

Brad Hook Podcast
Bradley Hook
Discover the Brad Hook Show: a place for the curious. Each episode offers deep dives with diverse guests—from academics demystifying theories to athletes discussing grit, authors revealing their thought processes, or storytellers enchanting with tales. It's a fusion of backgrounds and ideas, aiming to provide listeners with a kaleidoscope of inspiration, knowledge, and passion.
Brad is the author of Start With Values (Penguin), founder of the Values Institute, and founder of Surfd.com, an action sports magazine. He is head of the Resilience Lab at Resilience Institute.
Brad is the author of Start With Values (Penguin), founder of the Values Institute, and founder of Surfd.com, an action sports magazine. He is head of the Resilience Lab at Resilience Institute.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 2, 2025 • 52min
Can You Really Spot a Lie? Lessons from the Secret Service — Brad Beeler
Stay connected with me on Instagram (In This EpisodeMeet Brad Beeler — retired U.S. Secret Service Special Agent and the longest-tenured polygraph examiner in agency history. Over 25 years, Brad conducted more criminal polygraph examinations than anyone in Secret Service history, trained thousands of federal agents, and worked at the intersection of influence, deception detection, and human connection. He’s the author of Tell Me Everything: A Secret Service Agent’s Blueprint for Building Trust, Uncovering Truths, and Mastering Every Conversation. In this conversation, we explore what really builds trust, why most of us are awful at spotting lies, and how to communicate with calm presence — in leadership, sales, negotiations, parenting, and everyday life.Big Ideas🧪 We’re bad at lie detection: most people score close to a coin-flip (about ~54%) when judging truth vs fiction — confidence isn’t competence.🫱 The perfect handshake: dry + warm hand, approach at ~45°, brief one-second hold, natural eye contact, slightly lower vocal tone — signals safety and confidence.🧠 First impressions = survival brain: show hands, soft eyes, congruent body language, eyebrow flash/head tilt; avoid triggering fight/flight to build rapport.📈 Polygraph as triage tool: like a mammogram — not the verdict, but a way to shape investigations when used at the right time with the right person.🎧 Lyrics, soundtrack, dance: words (lyrics) matter less than tone (soundtrack) and body language (dance); presence turns communication into “Dolby surround.”🧩 Spotting dishonesty: look for delay, “truth sandwiches” (answering around the question), L-Y qualifiers (“usually,” “typically”), and verbal–nonverbal incongruence.🧍♂️ Position before submission (BJJ → comms): stop chasing hacks; master foundations — first impressions, active listening, tactical empathy.🗣️ Active listening > “Me too”: let people bathe in their topic; ask educated follow-ups; earn reciprocity later.🙅♂️ Non-judgment zones: privacy + non-judgment (think confessional/clinic) lower cortisol and invite truth.📵 Presence is a superpower: put the phone away; attention is the rarest gift in relationships, parenting, and leadership.🧪 Red-teaming life: pressure-test plans/scripts with trusted peers; iterate with feedback.🧘 Taming nerves: vocal warmups, tea with honey, menthol lozenges, (for some) beta blockers under medical advice — treat your voice like your primary de-escalation tool.👨👩👧 Parenting teens: hate the “sin,” not the “sinner”; keep the relationship safe so kids call you when it matters.🌐 Algorithms & extremes: outrage travels; stay out of echo chambers, seek facts, and hold the middle with empathy.📚 The book arc: a soup-to-nuts blueprint — from preparation and first contact to handling dishonesty ethically.Connect with Brad BeelerWebsite: https://bradleybeeler.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradbeeler1865LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradbeeler1865Book (Tell Me Everything): https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Tell-Me-Everything/Brad-Beeler/9781637748428

