A Bit of Optimism

Before Elon Musk rebranded Twitter, X was already in use — at Google. Google X was Google's secret research lab, where Google's most imaginative ideas came to life.

As CEO and co-founder, Astro Teller's job is to harness X's wildest, most futuristic technology to solve the world's hardest problems. The same "moonshot factory" that created Google Brain and Waymo self-driving cars is also working on carbon capture, laser-beam Internet, delivery drones, and more.

I sat down with Astro to discuss how we build cultures of radical innovation. He shares some useful wisdom about unlearning what we kn...

Business and poetry usually don't mix. But vulnerability has the power to bring teams together.

Poet IN-Q has found an unlikely audience in business. A slam poetry veteran and accomplished songwriter, companies invite IN-Q to help strengthen their cultures. He works with teams to connect on a deeper level, using poetry to share something human. As he'll tell you, winning over crowds of skeptical businesspeople is an art. 

In this conversation, IN-Q takes me through a powerful exercise in vulnerability. He shares some deeply personal poems and walks me through writing my own, and I l...

Our sense of smell has the deepest tie to emotion and memory. But it's also the most overlooked. In business, that's a giant missed opportunity.

Dawn Goldworm knows how to use scent to evoke emotion and create loyalty. From Lady Gaga to Ferrari to books, Dawn designs signature fragrances that allow customers to connect with brands in a more meaningful way. A perfumer turned entrepreneur, her company 12.29 works with some of the biggest names in hospitality, fashion, automotive, and beyond.

Many years ago, Dawn helped me create the Scent of Optimism. I was excited to...

Fierce competition can lead to burnout. How do we train ourselves to maintain excellence without giving in to the pressure to perform?

High-performance psychologist Mike Gervais has a solution. He calls it mastery. Mike's approach to mastering our thoughts and emotions has helped Olympians win gold medals, the Seattle Seahawks win the Superbowl, and CEOs take their companies to the next level.

Mike and I sat down to discuss the psychological tools to fine-tune our inner voices and why focusing on purpose instead of outcome empowers us to accomplish difficult things.

This...is...

Classical music could use a little disruption. For Anastasia Kobekina, that means playing outside of its rigid forms.

An accomplished soloist, Anastasia has played with prestigious orchestras all over the world. She also bangs on her cello, improvises with Vivaldi, and sings.

I was thrilled to sit down with Anastasia to discuss her musical experimentations and to hear her play some pieces from her remarkable new album Venice.

This...is A Bit of Optimism.

To learn more about Anastasia and her music, check out:

kobekina.info

See...

Courage isn't about bravado. It's about staying calm. 

Li Karlsen knows a lot about staying calm under the most inhospitable conditions. One of the most accomplished freedivers in the world, Li is a record-holding champion at holding her breath and diving hundreds of feet below the ocean's surface.

I wanted to ask Li what freediving has taught her about managing stress and fear. It turns out the lessons she's learned in the ocean work just as well above the water. Something as simple as changing the way we breathe can have a huge impact on o...

In Part 2 of our conversation, Brené Brown, Adam Grant, and I continue our journey of out loud self-reflection.

We discuss identifying our values, the two types of narcissists, explanation-based parenting, and exercising judgment over our own judgment. 

Listen to Part 1 here or wherever you listen to podcasts.

This...is A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Brené and Adam's work, check out:

brenebrown.com

adamgrant.net

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To become more self-aware, sometimes you need a friend. Two friends is even better.

Brené Brown and Adam Grant swing by the podcast for one of our trademark conversations with no plan. It turns into a deep dive about knowing our selves and how self-reflection is sometimes best done with others. What's a little metacognition between friends?

This...is A Bit of Optimism.

For more from Brené and Adam, check out:

brenebrown.com

adamgrant.net

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Building wealth is an unequal pursuit. Scott Galloway believes no one is getting more screwed financially than young people.

Scott argues what the U.S. is doing to the economic future of its youth is nothing less than a war on the young. The massive transfer of wealth from young to old is a topic he explores in his new book The Algebra of Wealth. 

I was delighted to have Prof G back on the show to share what's been on his mind lately, and enjoyed veering far off topic to discuss love, money, and t...

Seven years after ISIS killed her son, Diane Foley met with one of his killers. Somehow, she was able to find the humanity in her son's murderer. 

ISIS held journalist James Foley hostage for 2 years before publicly executing him in 2014, when they uploaded a YouTube video of James's beheading. After her son's murder, Diane Foley started The Foley Foundation, working to free American hostages held abroad, teach journalist safety, and inspire people to act with moral courage.

I asked Diane how she found the moral courage to meet ISIS terrorist Alexanda Kotey and see him a...