SuperPsyched with Dr. Adam Dorsay

We hear a lot about ADHD these days. And yet, there are misconceptions about what it actually is and what a person can do if they are diagnosed with the condition. What may surprise people is that there can be many great gifts that often accompany ADHD. My guest, Dr. Lara Honos-Webb (www.addisagift.com), is a psychologist in private practice in Walnut Creek, CA, and she specializes in the study and treatment of ADHD in both adults and children.  She has written many highly-acclaimed books about ADHD.  The School Library Journal said that her work provides a “clear and stimulating guide for teens to sharpen their ability to control their thoughts and actions.” I am a fan of Lara and I just listened to the audio version of her book called Brain Hacks.  I found it to be a superb compendium of easy-to-implement tips on boosting any person's brain whether ADHD is in the mix or not. In this interview, Lara goes into depth about what a person can do if they or someone they love has an ADHD diagnosis.  I am so grateful to Lara for her work and for joining me on this interview, and I am confident you will learn a lot from her as she shares her incredible gems. Book link: https://amzn.to/43WM7H9 This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

All of us live with what could be described as treasure chests of genius just waiting to be discovered. The question is how can you find those treasures? My guest, Michael Gelb is one of the world’s leading authorities on the application of genius thinking and could be considered the Indiana Jones of finding people’s treasures.  And, as you’ll hear, he has done so much in his life! He once taught Mick Jagger to juggle. You’ll also hear how to discover the gifts that can make your life truly vital and full of delight.  Michael is the author of 17 books including, How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci, a book that provides superb prompts to find your genius and ideas for being creative like Da Vinci. I have been a fan of Michael’s work for well over a decade and have read many of his books. His real-world solutions have helped me immensely.  In this episode, you’ll receive great tips from a true master of tapping into your unique treasures. So, listen in as Michael and I have a user-friendly discussion about finding your hidden genius. Book link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0440508274/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_WXCV46BDM1YZT5QSWAN2?linkCode=ml2&tag=superpsyche0b-20 This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

Our decisions are one of the biggest factors determining the quality of our lives. We make as many as 35,000 decisions every day; most are unconscious or small, like “When will I get out of bed?” and some can be big like “Who will I marry or where will I go to college?” And, when you think about it, every conscious decision we make is essentially a bet: it is a bet that we will be happy we made that decision. And yet, as humans, we have many biases that may inhibit good decision making. For example, shocking as this may sound, we tend to change facts in order to accommodate our beliefs when it should be the opposite: we actually need to be able to change our beliefs in order to accommodate new facts. Making matters worse, we generally don't have good systems in place to analyze our decisions to get better at making similar decisions next time. My guest on this episode is a true expert when it comes to decision making. Annie Duke has nearly finished her doctorate in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania but it gets way more interesting. She has also made high stakes decisions for many years as one of the most successful professional female poker players of all time. She has also authored several bestselling books including, Thinking in Bets, which has been hailed by the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and by luminaries in business like Marc Andreessen. Annie provides keen and actionable insights into how we are blind to our decision-making processes and real-world solutions to improving this crucial skill. Book link: https://amzn.to/3Pei8GC This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

What does it take to create success on your own terms? I know that’s a massive question. We all recognize predictable skills to increase the likelihood of that success like clarity, discipline, habits, mindset, and navigating relationships. Yet, there can be a chasm between what we know intellectually and what we put into regular practice. I had the pleasure of speaking with, Shellye Archambeau, an exemplar of excellence who has lived the best practices of leadership as a CEO, senior executive, and board member at multiple high profile high-tech companies. Shellye was named the second most influential African American in IT by Business Insider magazine and she is the author of a book that serves as a roadmap to successful leadership. The book is called Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers and Create Success on Your Own Terms, and it was named a Best Business Book of 2020 by both Fortune and Bloomberg. Silicon Valley venture capitalist, Ben Horrowitz, said of her book, “If your goal is to be a truly great leader of men and women, you have found your guide." I agree so much so that I have read this book several times. I find Shellye’s wisdom, humanity, and ability to convey her world-class experience in an actionable fashion, simply phenomenal. Among the elements of success unpacked are the importance of mentorship and finding your cheerleaders. Shellye’s voice is so strong and clear that, as I read her book, I felt her becoming both a mentor and a cheerleader to me! So, join Shellye and me as we have a lively and informative discussion about how to create success on your own terms. Book link: https://amzn.to/43UU67J This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

Our education system provides many incredible resources and yet, there is no class on how to be in a relationship. And, when we think about all of what life has to offer, the quality of our relationships repeatedly shows up as one of the most important. I would like to petition that the class exist and, if there were such a class, I would nominate this episode’s guest to be one of the instructors! Padma Gordon (www.padmagordon.com) has written an outstanding book that serves as a roadmap of highly implementable skills to improve your chances of having a great relationship. Her book, Being Together: Practical Wisdom for Loving Yourself and Your Partner, is now available in print and on audio. It has a five-star average on Amazon and, New York Times bestselling author, Marci Shimoff whose expertise includes relationships said of Padma’s book, “I’m grateful to gain a new perspective and tools, and to be gently reminded about how to be fully present for myself and my partner.” I loved my conversation with Padma, I learned a lot, and I'm confident you will too. So, listen in as Padma and I have a user-friendly and lively talk about the roadmap for a healthy relationship. Book link: https://amzn.to/3JdMN3b This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