Sep 25, 2025 • 56min
What Becomes Possible When You Integrate Your Opposites? — Dr. John Demartini
I’d love you to check out my new book, Start With Values (https://values.institute/start-with-values-book/). It’s packed full of tools to help you lead a life that is aligned with your core values, reducing stress and increasing fulfillment. Connect with me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bradhook.In This EpisodeWelcome to a deep, clarifying conversation with Dr. John Demartini—human behavior expert, researcher, prolific author, and global educator whose work spans corporate performance, financial empowerment, leadership, relationships, and social transformation (https://drdemartini.com). We explore how to govern the mind, transform polarized emotion into executive function, and turn so-called “trauma” into growth. You’ll hear unforgettable stories—from martial arts lessons in poise to real-world reframes that dissolve shame, guilt, and fear into grounded action and gratitude. 🌊🧠Big Ideas🧠 The ungoverned mind: amygdala reactivity vs. executive function—why System 1 “feels” before thinking and System 2 “reasons” before reacting.🥋 “Invitation to dance”: the martial arts metaphor for foresight—training the prefrontal cortex to anticipate, plan, and respond without panic.⚖️ Sequential vs. simultaneous contrast: see both sides at once to act with poise rather than react with impulse.🔥 “Passion” means “to suffer”: why fantasy-driven desire (pursue-only or avoid-only) creates misery—and how an inspired mission resolves it.🎯 Mastery ≠ talent: disciplined practice over decades (think concert pianists and elite athletes) builds automatic executive control.🧭 Values alignment: stop living in the shadows of outer authorities; define your hierarchy of values and build a life around what truly matters to you.🪞 Moral hypocrisies: the myth of the one-sided person; perfection is the whole—both sides, integrated and loved.❤️ Unconditionality in real life: you want to be loved when you’re kind and when you’re difficult; others want the same.🌀 Peace/war dynamics: feedback systems balance praise/criticism, calm/conflict—personally, relationally, and societally.🩹 “There is no trauma, only perception”: rigorous reframing turns post-traumatic stress into post-traumatic growth (with vivid case studies).🧩 Perception → decision → action: change the story, change the trajectory; seek the information you’re missing.🛰️ Staying grounded in an AI-accelerated world: whenever you perceive one side, find the opposite—and you’ll return to center.Connect with Dr. John DemartiniWebsite: https://drdemartini.comFree Values Determination: https://drdemartini.com/values/The Breakthrough Experience: https://drdemartini.com/breakthrough-experienceInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjohndemartini/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjohndemartini/

Sep 17, 2025 • 18min
[Guide] How to Stay Calm Under Pressure: Discover the S.P.A.C.E. Method
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies your freedom to choose. In this video I teach my new S.P.A.C.E. method—Stop, Pay attention, Align, Commit, Energize—a simple, research-aligned way to bring your values into high-pressure moments. It takes under two minutes to use and can change the way you navigate stress, conflict, and decision-making.What you’ll learn:You’ll understand why the brain defaults to speed over wisdom under stress, how one breath changes the “brain you’re using,” and how to translate your core values into immediate, practical action—then refuel your system so you can do it again tomorrow.Try it today:Stop (one slow inhale, longer exhale) → Pay attention (name the thoughts & feelings) → Align (pick one top value) → Commit (one action within your control) → Energize (quick reset: breath, light, movement, or connection).Get your free Values Assessment (new)Unlock your AI-powered values profile, top 3 values, archetype, motivation style, and decision tool:👉 https://values.institute/values-app/Read the full guide:👉 https://values.institute/the-s-p-a-c-e-method-using-your-values-when-it-matters-most/Research mentioned:– Slow/controlled breathing improves anxiety and HRV: Zaccaro et al., Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2018).– Cyclic sighing (extended exhale) boosts mood & autonomic balance vs. mindfulness: Balban et al., Cell Reports Medicine (2023).– Naming emotions reduces amygdala reactivity (affect labeling): Lieberman et al., Science (2007).– Values affirmations buffer stress & improve persistence: Cohen & Sherman, Annual Review of Psychology (2014).– Stress-is-enhancing mindset effects: Crum, Salovey & Achor, JEP: General (2013).– Evening blue light suppresses melatonin/delays circadian timing: Cajochen et al. (2005); Chang et al., PNAS (2015).– ACT evidence for psychological flexibility & committed action: A-Tjak et al., Behaviour Research and Therapy (2015); Twohig & Levin, Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (2017).About me:I’m Brad Hook—author of Start With Values, founder of the Values Institute, and Head of the Resilience Lab at Resilience Institute. I teach practical, evidence-based tools to help people and teams live with coherence, calm, and meaningful performance.Work with me / resources:Speaking & workshops: https://bradleyhook.comIf this helped, subscribe, share it with someone who needs it this week, and tell me in the comments which value you’ll use first.

