Life and Lessons by Sean Spooner

Rory Sutherland is an author, behavioural scientist, and vice-chairman of Ogilvy. 

If you’re anything like me, you could listen to Rory talk for hours. I was lucky enough to speak to Rory for the podcast a couple of years ago, and the scope of our conversation back then was fairly all-encompassing.

This time around, I wanted to get Rory’s insights on how we can use the principles of behavioural science to apply to self-improvement. 

But during the conversation, we go into all kinds of interesting rabbit holes and explore some really useful ideas – on everything from self-improvement, the trap of over-optimisation and how to live a more meaningful life, through to the 20mph speed limits in Wales, and the Sainsbury’s in Pontypridd.

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If you want to catch the latest episodes of the podcast, plus EXCLUSIVE daily Little Lessons episodes, you need to be subscribed on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7LF1Hao4i4CYeNNYiFaoix

I write a weekly newsletter every Monday morning, sharing one simple idea to help shape your week. It's free and you can join here: https://seanspooner.co.uk/

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Follow Rory on Twitter here: https://x.com/rorysutherland

Have a question? Want to suggest a guest?

You can message me on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/spoonersean/

or X/Twitter here: https://x.com/spoonersean

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It can be tempting to focus your self-improvement efforts on the areas of your life where things are already going well. But this isn't how you bring about meaningful change. In this week's episode of Life and Lessons, I explain why you should focus on the things you suck at first, before trying to hyper-optimise pointless 1% skills.

I also discuss the idea that winners hardly ever realise they're winning, and explain why you need to keep score for yourself.

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If you want to catch the latest episodes of the podcast, plus EXCLUSIVE daily Little Lessons episodes, you need to be subscribed on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7LF1Hao4i4CYeNNYiFaoix

I write a weekly newsletter every Monday morning, sharing one simple idea to help shape your week. It's free and you can join here: https://seanspooner.co.uk/

-

Follow me on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/spoonersean/

or X/Twitter here: https://x.com/spoonersean

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did this lesson resonate with you? Please leave a review in your podcasting app. 

If you enjoyed today's Little Lesson, please consider sharing it with a friend. This podcast only grows when you make it grow. 

If you want more life lessons delivered directly to your inbox, join my free weekly newsletter here: https://www.seanspooner.co.uk/ 

Want to say hello? Drop me a message on Instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/spoonersean/ 

Subscribe to Life and Lessons wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did this lesson resonate with you? Please leave a review in your podcasting app. 

If you enjoyed today's Little Lesson, please consider sharing it with a friend. This podcast only grows when you make it grow. 

If you want more life lessons delivered directly to your inbox, join my free weekly newsletter here: https://www.seanspooner.co.uk/ 

Want to say hello? Drop me a message on Instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/spoonersean/ 

Subscribe to Life and Lessons wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did this lesson resonate with you? Please leave a review in your podcasting app. 

If you enjoyed today's Little Lesson, please consider sharing it with a friend. This podcast only grows when you make it grow. 

If you want more life lessons delivered directly to your inbox, join my free weekly newsletter here: https://www.seanspooner.co.uk/ 

Want to say hello? Drop me a message on Instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/spoonersean/ 

Subscribe to Life and Lessons wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did this lesson resonate with you? Please leave a review in your podcasting app. 

If you enjoyed today's Little Lesson, please consider sharing it with a friend. This podcast only grows when you make it grow. 

If you want more life lessons delivered directly to your inbox, join my free weekly newsletter here: https://www.seanspooner.co.uk/ 

Want to say hello? Drop me a message on Instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/spoonersean/ 

Subscribe to Life and Lessons wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did this lesson resonate with you? Please leave a review in your podcasting app. 

If you enjoyed today's Little Lesson, please consider sharing it with a friend. This podcast only grows when you make it grow. 

If you want more life lessons delivered directly to your inbox, join my free weekly newsletter here: https://www.seanspooner.co.uk/ 

Want to say hello? Drop me a message on Instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/spoonersean/ 

Subscribe to Life and Lessons wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Making progress in life feels hard. But hiding in that hardness is a trap that causes most people to fail. In this week's episode of Life and Lessons, I make the case that you should optimise for easy-feeling and consistent progress, rather than fads like Monk Mode and 75 Hard.

I also give you an update on my book proposal now that it's with agents, and share a realisation I had when viewing a 22nd floor apartment in the centre of Cardiff earlier this week.

Key moments:

• Introduction
• Reflecting of recent episodes with Johann Hari and David Robson
• An update on what I've been up to
• Update on querying literary agents with the book proposal
• Optimising for easy progress (why Monk Mode doesn't work)
• Progress in undetectable in the moment
• Ending

If you want to catch the latest episodes of the podcast, plus EXCLUSIVE daily Little Lessons episodes, you need to be subscribed on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7LF1Hao4i4CYeNNYiFaoix

I write a weekly newsletter every Monday morning, sharing one simple idea to help shape your week. It's free and you can join here: https://seanspooner.co.uk/

-

You can message me on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/spoonersean/

or X/Twitter here: https://x.com/spoonersean

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did this lesson resonate with you? Please leave a review in your podcasting app. 

If you enjoyed today's Little Lesson, please consider sharing it with a friend. This podcast only grows when you make it grow. 

If you want more life lessons delivered directly to your inbox, join my free weekly newsletter here: https://www.seanspooner.co.uk/ 

Want to say hello? Drop me a message on Instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/spoonersean/ 

Subscribe to Life and Lessons wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did this lesson resonate with you? Please leave a review in your podcasting app. 

If you enjoyed today's Little Lesson, please consider sharing it with a friend. This podcast only grows when you make it grow. 

If you want more life lessons delivered directly to your inbox, join my free weekly newsletter here: https://www.seanspooner.co.uk/ 

Want to say hello? Drop me a message on Instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/spoonersean/ 

Subscribe to Life and Lessons wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.