We are told from a young age to pursue love—romantic love, self-love, divine love. But how do you actually define love? And once you do, how do you find it?

Cleo Wade is the right person to ask. She's a poet whose latest book is called “Remember Love: Words for Tender Times.” Our conversation about love led down many paths: we talked about appreciating pain, staying present, and the resurgence of poetry.

This is... A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Cleo and her work check out:

her new book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/724180/remember-love-by-cleo-wade/

https://cleowade.com/

How do you run a thriving company that cares more about impact than about profit and margins?

Karissa Bodnar is a genius CEO who dedicated herself to building a cause-based company. Thrive Causemetics started out of her one-bedroom apartment and now it’s a massively successful brand that has donated over $139 million of value to those in need.

We sat down to talk about finding your purpose, leading younger generations, and so much more.  

This is… A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Karissa and her work check out: 

https://thrivecausemetics.com/pages/our-story

How are you? It’s a question we get asked everyday, but we hardly ever answer it honestly.  

When Diego Perez — also known under his penname, Yung Pueblo — started asking himself that question and answering honestly, his entire life changed.

In this conversation, Diego opens up about his own struggles with addiction and shares hard-earned wisdom about conflict, spirituality, and so much more.

This is...A Bit of Optimism.

For more of Yung Pueblo's work check out: 

his new book out today The Way Forward

https://yungpueblo.com/

How do people become powerful? Can understanding power protect us from those who wield it too strongly?

When Robert Greene first set out to write about power, he didn’t have much of it. He worked odd jobs and was largely at the mercy of other people’s power. Now, his book “The 48 Laws of Power” has given him the power he wrote about. He sat down with me to share what he’s learned on both sides of that spectrum.

This… is a Bit of Optimism.

For more on Robert and his work, check out:

https://powerseductionandwar.com/

Failure is the secret to success. Our failures are agents of inspiration, iteration, and innovation.  

Dr. Amy Edmondson is the Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School and her newest book "Right Kind of Wrong" is all about how we can change our relationship with failures and start “failing well.”  

This is…A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Dr. Amy Edmondson and her work check out:

https://www.amazon.com/Right-Kind-Wrong-Science-Failing/dp/1982195061

https://amycedmondson.com/

https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6451

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycedmondson/

https://twitter.com/AmyCEdmondson

https://www.instagram.com/amycedmondson/

You’ll never achieve perfect happiness. This might sound like bad news, but it’s actually a good thing. Because being happy is not a final destination, it’s an ongoing practice. In short, it’s happier-ness.

That’s a term Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey coined in their new book “Build the Life You Want” where together they lay out a blueprint for a better life. And they would know: Arthur has studied the science of happiness for over 25 years, and I have never had a conversation with him that I haven’t left with a life-changing perspective on what it means to live a meaningful life. 

This conversation was no different.

This… is a Bit of Optimism.

For more on Arthur and his work check out: 

https://www.amazon.com/Build-Life-You-Want-Science/dp/0593545400

arthurbrooks.com

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When should we trust our gut and when should we depend on logic? 

Liv Boeree can actually answer that question.  She won the World Series of Poker before retiring from the game to explore big questions about game theory, competition, and how we can all find more win-wins.

This is…a Bit of Optimism.

For more on Liv and her work check out: 

https://livboeree.com/

When should you quit a project and when should you persevere?

As one of the world’s leading entrepreneurs, Steven Bartlett has thought deeply about this problem.

Steven is used to getting people to open up on his podcast, but it turns out he’s just as insightful when the focus is on him. 

This is…a Bit of Optimism.

For more on Steven and his work check out: 

His new book: https://smarturl.it/DOACbook

His website: https://stevenbartlett.com/

How you do anything is how you do everything.

Steven Bartlett embodies this old adage.  His high standards and focus on the finest details launched him from a broke university dropout to one of the world’s most influential entrepreneurs.

At 30-years-old he has already founded multiple companies, starred on Britain’s hit tv show Dragon’s Den, and he is now the host of one of the planet’s most popular podcasts, Diary of a CEO.  

He is a leader for the new era. It was a joy to turn the tables on him and have him talk about himself for a change. 

His new book, Diary of a CEO, is available for pre-order now. 

This is…a Bit of Optimism.

For more on Steven and his work check out: 

His new book: https://smarturl.it/DOACbook

His website: https://stevenbartlett.com/

Great businesses often look a lot like social movements.  

Sharmadean Reid knows this from experience—she has combined technology and culture to create multiple businesses around strong communities. She started her first business at 24, creating a nail salon that changed the beauty industry. Now she runs a media network for the next generation of women in power.  

This is…A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Sharmadean and her work, check out:

https://thestack.world

https://sharmadeanreid.com