Sep 12, 2025 • 42min
What Does It Take to Row an Ocean (and Beat Cancer)? — Felicity Ashley
I’d love you to check out my new book, Start With Values — https://values.institute/start-with-values-book/. It’s packed with tools to help you live in alignment with your core values, reducing stress and increasing fulfillment. In This EpisodeFelicity Ashley — mother of three, ocean rower, cancer survivor, award-winning motivational speaker, and best-selling author of “Stronger than the Storm” — joins me to explore how fear can become fuel, why preparation builds real confidence, and what it takes to keep saying “yes” to life’s biggest challenges. From a two-month row across the Atlantic (as one of fewer than 250 women to row an ocean) to a stage-three bowel cancer diagnosis, to completing the world’s highest marathon at Everest Base Camp, Felicity’s story is a masterclass in resilience, courage, and purpose.Big Ideas🌊 Leaning into fear: why discomfort is a signal for growth and how preparation (physical + mental) turns terror into competence.🏁 Race day mindset: community, camaraderie, and the electric moment the dock slips away on an ocean row.🌪️ Storm skills: riding giant Atlantic swells, safety protocols (tethers, cabin doors, self-righting boats), and the “white-knuckle” night shifts.🛠️ Control the controllables: two-year training cycles, visualization, and normalizing the unknown.⏳ Sleep on an ocean: two-hours-on, two-hours-off (often 2:1 by day), and why motherhood was a “superpower” against sleep deprivation.🩺 Cancer in the slipstream: noticing symptoms after the row, early diagnosis, surgery + chemo, and using visibility to save lives.🏔️ Everest Base Camp Marathon: pre-acclimatization with a hypoxic tent, trail realities (downhill with 3.5 km of climb), and the generosity of the Nepalese people.🧠 Reframing setbacks: hip replacement before the Atlantic row, turning limits into leverage.🎤 Speaking with purpose: sharing hard-won lessons so others act sooner, braver, and wiser.🧭 No-regrets living: the “rocking-chair test,” saying yes, breaking goals into bite-size steps, and asking for help without shame.🌊 Next horizon: training for the Mid-Pacific row (Monterey to Hawaii), variable conditions, crew dynamics, and race requirements.Connect with Felicity AshleyWebsite: https://www.felicityashley.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felicityashleyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/felicityashleyspeaker/Book — “Stronger than the Storm”: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1068489103

