The Next Big Idea Daily

Latest Episodes:

S35 E3: "Misbelief What Makes Rational People Believe Irrational Things" by Dan Ariely Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

Social scientist Dan Ariely explores the behavior of misbelief that leads people to distrust accepted truths and embrace conspiracy theories.

S35 E2: "Random Acts of Medicine: The Hidden Forces That Sway Doctors, Impact Patients, and Shape Our Health" by Anupam B. Jena & Christopher Worsham Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

In their groundbreaking book, "Random Acts of Medicine," Anupam Jena and Christopher Worsham reveal the hidden side of medicine and how unexpected — but predictable — events can profoundly affect our health.

S35 E1: "Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well" by Amy Edmondson Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

Today, in just eight minutes, award-winning Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson is going to transform your relationship with failure.

S34 E5: "The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough" by Thomas Curran Sep 29, 2023

Show notes

The pursuit of perfection can become a dangerous obsession that leads to burnout and depression — keeping us from achieving our goals. Today, Thomas Curran gives us tips for letting go so we can focus on what matters most.

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S34 E4: "The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together" by Heather McGhee Sep 28, 2023

Show notes

Racism, says Heather McGhee in her award-winning book "The Sum of Us," is the common denominator of our most vexing public problems, the core dysfunction of our democracy, and constitutive of the spiritual and moral crises that grip us all. But how did this happen? And is there a way out?

S34 E3: "Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain" by Shankar Vedantam & Bill Mesler Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

Today, Shankar Vedantam, host of "Hidden Brain," walks us through the surprising role of self-deception in human flourishing.

S34 E2: "Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life" by Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas teach the popular course "Humor: Serious Business" at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where they help some of the world’s most hard-driving, blazer-wearing business minds infuse more humor and levity into their work and lives. In "Humor, Seriously," they draw on findings by behavioral scientists, world-class comedians, and inspiring business leaders to reveal how humor works and—more importantly—how you can use more of it, better.

S34 E1: "Lead Like a Marine: Run Towards a Challenge, Assemble Your Fireteam, and Win Your Next Battle" by John Warren & John Thompson Sep 25, 2023

Show notes

In 2006, John Warren and John Thompson led Marines into combat in the world’s most dangerous city: Ramadi, Iraq. In "Lead Like a Marine," Warren and Thompson lay out the simple, universal rules that helped them succeed, from valuing grit and potential over pedigree, to condensing large groups into resilient “fireteams,” to cross-training team members so that anyone can step up to the plate in a crisis.

S33 E5: "Build the Life You Want" by Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey Sep 22, 2023

Show notes

You can get happier. And getting there will be the adventure of your lifetime. Today, Harvard professor Arthur C. Brooks shares a few tips on how to do it from his new book — co-written with the one and only Oprah Winfrey — "Build the Life You Want."

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S33 E4: "Our Tribal Future: How to Channel Our Foundational Human Instincts into a Force for Good" by David R. Samson Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

Tribalism is one of the most complex and ancient evolutionary forces. But in our vast modern world, has this blessing become a curse?