Blinkist Podcast - Interviews | Personal Development | Productivity | Business | Psychology
Ben Schuman-Stoler. Making big ideas personal. Get personal growth and business lessons from thought leaders and entrepreneurs.
Please visit us at blinkist.com/simplify to see our new podcast, Simplify!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 22, 2018 • 3min
Trailer: Simplify Season 3
We made it through the Berlin winter! Here's what's to come on Season 3 of Simplify.
Simplify Season 3 launches next week with an episode featuring Nobel Prize-winner, NYT columnist, and master of habits: Charles Duhigg! If you want to say hi to Ben and Caitlin in the meantime, you can find them on Twitter: @bsto and @CaitlinSchiller.
One more thing! We'd still love to get your voices on Simplify. Specifically, we want to hear how you would answer one of the questions we always ask our guests: “What have you discovered was much easier than you initially thought it was?” Just record your answer as a voice memo on your phone and email the audio file to us at podcast@blinkist.com.
See you next week!

Feb 9, 2018 • 40min
Simplify’s 2017 Sampler Episode
Simplify’s 2017 Sampler Episode by Ben Schuman-Stoler. Making big ideas personal. Get personal growth and business lessons from thought leaders and entrepreneurs.

Dec 28, 2017 • 45min
Eli Finkel: Marriage Is Dead, Long Live Marriage (Bonus Episode)
In this bonus episode of Simplify season 2, we talk with Eli Finkel, a writer and relationship psychologist at Northwestern University. Northwestern professor, relationship researcher and author of the new book The All-or-Nothing Marriage.
On this episode, Caitlin Schiller talks to Finkel about his new book, The All-or-Nothing Marriage. Finkel explains how marriage is tied to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: throughout history, the main purpose of marriage was tied to survival, but today we’re asking for much more. We want our marriage to make us better people; to realize our best selves.
He and Caitlin dive into social psychology, long-term passion, and a couple of “love hacks” that can get you and your partner back on track.
After the interview, Ben Schuman-Stoler and Emily Philips discuss the key takeaways of the interview and make a booklist for anyone who wants to read more about changing your mindset (which has more to do with good relationships than you think!).
Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist for free, go to http://blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-marriage-eli-finkel.
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**Quick reminder:** This season, we are collecting your voices! It's not as creepy as it sounds, we promise. We just would love to hear how you would answer one of the questions we always ask our guests: “What have you discovered was much easier than you initially thought it was?” You can just record your answer with any voice memo app and email it to us at podcast@blinkist.com.
If you want to say hi to Ben and Caitlin in the meantime, you can find them on Twitter: @bsto and @CaitlinSchiller. Let them know what you're reading!
Thanks to Nico Guiang for our fantastic intro and outro music. Listen to more on Soundcloud [@niceaux] or check him out on Facebook [www.facebook.com/niceaux].
//
We're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the podcast here:
iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA
PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH
Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk
RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j

Dec 21, 2017 • 32min
Rebecca Traister: The Power of Being Single
Rebecca Traister is an author and writer-at-large for New York Magazine. She writes about about women, culture, and politics, and her most recent book is All The Single Ladies.
On this episode of Simplify, she and Caitlin discuss the larger meaning of singlehood, why marriage doesn’t make any sense any more, and the one thing that attracts the most single-ladies.
After the interview, Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin to discuss the key takeaways of the interview and make a booklist for anyone who wants to read more about this.
Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist for free, go to [https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-singlehood-rebecca-traister]
//
This season, we are collecting your voices! It's not as creepy as it sounds, we promise. We just would love to hear how you would answer one of the questions we always ask our guests: “What have you discovered was much easier than you initially thought it was?” You can just record your answer with any voice memo app and email it to us at podcast@blinkist.com.
If you want to say hi to Ben and Caitlin in the meantime, you can find them on Twitter: @bsto and @CaitlinSchiller. Let them know what you're reading!
Thanks to Nico Guiang for our fantastic intro and outro music. Listen to more on Soundcloud [@niceaux] or check him out on Facebook [www.facebook.com/niceaux].
//
We're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the podcast here:
iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA
PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH
Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk
RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j

