How To Academy Podcast

Maya Raichoora, an award-winning entrepreneur and the UK's leading mental fitness and visualization expert, shares her insights on harnessing visualization for success. She discusses how elite athletes use these techniques and offers practical steps for everyday application. Maya reveals her personal journey with health challenges and underscores the mind's role in healing. She emphasizes self-empowerment, the importance of managing negative thought patterns, and how visualization can foster creativity and confidence in all aspects of life.

Discover a neglected history through 101 intriguing objects that tell the stories of women's lives. From the empowering symbol of Lilith to the powerful myth of Demeter, the podcast uncovers the complexity of female identity and struggle. Learn about the significance of everyday items like women's pockets and how they shaped roles and perceptions over centuries. The discussion connects historical narratives to contemporary issues, emphasizing the resilience and ongoing fight for empowerment in various cultures.

Gary Lightbody, the lead singer of Snow Patrol, shares his poignant journey through grief after losing his father in 2019. He discusses how this loss inspired his latest album, 'The Forest is the Path,' blending themes of love, forgiveness, and emotional expression. Lightbody reflects on the intersection of creativity and grief, families, and the weight of past regrets. He also touches on finding peace in the complexities of Northern Ireland, emphasizing that genuine connection goes beyond mere political harmony.

Kenneth Roth, the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch for thirty years, shares his relentless pursuit of justice in the face of global human rights abuses. He emphasizes the power of information and social media in advocating for accountability, while detailing the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and anti-Semitism in discourse. Roth critiques the focus on non-Western countries in human rights advocacy, urging a broader perspective that includes Western nations. His insights reveal the ongoing struggle for truth amidst censorship and oppression.

Selena Wisnom, a scholar and playwright focused on Mesopotamian civilization, takes listeners on a captivating journey through history. She reveals the significance of the Royal Library of Nineveh, showcasing how it preserved vast knowledge. Wisnom dives into the complexities of cuneiform and the Epic of Gilgamesh, connecting ancient stories to modern literature. Additionally, she discusses the intriguing relationships between Mesopotamian gods and their influence on later cultures, illustrating how ancient beliefs resonate in today's world.

Agnes Callard, a philosopher at the University of Chicago and author of "Open Socrates," discusses the enduring relevance of Socratic wisdom in today's post-truth society. She explores how Socratic dialogue can navigate polarization and emphasize the importance of engaging opposing viewpoints. Callard delves into life's profound questions, from mortality to grief, highlighting the necessity of dialogue in understanding our existential journeys. She also examines the value of philosophical conversations in fostering human connections, especially in an era dominated by superficial interactions.

Whether its the football pitch of the FIFA Women’s World Cup or the diving board of the Olympics, Dr Kate Hays is a woman who knows how to win. Now she joins us to reveal the techniques that create winning mentalities - from breathing techniques to widening the bases from which we draw confidence - that allow us to create the best performance under the greatest pressure.An essential conversation for any individual who wants to succeed, any team which wants to thrive, and anyone who wants to fulfil their potential. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After Kurt Cobain, Bob Dylan is Courtney Love’s all-time rock’n’roll hero. Todd Almond performed Dylan’s songbook on Broadway. They join us for a deeply personal celebration of the legendary songwriter.An electrifying, bewitching singer who, in the words of The New York Times can simultaneously imbue a single sustained note with “a plea, a wound, and a threat”, Courtney Love occupies a singular place in the rockstar pantheon.Her friend and collaborator Todd Almond is a Broadway multi-hyphenate equally acclaimed as a performer, lyricist and playwright, who took us ‘heaven on earth’ (The New York Times) as the star of Conor MacPherson’s Broadway smash hit Girl from the North Country.We brought Courtney and Todd together to celebrate the work of the greatest American songwriter of all-time: Bob Dylan.Whether you're a Bobcat, a Dylanologist, or just an old romantic, tune in for a one-of-a-kind celebration of a singular American talent from two extraordinary performers with unique and personal perspectives on his life and art. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Optimism, irrational though it might be, is central to the human psyche: it gives us an advantage both in everyday life and in the evolutionary race. Sumit Paul-Choudhury joins us to share his theory of rational optimism: possibilism.Without this optimism we would never have survived the unpredictable – and often hostile – world we evolved into. Yet optimism is not reserved for times of extremity. Its benefits manifest throughout our everyday lives: our relationships, careers, bodies and minds. And it will play a critical role in overcoming the challenges of the 21st century.This is a powerful manifesto for hope and a much-needed new perspective on our prospects. He shows how embracing action, imagination and possibility, we can find a path to the bright side, even – perhaps especially – when the future seems dark. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tom Holland is a storyteller whose range and erudition seem to be as unbounded as history itself. Now he brings us closer than ever to the lives of the first twelve Roman emperors. The ancient Roman empire was the supreme arena, where emperors had no choice but to fight, to thrill, to dazzle. To rule as a Caesar was to stand as an actor upon the great stage of the world. Delving into his new translation of Suetonius’s Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Tom Holland joins George Osborne to illuminate the lives of the Caesars as never seen before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices