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

In this episode of Simplify, Caitlin talks to Janice Kaplan, bestselling author, TV producer, and magazine editor about how luck happens and how you can create it. Does luck just feel like something you either have or you don’t? Does it feel like chance? Or, do you think you have some, not all of it good? Well, Janice Kaplan and Barnaby Marsh might make you rethink your idea of what luck really is. With the help of research, pioneering studies, and interviews with “lucky’ successful people, they discovered that luck is actually very much under our control. That’s right. You can set yourself (and your kids) up for being luckier in everyday life. Hear Janice Kaplan reveal some simple techniques to help you generate luck and share stories of successful and famous people who took failure as a lucky opportunity to turn fortune to their favor. Tune in to discover the best way to get lucky in love and learn how to raise lucky children. You’ll also discover which people will help you get lucky, and why this isn’

Author and psychologist, Christopher Ryan, talks with Caitlin about the prehistoric origins of human sexuality and how they influence our modern sexual behavior. Ever wondered whether humans are meant to be monogamous, or when we started to look at our sexual partners as private property? The authors of the extraordinary book on sexual evolution *Sex at Dawn,* Cacilda Jethá and Christopher Ryan, study our primate legacy and explain how it shaped human sexual behavior. In this episode, Ryan talks about the purpose of sexual relations in matriarchal and male-dominated societies, why what we believe about our primate origins is doing us more harm than good as a species, and how to reposition your own beliefs about what is and isn't a sexual taboo. Stick around after the interview for when Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin Schiller to talk about the main takeaways from the conversation with Christopher Ryan and helps put together a book list for further reading on sexual evolution, bodies, and biology. For m

In this episode of Simplify, Caitlin talks to women’s sexual health expert, Dr. Lori Brotto, about how to elicit sexual desire and use your mind for better sex. While mindfulness can feel like a relatively new phenomenon in western societies — Jon Kabat-Zinn popularized it in the US in the 1970s — it has, in fact, been helping people feel connected to their lives for centuries. Dr. Lori Brotto experimented with the practice as treatment for women with sexual concerns and found that mindfulness can have positive effects on desire, response and connection — and the effects seem to be lasting. A lot of what we ‘know’ about sex as a society is based on outdated research and cultural assumptions. Listen to Dr. Lori Brotto talk about her new book, *Better Sex Through Mindfulness* and explain some of our many misconceptions about sex, and introduce ways we can use mindfulness practices to feel more connected to ourselves — and to our partners — during sexual encounters. By the end of this episode, you’ll learn c

In this episode of Simplify, neuroscientist Dr. Daniel Levitin unlocks the secret functions of the human brain and explains how to keep your mind healthy. A lot of the things that we’ve learned about how our minds work are simply not true. Did you know that a small part of your brain can fall asleep while the other parts are awake and working? And we can't trust our memories, either: it turns out that much of what ends up getting stored in memory, especially what people remember about themselves and their past, is a distortion. But it's not all bad news! Listen as Dr. Daniel Levitin of The Organized Mind sheds light on what we've long misunderstood about our brains and makes recommendations on how to keep your mind healthy with “cellular housekeeping." Stick around after the interview for when Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin Schiller to talk about the key ideas in this episode and recommend some great reads on the various functions of the all-mighty mind. For more info, including links to everything

In this episode of Simplify, sex educator Emily Nagoski tells Caitlin about ways to improve sexual well-being and sustain a strong sexual connections. As a sex educator, Emily Nagoski sees her main purpose as “teaching people to live with confidence and joy inside their bodies.” Step one? Understanding what’s actually going on in there! In this episode, Nagoski employs colorful analogies to illustrate the ways in which our minds and bodies react to stressful situations (spoiler alert: you'll have to use your imagination and become a gazelle) and to describe our physical responses to sexually relevant information (enter: car metaphor). If you’ve been anxious about sex, are struggling to connect to a long-term partner, or just want to understand yourself better, this episode offers lots of calm, informed, empathetic advice on how you can find your way. Stick around after the interview for when Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin Schiller to talk about the big ideas in this episode and help make a sexy book