Dec 15, 2017 • 42min
Julian Treasure: Make Good Noise
Julian Treasure is a sound designer, a musician, and a public speaker—his TED talks have been viewed more than 40 million times!—and he’s also a master of what he calls the “silent skill:" listening.
In this episode, Treasure talks to Caitlin about the 7 deadly sins of speaking, how your listening shapes who you are, and why certain cities sound so delicious to our ears.
Plus, Caitlin finds out why she feels old every time she walks past an Abercrombie & Fitch store.
After their conversation, Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin to make a booklist about sound, listening, communication, and Sam Harris.
Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist for free, go to [https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-communication-julian-treasure]
//
This season, we are collecting your voices! It's not as creepy as it sounds, we promise. We just would love to hear how you would answer one of the questions we always ask our guests: “What have you discovered was much easier than you initially thought it was?” You can just record your answer with any voice memo app and email it to us at podcast@blinkist.com.
If you want to say hi to Ben and Caitlin in the meantime, you can find them on Twitter: @bsto and @CaitlinSchiller. Let them know what you're reading!
Thanks to Nico Guiang for our fantastic intro and outro music. Listen to more on Soundcloud [@niceaux] or check him out on Facebook [www.facebook.com/niceaux].
//
We're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the podcast here:
iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA
PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH
Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk
RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j

Dec 6, 2017 • 45min
Jaclyn Friedman: No Pill Will Fix Your Sex Life (Ever)
Jaclyn Friedman is a writer, sex-educator, and activist. Her work helped establish the “yes means yes” standard of sexual consent. Her new book, Unscrewed; Women, Sex, Power, And How To Stop Letting the System Screw Us All, was released in November, 2017.
On this episode of Simplify, Caitlin Schiller talks with Friedman about sexual empowerment – or the lack thereof, which Friedman calls “Fauxpowerment.” They discuss some of the fundamental challenges to women becoming truly sexually empowered and what’s at stake if we don’t make it happen. Then, they move on to nitty gritties ranging from the politics of The Spice Girls to how to talk to your partner about sex.
Plus, they break down where the term “Girl Power” comes from.
After their conversation, Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin to make a booklist about good sex and working with (or against) the powers that be.
Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist for free, go to https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-sexual-empowerment-jaclyn-friedman-youre-not-broken/.
//
This season, we are collecting your voices! It's not as creepy as it sounds, we promise. We just would love to hear how you would answer one of the questions we always ask our guests: “What have you discovered was much easier than you initially thought it was?” You can just record your answer with any voice memo app and email it to us at podcast@blinkist.com.
If you want to say hi to Ben and Caitlin in the meantime, you can find them on Twitter: @bsto and @CaitlinSchiller. Let them know what you're reading!
Thanks to Nico Guiang for our fantastic intro and outro music. Listen to more on Soundcloud [@niceaux] or check him out on Facebook [www.facebook.com/niceaux].
//
We're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the podcast here:
iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA
PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH
Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk
RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j

Nov 30, 2017 • 44min
Michael Bungay Stanier: Be Lazy, Be Curious, Be Often
Coach of coaches Michael Bungay Stanier is a bestselling author and #3 coach worldwide according to Global Guru. In this episode of Simplify, Bungay Stanier talks to Caitlin Schiller about why leaders who get quiet, get curious, and ask a few simple questions are more successful than advice-giving maniacs.
**(Warning: you're probably an advice-giving maniac.)**
Bungay Stanier explains how you can be more coach-like without becoming a drill instructor. There are a few surprises along the way: being lazy is a good thing, for example. And sometimes, when you know the right answer, you just have to shut up. (In the interview, Caitlin learns this the hard way.)
After the interview, Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin to make a booklist about the topics covered in this episode. Bill Bryson is involved.
//
For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist for free, go to https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-coaching-michael-bungay-stanier-podcast.
This season, we are collecting your voices! It's not as creepy as it sounds, we promise. We just would love to hear how you would answer one of the questions we always ask our guests: “What have you discovered was much easier than you initially thought it was?” You can just record your answer with any voice memo app and email it to us at podcast@blinkist.com.
If you want to say hi to Ben and Caitlin in the meantime, you can find them on Twitter: @bsto and @CaitlinSchiller. Let them know what you're reading!
Thanks to Nico Guiang for our fantastic intro and outro music. Listen to more on Soundcloud (https://soundcloud.com/niceaux) or check him out on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/niceaux).
//
As we mentioned, we're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the Simplify podcast here:
iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA
PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH
Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk
RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j

