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How to Excel When Everything is Changing - Including You with Brad Stulberg

Sep 5, 2023

Brad Stulberg, researches, writes, and coaches on mental health, well-being, and sustainable excellence. He joins the podcast to discuss his book, 'Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing—Including You.' Topics covered include the concept of selfhood, embracing historical and ultimate selves, being a generalist and specialist, core values, the accelerated pace of change, non-dual thinking, suffering, cultivating a fluid sense of self, strength training for mental health, and reacting to challenging situations with book practices.

01:24:13

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Episode guests

Brad Stulberg

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Quick takeaways

Tragic optimism and rugged flexibility can help us navigate change and challenges, leading to growth and meaning.

Non-dual thinking allows us to approach change with a broader perspective, seeking balance and embracing a middle ground.

Managing expectations with a balance of positivity and acknowledging realities helps navigate change with resilience and adaptability, leading to personal growth and a more positive outlook.

Deep dives

Tragic Optimism and Rugged Flexibility in the Face of Change

Tragic optimism is the mindset of choosing to trudge forward with a positive attitude in the midst of inevitable hardships and suffering. It acknowledges the reality of pain and challenges while maintaining hope for the future. This mindset allows us to navigate change with resilience and adaptability, ultimately leading to growth and meaning. Embracing rugged flexibility involves being both resilient and adaptable in the face of change, holding onto core values while being flexible in how we apply them to new situations. It is about finding stability through change and recognizing that change and stability are not opposites but constantly intertwined. Both tragic optimism and rugged flexibility can help us navigate the complexities of life, find strength in challenging times, and ultimately live a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

Introduction

2min

Navigating Change and Embracing Growth

15min

Non-Dual Thinking: Embracing Context and Customizing Choices

10min

The Impact of Learning and Growth

27min

Understanding the Concept of Suffering

5min

Cultivating a Fluid Sense of Self: Lessons from Olympic Athletes

8min

Strength Training for Mental Health

15min

Reacting to Challenging Situations and Implementing Book Practices

2min

Today, my guest is Brad Stulberg. Brad researches, writes, and coaches on mental health, well-being, and sustainable excellence. He is bestselling author of Master of Change and The Practice of Groundedness. He regularly contributes to the New York Times and his work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and the Atlantic, among other outlets. In his coaching practice, he works with executives, entrepreneurs, physicians, and athletes on their mental skills and overall well-being. He is on faculty at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health. His past books include Peak Performance and The Passion Paradox.

Brad joined us today to talk about his book, ‘Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing—Including You.’

In this episode, Brad dives deep into the concept of selfhood and explores the importance of embracing both our historical and ultimate selves. He delves into the practical aspects of identifying with our historical self to achieve our goals, while also discussing the significance of connecting with our ultimate self, especially in moments of transitioning or reflecting on our lives.

Brad encourages us to find balance between being a generalist and specialist, allowing us to pursue diverse interests while also developing expertise. He shares his advice on discovering our core values and maintaining them, emphasizing how sacrificing these values can lead to a loss of identity and disorientation.

We also explore the accelerated pace of change in our world and the potential negative implications of this rapid transformation. Brad raises concerns about demagogues, authoritarians, and grifters influencing society through platforms like YouTube and TikTok, causing a regression rather than progression.

Join us as we explore these thought-provoking ideas and discover how they can lead to personal transformation and a richer, more meaningful life.

[07.51] Disorder events – Starting the conversation, Brad defines disorder events and some of the disorder events among the 36 of them.

[13.11] Resisting change – We discuss the common ways people resist change and how to eventually overcome them.

[21.26] Rugged flexibility - If your value is creativity, you can apply it in so many different ways.

[30.36] Masculinity – Masculinity is embracing strength and physicality as well as emotional flexibility.

[37.37] Pollyanna toxic positivity - Excessively or blindly optimistic.

[45.25] Painful changes – Sometimes blind optimism can be too much. You have to admit to yourself that it’s okay to not be okay with changes happening along the way.

[52.36] Happiness – The more you release the need to be happy and do things that align with your values, the better.

[01.01.35] Fluid sense of self – It’s important that you keep several interests, and passions in your life because if one fails, you’ve got others to try.

[01.11.24] Multitudes – We talk about the coexistence of the historical self and the ultimate self at the same time.

[01.17.44] The four Ps – Pause, process, plan, and proceed are the four Ps of responding versus reacting.

Resources

Connect with Brad

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/brad-stulberg-009b168b/

Website - bradstulberg.com/

Twitter - twitter.com/BStulberg

Instagram - instagram.com/bradstulberg/

Book by Brad Stulberg

Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You