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- 2 weeks ago54 min
Are You Really You, or Just a Pattern Your Brain Built with Dr. Masud Husain
What actually makes you who you are? In this episode, we get into one of the biggest questions a person can ask, not in a vague or philosophical way, but through the lens of neuroscience. Our guest is Dr. Masud Husain, Professor of Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience at Oxford, Editor-in-Chief of Brain, and the award-winning author of Our Brains, Our Selves, which won the Royal Society Trivedi Best Science Book Prize. Dr. Husain explains how your sense of self is built through memory, attention, motivation, perception, concepts, and relationships. In other words, who you are is not just something you have, it is something your brain is constantly creating. That is what makes this conversation so gripping. Because if the brain creates the self, then what happens when part of that system changes? We talk about real patients whose identities seemed to shift after changes in the brain, including one man who lost nearly all motivation after tiny strokes, and another who began losing not just words, but the concepts behind them. Their stories are fascinating, but they also raise a deeply personal question: how much of who you are depends on brain processes you rarely notice? We also get into why we become more risk-averse over time, why discomfort starts to feel less worth it, and whether changing how we think can actually change who we are. This episode will make you think differently about personality, memory, identity, and the story you tell yourself about yourself. Listen now, then subscribe and follow Smart People Podcast so you don’t miss what’s next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Mar 3, 202640 min
The Plastic Problem Most People Miss with Judith Enck
Most of us think we understand the plastic problem. We’ve heard about ocean pollution. We’ve heard about recycling. We’ve heard the word microplastics enough times that it barely registers anymore. But what if the most important part of this story isn’t the trash, the packaging, or even the environment? What if the real issue is happening inside our own bodies? In this conversation, Judith Enck, former EPA Regional Administrator and president of Beyond Plastics, explains the part of the plastic crisis that rarely makes headlines. Microplastics are not just floating in the ocean. Researchers are now finding them in human blood, lungs, arteries, and even the brain. And the concern is not just the particles themselves, but the thousands of chemicals that travel with them. We also explore why plastic production continues to accelerate despite public concern, why recycling has largely failed, and how the economics of fossil fuels quietly shape the future of plastic. This is not just an environmental story. It is a health story, a policy story, and a story about systems most people never see. Judith's book, The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late, is available now wherever books are sold! Support the Show - Become a Patron! Help us grow and become a Patron today: https://www.patreon.com/smartpeoplepodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Jan 26, 202643 min
How to Predict Other People’s Behavior - The Process Communication Model
What if the way we think, communicate, react under pressure, and connect with others isn’t random at all? And much of your experience could actually be decoded using a very specific behavioral model. And this model could explain why certain conversations energize you while others shut you down, why stress brings out patterns you don’t recognize, and why people who care about each other still miss each other completely. In this episode, we introduce the Process Communication Model, a powerful framework originally developed in a therapeutic setting to improve human connection and outcomes. It has been used quietly for decades, helping millions of people better understand themselves and others, yet many people have never heard of it. This is part one in a three part series. To go hear the other episodes follow In the Arena With DoorTwo or visit doortwo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Dec 16, 20251h 7m
The Science of Feeling Dead Inside with Dr. Corey Keyes
What if you’re not burned out, not clinically depressed, and nothing in your life is falling apart—but you still feel numb, empty, or like you’re just going through the motions? In this episode, sociologist and mental health researcher Dr. Corey Keyes explains the science behind that feeling, and why he calls it “languishing.” We dig into how our culture massively underestimates mental health by defining it as “not sick,” and why that quiet definition keeps so many of us stuck. Corey shares how watching his own father’s life slowly unravel pushed him to rethink success, work, and what it really means to flourish. You’ll learn the key differences between languishing and flourishing, the hidden ways modern life pulls us toward numbness, and why feeling “dead inside” might actually be an existential alarm clock trying to wake you up. We don’t just stay in theory—we talk about what real flourishing looks like for regular people with jobs, kids, stress, and messy lives. Corey's book, Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down, is available now wherever books are sold! Support the Show - Become a Patron! Help us grow and become a Patron today: https://www.patreon.com/smartpeoplepodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Nov 4, 202556 min
Decoding Human Behavior: The Science of How We Show Up with Shaun Dyke
What if there really was an owner’s manual for being human? In this episode, Chris sits down with one of the top executive coaches in the country Shaun Dyke, to reveal the models that billion-dollar leaders use to understand people, motivate change, and create results. They unpack the hidden psychology behind your reactions, relationships, and results—and why most of us are still flying blind without our “human operating manual.” You’ll never look at behavior the same way again. Shaun is the Managing Partner of the leadership development and executive coaching firm called, DoorTwo. Learn more at doortwo.com and subscribe to their brand new podcast, In The Arena with DoorTwo. Stay up to date by signing up! Support the Show - Become a Patron! Help us grow and become a Patron today: https://www.patreon.com/smartpeoplepodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Oct 14, 202553 min
Feeling Guilty for Hating Your Job? Here’s the Real Problem with Malissa Clark
If you’ve ever felt guilty for resenting your job—even one you worked hard to get—you’re not alone. In this episode, psychologist and author Dr. Malissa Clark breaks down why burnout and dissatisfaction aren’t always about hours worked, and why our relationship with work is more complicated than we think. We explore the hidden forces that keep us “always on,” why rest doesn’t always feel restful, and how modern work culture is quietly draining us. Whether you're stuck in a toxic job or just feeling off, this conversation will shift the way you think about work—and yourself. Malissa's book, Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture Is Bad for Business--and How to Fix It, is available now wherever books are sold! Learn more about Malissa at malissaclark.com. Support the Show - Become a Patron! Help us grow and become a Patron today: https://www.patreon.com/smartpeoplepodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Sep 17, 202558 min
Why You’re Not As Creative As You Think and How to Actually Change That with Zorana Pringle
Think you’re a creative person? Think again. In this episode, psychologist and author Dr. Zorana Pringle explains why most of us are far less creative than we believe—and what to do about it. We explore why great ideas often die before they ever get started, how fear disguises itself as perfectionism, and why creativity has more to do with action than inspiration. If you’ve ever felt stuck, distracted, or frustrated that your ideas never quite become reality, this conversation will hit home. You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of how creativity really works—and how to finally unlock it. Zorana's book, The Creativity Choice: The Science of Making Decisions to Turn Ideas into Action, is available now wherever books are sold! Learn more about Zorana Pringle at zorana-ivcevic-pringle.com. Support the Show - Become a Patron! Help us grow and become a Patron today: https://www.patreon.com/smartpeoplepodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Aug 20, 202547 min
How AI Is Forcing Us to Rethink Who We Are and the Future We Want with Jeff Burningham
What if the biggest challenge with AI isn’t the technology, but what it’s revealing about us? Jeff Burningham has built companies, invested in hundreds of startups, and even run for governor — but his most urgent message comes in his new book The Last Book Written by a Human: Becoming Wise in the Age of AI. He believes AI is a mirror, reflecting our values, flaws, and potential, and the real question is whether we’ll grow wise enough to handle it. In this conversation, Jeff draws on his experiences in business, politics, and personal transformation to explore the choice between the “old game” of power and greed and the “new game” of connection and compassion — and why the next decade could determine our future. Jeff's book, The Last Book Written by a Human: Becoming Wise in the Age of AI, is available now wherever books are sold! Learn more about Jeff Burningham at jeffburningham.com. Support the Show - Become a Patron! Help us grow and become a Patron today: https://www.patreon.com/smartpeoplepodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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About Smart People Podcast
Smart People Podcast is a biweekly, interview-based podcast that features today's most well respected thought leaders engaging in authentic, insightful conversation for the benefit of the listener. The host, Chris Stemp, and his co-host/producer Jon Rojas, utilize their insatiable curiosity and relatable charm to provoke their guests into giving the interview of a lifetime.Every single guest has achieved a high level of recognition within their arena and in doing so has collected a wealth of experiences and insights that are brought to life in this top ranked podcast. Show topics include: psychology, leadership, education, technology, entrepreneurship, relationships, and much more.
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