Nov 23, 2017 • 47min
Ryan Holiday: Provoke With A Purpose
Are you iOS, Android, or Stoic? In this episode of Simplify, hear bestselling author and master of controversy, Ryan Holiday, talk about finding your personal operating system and using it to focus and fuel the work you love to do.
Holiday and Caitlin Schiller discuss some of the secrets of media marketing, and then dive into Holiday's other passion: philosophy. He also has great advice on finding your fans, applying abstract theory to real life, and becoming OK with saying “I don’t know.”
After the interview, Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin to make a booklist for anyone who wants to read further into the topics Holiday discusses. Spoiler alert: 50 Cent is involved.
//
For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist for free, go to https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-philosophy-ryan-holiday.
You can also send us a voice memo at podcast@blinkist.com. We'd love to hear what you learned was easier or simpler than you initially thought it was.
If you want to tweet to us, Caitlin is @CaitlinSchiller and Ben is @bsto. Say hi!
That excellent music you heard is by Nico Guiang. You can find more of it on Soundcloud (@niceaux) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/niceaux).
//
As we mentioned, we're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the new podcast!
iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA
PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH
Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk
RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j

Nov 16, 2017 • 43min
Seth Godin: Do Bad Work
Welcome to the second season of Simplify! As we mentioned, we're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the new podcast!
iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA
PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH
Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk
RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j
//
In this season's first episode, Caitlin Schiller talks to the bestselling author and legend of marketing and entrepreneurship, Seth Godin.
Building on his own experience, Godin explains how when we find ourselves stuck and unable to move something forward, it’s because we’re afraid. He touches on the ideas in his bestsellers Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, and Linchpin, and talks through a few ways to stop hiding, including why sometimes you have to do bad work.
After the interview, Ben Schuman-Stoler joins Caitlin to go deeper into the ideas and books covered in this episode. Find out what it means to be remarkable, why authenticity might be a lie, and why reading is a superpower.
Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist for free, go to https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-success-seth-godin-says-do-bad-work
If you want to say hi to Ben and Caitlin in the meantime, you can find them on Twitter: [@bsto][1] and [@CaitlinSchiller][2].
And we have a favor to ask! We want to include your voices in this season of Simplify. Specifically, we’d love to hear how you would answer one of the questions we always ask our guests: “What have you discovered was much easier than you initially thought it was?” Just record your answer as a Voice Memo on your phone and email the audio file to us at podcast@blinkist.com.
//
That excellent intro and outro music you heard is by Nico Guiang. You can find more of it on Soundcloud (@niceaux) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/niceaux).

Nov 16, 2017 • 3min
Simplify Season 2: Trailer
Get ready for Simplify Season 2! As we mentioned, we're phasing out this RSS feed, so if you want to hear more great stuff, subscribe to the new podcast!
iTunes: apple.co/2sUeLYA
PocketCasts: pca.st/qnKH
Overcast: bit.ly/2uVNFlk
RSS: bit.ly/2uVeF4j
//
Tune in! We kick off the new season with an episode featuring Seth Godin.
Simplify is made with love by Blinkist. For more info, including links to everything we discussed in the episode and a voucher to use Blinkist for free, go to https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-success-seth-godin-says-do-bad-work
If you want to say hi to Ben and Caitlin in the meantime, you can find them on Twitter: @bsto and @CaitlinSchiller.
And we have a favor to ask! We want to include your voices in this season of Simplify. Specifically, we’d love to hear how you would answer one of the questions we always ask our guests: “What have you discovered was much easier than you initially thought it was?” Just record your answer as a Voice Memo on your phone and email the audio file to us at podcast@blinkist.com.
//
That excellent intro and outro music you heard is by Nico Guiang. You can find more of it on Soundcloud (@niceaux) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/niceaux).


