TOOLS FOR YOUR MENTAL TOOLBOX
Opposition directs your growth.
Being willing to face and work with obstacles is how you’ve grown personally and professionally. You did not accomplish whatever good you have by avoiding challenges. Getting to where you need to go will require that same alchemy of turning obstacles into opportunities.
My hope is that here you will find the mental models, tools, and ideas that can help you to do just that. Welcome!
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Hey, I'm Larry
I’m a Navy brat born in Hawaii and after living in 10 states I’m currently staying warm in Florida. I’ve spent a decade in hard skills working with technology brands and digital platform companies, maybe to the detriment of my soft skills.
Recently I’ve become fascinated by systems theory and how we acquire knowledge through challenge. As a result, I’ve felt compelled to talk to thought leaders across a variety of fields, ask dumb questions, and record it.
Let’s connect and I’ll share what I’m learning.
Popular Podcasts
My guest is renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. He is the head of Hayden Planetarium in New York City and the first occupant of its Frederick P. Rose Directorship. He's a research associate of the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History. He is also the author of fifteen books—many of them international bestsellers—including the #1 best seller Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, and His most recent is Starry Messenger, Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization.
My guest on this episode is Pedro Domingos, a leading AI researcher and recipient of two of the highest honors in AI and the author of the worldwide bestseller "The Master Algorithm." Pedro is a professor of computer science at the University of Washington in Seattle, and he helped start the fields of statistical relational AI, adversarial learning, machine learning for information integration, and influence maximization in social networks.
In this episode, we discuss how emotions are made and how insights into how our brains make us feel can help us cope with challenging situations. My guest is Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, a psychology professor and neuroscientist at Northeastern University, who is the author of the best-selling book How Emotions Are Made, The Secret Life Of The Brain.
Kieran Setiya is a Professor of Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Kieren’s newest book, Life is Hard, How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way, is the topic of this podcast. In this episode, Keiran challenges the idea that happiness should be life's primary pursuit. Instead, he argues that we should try to live well, and living well means how one lives in relationship to difficulty - not without difficulty.
A.J. Jacobs is the king of self-experimentation and participatory journalism. He is an author, journalist, lecturer, and human guinea pig; the results of which have led to some extreme field experiments like living the rules of the Old Testament for a year, thanking over a thousand people who served him coffee, reading the Encyclopedia Britannica to acquire knowledge about everything, and ...
Oliver Burkeman is a British journalist and author. He writes and publishes a twice-monthly newsletter called "The Imperfectionist." His most recent book is "Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals," which is also the topic of the podcast.
This podcast is about the power of dealing with negative thoughts and emotions more obliquely. It's a central shift from focusing on what you think and feel to how you relate to what you think and feel. My guest is Steven Hayes PhD...
Tommy Chong is a grammy award-winning comedian and is legendary for his invaluable contribution to American counter-culture as part of the iconic comedy duo Cheech & Chong. During their reign, the twosome recorded six gold comedy albums. In 2003 a fully armed SWAT team raided the comedian's home, culminating with Tommy being sentenced to 9 months in federal prison.
This podcast is about every promise you made to yourself but broke. Let me introduce you to the Pope of Procrastination, who forgives you of all that. My guest is Piers Steel. Piers is a Distinguished Research Chair at the University of Calgary. He's also the inventor of the procrastination equation, encapsulating pretty much every scientific finding on procrastination out there to date.
Rory Sutherland is one of the most admired and influential intellects in advertising. He is also one of the most interesting and witty people I've had the privilege talking to. Rory is Vice Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather and co-founder of Ogilvy Change, a behavioral science practice were he co-heads a team of psychology graduates who look for "butterfly effects" in consumer behavior - these are the very small contextual changes which can have enormous effects on the decisions people make.
In this episode, we dive into the shifting dynamics of work, careers, and the quest for fulfillment. Bruce Feiler discusses the history of the career and how work is transforming. Bruce is a leading voice in American modern life with seven bestsellers. His newest book, "The Search: Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World," is the touchstone for this show.
In this episode, renowned social scientist Dan Ariely discusses the irrational pull of misinformation and how to understand the conduct of “misbelief” — the psychological and social path that guides individuals to doubt established truths, consider alternative facts, and perhaps even welcome outright conspiracy theories.
In this episode I talk with Shane Parrish. Shane is a former cybersecurity expert and the genius behind Farnam Street, a site immensely popular among the elite innovator and investor class. Shane is also celebrated for his bestselling three-volume series on mental models and his latest book "Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments Into Extraordinary Results," is the topic of this podcast.
Hadley Vlahos is not just a seasoned hospice nurse but also an end-of-life educator and now a New York Times bestselling author. Her journey and her experiences became the foundation for her bestselling work, The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments. The book captures deep, poignant stories from her time with patients, giving insights into what life's final moments can teach us about existence itself.
On this episode, I speak with Professor Tim Pychyl about the impact procrastination has on our well-being. This isn't just about managing or optimizing a to-do list or finishing a project; procrastination affects the whole of your life. Tim's research focuses on understanding why we can become our own worst enemy through procrastination.
This podcast is about the challenges of creative blocks, inertia, and the accompanying feeling of being stuck, whether it be a project, product, or personal life. Adam Alter is a Professor of Marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business and the Robert Stansky Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellow, with an affiliated appointment in the New York University Psychology Department.
Kevin Kelly is a well-known technologist, renowned writer, and co-founder of Wired magazine. He has made significant contributions to the fields of technology, science, and culture. In this episode, we discuss recent developments in technology as well as some great life advice from his upcoming book aptly named, "Excellent Advice for Living."
