Smart People Podcast

In our episode this week we talk with former Google data scientist and author, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz. Seth explains exactly how the internet provides a window to the soul and how we can use this data to answer some of the most difficult, and most interesting questions of our time. With conclusions ranging from strange-but-true to thought-provoking to disturbing, he explores the power of this digital truth serum and its deeper potential—revealing biases deeply embedded within us, information we can use to change our culture, and the questions we’re afraid to ask that might be essential to our health—both emotional and physical. All of us are touched by big data everyday, and its influence is multiplying. Seth is the author of the new book, Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are. He is a former Google data scientist and is currently a contributing op-ed writer for the New York Times. He received his undergrad degree from Stanford and his PhD in economics from Harvard.   More about Seth Stephens-Davidowitz at http://sethsd.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all sustain emotional wounds. Failure, guilt, rejection, and loss are as much a part of life as the occasional scraped elbow. But while we typically bandage a cut or ice a sprained ankle, our first aid kit for emotional injuries is not just understocked—it’s nonexistent. Think about it... we learn about germs, scrapes, and sprains starting at 2 years old, but we often don't learn about emotional injuries and proper treatment until they have become debilitating. And even worse, many times we don't even know we are sustaining these emotional injuries and they are just lurking beneath the surface, continually holding us hostage. Fortunately, there is such a thing as mental first aid for battered emotions. Drawing on the latest scientific research and using real-life examples, our guest Guy Winch, Ph.D. offers specific step-by-step treatments that are fast, simple, and effective. In this episode, we talk with Guy about his amazing book, Emotional First Aid: Healing Rejection, Guilt, Failure, and Other Everyday Hurts. His message is essential for anyone looking to become more resilient, build self-esteem, and let go of the hurts and hang-ups that are holding them back. Guy Winch, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist, author, and keynote speaker whose books have been translated into twenty-one languages. His TED Talk, Why We All Need to Practice Emotional First Aid, has been viewed over 4 million times and is rated among the top 5 most inspiring talks on TED.com. Dr. Winch also writes the popular Squeaky Wheel Blog on PsychologyToday.com Dr. Winch received his doctorate in clinical psychology from New York University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at NYU Medical Center. He has been working with individuals, couples and families in his private practice in Manhattan for over twenty years. He is a member of the American Psychological Association. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The smart phone is our most treasured tech device. If you don't believe me, try leaving it turned off for a full day and see how many times you yearn for it! This obsession with our phones is creating a massive amount of data that is being harnessed by companies to drive their business decisions in the ever expanding $3.3 trillion dollar mobile economy. In our episode this week, mobile economy expert Anindya Ghose welcomes us to the mobile economy of smartphones, smarter companies, and value-seeking consumers. Drawing on his extensive research in the US, Europe, and Asia, and many relevant case studies, Anindya explains how businesses can harness the power of a data-driven mobile economy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For anyone who wants to create or innovate - this is the interview for you. When we think about creativity, we most often think of things: impressionism, the iPhone, democracy, Uber. We also narrow in on the few, those rare creators who seem to have something we lack. These tendencies quickly take us off track, perpetuating a myth and unknowingly pushing us further away from the possible. Here’s the truth: Creativity is about the possible. It’s the seed of any human advancement ever made or yet to be imagined. Most important and powerful of all, creativity is a uniquely human capacity that each of us possesses – including you. The story of creativity is the story of who we are, a story still unfolding. It’s time we come to understand it and learn how each of us can contribute our verse. It’s time we understand this language of man and learn to speak creativity. In this episode, award-winning author Larry Robertson discusses precisely what that means, and how we do it. We also learn how a deliberate pause can help spark true growth and progress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Economist Kate Raworth challenges traditional economic models with Doughnut Economics, advocating for a shift towards regenerative and distributive economies. She explores the benefits of employee ownership, rethinks GDP growth, and offers alternative business models for a more sustainable future.

This week we are speaking with Christopher Brinton and Mung Chiang, both experts on the subject of networks. In fact, the duo recently paired up to write a book called, The Power of Networks: Six Principles That Connect Our Lives. Mung Chiang is a Professor of Electrical Engineering at Princeton University. His research on networking received the 2013 Alan T. Waterman Award, the highest honor to US young scientists and engineers. He founded the Princeton EDGE Lab in 2009, which bridges the theory-practice gap in edge networking research by spanning from proofs to prototypes. Chiang is the Director of Keller Center for Innovations in Engineering Education at Princeton University and the inaugural Chairman of Princeton Entrepreneurship Council. Christopher Brinton is the Head of Advanced Research at Zoomi Inc. He received his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Princeton University. He is also an adjunct professor in the School of Engineering at The College of New Jersey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, one of the nation’s leading psychologists discusses why today’s corporate leaders desire but reject creative solutions. We will answer questions such as could people love but also hate creative ideas? Could the mindset we use to evaluate ideas turn this love or hate on or off—in an instant? Do experts struggle even more than novices with this bias? And more. Our guest this week is Jennifer Mueller. Jennifer is the author of the new book, Creative Change: Why We Resist It....How We Can Embrace It. She holds a doctorate in social psychology and has taught at top business schools, including Wharton, the Yale School of Management, and New York University's Stern School of Business. Her highly acclaimed paper “The Bias Against Creativity” went viral, was downloaded more than 65,000 times, and was heralded as “famous” by an article in The Atlantic. She currently serves on the faculty at the University of San Diego and lives in Solana Beach, California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we are speaking with an executive coach who works with those seemingly "perfect" people and she's here to tell you that nothing is as it seems. In fact, often times people reach the societal ideal of perfection only to find out that it's not at all what it seems and the price paid to get there was too high. So instead of chasing someone else's dreams, it's time to define your own - and trust me, it's not easy. Our guest this week is Heather Gray, a therapist and coach who is a master at helping anyone repair broken relationships, rediscover passions, and heal from ignored and fractured parts of their lives. She helps her clients learn how to be present for themselves and for those they care about so that they can truly have it all. Learn more about Heather and her work at ChooseToHaveItAll.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you feel comfortable delivering bad news? Do you look forward to speaking in public? Do you enjoy networking? Is it easy for you to speak your mind and be assertive with friends and colleagues? If you answered no to any of these questions, this episode can help! In this show we speak with a true academic, Andy Molinsky as he discusses his brand new book, REACH; A New Strategy to Help You Step Outside Your Comfort Zone, Rise to the Challenge , and Build Confidence. Andy is a Professor at Brandeis University’s International Business School with a joint appointment in the Department of Psychology. Andy received his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and M.A. in Psychology from Harvard University. He also holds a Master's Degree in International Affairs from Columbia University and a B.A. in International Affairs from Brown University. Andy helps people develop the insights and courage necessary to act outside their personal and cultural comfort zones when doing important, but challenging, tasks in work and life. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Inc. Magazine, Psychology Today, the Financial Times, the Boston Globe, NPR and Voice of America. Andy was awarded as a Top Voice for LinkedIn for his work in education. http://www.andymolinsky.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us know what it feels like to chase success and money. We believe that pounding our way through our days is the only way to prosperity and success. We sacrifice time with our loved ones, our weekends, our vacations, and perhaps even our sanity, in exchange for a paycheck. We want to have it all, but don’t find satisfaction in any of our achievements. Instead, we find ourselves sitting in our offices and big houses feeling unhappy, broke, burnt out, and unfulfilled... This week, our guest Leanne Jacobs explains how to break this cycle and achieve wealth in all the right ways, including money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices