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Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement
By Sam Webster Harris | Growth Mindset PsychologySociety & CultureScienceSocial SciencesEducationSelf-ImprovementPhilosophy
Based on Podcast App listening data
Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement episodes
- AMA: Accountability and Procrastination, Lasting Enthusiasm and Auditory Processing Issues
Why we procrastinate, lose enthusiasm and struggle to process spoken information—and what actually helps.
In this listener AMA, I answer three questions: how auditory processing difficulties affect a child’s willingness to learn, why enthusiasm disappears even when nothing is objectively wrong, and how to stop procrastinating on projects that matter. I share my own experience of struggling with spoken instructions, language learning and getting a podcast off the ground. We look at why “just try harder” usually fails, why accountability often works better than willpower, and how to make difficult tasks feel less punishing.
Separate low enthusiasm from negativity bias before deciding whether to quit.
Turn one intimidating project into visible, small next actions.
Use deadlines, other people and reduced friction to make follow-through easier.
If this gave you a useful idea, send it to someone who needs permission to start imperfectly.
SPONSORS
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- Book a free 15 min call
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🌎 Planet Visionaries Podcast
- Alex Honnold interview people reshaping what's possible
- Part of the Rolex Perpetual Plant Initiative
- Listen on Apple podcasts
🌳 Acorns
- Smart way to grow your money
- $5 welcome bonus
- Acorns.com/PSYCHOLOGY
NEW SHOW - How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation
Learn about the evolving story of the human species and our ideas told in chronological order. The podcast is full of fun facts, surprising stories and philosophical insights.
Found on all major podcast players:
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
- Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
- YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
UPGRADE to Premium:
🏖️ Ad-free listening
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail.com
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to the AMA
00:38 Auditory Processing and Willingness to Learn
03:36 My Experience of Learning Difficulties
05:18 Learning Spanish in Mexico
07:10 How Environment Shapes Learning
10:01 Signs of Auditory Processing Issues
14:02 Enthusiasm vs Negativity Bias
16:52 Why You Might Feel Flat, Not Negative
19:35 What to Do About Low Enthusiasm
21:08 Accountability and Procrastination
22:42 How I Finally Launched the Podcast
26:52 Productivity Books and Planning Tools
29:12 Breaking Big Projects Into Small Tasks
32:00 Habits, Focus and Finishing Deadlines
35:09 Thanks and Send-OffTopics discussed
Auditory processing difficulties and learning support
Why children lose confidence at school
Making difficult skills easier and more enjoyable
The difference between low enthusiasm and negativity bias
How to rebuild motivation without quitting everything
Accountability strategies for procrastination
Breaking overwhelming projects into manageable tasks
Using deadlines and habits to finish creative work
Reducing friction between writing and publishing
Visual planning, mind mapping and task organisation
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
39 min - How to Make Your Ideas Survive a Changing World
A life is brief. An idea can travel further than its inventor ever will. What determines which ones last?
We follow life’s story from the first organisms to the systems we build today, using three laws of biology as a lens: competition, selection and reproduction. These aren’t just rules for animals in a nature documentary. They also help us think about innovation, businesses, beliefs and the ambitions that shape our own lives.
Seen this way, success isn’t simply being clever or working harder. An idea must meet a real need, adapt when its environment changes, and find a way to continue beyond its creator. That doesn’t make the future predictable. It makes it more open: if survival depends partly on fit, then changing the idea—or the conditions around it—can change what becomes possible.
Notice which assumptions your environment is rewarding—and which it is quietly discarding.
Make room for variation before committing everything to one solution.
Ask how your idea can remain useful when you are no longer there to carry it.
Listen with curiosity, then consider what you could create that others might adapt, share and carry forward.
SPONSORS
🌳 Acorns
- Smart way to grow your money
- $5 welcome bonus
- Acorns.com/PSYCHOLOGY
🌎 Planet Visionaries Podcast
- Alex Honnold interview people reshaping what's possible
- Part of the Rolex Perpetual Plant Initiative
- Listen on Apple podcasts
NEW SHOW - How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation
Learn about the evolving story of the human species and our ideas told in chronological order. The podcast is full of fun facts, surprising stories and philosophical insights.
Found on all major podcast players:
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
- Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
- YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
UPGRADE to Premium:
🏖️ Ad-free listening
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail.com
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Philosophical Questions
02:32 The Beginning of the Universe
03:42 The Story of Life on Earth
04:05 Three Rules of Biology
07:34 The First Law: Life is Competition
09:06 The Evolution of Competition
12:25 The Second Law: Life is Selection
14:30 Inequality in Nature and Society
16:18 Balancing Freedom and Equality
18:53 The Third Law: Life Must Breed
20:24 The Gift of Existence
20:39 Human Progress and Fire
21:14 Agricultural Revolution and Civilization
21:53 Fertility and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations
22:27 Population Dynamics: Japan vs. Nigeria
23:17 Ideas and Religions: Survival of the Fittest
24:54 The Three Horsemen: Famine, Disease, and War
30:06 Modern Challenges and Fertility Trends
31:09 The Laws of Biology in Action
32:13 Conclusion and Future EpisodesTopics discussed
The three laws of biology and life
Competition as the engine of evolution
Natural selection and why life is unfair
Freedom versus equality in human societies
Reproduction and the survival of ideas
Fertility rates and the future of nations
Famine, disease and war as population checks
How civilizations rise, grow and decline
Adapting your thinking to changing conditions
Building ideas that compete, adapt and spread
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
37 min - How to Catch Your Brain Lying to You: A Practical Guide to Self-Awareness Over Ego
It's easy to spend our lives defending a story about who we are, instead of finding out who we could become.
This episode is an invitation to stop protecting your ego and start practising self-awareness as a craft. We look at how high intelligence can turn into a sophisticated self-deception machine, and how the stories we tell ourselves—“I’m the rational one”, “I learn from feedback”, “I’m different from those stubborn people”—are often the very things that keep us stuck.
Through real examples from science, travel, and building (and misbuilding) companies, you’ll see how ego hides in certainty, and how growth begins the moment you allow yourself to be wrong on purpose. This is about a shift in identity, from someone who must be right to someone who is willing to see.
Identify three recurring patterns where your ego resists uncomfortable truths.
Create a regular “ego audit” ritual: write, reflect, and invite honest feedback.
Choose relationships and environments that reward curiosity over confidence.
Hit play if you’re ready to trade the comfort of being right for the possibility of becoming wiser.
SPONSORS
🌳 Acorns
- Smart way to grow your money
- $5 welcome bonus
- Acorns.com/PSYCHOLOGY
🌎 Planet Visionaries Podcast
- Alex Honnold interview people reshaping what's possible
- Part of the Rolex Perpetual Plant Initiative
- Listen on Apple podcasts
UPGRADE to Premium:
🏖️ Ad-free listening
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail.com
Chapters
00:00 Intro: Intelligence as a Burden
02:50 What This Episode Is About
05:25 How Good Are You at Understanding Information?
07:55 Being Aware of Your Flaws
10:42 Mistake 1: The Unscientific Scientist
14:00 Mistake 2: The Unbalanced Balancer
18:13 Mistake 3: The Unentrepreneurial Entrepreneur
22:47 Recap: Three Big Mistakes
23:05 Becoming an Ego Detective
24:28 Tip 1: Write Down Three Big Errors
25:25 Tip 2: Nurturing Strategies for Awareness
26:46 Tip 3: Find Your Crowd
27:18 Outro and Final ThoughtsTopics discussed
Why smart people trick themselves into being right
How ego hides unconscious bias in everyday decisions
Real stories of ego-driven mistakes in work and life
The link between high IQ and self-deception
Simple habits to build honest self-awareness
Spotting blind spots before they cost you
How to learn from feedback without defensiveness
Using reflection and journaling to reduce ego traps
Choosing friends who challenge your certainty
Turning mistakes into fuel for long-term growth
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
31 min - Faster Than Normal - Living well with ADHD
The peculiar thing about attention deficit is that everybody seems to have it these days, whether they've earned it through proper diagnosis or simply absorbed it from an enthusiastic TikTok video filmed in someone's bathroom.
What I've learned, from my own escapades, and partly through reading Peter Shankman's excellent book Faster Than Normal, is that whatever your brain does, you need to learn how to drive it.
This conversation covers the four rules Shankman uses to turn a supposedly defective brain into rather useful equipment, none of which involve medication or particularly virtuous behaviour.
Structure your environment so willpower becomes optional
Eliminate choice wherever possible — routine isn't boring, it's protective
Exercise before you need focus, not after you've lost it
Work with your strengths, delegate the rest
SPONSORS
☺️ MOD.com
- Prescription Modafinil for energy and focus.
- Free consultation, free shipping and 10% off
- Promo code PSYCHOLOGY at MOD.com
🌎 Planet Visionaries Podcast
- Alex Honnold interviews people reshaping what's possible
- Part of the Rolex Perpetual Plant Initiative
- Listen on Apple podcasts
UPGRADE to Premium:
🏖️ Ad-free listening
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail.com
Chapters
00:00 Sam's ADHD Reality Check
03:10 Podcast Intro and Season Kickoff
05:23 Reframing ADHD as Strength
06:17 ADHD Stereotypes Explained
08:15 ADD vs ADHD Breakdown
09:41 The Shy Extrovert Story
10:53 The Supercar Brain Metaphor
12:34 Strengths Over Weaknesses
15:26 Rule One: Eliminate Choice
22:44 Rule Two: Eat Healthy
24:21 Rule Three: Morning Exercise for Dopamine
26:08 Rule Four: Active Lifestyle and Micro Workouts
28:53 Sleep Fuels Focus
29:26 Food as Procrastination
31:07 Tools, Assistants and Tracking
35:23 Ratings and Book Recommendations
36:00 Next Book and FarewellTopics discussed
Sam shares his recent official ADHD diagnosis and what it finally explained about his life
The TikTok self-diagnosis trend and why overdiagnosis drowns out people who actually have ADHD
Peter Shankman's Faster Than Normal book and the supercar metaphor for the ADHD brain
Why Sam never held a job longer than nine months and what that pattern revealed
The difference between ADD and ADHD and how stereotypes miss quiet, inattentive presentations
Four core rules from the book: eliminate choice, eat well, exercise first, stay active
The apple versus Doritos rule for distinguishing real hunger from boredom eating
How to design your life around your brain instead of fighting your natural weaknesses
Why batching meetings and tracking data helps neurodivergent people protect their focus and energy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
39 min - The Deep-Thinking Habits That Quietly Change Your Life
Train your brain to resist distraction, form your own opinions, and think like an intellectual.
When every answer is one click away, we’ve forgotten how to enjoy the struggle of figuring things out. This episode explores the radical act of thinking more slowly in a fast-paced world.
Modern life has made us intellectual snackers: we graze on headlines, notifications, and other people’s opinions until our minds feel full on intellectual candy floss.
Drawing on ideas from Cal Newport, Charlie Munger, and curious historical figures, we unpack why boredom, better information, and stronger memory are the unsung heroes of clear thinking.
You’ll learn:
- How to design an information diet that actually feeds your brain
- How to become comfortable enough with silence to let your own ideas emerge
- How to train your attention so it doesn’t sprint away at the first ping.
You don't need to turn into a monk, but hopefully this is a gentle nudge to think with more depth, nuance, and independence.
SPONSORS
☺️ MOD.com
- Prescription Modafinil for energy and focus.
