We are surrounded by the fruits of human creativity and innovation. This capacity to improve our world has done immeasurable good. But where does innovation come from and how do we get more of it?

Looking back to one of the most potent periods of world history, my guest this week—Dr. Anton Howes—guides us through the lessons we can learn from the British Industrial Revolution and how those lessons reveal the nature of innovation today. His concept of an "improving mentality" cuts across all of our everyday experiences, and shows us how we can improve our lives and the lives of those around us.

How do we get more money for those who need it? Charity only accounts for less than 1% of all the money globally, and has stayed consistently flat over time. We need more ways to help people prosper.

Impact investing is a rapidly growing approach that uses capital markets to solve social problems. My guest this week, Geoff Woolley, is a pioneering impact investor with experience growing social impact companies around the world. He'll change the way you think about traditional investing and about the good that business can do.

People spend most of their waking hours working. It's no wonder that we want to enjoy our work, but that can be complicated. The world is full of dangerous or difficult jobs with low pay. How does meaningful work fit ethically in such a world?

In this episode, we'll learn from Dr. Andrea Veltman, an expert in the philosophy of work. Together, we'll confront questions that are guaranteed to make you think differently about your job (and everyone else's too).

Sometimes it's hard to be the hero. According to research, this is one of the most common dilemmas that people face. Bill O'Rourke will guide us through what intervention looks like and how to stand up to those we work with and know. Notice the skills Bill uses, things like gathering the facts, seeking perspective from others, acting confidently, and setting the tone as a leader.

You have a superpower, the ability to imagine completely different circumstances than what reality provides. Take a moment to look around; just about everything you see came from the fruits of someone's creativity. You have the same power, even if you don't think you do.

In this episode, you'll learn how to expand and explore your creativity and our guide will be Andrew Maxfield—composer, entrepreneur, and idea factory. He's the most deliberately creative person I know and an excellent teacher.

"People who were not lacking in capability, but lacking an opportunity"

Artisans in the developing world have incredible, valuable skills, but limited access to global markets. From jewelry to baskets, and pottery to blankets, Melissa Sevy creates opportunities for artisans to flourish, providing jobs, fair pay work, and dignity. But it hasn't been easy. Along the way she faced difficulty, hardship, and brick walls. Yet, her resilient nature overcomes and helped her to be there to strengthen others.

What does a career look like when its very purpose is to embody character, service, and sacrifice? It looks exactly like the career of military chaplains. Chaplains play a critical role that touch every aspect of military service, from battlefield counseling to advising the highest levels of command. Being a good chaplain means being an influence for good, building relationships of trust, and continually focusing on others. These are abilities that all of us could use ourselves. Chaplain George Youstra will be our instructor.

"The real trade secret was that there was no secret."

Elizebeth Holmes—Founder of Theranos—raised billions of dollars in startup capital. The entire company failed to produce a functioning technology, putting customer's lives in danger and defrauding investors.

Tyler Schultz recounts his harrowing experience as a young graduate working in one of the Theranos labs. Insisting on doing the right thing, he blew the whistle on one of the biggest corporate frauds of all time. Along the way, he teaches us key lessons about having an ethical career and living an ethical life.

If we look, we can see missing hope in all kinds of places. Some parents lack hope because their child struggles with chronic illness, some families don't even know if they can buy groceries next week, and some don't even have a home. Throughout his career, David Williams has become an expert in giving people hope, and he'll share what he's learned so that all of us can be better at building hope in others and ourselves.

What makes some people more generous than others? And when it comes to altruism, how do we get more of it? In this episode, we learn about how altruism works in the brain, and the clues are surprisingly found in how psychopaths experience fear. Neuroscientist and professor Abigail Marsh will tell us what she's learned about altruism and the human brain.