/relationships/annoying-eating-habits/

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-Capterra. To discover the best software for your business - for free - go to www.Capterra.com/something

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The Voice Computing (Siri and Alexa) Revolution & Why So Many Bosses are Incompetent May 09, 2019

Show notes

Does cooking food on the grill increase your risk of getting cancer? The answer is – maybe. But it isn’t that simple. This episode begins with a discussion on which foods may or may not increase cancer risk and how you cook that food may make all the difference. (http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/does-grilling-really-cause-cancer)

In the old Star Trek TV show (filmed about 50 years ago), Scotty used to talk to the computer on board the starship Enterprise. That was how he communicated his commands. Fast forward to today and we are now doing the same thing with Siri and Alexa. So, is voice computing the beginning of a new revolution in computing that will unshackle us from the keyboard? Or is it just a quick way to set a timer, play music and find the nearest fast food restaurant - but not much more? Journalist James Vlahos joins me to discuss this. James is a contributor to The New York Times Magazine, Popular Science, Scientific American, the Atlantic, GQ, and National Geographic – and he is author of the book Talk to Me: How Voice Computing Will Transform the Way We Live, Work (https://amzn.to/2YinseC)

What do Adidas, Ikea, Nutella, Porsche and Hermes have in common? They are all name brands that many people mispronounce. Listen to hear if you’ve been pronouncing them correctly or not. http://www.businessinsider.com/brand-names-mispronounced-2016-5

Have you ever worked for an incompetent boss and wondered how he or she ever got to where they are? There are interesting reasons why so many leaders in high places are incompetent – and it has been researched by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor of business psychology at University College in London and Columbia University in New York. He is also author of the book Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders (and how to fix it). (https://amzn.to/2Jxqk37). He joins me to explain why this happens and how to stop it.

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How Your Mind Really Works & Why People Are Insecure and How to Fix It May 06, 2019

Show notes

When you travel, there is a good chance you don’t sleep all that well the first night you are at your destination. It is so common it has a name – it is called the “First Night Effect.” This episode begins with an explanation for why it happens and some advice to counter the effects. http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822%2816%2930174-9

What exactly is your mind? I know that’s a weird question but think about it – you have a mind that determines who you are. So is your mind the same thing as your brain? If you took your brain and put it into someone else’s body would it still be the same mind? Would you still be you? To discuss that, I have invited Alan Jasonoff, a Professor at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT and author of the book The Biological Mind: How Brain Body and Environment Collaborate to Make Us Who We Are (https://amzn.to/2VDYqbR).

What’s better – beer in a bottle or a can? What’s the fastest way to chill champagne? These are just a few of the questions I tackle with expert advice on the proper ways to serve and drink wine, beer and spirits. https://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/food-drinks/a54470/ways-youre-drinking-wrong/

Being an insecure person isn’t easy. You are frequently doubting yourself and you are very sensitive to criticism. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Is being insecure just part of your personality or something you can change? Where does that insecurity come from? Joining me to discuss this is Joseph Nowinski, he is a clinical psychologist and author of the book, The Tender Heart Conquering Your Insecurity (https://amzn.to/2VDTfca).

This Week’s Sponsors

-LinkedIn. Go to www.LinkedIn.com/podcast to get $50 off your first job posting.

-Ancestry. Go to www.Ancenstry.com/something to get your Ancestry DNA kit for only $50 (offer expires 5/13/19)

-Better Help. Go to www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK to get 10% off your first month of counseling

-Away Travel. For $20 off a suitcase go to www.awaytravel.com/something and use the promo code: something

-Capital One. www.Capitalone.com. What’s in your wallet?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How the Internet Makes You a Better Consumer & Why the Experts Are So Often Wrong May 02, 2019

Show notes

Restaurants want you to spend more money. And the menu can be a powerful tool to accomplish that. This episode begins with exactly how restaurant menus entice you to buy more expensive items and spend more money in general. Listen and you are sure to save money. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/15-sneaky-restaurant-menu-tricks-that-tempt-you-spend-more.html

In the old days, you had very little influence or impact as a consumer. You either bought products or services or you didn’t and there wasn’t an easy way to give feedback or talk with other customers like yourself. Then came the Internet. It has launched a new era for consumers and businesses alike. Joining me to talk about this is David Weinberger who has been a strategic marketing VP a “writer in residence” at Google a researcher, consultant and author of the book Everyday Chaos: Technology Complexity and How We’re Thriving in a New World of Possibility (https://amzn.to/2XPioxZ).

Little behaviors mean a lot. How you shake hands, eye contact, whether or not you are late – they all send a message to other people. Listen as I explain what message they send and how to maximize the impact. (Travis Bradberry author of “Emotional Intelligence 2.0”)

Sometimes the answer is right in front of you but you completely miss it. It happens to everyone – even the experts. Gordon Rugg – a British researcher and author of the book Blind Spot: Why We Fail to See the Solution Right in Front of Us (https://amzn.to/2GFXQCa) joins me to explain why this happens. Sometimes it is because we ask the wrong questions or we ask to wrong expert. Listen as Gordon shares some fascinating insight into this common problem.

This Week's Sponsors

-Fab Fit Fun. For $10 off your first box go to www.FabFitFun.com and use the promo code: something

-ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com

-BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK

-Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com

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The Amazing Benefits of Creating Order in Your Life & the Math that Changed Your World Apr 29, 2019

Show notes

If you want to feel good, grab some money! I begin this episode by explaining how the simple act of handling money can make you feel a lot better if you are feeling a bit down. And the money doesn’t even have to be your money. http://content.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1912574,00.html

When you walk into a neat, clean and organized room, do you feel better? Calmer? A lot of people do. More order and less clutter can help you feel happier says Gretchen Rubin, host of the podcast, “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” and author of the book Outer Order Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make Room for Happiness (https://amzn.to/2IB6HaC). Listen as Gretchen explains the psychology of order and how it relates to happiness. Plus she offers some great techniques to organize and create a calmer space.

People hug their dogs. It is a sign of affection. However, dogs hate it and it can cause a lot of stress in your pet. Listen as I explain why it is not a good idea to hug your dog – in fact it can be dangerous. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201604/the-data-says-donthug-the-dog

Mention the word “calculus” and people probably think of it as a high school math class that was very difficult. However, calculus is so much more. Without it there might not be cell phones or GPS or television. Calculus helped find a treatment for AIDS and helped us discover Neptune. Steven Strogatz is a professor of Applied Mathematics at Cornell and author of the book Infinite Powers: How Calculus Reveals the Secrets of the Universe (https://amzn.to/2Vvl3zv) and he joins me to explain exactly what calculus is and how critical it is to our modern world.

This Week's Sponsors

-Fab Fit Fun. For $10 off your first box go to www.FabFitFun.com and use the promo code: something

-ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com

-BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK

-Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com

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How to Use Failure To Make Your Good Ideas Better & Why You Check Your Phone 86 x a Day Apr 25, 2019

Show notes

Imagine that while you are sleeping, a cleaning crew gets into your brain to clean out all the toxins so that your brain works better the next day. I know it sounds weird but it is exactly what happens. Listen as I begin this episode with that explanation. http://ens-newswire.com/2013/10/18/brain-cleans-itself-of-toxins-during-sleep/

Most great breakthrough ideas fail first and then get modified before they became a success. It often happens multiple times. Being open to learning from those early failures and being able to adapt your ideas is what helps make ideas prosper according to Safi Bahcall. Safi is a physicist and biotech entrepreneur and author of the book, Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas that Win Wars, Cure Diseases and Transform Industries (https://amzn.to/2GsXA8u). Listen as Safi offers insight and great examples of how important inventions and breakthroughs have happened by learning from failure and how we all can do it.

Often the reason you get upset or stressed out is because things aren’t the way you think they SHOULD be… Traffic should not be so heavy, your doctor should not keep you waiting – that type of thing. Listen as I explore how to change that thinking to relieve yourself of unnecessary frustration. http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/04/frustrated/

When I think of compulsive behavior, I think of people who wash their hands a lot or check to see if they locked the door or turned off the coffee pot 50 times a day. While that seems to be extreme compulsive behavior, how is it any different than checking your smart phone 86 times a day? (That's the average). Science writer Sharon Begley has explored this in her book Just Can’t Stop: An Investigation of Compulsion (https://amzn.to/2IAUnHj). She joins me to reveal why compulsive behavior isn’t necessarily bad and explains at what point it does become a problem and what to do about it.

This Week’s Sponsors

-ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com

-BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK

-Ollie. For 60% off your first order plus a free bag of dog treats go to www.myollie.com/try/something

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How to Get People to Really Like You & Why Humans Can Be So Kind & So Cruel Apr 22, 2019

Show notes

You probably don’t write much with a pen and paper anymore. Most of us type. However, there are a lot of benefits to writing the old-fashion way. I begin this episode with some great reasons why you should write more and type less. (http://mentalfloss.com/article/78182/4-reasons-write-hand-rather-type)

Want to be more likeable and attract people to you? Some people are really good at it. They have the ability to draw people to them – almost as if it were magic. How do they do it? Jack Schafer knows. Jack is a former FBI Special Agent who mastered the techniques of making building rapport and getting people to like him in order to get them to confess to crimes and reveal personal information. He is the author of the book, The Like Switch: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Influencing, Attracting, and Winning People Over (https://amzn.to/2DloBK1) and he joins me to share the techniques and the science behind them.

