The Art Of Charm | High Performance Techniques| Cognitive Development | Relationship Advice | Mastery Of Human Dynamics

Most of us will never undergo professional training in the world of improve and yet we engage in improv almost every day because life is improv - so why should you consider taking an improv class, how does improv relate to self-development, and how can an improv mindset help you to relax in social situations? What to Listen For How do you compete in a place like Hollywood with people who claim to be or do things that they don’t even do? How should you approach a conversation with someone you look up to when meeting for the first time and why is it such a bad idea to be a fanboy/girl in such a situation? What should your mindset be when first meeting someone and what mindset will likely lead to an undesirable outcome? What is the value in learning improv and how does it relate to your path of self-development? Why is it counterproductive to try to be funny in improv? What signs of codependency can you look for early on in a relationship and what can you do to course correct at that point? How can a rel

Kindness costs you nothing but can change someone’s life forever, even your own - but how do we even define kindness, what does it mean to be genuinely kind, and how can a simple act of kindness have such lasting effects on the people around us? What to Listen For How do you deal with possible regrets when you make major life-changing decisions? What is the Kindness Diaries and what inspired Leon Logothetis to start his quest for kindness? How do you deal with the pushback that comes from close friends and family when you decide to leave a stable job to pursue your dreams? What was it like for Leon Logothetis to approach a stranger for the first time and how has his approach evolved over time? How can you use body language to allow strangers to feel comfortable talking to you when approaching them in the middle of the day? How does Leon Logothetis choose who he’s going to approach and who he wants to avoid? Are kindness and generosity universal or does it vary by culture? What was Leon Logothetis’s f

The majority of issues we face in relationships can be boiled down to 4 types of behaviors we exhibit. So what are they? How do you identify which ones you exhibit, and what can you do to deal with them in yourself, your partner, friends, family members, and coworkers before they fall apart? What to Listen For How did the Gottman Institute get started? How much overlap is there between the issues married couples face versus friends, coworkers, and family members and what can we learn from the overlap? What are the biggest issues typically seen in newlyweds and couples first moving in together? What is implied when you stand up at the altar to say, “I do” and what should a conversation about those implications revolve around? What 3 questions should you ask yourself before entering into a couples therapy situation and how do you use these questions to make sure both of you are on the same page when it comes to expectations? What are the 4 problem behaviors that come up in relationships and why is it impo

Establishing boundaries can feel intimidating if you’ve never successfully set them before, so why are they so important when it comes to maintaining healthy relationships? Why does a lack of boundaries often lead to undesirable outcomes? What formula can you follow to start setting boundaries today? We’ll answer all those questions this episode. What to Listen For What is causing most of the problems in your communication and how can you become more aware of them? Why is it important to set boundaries early on and how do you set boundaries respectfully? How can you be more proactive in dealing with conflict? Who is more likely to win in arguments and why does it not matter in the way you might think it does? What is the best way to approach someone who refuses to acknowledge clearly defined boundaries? Why does a lack of boundaries lead to resentment? How does too much freedom in a relationship lead to you feeling miserable? Why is it important to have clearly defined boundaries between home and wor

Relationships are a two-way street, but when it comes to communication it’s important to understand people have a variety of preferences when it comes to how love and affection are given and received, so what are those preferences, how can you identify what someone’s preferences are, and how can you implement all of this information to build new relationships and strengthen existing ones? What to Listen For What can you do to strengthen the relationships in your life? What can you do if you think you’re a great listener but people around you keep complaining about you not listening? Why is it a recipe for disaster to look for someone to complete you and what should you be looking for instead? What are the Five Languages of Appreciation and how can you pick the best one for each of your relationships? What are the three parts of communication and how does your awareness of each part help to mitigate miscommunication? How do you identify the love languages of family, friends, and coworkers? Why are open

Personal transformation is a long and arduous process, but we all have to start somewhere, so how do you know when it’s time to make such a drastic change, what can you do to stop from feeling overwhelmed in the beginning, and how do you know when it’s time to graduate from one step to the next? What to Listen For Why is making a list important in accomplishing your goals? What can you do to deal with the fear of public speaking? What simple exercises can you do right now to expand your comfort zone? How did Michael Herold get his start as a public speaker and coach? What steps should you take when starting out as a public speaker to make sure you feel ready on stage? Where can you get practice as a public speaker if you don’t have a coach and you’re not taking classes? How can you be more appreciative of your significant other after you two settle into the comfort stage of the relationship? How important is it to set aside time for one another when you’re in a relationship? What steps can you take

The role of the father in raising children is often downplayed in society, but what do fathers bring to the table that mothers do not, why does the absence of a father have such long-lasting effects, and what steps can we take today to be there for our children? What to Listen For What is dad deprivation and what role does it play as a child is growing up? What is the purpose void and why is it more important now that more children are growing up without a father? What are the two primary purposes in a man’s life and how has the development of society made it more difficult for men to feel fulfilled in either one? How does porn become addictive to young men and how does it shift the way men view women, sex, and relationships? What are the primary differences between mom-style parenting and dad-style parenting? What is the single biggest predictor of success and how do you teach it to children? How do you teach postponement of gratification to children and why is it so important to building the life yo

