Blinkist Podcast - Interviews | Personal Development | Productivity | Business | Psychology

What do you when you're exceeding all your goals and you’ve got everything you dreamed of, but you’re still not happy? Maybe you double down on the old dream and the magical world you thought it would unlock. Or maybe the real magic is in throwing up your hands, making a change, and saying “F&*% it.” Sarah Knight, bestselling author of the No Fucks Given Guides, talks with Terence about quitting her dream job to pursue lasting fulfilment and the book that inspired her to say not to things she didn’t want to do, make more time for what she did want, and eventually, write the book that’s transformed the lives of millions of people. You can find links to show notes and transcripts of this episode at [https://www.blinkist.com/selfhelp] Let us know what you thought of this episode by emailing podcast@blinkist.com, or say hello on Twitter. Terence is at [@terence_mickey].

Marriage just ain’t what it used to be. It’s evolved from a utilitarian arrangement ensuring survival and inheritance rights, to a gendered division between home and work, to a more modern agreement where people try, at least in theory, to help each other become their best selves. And for renowned marriage researcher, Eli Finkel, the idea of a best self and its place in marriage posed a bit of a conundrum. Finkel picked up Sarah Bakewell’s book, At The Existentialist Café, because, after all, who better to help you understand the nature of selfhood than the existentialists? What he discovered completely changed his view of what it takes to be a person, how we decide who we are, and what that means for the institution of marriage as a whole. Bestselling author of "The All or Nothing Marriage," Eli Finkel talks to Terence about how existentialism not only cured his writer's block but also transformed dread into joy. You can find links to show notes and transcripts of this episode at [https://www.blinkist.com/selfhelp] Let us know what you thought of this episode by emailing podcast@blinkist.com, or say hello on Twitter. Terence is at [@terence_mickey].

Sometimes love hurts—but when it hurts over and over again, we’ve got to ask the toughest question of them all: why? And why won’t it stop? In this episode, NYT bestselling author Paula McLain tells Terence the story of a relationship with so many twists and turns it could have been lifted from the pages of a thriller. This episode touches on challenging themes like uneven parenting, abuse, ideals of affection, and the allure of toxic love in order to illuminate a path toward healing. Listen to hear how—and why—McLain's ache for love led her into danger, and all about the book that helped her save herself. You can find links to show notes and transcripts of this episode at [https://www.blinkist.com/selfhelp] Let us know what you thought of this episode by emailing podcast@blinkist.com, or say hello on Twitter. Terence is at [@terence_mickey].

Where do addicts belong? Pushed out on the fringes of society, or loved by those who can help? When the War on Drugs began, we made a choice for the former, and that choice has impacted millions of people—including NYT Bestselling Author, Johann Hari. Watching his loved one struggle with addiction, Hari went looking for answers about why we treat addicts the way we do. What he discovered was the real story behind the War on Drugs in a book that predicted the future—decades before we got to where we are now. Listen in as Johann Hari tells Terence about what it was like to discover that the destruction wrought by the War on Drugs never had to happen, what an alternative would look like, and how this new knowledge set Hari on a mission to humanize addiction. Show notes and transcripts for this episode can be found at [http://www.blinkist.com/selfhelp] Let us know what you thought of this episode by emailing podcast@blinkist.com, or say hello on Twitter. Terence is at [@terence_mickey].

We learn early in life that being an extrovert is the best way to be. Later, we’re told that a few vaunted careers are the true definitions of success. And so, as an introvert who loved the world of imagination, bestselling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Won't Stop Talking, Susan Cain, got a job as a Wall Street lawyer and adapted. But this isn’t a story about fitting in. It’s the story of discovering who you really are when society’s expectations get thrown out the window. Susan Cain shares with Terence her moments of quiet revolution in cafés and bookshops, and the book that helped her on her journey to becoming a writer. Hear how one person accepting her true self and pursuing the work she was made for has helped countless others around the world become who they were meant to be—and feel good about it, too. You can find links to show notes and transcripts of this episode at [https://www.blinkist.com/selfhelp] Let us know what you thought of this episode by emailing podcast@blinkist.com, or say hello on Twitter. Terence is at [@terence_mickey].

Picture a person who uses cannabis regularly. Did you imagine an Olympic medal-winning athlete, or a successful entrepreneur? Or did you think of someone who fits the standard stoner stereotype? If, like most people, you conjured up the latter, then today’s episode of Simplify might challenge some of your assumptions about what cannabis-use looks like, and what it’s used for. In this episode, Caitlin interviews cannabis journalist and author of The Little Book of Cannabis, Amanda Siebert. As the plant begins to be legalized on a more widespread basis, for both medicinal and recreational use, Siebert analyzes how the drug got so demonized, the wide array of benefits it can have for many people, and how we need to reconsider our preconceptions about the humble weed. For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-amanda-siebert-cannabis/ Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to [https://www.blinkist.com/en/nc/friends/][3] and typing in the code **cannabis**. Let us know what you thought of this episode, or just come say hi on Twitter! Find Caitlin at [@caitlinschiller][4], Ben at [@bsto][5] and Terence at [@terence_mickey][6] That excellent music you heard is by Nico Guiang. You can find more of it on [Soundcloud][7] and [Facebook][8]. [1]: https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/a-really-good-day-en/ [2]: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-amanda-siebert-cannabis/ [3]: https://www.blinkist.com/friends/?v=cannabis [4]: https://twitter.com/caitlinschiller?lang=en [5]: https://twitter.com/bsto [6]: https://twitter.com/terence_mickey?ref_src=twsrc%5Eappleosx%7Ctwcamp%5Esafari%7Ctwgr%5Esearch [7]: https://soundcloud.com/niceaux [8]: https://www.facebook.com/niceaux

What does whiteness mean? If you're a white person, the occasions on which you've thought about it might be few. If you're a person of color, the time you spend reckoning with its meaning & consequences are likely far too many. Today's episode of Simplify is an invitation to grapple with what white means in the world, and how to have more generative, revelation-ready mindsets and conversations about racism as a system. As a Racial Justice Educator, Robin DiAngelo exhorts white people to consider what their skin color means on a cultural, economic, political, and personal level. She's written *White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Race* as an educational tool for white people who want to be better allies, inspect their biases, and find their way out of a racist system that continues to do harm. For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-robin-diangelo-white-fragility Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to [https://www.blinkist.com/en/nc/friends/][3] and typing in the code **fragile**. Let us know what you thought of this episode, or just come say hi on Twitter! Find Caitlin at [@caitlinschiller][4] & Ben at [@bsto][5]. That excellent music you heard is by Nico Guiang. You can find more of it on [Soundcloud][6] and [Facebook][7]. [1]: https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/white-fragility-en/ [2]: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-robin-diangelo-white-fragility [3]: https://www.blinkist.com/friends/?v=fragile [4]: https://twitter.com/caitlinschiller?lang=en [5]: https://twitter.com/bsto [6]: https://soundcloud.com/niceaux [7]: https://www.facebook.com/niceaux

Coach & writer Jen Sincero tried every self-help technique out there, then condensed the most powerful practices into one straight-talking bestseller that thousands have used to kickstart their lives. Listen in as Sincero takes you through how to bust your own self-defeating beliefs to become the badass you’ve always known you are. Sincero, author of bestselling book *You Are a Badass* breaks down negative thinking about money, how to tap into "source energy" (without getting too woo-woo), and what it's like to transform your world through transforming your own stories. Plus, she gets really honest about the negative fallout in changing your life for the better. For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-success-jen-sincero-believe-better-stories Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to [https://www.blinkist.com/en/nc/friends/][3] and typing in the code **badass**. Let us know what you thought of this episode, or just come say hi on Twitter! Find Caitlin at [@caitlinschiller][4], and Ben at [@bsto][5]. That excellent music you heard is by Nico Guiang. You can find more of it on [Soundcloud][7] and [Facebook][8]. [1]: https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/you-are-a-badass-en/ [2]: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-success-jen-sincero-believe-better-stories [3]: https://www.blinkist.com/friends/?v=badass [4]: https://twitter.com/caitlinschiller?lang=en [5]: https://twitter.com/bsto [7]: https://soundcloud.com/niceaux [8]: https://www.facebook.com/niceaux

If you've got a pulse and like eating food, you've likely either been on a diet, or felt obligated to start one. Yet the fact remains that diets, in the traditional cut-and-count-calories format, rarely work long term. That's where Melissa Hartwig Urban comes in. On this episode of Simplify, the co-creator of nutrition phenomenon *The Whole30* talks with Caitlin about how to get free of diets forever, why your weight doesn't count, and how changing the way you eat can change everything. Plus, she offers up her tip on how to make brussels sprouts so good that you won't miss the kettle chips in your life one bit. Melissa Hartwig Urban is a sports nutritionist who specializes in helping people change their relationship with food and create healthy habits that last. Her program, *The Whole30*, has spent considerable time on the NYT's bestseller list and helped thousands of people reset their health. For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-nutrition-melissa-hartwig-urbann Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to [https://www.blinkist.com/en/nc/friends/][3] and typing in the code **whole30**. Let us know what you thought of this episode, or just come say hi on Twitter! Find Caitlin at [@caitlinschiller][4], Ben at [@bsto][5] and Terence at [@terence_mickey][6] That excellent music you heard is by Nico Guiang. You can find more of it on [Soundcloud][7] and [Facebook][8]. [1]: https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/a-really-good-day-en/ [2]: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-nutrition-melissa-hartwig-urbann [3]: https://www.blinkist.com/friends/?v=whole30 [4]: https://twitter.com/caitlinschiller?lang=en [5]: https://twitter.com/bsto [6]: https://twitter.com/terence_mickey?ref_src=twsrc%5Eappleosx%7Ctwcamp%5Esafari%7Ctwgr%5Esearch [7]: https://soundcloud.com/niceaux [8]: https://www.facebook.com/niceaux