Got goals and dreams? Charles Duhigg's methods will help you reach 'em. Hear the writer of The Power of Habit & Smarter, Faster, Better on why self-belief is the key to real change and to find out which productivity tips he's teaching his kids. Pultizer-prize-winning, bestselling author and NYT writer Charles Duhigg has cracked the code to what makes the world’s most productive people so effective—and how you can use those techniques for yourself. Listen in to hear why self-belief is the key to real, lasting change and find out which productivity tips Duhigg’s teaching his kids. Plus, hear the smart, slightly dirty productivity trick he pulled on Caitlin. If you want to break an old habit or be your most innovative, creative self, then this episode is for you! After the interview, Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin to go deeper into the ideas and books covered in this episode. Also, they make a booklist to help you keep becoming more productive. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in t

We made it through the Berlin winter! Here's what's to come on Season 3 of Simplify. Simplify Season 3 launches next week with an episode featuring Nobel Prize-winner, NYT columnist, and master of habits: Charles Duhigg! If you want to say hi to Ben and Caitlin in the meantime, you can find them on Twitter: @bsto and @CaitlinSchiller. One more thing! We'd still love to get your voices on Simplify. Specifically, we want to hear how you would answer one of the questions we always ask our guests: “What have you discovered was much easier than you initially thought it was?” Just record your answer as a voice memo on your phone and email the audio file to us at podcast@blinkist.com. See you next week!

Simplify’s 2017 Sampler Episode by Ben Schuman-Stoler. Making big ideas personal. Get personal growth and business lessons from thought leaders and entrepreneurs.

In this bonus episode of Simplify season 2, we talk with Eli Finkel, a writer and relationship psychologist at Northwestern University. Northwestern professor, relationship researcher and author of the new book The All-or-Nothing Marriage. On this episode, Caitlin Schiller talks to Finkel about his new book, The All-or-Nothing Marriage. Finkel explains how marriage is tied to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: throughout history, the main purpose of marriage was tied to survival, but today we’re asking for much more. We want our marriage to make us better people; to realize our best selves. He and Caitlin dive into social psychology, long-term passion, and a couple of “love hacks” that can get you and your partner back on track. After the interview, Ben Schuman-Stoler and Emily Philips discuss the key takeaways of the interview and make a booklist for anyone who wants to read more about changing your mindset (which has more to do with good relationships than you think!). Simplify is made with love by Blinkist

Rebecca Traister is an author and writer-at-large for New York Magazine. She writes about about women, culture, and politics, and her most recent book is All The Single Ladies. On this episode of Simplify, she and Caitlin discuss the larger meaning of singlehood, why marriage doesn’t make any sense any more, and the one thing that attracts the most single-ladies. After the interview, Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin to discuss the key takeaways of the interview and make a booklist for anyone who wants to read more about this. Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist for free, go to [https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-singlehood-rebecca-traister] // This season, we are collecting your voices! It's not as creepy as it sounds, we promise. We just would love to hear how you would answer one of the questions we always ask our guests: “What have you discovered was much easier than you initially

Julian Treasure is a sound designer, a musician, and a public speaker—his TED talks have been viewed more than 40 million times!—and he’s also a master of what he calls the “silent skill:" listening. In this episode, Treasure talks to Caitlin about the 7 deadly sins of speaking, how your listening shapes who you are, and why certain cities sound so delicious to our ears. Plus, Caitlin finds out why she feels old every time she walks past an Abercrombie & Fitch store. After their conversation, Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin to make a booklist about sound, listening, communication, and Sam Harris. Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist for free, go to [https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-communication-julian-treasure] // This season, we are collecting your voices! It's not as creepy as it sounds, we promise. We just would love to hear how you would answer one of the questions we alway

Jaclyn Friedman is a writer, sex-educator, and activist. Her work helped establish the “yes means yes” standard of sexual consent. Her new book, Unscrewed; Women, Sex, Power, And How To Stop Letting the System Screw Us All, was released in November, 2017. On this episode of Simplify, Caitlin Schiller talks with Friedman about sexual empowerment – or the lack thereof, which Friedman calls “Fauxpowerment.” They discuss some of the fundamental challenges to women becoming truly sexually empowered and what’s at stake if we don’t make it happen. Then, they move on to nitty gritties ranging from the politics of The Spice Girls to how to talk to your partner about sex. Plus, they break down where the term “Girl Power” comes from. After their conversation, Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin to make a booklist about good sex and working with (or against) the powers that be. Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist

Coach of coaches Michael Bungay Stanier is a bestselling author and #3 coach worldwide according to Global Guru. In this episode of Simplify, Bungay Stanier talks to Caitlin Schiller about why leaders who get quiet, get curious, and ask a few simple questions are more successful than advice-giving maniacs. **(Warning: you're probably an advice-giving maniac.)** Bungay Stanier explains how you can be more coach-like without becoming a drill instructor. There are a few surprises along the way: being lazy is a good thing, for example. And sometimes, when you know the right answer, you just have to shut up. (In the interview, Caitlin learns this the hard way.) After the interview, Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin to make a booklist about the topics covered in this episode. Bill Bryson is involved. // For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist for free, go to https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-coaching-michael-bungay-stanier-podcast.