- Free consultation, free shipping and 10% off
- Promo code PSYCHOLOGY at MOD.com
🌎 Planet Visionaries Podcast
- Alex Honnold interview people reshaping what's possible
- Part of the Rolex Perpetual Plant Initiative
- Listen on Apple podcasts
UPGRADE to Premium:
🏖️ Ad-free listening
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail.com
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Deep Thinking
02:04 Using Charlie Munger’s Inversion Approach
05:02 System One vs. System Two Thinking
06:14 Improving Information Quality
09:34 Comfort with Boredom
13:35 Cultivating Attention
16:23 Tracking Your Progress
18:00 Increasing Working Memory
21:47 Intellectual Practice
22:13 Pairing Primary and Secondary Sources
23:02 Richard Feynman’s Idea Documents
25:46 Adopting Intellectual Curiosity
27:38 Benjamin Franklin’s Deep Thinkers Club
28:12 Launching a Book Club
29:02 Rebranding the Podcast
30:08 Starting a Second Podcast
31:43 Episode Summary and Final ThoughtsTopics discussed
How to think more deeply in a world designed for shallow attention
Why outsourcing your opinions to social media weakens independent thought
The cognitive cost of prioritising fast emotional hits over slow work
How checklist mentality creates the illusion of progress without real depth
System One versus System Two thinking and why deeper thinkers choose slower
Building an information diet that improves the quality of what you consume
Training your brain to become more comfortable with boredom and silence
Practical ways to sanitise your phone and reduce distraction in daily life
Strengthening working memory so you can hold and connect complex ideas
How intellectual curiosity and argumentative thinking sharpen judgment and reduce bias
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
37 min - Can Psychedelics Really Help You Change Your Patterns?
Have you ever wonder if the thing keeping you stuck is yourself? Invisible rules your brain runs on that you have no choice over... In this episode, we go inside guided psilocybin retreats to see how people actually change deep mental patterns.
As they say the “trip” is only the start.
We talk with Gabriel Charalambides, founder of Odyssey, about what happens in the brain during these experiences: the default mode network quiets down, old self-stories lose their grip, and the mind becomes unusually open to new connections.
But the real work shows up afterwards, in the quiet days of writing, reflection, and small experiments that turn a powerful experience into lasting change. We also cover who these retreats help, who they don’t, and why integration matters more than most people think.
Understand how psychedelics can temporarily loosen rigid thought patterns
Learn why post-experience integration is where real change happens
See the limits and risks so you can think clearly about your own path
If you’ve ever felt stuck in the same mental loops, this conversation might give you a new map for getting out.
SPONSORS
☺️ MOD.com
- Prescription Modafinil for energy and focus.
- Free consultation, free shipping and 10% off
- Promo code PSYCHOLOGY at MOD.com
🌎 Planet Visionaries Podcast
- Alex Honnold interview people reshaping what's possible
- Part of the Rolex Perpetual Plant Initiative
- Listen on Apple podcasts
UPGRADE to Premium:
🏖️ Ad-free listening
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail.com
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Psilocybin and Odyssey
02:08 Defining Growth Mindset and Oceanic Boundlessness
07:59 The Attachment to Ego and Spiritual Perspectives
11:06 Recommended Reading and Book Tangent
12:32 The Role of Anxiety and Letting Go During Experiences
15:09 The Role of Retreat Guides and Holding Space
17:53 Reflections and Note-Taking During Retreats
21:39 Screening and Assessing Suitability for Retreats
24:26 The Potential Benefits of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
31:00 Restrictions and Who Should Avoid Psilocybin Retreats
34:02 Considerations for Mental Health Conditions
36:19 Psychedelics and Narcissism
37:29 The Training and Qualifications of Retreat Guides
41:49 The Neuroscience of Psychedelic-Induced Neuroplasticity
43:17 Flow States, Meditation, and ADHD
48:51 Cultural Differences in Participants
49:53 About Odyssey and How to Get Involved
50:29 Books Discussed and Final RecommendationsTopics discussed
Psilocybin retreats for depression, trauma, OCD, and breaking mental patterns
Oceanic boundlessness and ego dissolution during guided psychedelic experiences
Default mode network, neuroplasticity, and how psilocybin changes the brain
Integration practices that turn psychedelic insights into lasting behaviour change
Who should avoid psilocybin: psychosis risk, bipolar, borderline, and cardiac issues
The role of retreat guides in creating safety without steering the experience
Anxiety, panic attacks, and navigating difficult moments during psychedelic journeys
Comparing psychedelic experiences with meditation, near-death experiences, and flow states
Screening criteria and realistic expectations for legal psilocybin retreats in Oregon
Recommended books on psychedelics, mindfulness, and personal growth for listeners
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
57 min - 34 Unconventional Life Lessons That Changed My Definition of Success
Beyond money, status, and attractive partner where do we find meaning, and happiness?
Across 34 unconventional life lessons, we explore the inner machinery behind a meaningful life: why status can behave like a sugary breakfast cereal, why exercise is cheaper than many illnesses, and why some of our finest ideas arrive only after we stop staring aggressively at a blank page.
Along the way, we consider discipline, creativity, money, identity, empathy, confirmation bias, and the possibility that society is held together with rather more metaphorical duct tape than anyone would like to admit.
We all have enough heroic checklists for self-improvement. My aim is to make familiar ideas seem strange enough to re-examine properly. That and to leave you feeling slightly more optimistic about being human.
Treat mistakes as tuition rather than evidence of failure.
Make room for rest, curiosity, and unplanned opportunities.
Build beliefs carefully instead of inheriting them wholesale.
Listen in and discover why a less certain life may be a happier one.
SPONSORS
☺️ MOD.com
- Prescription Modafinil for energy and focus.
- Free consultation, free shipping and 10% off
- Promo code PSYCHOLOGY at MOD.com
🌎 Planet Visionaries Podcast
- Alex Honnold interview people reshaping what's possible
- Part of the Rolex Perpetual Plant Initiative
- Listen on Apple podcasts
UPGRADE to Premium:
🏖️ Ad-free listening
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail.com
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage
00:27 Exploring Thought-Provoking Ideas
00:44 Welcome to the Growth Mindset Podcast
01:09 Personal Philosophy and Lifelong Learning
01:14 The Importance of Understanding Books
02:54 Are You Pursuing a Shadow Career?
03:32 You Don’t Need a Side Hustle
04:14 You Do Need an Exercise Habit
04:47 Your Best Work Happens When You Aren’t Working
05:39 Ideas Are Stepping Stones
06:14 Money Is a Tool
06:54 Life Is Too Short for the Wrong Pursuits
07:36 It’s How You Do It
08:23 Practise the Emotions You Want to Feel
09:35 Find Out Who You Are
10:07 Find Your Personal Voice
11:04 Discipline Is More Important Than Talent
11:40 IQ Is an Unfair Advantage
13:01 Apply Yourself Accordingly
14:08 Make Other People Feel Clever
14:59 Think Bigger
16:17 No One Thinks About You as Much as You Do
16:53 Make Your Life Story Interesting
17:47 Use First-Principles Thinking
18:56 Learn from Other People’s Mistakes
19:56 Too Much of Anything Is Bad
20:59 Society Is an Accident
21:36 Embrace Unplanned Opportunities
22:22 The World Is Duct-Taped Together
24:06 Question What You Take for Granted
25:54 Build Your Own Beliefs
27:50 Keep Your Identity Small
28:38 Understand Your Biases
30:28 Empathy Makes the World Nicer
30:38 Life Is About Contrasts
31:20 Anger Is a Useless Emotion
32:17 Camera Angles and Stories
33:43 Big and Small Things Matter
34:20 Final Thoughts and Birthday WishLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
38 min - Why So Many People Secretly Struggle With Porn Addiction
An honest conversation on addiction, depression, and identity with recovery coach Powerful Eric.
This week we talk about the strange modern epidemic of porn addiction, an affliction so quietly widespread that roughly one in nine men wrestle with it, yet almost nobody mentions it at dinner.
Eric explains how the brain mistakes novelty for reward, why the "disease model" of addiction may be doing more harm than good, and how a golden Buddha buried under centuries of clay became his favourite metaphor for the human mind. It is a hopeful, occasionally hilarious, thoroughly researched conversation about getting your brain back.
Why the brain falls into compulsive behaviours
How identity, not willpower, drives lasting behaviour change
What a buried golden statue can teach you about recovery
SPONSORS
☺️ MOD.com
- Prescription Modafinil for energy and focus.
- Free consultation, free shipping and 10% off
- Promo code PSYCHOLOGY at MOD.com
☺️ NOCD
- Struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help
- Book a free 15 min call
- https://learn.nocd.com/growthmindset
NEW SHOW - How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation
Learn about the evolving story of the human species and our ideas told in chronological order. The podcast is full of fun facts, surprising stories and philosophical insights.
Found on all major podcast players:
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
- Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
- YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
UPGRADE to Premium:
🏖️ Ad-free listening
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail.com
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Trigger Warning
02:26 Recognizing Porn Addiction
05:43 Eric's Personal Struggle
08:26 Eric's Journey to Beating Addiction
11:00 Identity Reconstruction
15:44 The Dangers of Porn Desensitization
20:10 Addiction's Impact on Mental Health
22:08 Reframing the Disease Model
24:31 The Rise of AI-Generated Porn
29:04 Schizophrenia and Murder
31:26 Finding a Healthy Habit
35:12 Overcoming Moral Conflicts
37:59 Masturbation vs Pornography
41:36 Eric's Advice and Resources
43:32 Earliest Memories and Acts of Kindness
44:58 OutroLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
50 min - Psychology of Mistakes: 7 Lazy Thinking Habits You Don't Notice You Have
Human beings, it turns out, are magnificently good at fooling themselves.
Sadly the mind has developed an elaborate way of hiding our worst thinking mistakes from us. Our shortcut-taking so instinctive we rarely notice it happening.
This episode explores seven of these habits and on the way answers a lot of questions. Why do we blame the referee and ignore our own missed shots? Why does a friend's anecdote beat a mountain of statistics? Why do the people who commit history's worst atrocities rarely think of themselves as villains?
I find it oddly comforting discovering that everyone, including myself, is quietly wired / weird this way. Hopefully you do to and can learn to start working around it.
Catch yourself assigning blame to one convenient cause
Ask what a friend's story leaves out that the statistics reveal
Notice when certainty feels good but the evidence is thin
Listen in, and you may never trust your first instinct quite the same way again.
SPONSORS
☺️ MOD.com
- Prescription Modafinil for energy and focus.
- Free consultation, free shipping and 10% off
- Promo code PSYCHOLOGY at MOD.com
☺️ NOCD
- Struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help
- Book a free 15 min call
- https://learn.nocd.com/growthmindset
NEW SHOW - How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation
Learn about the evolving story of the human species and our ideas told in chronological order. The podcast is full of fun facts, surprising stories and philosophical insights.
Found on all major podcast players:
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
- Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
- YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
UPGRADE to Premium:
🏖️ Ad-free listening
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail.com
Chapters
00:00 Benefits of thinking hard thoughts
00:52 Developing ourselves and our thinking
01:12 Optimizing for the wrong things
02:45 Doubting takes time and energy
03:39 The 7 biggest flaws of lazy thinking
06:35 Single cause explanations to complex events
08:52 Justifying your own actions while judging others
11:52 Tangent on the book Evil
14:01 Your field of vision isn't everyone else's
17:45 Prioritizing stories over statistics
20:26 Outsourcing hard decisions to experts
23:47 Overconfidence
25:59 Annie Duke and thinking in bets
28:00 Accepting probability and reality
29:11 OutroTopics discussed
Why humans default to lazy thinking instead of doing the harder mental work
How rushing to eliminate doubt leads to wrongful blame and bad decisions
Why blaming one cause for complex events ignores the real bigger picture
How we justify our own mistakes while judging others for the same ones
Why ordinary people can rationalize evil without believing they're doing wrong
How assuming everyone shares your worldview limits empathy and understanding
Why personal stories persuade us more than statistics, even when we're wrong
The hidden risks of outsourcing big decisions to consultants and so-called experts
How overconfidence blinds us to the role of luck and probability in life
Why embracing uncertainty leads to better decisions than chasing false certainty
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
33 min - 8 Questions I asked Myself after 30
The World Record Breaking Jack Cai is back on the show. Asking Sam some of the deep life questions he asks himself a lot.
To say this was a discussion on a single topic that stayed focused would be a big old lie. We discuss various random things: from making the most of your time on earth or with your grandparents to youtube thumbnail strategies.