The turning point came for Ayelet Waldman when she found herself frozen before her medicine cabinet, wondering "What's going to kill me fastest?" She knew it was time to try a new tactic to improve her mental health. In this episode, hear this bestselling author (who's also a mom, a wife, and a novelist!) describe her experience with microdosing LSD and how it improved her writing and her marriage, and maybe even saved her life. Waldman will bring you deep into the research around psychedelics and offer insight into why they're so controversial—particularly when we don't know a whole lot more about the doctor-prescribed medications commonly used to treat depression. For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-psychedelics-ayelet-waldman Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to [https://www.blinkist.com/en/nc/friends/][3] and typing in the code **dailyish**. Let us know what you thought of this episode, or just come say hi on Twitter! Find Caitlin at [@caitlinschiller][4], Ben at [@bsto][5] and Terence at [@terence_mickey][6] That excellent music you heard is by Nico Guiang. You can find more of it on [Soundcloud][7] and [Facebook][8]. [1]: https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/a-really-good-day-en/ [2]:https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-psychedelics-ayelet-waldman [3]: https://www.blinkist.com/friends/?v=micro [4]: https://twitter.com/caitlinschiller?lang=en [5]: https://twitter.com/bsto [6]: https://twitter.com/terence_mickey?ref_src=twsrc%5Eappleosx%7Ctwcamp%5Esafari%7Ctwgr%5Esearch [7]: https://soundcloud.com/niceaux [8]: https://www.facebook.com/niceaux

For something that’s often sold as an antidote to the stresses of modern life, learning to meditate can feel weirdly pressurized. And in a secular society, those who have a healthy dose of skepticism running through their veins can find the esoteric nature of it a massive turn-off. And this, according to Dan Harris, is what people have got wrong about meditation. Reaching enlightenment isn’t the goal for most modern meditators, and a mind completely clear of thoughts just isn’t a thing. In fact, noticing the constant mental traffic of thought and external interruptions is essential, and allowing yourself to begin again and again is what meditation is really about. In this episode of Simplify, listen to Dan Harris explain how you can cut yourself a little mental slack, and how life-changing and essential meditation became for him, a self-proclaimed “fidgety skeptic.” And if you feel like you don’t have the time to meditate, relax. Just one minute is all it takes. Plug this episode into your ears to learn what meditation is really about, and how to introduce a tiny, life-changing, more-or-less-daily ritual into your life. For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-meditation-dan-harris Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to [https://www.blinkist.com/en/nc/friends/][3] and typing in the code **dailyish**. Let us know what you thought of this episode, or just come say hi on Twitter! Find Caitlin at [@caitlinschiller][4], Ben at [@bsto][5] and Terence at [@terence_mickey][6] That excellent music you heard is by Nico Guiang. You can find more of it on [Soundcloud][7] and [Facebook][8]. [1]: https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/10-percent-happier-en/ [2]: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-meditation-dan-harris [3]: https://www.blinkist.com/friends/?v=dailyish [4]: https://twitter.com/caitlinschiller?lang=en [5]: https://twitter.com/bsto [6]: https://twitter.com/terence_mickey?ref_src=twsrc%5Eappleosx%7Ctwcamp%5Esafari%7Ctwgr%5Esearch [7]: https://soundcloud.com/niceaux [8]: https://www.facebook.com/niceaux

Hear ye, hear ye! We're kicking off the New Year with Simplify Season 5: Blinkist’s hit podcast returns on January 31st. Here's what's in store... In season 5, you’ll learn how easy meditation can be with Dan Harris, how to change your self-defeating beliefs with Jen Sincero, and how to talk about race with Robin DiAngelo. You'll also hear what it's like to microdose LSD for a month and learn the surprising ways a little bit of cannabis can improve your health. If you haven’t subscribed, make sure to do so before the first new episode drops on January 31. If we’re lucky enough to already count you as a Simplify fan, then please spread the word and tell your friends. It really does help! Send us feedback, suggestions, or questions about anything you’ve heard or would like to hear at podcast@blinkist.com. And if Twitter’s your thing, you’ll find Caitlin @CaitlinSchiller and Ben @bsto. More soon!