Are you iOS, Android, or Stoic? In this episode of Simplify, hear bestselling author and master of controversy, Ryan Holiday, talk about finding your personal operating system and using it to focus and fuel the work you love to do. Holiday and Caitlin Schiller discuss some of the secrets of media marketing, and then dive into Holiday's other passion: philosophy. He also has great advice on finding your fans, applying abstract theory to real life, and becoming OK with saying “I don’t know.” After the interview, Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin to make a booklist for anyone who wants to read further into the topics Holiday discusses. Spoiler alert: 50 Cent is involved. // For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist for free, go to https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-philosophy-ryan-holiday. You can also send us a voice memo at podcast@blinkist.com. We'd love to hear what you learned was easier or simpler than you initially thought it

Welcome to the second season of Simplify! As we mentioned, we're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the new podcast! iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j // In this season's first episode, Caitlin Schiller talks to the bestselling author and legend of marketing and entrepreneurship, Seth Godin. Building on his own experience, Godin explains how when we find ourselves stuck and unable to move something forward, it’s because we’re afraid. He touches on the ideas in his bestsellers Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, and Linchpin, and talks through a few ways to stop hiding, including why sometimes you have to do bad work. After the interview, Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin to go deeper into the ideas and books covered in this episode. Find out what it means to be remarkable, why authenticity might be a lie, and why reading is a superpower. Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. For more info, including

Get ready for Simplify Season 2! As we mentioned, we're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the new podcast! iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j // Tune in! We kick off the new season with an episode featuring Seth Godin. Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist for free, go to https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-success-seth-godin-says-do-bad-work If you want to say hi to Ben and Caitlin in the meantime, you can find them on Twitter: @bsto and @CaitlinSchiller. And we have a favor to ask! We want to include your voices in this season of Simplify. Specifically, we’d love to hear how you would answer one of the questions we always ask our guests: “What have you discovered was much easier than you initially thought it was?” Just record your answer as a Voice Memo on your phone and email th

Hey y'all, here's an episode from our new podcast, Simplify. As we mentioned, we're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the new podcast! iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j // In this episode Caitlin Schiller talks to the New York Times bestselling author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On and Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces That Shape Behavior, Jonah Berger. There are so many things vying for our attention and seeking to manipulate our behavior, but what really shapes our decisions? If we think we’re savvy to advertising ploys, what actually influences what we buy? And how important are peer groups to our behavior patterns? By the end of this episode, you’ll have a better understanding of why and how you make your decisions, and how to avoid falling for groupthink. Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. To try Blinkist free for 14 days use the voucher code "bluebmw" here: https://www.blinkist.

Hey y'all, here's another episode from our Simplify podcast. As we mentioned, we're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j // In this week’s episode of Simplify, Ben Schuman-Stoler chats to time management expert and author of the bestsellers I Know How She Does It, What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, and 168 Hours, Laura Vanderkam. If you feel like you simply don’t have enough time for all you want to achieve, or have been putting off your pet project to focus on your day job/family/life admin, you’ll finish this episode feeling more confident about being able to achieve your goals. You just have to learn to bend time to your will. Simple. Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. To try Blinkist free for 14 days use the voucher code "waterheater" here: https://www.blinkist.com/friends/?v=waterheater That excellent intro and outro music y

Hey y'all, here's another episode from our Simplify podcast. As we mentioned, we're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j // This episode of Simplify finds Caitlin chatting with Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of the bestselling books on nutrition, Eat to Live and Super Immunity. Fuhrman is a passionate advocate of nutritarianism, which basically means eating as much nutrient-rich, health-bolstering food as possible. By the end of the episode, you should have a clear understanding of the nutritarian approach, which, according to Fuhrman has seen people beat illnesses like diabetes, all while losing weight. Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. To try Blinkist free for 14 days use the voucher code "cabbage" here: https://www.blinkist.com/friends/?v=cabbage That excellent intro and outro music you heard is by Nico Guiang. You can find more of it on Soundcloud (@

Hey y'all, here's a bonus episode from our new podcast, Simplify. As we mentioned, we're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the new podcast! iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j