Sep 5, 2025 • 52min
How Do You Turn Trauma Into Purpose? — Rhonda Sciortino
I’d love you to check out my new book, Start With Values (https://values.institute/start-with-values-book/). It’s packed full of tools to help you lead a life that is aligned with your core values, reducing stress and increasing fulfillment. In This EpisodeRhonda Sciortino is a “bootstrapper” in the truest sense. She founded Child Welfare Insurance to protect those caring for abused children, launched the Successful Survivors Foundation to help people mine their toughest experiences for strengths, and co-founded Prevent Child Trafficking Nevada to build a prevention model any community can replicate. She’s the author of 15 books and creator of the courses “Write Your Book in Days” and “Succeed Because of What You’ve Been Through.” In our conversation, we unpack how to discover purpose through service, transform adversity into advantage, cultivate joy (not just fleeting happiness), and practice real kindness that changes lives—starting with your own.Big Ideas🔎 Purpose begins with service — Look around, ask “Who can I help?” and let purpose emerge through repeated acts, not a single epiphany.🧭 From victim to creator — Reframe the past objectively (like a reporter), extract your “gold” (resourcefulness, empathy, grit), and bring those strengths forward.💪 Adversity advantage — Prior hard things build decision-speed and calm under pressure; it’s the difference between freezing and moving when seconds count.😊 Joy vs. happiness — Happiness is a mood that swings; joy is internal, tied to purpose and gratitude, and isn’t switched off by external events.🫶 Real kindness ≠ politeness — It’s giving without expectation. Practiced daily, it amplifies joy and changes how you show up everywhere.👨👩👧 Raising resilient kids — Resist over-rescuing; teach thinking and problem-solving. Let small challenges train nervous-system confidence.🚨 Preventing child trafficking — Know the signs, act safely, and coordinate with law enforcement; community awareness can save lives.🔥 “Succeed because of” your story — Your hardest chapters contain transferable skills that employers, partners, and communities need.🧠 Confidence = self-trust — Walk in with evidence (“here’s what I’ve overcome; here’s how I solve problems”) not empty affirmations.🌱 Gratitude as fuel — Gratitude and joy form a reinforcing loop that steadies you through inevitable setbacks.Connect with Rhonda SciortinoWebsite: https://www.rhonda.orgSuccessful Survivors Foundation: https://www.successfulsurvivors.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rhondasciortinoPrevent Child Trafficking Nevada: https://preventchildtraffickingnevada.org

Aug 30, 2025 • 1h
Why Ancient Wisdom May Be the Only Answer to Artificial Intelligence — Paul Gibbons
I’d love you to check out my new book, Start With Values (https://values.institute/start-with-values-book/). It’s packed full of tools to help you lead a life that is aligned with your core values, reducing stress and increasing fulfillment. In This EpisodePaul Gibbons is one of the world’s most respected voices on the human side of technology and organizational change. Author of seven books—including Adopting AI: The People-First Approach and The Science of Organizational Change—Paul blends philosophy, neuroscience, and practical leadership insights to challenge how we think about culture, technology, and the future of work. In this episode, we dive deep into the promises and perils of AI, why myths about change persist, and what it means to put people before technology.Big Ideas🤖 AI as colleague, not just tool: why Paul believes we must treat AI as a new form of intelligence rather than just software🔥 The Promethean dilemma: is AI more profound than fire and electricity, or a path to dystopia?🌱 People-first adoption: how values, ethics, and human judgment must guide the AI revolution📉 Busting myths: why outdated models of change still dominate boardrooms—and how behavioral science points the way forward💡 Curiosity and resilience: the surprising role of curiosity in mental health, resilience, and even navigating AI adoption🧘 Wisdom vs. intelligence: why reconnecting with ancient wisdom traditions matters more than ever in the age of AI📊 Leadership and culture: what really changes when C-suites embrace recovery, wellbeing, and authentic valuesConnect with Paul GibbonsWebsite: https://paulgibbons.netLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulggibbons/Books on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4fWElUY

Aug 14, 2025 • 54min
Can Relationship Intelligence Transform Your Life? — Railey Molinario
I'd love you to check out my new book, Start With Values (https://values.institute/start-with-values-book/).In This EpisodeAbandoned at birth and raised in abuse, Railey Molinario transformed pain into purpose, becoming a globally recognized thought leader in human connection and emotional strategy. As the Founder of Relationship Intelligence™ (RI), Railey works with high-achieving entrepreneurs, executives, and visionaries to help them build aligned relationships that fuel leadership, impact, and legacy. Featured in Forbes, the BBC, and Yahoo Finance, she’s redefining success by putting relationships at the heart of thriving — in life and leadership.Big Ideas💡 Why relationship intelligence is the missing skill we should all be taught — at home, in school, and in business.🧠 How our early relationship experiences shape our adult behaviors — and how to heal from them.💬 Why real communication is more than just talking, and how to create win–win connections.❤️ The three entities in every relationship — you, me, and us — and how to nurture each one.🌐 How technology changes the way we connect, and why in-person connection remains biologically essential.🚫 The radical idea of fight-free relationships — and how to resolve conflict without resentment.🏢 How leaders can apply relationship intelligence to boost trust, engagement, and productivity in teams.👨👩👧 Practical ways to strengthen the parent–child bond while encouraging independence.🤖 Navigating human connection in the age of AI — and why our relationships still define our future.🌱 The meaning of a truly thriving life — and how to create one aligned with your values.Connect with Railey Molinariohttps://www.raileymolinario.comhttps://www.instagram.com/raileymolinariohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/raileymolinariohttps://www.facebook.com/RaileyMolinariohttps://youtube.com/@raileymolinariohttps://www.tiktok.com/@raileymolinario

Aug 12, 2025 • 12min
[Guide] Why You Can’t Focus Anymore – And How to Fix It
Your attention span is shrinking. Your memory feels foggy. Your time is slipping away.In this video, I break down the science of brain rot — how TikTok and social media platforms hijack your attention, distort your sense of time, and erase your memories before they’re even formed.Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and even Einstein’s theory of relativity, we’ll explore:Why your focus is collapsing (and how “attention residue” sabotages your brain)How social media design mimics casino addiction loopsThe Lethe Effect: why you can’t remember what you just sawHow time speeds up when your life is weightless — and how to slow it down by building “psychological gravity”If you’ve ever wondered why hours vanish when you scroll — and how to get your life back — this is for you.

Aug 2, 2025 • 1h 3min
What Is Your Body Trying to Tell You? — Dr. Evette Rose
I’d love you to check out my new book, Start With Values (https://values.institute/start-with-values-book/). It’s packed full of tools to help you lead a life that is aligned with your core values, reducing stress and increasing fulfillment. 🎙️ In This EpisodeDr. Evette Rose is a globally renowned trauma recovery expert and author of 21 books, including Metaphysical Anatomy: Your Body Is Talking, Are You Listening? With over 7,000 client case studies and events in 43 countries, Evette’s mission is to help people decode the emotional root of physical ailments. In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Evette shares her story of surviving severe anxiety, depression, and even a stress-induced heart attack—and how she transformed her pain into purpose. From psychosomatics to ancestral trauma, and from nervous system collapse to the healing power of support, this episode is an emotional and intellectual masterclass in self-understanding.🧠 Big Ideas💥 How unresolved emotional pain manifests as physical symptoms🌪️ Why calm environments can trigger collapse after trauma🧬 The role of inherited emotional patterns in psychosomatic illness📉 The hidden cost of eustress and overachievement🌡️ What pain might be saying about suppressed anger or powerlessness🫀 The story behind her stress-induced heart attack at age 28🕳️ How avoidance strategies mask emotional dysregulation🛑 Why “coping” is not the same as healing🌊 The power of parts work and internal dialogue🤲 A moving story of finally allowing support—and why it changed everything🔍 Why most people apply the wrong solution to the right problem🌀 How to ask better questions when you feel stuck💫 The definition of true happiness—and why calm contentment is the goal🔗 Connect with Dr. Evette RoseHer free ebook: https://www.evettefreebook.comGuided healing session: https://www.guidedhealingsession.comYouTube channel: https://www.evettevideos.com

Jul 23, 2025 • 48min
How to Deal with Bullies (Including Your Internal Bully) — Marilise de Villiers Basson
In this conversation, Marilise de Villiers Basson shares her journey from a corporate career as a chartered accountant to becoming an entrepreneur and author focused on overcoming bullying and trauma in the workplace. She discusses the importance of recognizing and taming the inner bully, the ROAR framework for navigating difficult conversations, and the emergence of her new initiative, MOAR, which emphasizes workplace wellbeing and energy as currency. Marilise also highlights the need for integrating both masculine and feminine energies in leadership and the importance of finding meaning in work. She concludes with empowering messages about self-compassion and dreaming big.Connect with Marilise: https://www.marilise-de-villiers.com/Survey link: https://forms.gle/Zxw84anX8PfZDYjTAAbout the survey: https://www.marilise-de-villiers.com/blog/the-question-thats-changing-how-we-think-about-work