In this bonus episode of Simplify, Caitlin talks to bestselling author, speaker and humorist Luvvie Ajayi on how we can all benefit from telling each other the ugly truth. If a friend of yours needed to hear an unpleasant truth, would you tell it to them? Or would you gloss over it in order to avoid an uncomfortable conversation? Many of us would probably opt for the latter to avoid hurting someone’s feelings, but sometimes loving criticism is necessary to make people understand that they deserve better — and are capable of achieving it. In conversation with Caitlin, Luvvie Ajayi argues that honesty, judgment and criticism shouldn’t always be perceived as negative — as difficult as it may be to tell someone you expect more of them. “Discomfort will not kill you, but it is necessary for growth”, she says, and speaking the uncomfortable truth will end up making your relationships more sincere and trustworthy. Tune into this episode to learn the practices of loving criticism from Luvvie Ajayi and find out the benefits of challenging yourself to always say what you mean. And stick around after the interview for when Terence Mickey joins Caitlin Schiller to talk about the main takeaways from the conversation with Luvvie Ajayi and helps put together a book list for further reading. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode, go to: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-honesty-luvvie-ajayi-how-to-tell-uncomfortable-truths Read the transcript of the interview here: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-luvvie-ajayi-speak-uncomfortable-truth-transcript Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to https://www.blinkist.com/en/nc/friends/ and typing in the code "troublemaker" Let us know what you thought of the episode, or just give us some book recommendations on Twitter—we’d love to hear from you! Find Caitlin at @caitlinschiller, Ben at @bsto, and Terence at @terence_mickey. That excellent music you heard is by Nico Guiang. You can find more of it on Soundcloud [https://soundcloud.com/niceaux] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/niceaux].

In this episode of Simplify, Caitlin talks to The Second City executive Kelly Leonard about how improv-based skills and techniques can be applied to the business world. Effective collaboration, innovative thinking, and constructive problem-solving can be major struggles for many teams, regardless of industry. But for those who really want to fix these issues, it’s time to look beyond how other companies work and turn to improv comedy ensembles for inspiration. After all, they’ve literally taken teamwork and turned it into an art form. Reflecting on years of experience with Chicago’s famous Second City improv troupe — where comedians like Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, and Dan Aykroyd cut their teeth — Kelly Leonard explains how improv techniques can benefit the business world. From fostering better communication to generating better ideas, improv can help to build teams capable of rising to any challenge. Leonard gives useful advice and practical exercises on how to get the most out of a meeting, what kind of environment should be created at a workplace, and how to build trustworthy and respectful relationships inside the team to improve collaboration and get better ideas. Listen to this episode to learn business tips that are used on stage by some of the world’s best comedians, and discover the key to truly outstanding teamwork. Stick around after the interview for when Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin Schiller to talk about the main takeaways from the conversation with Kelly Leonard and helps put together a book list for further reading. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode, go to: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-kelly-leonard-growing-teams-with-improv. Read the transcript of the interview here: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-kelly-leonard-transcript. Let us know what you thought of the episode, or just give us some book recommendations on Twitter—we’d love to hear from you! Find Caitlin at @caitlinschiller and Ben at @bsto. Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to https://www.blinkist.com/en/nc/friends/ and typing in the code "yesand" That excellent music you heard is by Nico Guiang. You can find more of it on Soundcloud [https://soundcloud.com/niceaux] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/niceaux].

In this episode of Simplify, psychologist Guy Winch tells Caitlin why we should treat our emotional pain as seriously as physical pain and explains how to heal from common heartaches. Nothing hurts worse than heartbreak. Whether it’s the painful end of relationship or the passing away of a beloved pet, grief and emotional suffering can quickly become all-consuming. And that’s where we blame ourselves and feel guilty for our inability to overcome emotional pain fast enough. Moreover, as psychologist Guy Winch shows, when going through a breakup, it’s not just our mental health that suffers, but our bodies too. In this episode of Simplify, Winch reveals what happens in our brain when we’re experiencing a romantic heartbreak or a loss of a pet and offers warm and wise advice for all the broken-hearted. Listen to this episode to find out the reasons why you should stop stalking your ex on social media and why you should not necessarily wait to jump into another relationship after a breakup. Stick around after the interview to hear Terence Mickey join Caitlin Schiller to talk about the main takeaways from the conversation with Guy Winch as well as the book list they put together for the episode. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode, go to https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-breakup-guy-winch-fix-broken-heart Let us know what you thought of the episode, or just give us some book recommendations on Twitter—we’d love to hear from you! Find Caitlin at @caitlinschiller and Terence at @terence_mickey. Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to https://www.blinkist.com/en/nc/friends/ and typing in the code "heart" That excellent music you heard is by Nico Guiang. You can find more of it on Soundcloud [https://soundcloud.com/niceaux] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/niceaux].