SuperPsyched with Dr. Adam Dorsay

If you’re a listener of this podcast, you probably have figured out that I am a huge fan of improv. In fact, this is my third improv-related episode! Each has been unique and has brought its own gifts—and, as you’ll soon hear, this one delivers big. Author and Stanford Emerita in Theater and Performance Studies, Patricia Ryan Madson wrote a book I loved book so much I listened to it twice! It’s called Improv Wisdom: Don't Prepare, Just Show Up. SuperPsyched guest and world-famous Stanford Psychology Professor Emeritus, Dr. Philip Zimbardo said, “Her students often describe her as a ‘goddess,’ but that may be an understatement. I rejoice that her wisdom is now available to new audiences.”  Indeed, Patricia offers improv tips that relate to real life whether you practice improv or not. The skills she shares and endorses can dramatically improve your at-work and at-home lives if you put them into play. So, listen in as Patricia shares improv wisdom!

Many of us have behaviors we'd LOVE to change. But many of those stubborn behaviors are hard to alter. And if we want our behavior to change, we probably won't do it just because someone else tells us to. When that's the case, the person whose voice matters most is our own. That is why I'm so happy I had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Michelle Drapkin (https://cbtcenterofcentralnj.com/dr michelle-drapkin/ about her latest book that involves one of my favorite advances in psychology. You've heard me geek out to it and it's called Motivational Interviewing. Her book is called The Motivational Interviewing Path to Personal Change: The Essential Workbook for Creating the Life You Want. I loved the book and I'm hardly alone. Accolades have come far and wide from the co-originator of Motivational Interviewing, Dr. Bill Miller, as well as the originator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dr. Stephen Hayes. One of my favorite raves came from SuperPsyched guest, Dr. Jill Stoddard who said, "Drapkin has come to the rescue... Her guidance is clear, enthusiastic, and most of all... motivating! I highly recommend this book for anyone who is thinking about making a change and could use a wise guide to help show the way. So, listen in as Michelle and I talk about the power of Motivational Interviewing.

Imagine you are an athlete at the Olympics. You have trained for years and years. You have dreamed of this moment. Your entire country is watching you, cheering for you, even praying that you will win. There is a lot of pressure and so much riding on your performance. But you have trained for thousands of hours and everything rests on this moment. There is noise and energy coming from the audience. And because you are a fighter, your opponent wants to destroy you. How do you find your focus? It is one thing to talk about mindfulness and the power of therapy in everyday life. But putting these to the test in this scenario is an entirely different ball game.  Most of us will never experience what I just described, but my guest on this episode did just that. And as you’ll hear, mindfulness, therapy and, of course, spectacular amounts of practice and preparation made a big difference. Ori Sasson is a two-time bronze medalist at the Olympics where he competed on behalf of Israel. I would describe Ori as a gentle giant. And Ori has explored his sensitivity and anxiety through therapy and found ways to channel these qualities to find greater strength inside and outside of Judo competition. As you’ll hear Ori is generous in sharing his recipe for success. And sadly, as of this recording, rockets are flying over Israel. Ori and I were meant to meet four weeks ago, but he needed to cancel due to these rockets and he nearly needed to cancel our interview today for the second time due to their persistent presence. In spite of these challenges and his WiFi being down, he found a way to make it to the interview. Today, Ori uses the knowledge he gained from Judo competition to assist company employees to find success. So, listen in as Ori shares his secrets for success inside and outside the ring.

Last month, my 14-year-old son came home from school with a book in hand and excitedly said, “Dad, you’ve got to read this book!My son has never said anything like this to me before, and I was immediately intrigued. I picked up the book, a graphic novel, and it took me in immediately. It was engrossing and profound. It was at times hilarious and at other times utterly heartbreaking. Overall, it was a superbly relatable human story that describes a period in the life of an American-born Chinese boy that was true to his experience and that, simultaneously, opens a door to a Chinese mythical world. The author is Gene Luen Yang (https://geneyang.com/), and I was thrilled to learn that his New York Times bestselling, award winning, and critically acclaimed book, American Born Chinese, has been made into an eight-part miniseries on Disney. The miniseries has an all-star lineup the likes of which blows my mind! The cast includes Academy Award Winners Michelle Yeoh and and Ke Huy Quan (also known as Jonathan Ke Quan) and two of my favorite comedians, Ronnie Chieng and Jimmy O Yang! And throughout this interview, you’ll get to learn from Gene who is a cool, kind, and deep-thinking person. I am confident you will appreciate him as much as I have.So, I am releasing this episode to coincide with Chinese New Year. A hearty Gung Hay Fat Choy to all who celebrate! And what a great way to celebrate the Year of the Dragon by listening to Gene share his story and the story behind the story of American Born Chinese. Book link: https://www.amazon.com/American-Born-Chinese-Gene-Luen/dp/1250811899/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Y122ZCVH6U36&keywords=american+born+chinese+book&qid=1702500339&sprefix=american+born%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-1

There's an old riddle- you've probably heard it- that goes "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" The answer? "Practice." Yet I've never heard anybody ask "How you get to Stockholm to receive a Nobel Prize? So, I ask: how do you get to Stockholm for that most coveted of awards? I'm going to say that part of the answer is to spend time and learn from people like Duke University professor of chemistry, and Nobel Laureate, Dr. Robert Lefkowitz. Bob, as he prefers to be called, is a Columbia Medical School-trained physician who loved his clinical work and who stumbled upon the world of scientific research practically by accident. Although he loved being a cardiologist, it turned out he loved being a researcher even more. This outcome in Bob's life has likely impacted your life. I can say this with some certainty because, of the drugs on the market today, his research was relevant in the development of 1/3 to 1/2 of those drugs. It's likely that at least one of those medications has helped you at some point. Furthermore, his research is among the most cited in the world. And when imagine of a Nobel Laureate scientist, you may think of a researcher quietly, alone working in a lab all day talking to no one. That's NOT Bob! He loves people, he mentors his team, and engages them regularly with spectacular interest and vitality. Bob wrote a riveting and highly readable book in 2021 describing his personal and professional life called A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Stockholm. I love the book and so many credible sources have reviewed the book with overwhelmingly positive reviews. Publisher's Weekly said, "Rarely has science been treated with such a winning blend of humor and humanity." I couldn't agree more. You will learn in this episode how Bob thinks, and how, regardless of your aspirations, that thinking may improve your life and future success So, listen in to this kind, enthusiastic, gregarious, and wise researcher and learn from a man who ended up in Stockholm with the most coveted of science awards.

At the time of the release of this episode, it is busy season for mortuaries. According to the CDC, the time of year Americans die most frequently is December through February.And while the only sure things in life are death and taxes, in American society, we are fascinated and simultaneously repelled by death. Our mortuaries are tucked away and so much about death is hidden from daily life.Yet, I believe that when we talk about and get to know a thing, we can become less troubled by it. And that’s why I’m so happy to have had the opportunity to talk with someone who knows death well. In fact, this man deals with it every day.Todd Harra (www.toddharra.com) is the author of four books, on being an undertaker and how societies have dealt with death throughout history. Todd has worked as an undertaker for the last 10 years and he is now vice president at McCrerry and Harra Funeral Homes and Crematory in Wilmington, Delaware. In fact, and as you will hear, Todd comes from a lineage of undertakers that starts before the American Civil War.Todd unpacks so much about the work of an undertaker about grief, and about death itself. Seriously, you don’t want to miss this episode. This is a mind-blowing conversation!So, listen in as Todd shares the inside world of an undertaker. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6826a5.htm

How many of us just wish that we could think faster and talk smarter? I'm going to take a guess that pretty much all of us would like that skill. And that is why I believe that my guest, Stanford Business School lecturer, author, coach, and podcaster, Matt Abrahams (https://mattabrahams.com/) has something to teach us all. Matt is the author of two books including his most recent, Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot. I loved the book, really liked Matt, and have a good reason to believe you will as well. He’s very popular among Stanford Business students where he received the prestigious Alumni Teaching Award in recognition of his teaching students around the world. So, let’s get ready to boost our skills as Matt shares his secrets of thinking faster and talking smarter.

A few summers ago, my wife and I went on a trip to four South African countries. We spent a large portion of the trip on safari, and it was everything we could have hoped. While I was there, I was really impressed with the safari guides. I was blown away by all that they needed to know including: understanding the animals, their behavior, and their footprints, an intimacy with the land, how to keep the animals and the travelers safe, balancing the disparate needs and desires of the individuals in the group, and so many other seemingly superhuman skills. It was as though they had to have the knowledge and brain power to pull off impossible feats every second.  As I prepared for the trip, I read the book of safari guide Peter Allison, the guest on this episode. The book is called, Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of A Botswana Safari Guide. It is gripping, information-packed, and totally entertaining. I agree with National Geographic that said of Peter and his book, “His misadventures make Whatever You Do, Don't Run an absorbing read. . . . The material is rich, and Allison is a gifted storyteller.” As you will also hear, Peter is good-humored, passionate about his work, extremely knowledgeable, and just the kind of guy you would want driving your Jeep on Safari. So, listen in as Peter talks about the inside world of a safari guide.

I'm going to take a guess that most of us--pretty much all of us--would love to be hugely successful in our chosen fields. Unfortunately, there was no class on success in school. In fact, if anything, we learned how to be “good enough” but generally, not exceptional.  And if such a class existed, we would have learned what my guest has studied at the deepest and highest levels.  Dr. Ruth Gotian wrote a book I wish I’d read decades ago called The Success Factor: Developing the Mindset and Skillset for Peak Business Performance. I loved the book and I’m not alone. Countless thought leaders you likely know and love have praised her book including SuperPsyched guest and Duke Business School professor, Dorie Clark, who said, “Ruth Gotian has reverse-engineered the path to success, based on her research with extreme high achievers, and offers useful tools and strategies which will give you a giant leap forward on your own path to greatness."  Beautifully stated, Dorie! So, listen in as Ruth unpacks the science of success, and what it takes to achieve at the highest levels.

Many New Year resolutions can be directly or indirectly related to this year-end episode’s content: cultivating curiosity. When we are overcome by our emotions, especially fear or anger, our brain can lose its capacity to reason. When this happens, it’s hard to think, and the phenomenon is referred to as an amygdala hijack. The amygdala, which is responsible for fear, anger, and other emotions, takes over the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for executive thinking, judgment, reasoning, and higher thinking. But here’s a great brain hack to deal with this, as described by multiple New York Times best-selling author, the hilarious and brilliant AJ Jacobs: get curious, not furious. Activating curiosity can override the action of the amygdala and activate your prefrontal cortex, so your executive brain can call the shots. So, listen in as four-time guest, AJ and I talk about getting curious and not furious, as well as sprinkling in some gratitude for good measure.