Should Sam keep building a podcast in a crowded market, or walk away entirely? Is a rootless, nomadic life actually freedom, or a disguise for avoiding commitment?
The conversation might not resolve into a tidy lesson but that's life and we can enjoy it nonetheless.
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NEW SHOW - How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation
Learn about the evolving story of the human species and our ideas told in chronological order. The podcast is full of fun facts, surprising stories and philosophical insights.
Found on all major podcast players:
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
- Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
- YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
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GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail.com
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview
01:43 Asking Friends What They Think of You
02:54 What's Next for Sam - Stop Podcasting or Get a Job?
06:02 Relationships and Staying Connected as a Nomad
07:21 Where Sam Wants to Live Next
11:41 What Works on YouTube
12:48 GeoWizard vs Zack and Jay
15:25 Why Community Matters for Growth
18:20 Jack's Own YouTube Journey
20:00 The Power of Obsession in Content
21:41 Outro and CreditsTopics discussed
- Why asking friends for honest feedback reveals more about your future than self-reflection alone.
- How to decide whether to quit a podcast, take a job, or build something entirely new.
- The hidden loneliness of digital nomad life despite the freedom it appears to offer.
- Key factors for choosing where to live abroad, including language, healthcare, and housing costs.
- Why spending time with aging grandparents matters more than it feels like in the moment.
- What separates GeoWizard's loyal YouTube audience from Zack and Jay's clickbait-driven format.
- Why parasocial connection and background listening build stronger audiences than viral thumbnails.
- How comedy and storytelling give any YouTube script a structural advantage over competitors.
- Why obsessive depth, like the Dissect podcast's song-by-song breakdowns, builds lasting niche loyalty.
- How ADHD can fuel creative obsession when channeled into the right long-term project.
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26 min
About Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement
From the publisher's feed
Most self-help advice is guesswork dressed up as wisdom. We dig into psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral science to find what actually changes lives.
WHY LISTEN?
Over 8 million downloads because we answer the questions that matter: How do I build mental strength? What creates lasting motivation? How can I understand my own mind well enough to work with it, not against it?
This podcast is for curious skeptics who want frameworks backed by psychology studies, not Instagram quotes. Whether you're navigating procrastination, building self-discipline, or designing your own philosophy for a life well lived—we explore the hidden psychology behind real change.
WHAT YOU'LL GET
Mental models and simple techniques from cognitive psychology, positive psychology, and ancient wisdom traditions like Stoicism and Buddhism.
Being a human can be confusing, learning about it doesn’t have to be.
We cover everything from emotional intelligence and habit formation to brain health and the nervous system.
WHAT YOU DON’T GET
No pseudoscience. No oversimplified "hacks." No hustle porn.
Just practical insights on mindset improvement, self-development, and human psychology that respect your intelligence and mental health.
THE APPROACH
Instead of telling you what to think, we explore how thinking works. Armed with psychology studies, social science research, and relentless curiosity, we uncover the mechanics of belief change, attitude change, and personal development.
Success is personal. You might want to leverage your neurodiverse strengths, build a business, or simply discover how to be happier. We provide the mental frameworks to pursue your definition of success with mental strength and self-care that fits your life.
YOUR HOST
I'm Sam Webster Harris—a lifelong learner with ADHD and an obsession with finding answers to hard questions. After launching businesses, traveling the world, and nearly dying a few times, I concluded that psychology and science are where real wisdom lives.
This show is my excuse to dive deep into health and fitness research, behavioral psychology, and cool science while helping you build genuine self-discipline and motivation.
PREMIUM
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PAST SERIES
Previous guests include Olympians, Scientists, Billionaires, and Sam's Mum.
Past series:
— Psychology vs Stoicism
— Time Management for Busy Mortals
— Independence and Knowing Yourself
— Cognitive Biases and Rational Thinking
— Psychology of Connection and Relationships
— Carol Dweck and the Multiverse of Mindsets
— Addiction and Behaviour Change
— Nervous System Mastery and Polyvagal Theory
— Mental Strength and Self-Discipline
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