Coaching athletes, or anyone for that matter, does not come with a simple one-size-fits-all approach, so what does effective coaching look like, what do you need to know about those you’re coaching, and who do coaches get coached by? What to Listen For How did Brett Bartholomew get started in the world of strength training and coaching? How do you get buy-in with athletes you’re coaching to make sure they follow your program without getting distracted by all the other information they’re bombarded with? What do you need to know about your athletes in order to best coach them and how do you tie it in with a responsible message? What is the Harvard 4 Drive Model and how can you start using it today to teach or coach more effectively? What 3 steps can you use to better relate to other people and build better relationships with coworkers, students, and athletes? How do you develop self-awareness and what should you look for in your own life to start with? What are the 3 stages of internal identification a

We all know change can be hard, so embarking on a journey of self-development and transformation means there will be pain involved - but is it possible to endure pain without also suffering? Why is it important to have a larger overarching goal throughout your journey, and what actionable steps can you take today to reduce the time and energy it might take to reach your transformation goals? What to Listen For Why is pain an unavoidable part of personal transformation, and what is the best way to approach such pain? What is the difference between pain and suffering? How do you figure out your values and why are they important when it comes to pursuing a fulfilling life? Why is it important to have a larger overarching goal on your journey toward self-actualization? Why is a reactive mindset counterproductive to happiness and fulfillment in life, and what steps can you take to turn your reactive mindset into a proactive one? What one question can you ask yourself to take back power and control over your

Transformation can be accidental or intentional, but if you are going to change and grow as a person, wouldn’t you want to have a say in how you grow and who you become? What to Listen For Why are only the courageous drawn to self-development? How do you turn envy into a motivator rather than trying to hide it or eliminate it? What question can you ask yourself to make feelings of envy work for you? What is experiential avoidance and how is it correlated with low levels of life satisfaction? What are “doomers” and “bloomers” and how do doomers become bloomers? What should be your next move if you reach a point in your life and realize you haven’t accomplished anything? Why might procrastination be doing more damage to your future than you think, and what can you do about it? If you want to change your future, where is the best place to start and why might it not be the place you think? What is the difference between living life on the offense and living life on the defense, and why does one of the t

Where do you even begin if you want to get better at meeting people? Improving your communication skills is an excellent place to start. Communication is important in relationships, and even more important when dating. We’ll dig into best practices, tips and strategies for dating and meeting new people with Dr Laura Berman. What to Listen For What drew Dr. Laura Berman to relationship and sex therapy? What is the current state of sex ed in schools and why is it so inadequate? How does porn affect the way you get aroused and why is it doing more harm than good? What is the fundamental problem with the paradox of choice when it comes to dating and dating apps? Why is it so important to think about how you want someone to make you feel and how does clarifying that make dating easier? Can you use DNA to find your perfect match? What is the best way for you to approach dating in the #MeToo era? How quickly should you move from dating app to meeting and why is it risky to draw it out? Where can you practic

This month and next, we decided to dedicate two episodes to parents and the valuable role parenting plays in our development as social beings. On this episode, AJ and Johnny speak with Dr. Alexandra Sacks, about Matrescence - the transition a woman goes through when she becomes a mother. You might be thinking, "well we call that pregnancy," but matrescence is broader than just the changes a mother goes through during pregnancy. Just as teenagers go through hormonal change and a reshaping of identity, matrescence operates in a similar fashion. Understanding and preparing for this life chapter can bring a more rich and meaningful experience to parenthood. Dr. Sacks is a reproductive psychiatrist at Columbia University Medical Center and Host of a new podcast called, Motherhood Sessions. gimletmedia.com/shows/motherhood-sessions Access a World of Knowledge! Unlimited video learning with the World's Greatest Professors at The Great Courses Plus. Start your Free Month trial now by going to thegreatcoursesplus.

Dating can seem like a torturous uphill battle for many men and women, but it doesn’t have to be - understanding how and why we are attracted to one another can have a significant positive impact on your ability to find happiness in your love life, but how do you take the science behind attraction and use it to make dating fun and engaging? What is signaling theory? What are fitness indicators and why are they so important to understand in the dating scenario? What scientifically is shown to make you more attractive in terms of signaling? How much of our behavior is guided by natural selection and what does the answer imply about humanity? When you want to dance in a social setting, what is more important than being able to dance well? What are many people doing wrong when it comes to their profiles on dating apps? What should you include in your dating app profile? Should you get professional photos done to use on dating apps? Why are we entering a new era of dating and what can you do to ensure yo

Understanding social cues and nonverbal communication is arguably more important now than ever - but what does it mean to communicate with someone nonverbally, how much can you say with the delivery of words and the way you carry yourself compared to the words themselves, and why is it important to continue developing your social skills outside of dating and meeting people? What to Listen For Is dating really just a numbers game? Why is initial chemistry a terrible way of determining compatibility and what should you look at instead? Why is the 20th-century version of dating no longer applicable in today’s way of life? How can you experience something together on the first date that contributes to cultivating chemistry? Why is physical contact so important when it comes to getting to know someone you’re interested in? What should you pay attention to when it comes to flirting, and what are most people incorrectly paying attention to? How does your body language communicate more about you than what you

Dating has evolved due to the influence of technology and the way we communicate - but has the evolution been for the good of all, are all these options helping or hindering us, and why is it still just as important to meet face to face instead of trying to connect via text? What to Listen For How do dating apps remove the fun from dating and what can you do to make dating fun again? How do you create chemistry with someone you’re interested in? What are the three ways you can meet someone you might want to date? How do you decide where to meet new people who are more likely to be compatible with you? What are you doing to sabotage yourself every time you go out to meet new people? How do you become addicted to falling in love and what can you do if you feel you are? What is limerence and how does it prevent you from building healthy relationships? Texting is effective in 2 primary ways, so what are they and why should you avoid using it for other reasons? How can too much texting set you up for fail

Relationships are built on trust, but that trust must be maintained over the years with intentional conversations to ensure that both people are on the same page - but how do you approach those conversations in a way that is healthy and promotes open & honest communication so that both of you are comfortable discussing uncomfortable topics?t What to Listen For How did Jill Coleman get into the fitness industry and find her calling? What can you do to overcome the negativity when it comes to having a public life? How many relationships actually survive infidelity? What can you look for to know whether or not it’s worth it to build a friendship with an ex-partner? What are the 2 parts to communication and why will your relationship fail if you don’t understand them? How do you stay focused on improving yourself rather than getting caught up in trying to fix other people? What is the difference between making something your fault and taking responsibility for it? What is the 3 S system to have an honest

Many of us tend to overlook one of the greatest sources of wisdom in our lives - our elders - but how much can you learn from one simple conversation, what can you do to better connect with your elders, and what are the secrets to a long and happy life? What to Listen For Why is it important to maintain relationships with our elders and what can we learn from them, even in a technology dominated world? Are older generations facing the same level of loneliness that modern generations seem to be facing en masse? What do the elderly point to as secrets to a longer and happier life? What is one simple act you can do every time you run into someone you know that can strengthen the bond between you two? If you’re looking for a mentor, what can you do to approach an elder you’re interested in learning from? How do you connect with people from older generations if you feel you have nothing in common? What can you do to mend broken relationships before it’s too late? What simple mental exercise can you do to

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is one of the most effective methods to increase psychological flexibility - but what exactly is ACT, how can it decrease the suffering in your life, and why is it so crucial to leading a happy and fulfilling life, especially in this day and age? What to Listen For What is the bus driver metaphor and how can you use it to prevent your thoughts and feelings from controlling you? What is ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and why is it so effective? What one question can you ask yourself to determine why something is important to you? Why is it important to us to experience the full range of emotions, rather than just the good ones? How can you learn to appreciate negative feelings just as much as positive ones so you can decrease the suffering in your life? What can you do to turn negative feelings (like anxiety) into a guiding compass for what you want in life? What has been the biggest challenge with the way our lives have been infused with technology and w

In a world of seemingly limitless options, how can you know if a person is THE person for you, what questions can you ask yourself to determine if you’re even ready for a relationship, and how do you stop money from driving you two apart the way it does for countless relationships and marriages? What to Listen For How can you know who to settle down with in a world of seemingly limitless options? What are 3 questions to ask yourself to help you understand if you’re with the right person? Why is it detrimental to a relationship if you enter it with expectations for either one of you to change? How do you get a complete picture of someone to know whether he or she is someone you want to be in a relationship with? In what ways do you have to change your mindset to make a committed relationship work? What questions should you ask yourself to determine whether or not you’re ready for a relationship? How does your relationship with money impact your relationship with your significant other? What 3 step conv

Uncertainty is an unavoidable part of life, and for many, it can feel overwhelming - but what important lessons can your relationship with uncertainty teach you, how can you improve the relationship with uncertainty, and what are some real-world examples of handling uncertainty in a positive way? What to Listen For How can purpose help you overcome and push through uncertainty in life when making big decisions as well as small decisions? What exercise can you start doing now to help you deal with anxiety and uncertainty in your everyday life? How does indecisiveness impact the feeling of uncertainty in life and what can you do if you have a bad relationship with indecisiveness? What is the best advice for someone entering a leadership role at work for the first time? Why is communication so important in a leadership or management role and what tips can you start implementing today to improve your team’s productivity? What do many of us do to contribute to a toxic work environment and what can you do to