To put it mildly, 2020 has been a challenging year. I decided the best way for SuperPsyched to cap it was with the sweetest invention known to humanity: ice cream! Ice cream could practically be considered a psychoactive substance: it’s been used by the military to soothe soldiers after trauma and, of course, it has been a tried-and-true post-breakup remedy for many broken hearts. The best person to walk us through the psychological and sociological factors of this frozen treat is Amy Ettinger (http://amyettinger.com/). Amy is a journalist and the author of a book called The Sweet Spot. The Wall Street Journal called her book, “A surprisingly serious, impressively thorough treatment of ice cream’s cultural significance, fabrication, economics and history, not to mention its effect on human brain chemistry.” As for me, I enjoyed the book so much that I listened to it twice and I loved the conversation I had on this episode with Amy. If you like ice cream, I am confident you will too! So listen in as Amy and I have a lively and informative talk about your brain on ice cream. Book link: https://amzn.to/3NtvqOo This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

Regardless of our political leanings, I think we can all agree on at least one thing: we are living in polarized times. Many people are avoiding friends and family and even losing those relationships due to political leanings. Which leaves us with a big question: what can we do? Enter the great Dr. Tania Israel (http://taniaisrael.com/)! Tania is an exceptionally well-regarded professor of psychology at UC Santa Barbara and the author of a timely book called “Beyond Your Bubble: How to Connect Across the Political Divide, Skills and Strategies for Conversations That Work.” The book has received huge amounts of praise from the New York Times, The Washington Post, and the American Psychological Association has put it in its LifeTools Series. Tania provides much needed levity as well as serious structure for this heavy topic throughout the book and our interview. I love her brilliant roadmap for conversation in what she calls The Flowchart That Will End All Political Conflict in Our Country (you can find the link for it at the bottom of the shownotes). In the meantime, listen in as Tania shares her wisdom and practical tools to help you connect with people who think outside your bubble. http://taniaisrael.com/beyondthebubbleworkshop/dialogue-flowchart/ Book link: https://amzn.to/3J7WDTV This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

I’m a happiness geek and by that, I mean I’m obsessed with research and lifehacks that help increase happiness. Even the name of my podcast, SuperPsyched, is an outshoot of that obsession. And that's where today's guest comes in! I am delighted to introduce transformational teacher and happiness expert, Marci Shimoff (https://happyfornoreason.com/about-marci/). Marci is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of multiple books. In fact, at one point, she had three books in the top-5 of the New York Times Bestsellers list. Marci’s books have sold over 13 million copies including a wonderful book called Happy for No Reason. Marianne Williamson describes Marci as “one of the most compelling people I've ever known,” and I agree. I could have talked with her for hours. Marci is the real deal, and she does the work. Marci has personally tested and implemented habits that have increased her happiness and I believe you can do the same. She shares several of those habits including a new favorite of mine called “The Appreciation Game.” So, listen in as Marci and I engage in a lively discussion about happiness habits. Book link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1416547738/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_7SMYD6F84TGGMSHV7CWD?linkCode=ml2&tag=superpsyche0b-20 This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

Many years ago, I served on a jury. I was transfixed by how smoothly the court operated. Every person involved appeared to be at the top of their game. However, most impressive to me was the judge. As a student of how people think, I couldn't believe how quickly and precisely the judge was able to render complex decisions. I was also awestruck by the incredible presence and attention the job requires for long periods of time. To this day, I consider the cognitive skills required for a judge to be a superpower. So, dear listener, I felt compelled to interview a judge to learn more about how they think. And you are about to listen to a true great! The Honorable Judge Julia Alloggiamento has served on the Bench for nearly a decade after she was elected in 2010 and was sworn in to Santa Clara County Superior Court in 2011. She has presided over misdemeanors, drug treatment court, and felony criminal trials. In addition to being an extremely learned and thoughtful person, Julia strikes me as an exemplar of humility, kindness, and integrity. So, listen in as Julia and I explore what it takes to be a judge and how a judge thinks.

Have you ever met a true Renaissance person? I mean someone who engages in so many diverse and creative projects that it boggles your mind? For me, Hershey Felder (https://www.hersheyfelder.net/) is such a person. He is an internationally-acclaimed, pianist, playwright, actor, singer, and director. A 2014 American Theatre profile said Hershey was "in a category all his own." Hershey specializes in one-person performances where he plays the piano, sings, and transforms himself into the greats of music, including Frederic Chopin, Ludwig van Beethoven, Claude Debussy, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and many other timeless masters! What’s the secret to his over-the-top excellence? He tells me it’s deep thought about the project. He also cites a profound sense of responsibility to all stakeholders of his productions: the audience, the theater company, and absolutely everyone involved. Hershey has made his plays available online for purchase online during COVID and, simply put, they are mesmerizing. I’ve never seen anything like his shows—I feel smarter and a sense of deep satisfaction after watching them and I recommend that you check them out. In addition to being a genius of creativity and performance, Hershey attributes much of his learning to his highly-accomplished wife who was the first female Prime Minister of Canada, Kim Campbell. So, listen in as Hershey and I talk about his secret ingredient for excellence: responsibility.