The OptimalWork Podcast

Delve into the fascinating journey of mastery, where it's not just about skills but serving higher ideals. Discover the three stages of mastery: explicit, implicit, and optimal, and how neuroscience shapes our learning. Gain insights on breaking tasks into manageable steps and the importance of feedback in reaching true proficiency. Explore the hurdles of confidence, like plateaus and setbacks, and learn how reflecting on past achievements can reignite your passion. It’s a holistic approach to personal growth and helping others.

#214: Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres delve into the significance of breath in regulation attention and managing anxiety. One of the most interesting advances in the understanding of breath is the discovery of the oxygen paradox: breathing too much can actually reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches your brain. Breathing, mood, nutrition, attention, and activity are all interrelated. Understanding the relationship between breathing, oxygen, and carbon dioxide shows just how transformative proper breathing techniques can be. Find more at https://OptimalWork.com

#213: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the importance of learning how to self-regulate your attention. We often try to address distraction and worrying — two common obstacles relating to attention — by re-arranging our external circumstances, changing aspects of our lives. This can be helpful and even necessary at times. But to get the best results, it is also important to focus on the internals, on our own capacity to focus our attention. This capacity is like a muscle that we can strengthen over time with the right exercises. Find more at https://OptimalWork.com

#212: In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the importance of attention for working at your best. Understanding how your attention works — especially the dynamic between task attention and default attention — can help you improve how you both rest and work. Some may think that focus is a matter of brute force and self-discipline, or of simply arranging your environment. But the understanding of attention explored here points to deeper strategies that we can use to master our attention and shape ourselves in the process. Find more at https://OptimalWork.com

#211: Is it possible to sustain a high level of challenge throughout the day? At first, it may seem daunting. But embracing challenge brings growth and with it an increase in energy. The key is to embrace challenges in order to serve, so that challenges are not about improving yourself in isolation, but deepening the bonds with those around you. Find more at ⁠https://www.OptimalWork.com⁠. 

#210: When focusing on self-improvement, it is natural to look first at your behaviors and strive for behavior change. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif explore what change on the inside looks like: how you relate to the inner friction produced by “parts” of you, like an inner critic or a harsh taskmaster. They show that behavior change is best built on a foundation of interior transformation. Find more at ⁠https://www.OptimalWork.com⁠. 

Explore how reframing challenges can transform your perspective and uncover growth opportunities. Discover the deep connection between worldviews and mental wellbeing, emphasizing the role of diverse beliefs. Learn the importance of engaging with personal fears to aid in personal growth, and how empathy can guide others through their struggles. Additionally, delve into how altering perceptions of anxiety can foster excitement and strengthen relationships, promoting a profound sense of self-transcendence.

#208: There is increasing interest in dopamine, a molecule that is closely related to our experience of pleasure, reward, expectation, and motivation. It’s involved in negative processes, like overindulgence and addiction, but it can also be harnessed to set virtuous cycles in motion. Surprisingly, as Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss, the dopamine molecule is involved in the very spiritual processes of living ideals and deepening bonds. Find more at ⁠⁠https://www.OptimalWork.com⁠⁠. 

#207: In this episode Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss Steven Pressfield’s book “The War of Art.” Pressfield has developed a kind of mythology to describe the psychology of following one’s true calling. You know you’re on the right path if you encounter Resistance. But if you persevere and work through the Resistance your Muse will inspire you to do great things. In this episode, we compare Pressfield’s practical conclusions to the advice we give at OptimalWork. Find more at ⁠https://www.OptimalWork.com⁠. 

Dr. Kevin Majeres, a specialist in cognitive behavioral therapy and positive psychology, joins to discuss the transformative idea of flourishing. He explains how personal development is intricately linked to communal well-being. The conversation covers flourishing as a continuous journey, emphasizing resilience and growth over mere achievement. Majeres highlights that true self-mastery stems from aligning with high ideals and nurturing emotional acceptance. He also underscores the importance of shared aspirations in enhancing both work relationships and personal fulfillment.