Do you like to dance? I hope so because it is apparently really good for your brain. Listen as I explain how dancing and brain health are connected. (http://www.medicaldaily.com/benefits-dancing-neurodegenerative-disease-humanbrain-380835?rel=most_read4)

It is called the Goodness Paradox. Simply put, it is the fact that human beings can be so kind and thoughtful on one hand and so evil and aggressive on the other. Harvard anthropology professor Richard Wrangham, comes on the podcast to discuss this fascinating quirk of human behavior that allowed Adolf Hitler to be such a monster and at the same time an animal lover and delightful party host. He reveals that as species we are actually less aggressive than other animals – and we seem to be getting even less aggressive than we used to be. Richard is author of the book The Goodness Paradox (https://amzn.to/2DlF0y5).

This Week’s Sponsors

-ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com

-BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK

-Ollie. For 60% off your first order plus a free bag of dog treats go to www.myollie.com/try/something

-Hers. For $10 off your first order (while supplies last) go to www.ForHers.com/something

-Capterra To find the best software for your business visit www.Capterra.com/something

-Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Stop Postponing the Important Things in Your Life & How Food Fights Disease Apr 18, 2019

Show notes

The scent of lavender is supposed to be calming. It may also be the scent of trust. I begin this episode by explaining how lavender can make you appear to be more trustworthy – and why. http://rd.com/advice/relationships/habits-make-people-trust/

I bet you have things you really want to do but somehow never get to doing them - right? There are trips you probably want to take or goals you want to accomplish but you don't. So what’s stop you? Sam Horn author of the book Someday is Not a Day in the Week (https://amzn.to/2X94qqn) joins me to explain why people keep procrastinating on those important goals and she offers a simple and effective way to stop putting them off and start doing them.

What is it about some people who just walk into a room and take control? How do they send off those signals of, “I’m in charge here”? A lot of it turns out to be body language and I’ll explain how you can do it too. http://www.businessinsider.com/tricks-for-reading-peoples-body-language-2016-3

What if the foods you eat can actually target certain diseases? There is some fascinating new evidence that 200 specific foods can actually do just that according to renowned physician Dr. William Li. Dr. Li has served has served on the faculties of Harvard Medical School, Tufts University, and Dartmouth Medical School and he is author of the book Eat to Beat Disease (https://amzn.to/2IjehXk). Listen as he explains the fascinating research that shows exactly which foods fight which diseases.

This Week's Sponsors

-Ancestry. To get 20% off your Ancestry DNA test go to www.Ancestry.com/something

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How to Embrace Conflict and Fight Well & Why We Love to Live in Cities Apr 15, 2019

Show notes

Grocery stores have a lot of germs. For one thing there is a lot of raw meat and fish moving around in the store. Some of those germs can cause you and your family to get really sick. I begin this episode with some very important advice on how to protect yourself from this very real threat. http://www.menshealth.com/health/supermarket-safety

Conflict can be ugly and messy. It can also be positive and productive, according the Liane Davey author of the book, The Good Fight (https://amzn.to/2YXKnwG). Liane joins me to explain how to have “productive conflict” that actually gets to a solution. Plus she reveals how to avoid unproductive conflict that does little more than to cause trouble and make things worse. Conflict is part of life. How we handle it is what matters.

Do you sleep in the fetal position? A lot of people do and it may be messing with your self-confidence. Listen as I explain how and why and how you can counteract the effects. https://www.businessinsider.com/amy-cuddy-advice-waking-up-right-2016-1

More than half of the world’s population lives in cities. Yet cities are full of problems: crime, high taxes, traffic, ridiculously high cost of housing and many more. Monica L. Smith, a professor of anthropology at UCLA and author of the book Cities: The First 6,000 Years https://amzn.to/2InT5yt) joins me to reveal why people love living in cities, why cities are a relatively new invention (6,000 years ago) and what the future holds for urban environments and the people who live there.

This Week's Sponsors

-Ancestry. To get 20% off your Ancestry DNA test go to www.Ancestry.com/something

-BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK

-Quip. Get your first refill pack free. Go to www.GetQuip.com/something

-Skillshare. For 2 months free access to over 25,000 classes go to www.Skillshare.com/something

-ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices