Something You Should Know

Automobile traffic, like the weather, is hard to predict. The slightest thing can cause a traffic jam and sometimes it seems that traffic jams just happen for no apparent reason. I begin this episode by exploring one oddity of traffic – where the solution usually makes the problem worse. (Edward Humes author of the book Door to Door).

To be a success you have to get really good at one thing as soon as possible. In other words, you have to specialize. While that concept seems to make sense, it turns out to be flawed, according to journalist David Epstein, author of the book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. Listen as he explains why being a generalist is a better path to success despite popular opinion to the contrary.

Spanking as a form of punishment is a lot less common than it used to be but there are still many parents around the world who still believe that when you spare the rod, you spoil the child. Listen as I explain why a lot of those parents will live to regret it. (30 Lessons for Living by Karl Pillemer)

Our world is crawling with “extreme” creatures. By that I mean the largest, fastest, smallest, strongest and smartest. There is a lot we can learn from these animals and organisms. For example, the largest mammal could help us end cancer. The fastest bird is teaching engineers about flight. Matthew LaPlante, a professor of journalism at Utah State University is author of the book Superlative: The Biology of Extremes. He joins me to reveal the fascinating reasons why these creatures became so extreme in their own right and why they are so fascinating. 

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Ever had to wait forever to get a prescription filled? Why does it take so long to take pills out of a big bottle and put them in a little bottle? I start this episode with the answer – and it may surprise you. http://mentalfloss.com/article/79615/12-behind-scenes-secrets-pharmacists

When I think of innovators, I think of the champions of innovation – Leonardo DaVinci, Steve Jobs or that guy who invented the wheel. But we all actually innovate. We have to in order to solve the problems in our lives. According to Hal Gregerson, we can all learn to be better at it. Hal is Executive Director of the MIT Leadership Center and Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and co-author of the book The Innovators DNA: Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators (https://amzn.to/2Qz26qm). Listen and discover the secrets of great innovators. 

You would think that a sad song would make a sad person even sadder. In fact it can actually cheer them up. Listen as I explain how this works. http://www.wnyc.org/story/why-sad-songs-make-us-happy/

Few people love to clean but since we all have to do it, we might as well do it faster and better. Melissa Maker is a real authority on the topic. She has over a million subscribers to her YouTube Channel called Clean My Space and she is author of the book Clean My Space (https://amzn.to/2K9r7rf). Listen as Melissa joins me to dazzle you with her cleaning advice. 

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While you are likely very good at noticing when you fail in life, keeping track of all the little victories is a much better activity. I begin this episode by explaining why those little victories can propel into big ones and why keeping a list is such a great idea. http://www.lifehack.org/398112/science-explains-how-writing-down-tinyachievements-every-day-changes-our-brains

You are surrounded by colors, shapes, objects, nature and light. And all of those things have an effect on you. They impact your mood, your productivity and how you view the world and your fellow humans. Ingrid Fetell Lee is an expert on how design affects your health and well-being and is author of the book Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness (https://amzn.to/2M7N3pa). What she has to say will change the way you view the world around you.

It is pretty common for parents to mix up the names of their children and call them by the wrong name. Interestingly though, you never call your kids by your cat’s name. So why does this happen? Parents obviously know the difference between their own kids. Listen and discover why the mix up is so common. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3594971/Do-mix-people-s-names-Don-tworry-not-going-senile-merely-filing-error-brain.html)

Getting into debt is really easy – but getting out of debt is a whole other story. If you have more debt than you wish you had, you’ll want to hear Shannon Lee Simmons. She is a certified financial planner and author of the book Living Debt Free: The No Shame No Blame Guide to Getting Rid of Your Debt (https://amzn.to/2EzNa6N). Shannon joins me to explain the best and fastest way to get out of debt and still live your life. 

This Week’s Sponsors

-Ancestry.For 20% off your Ancestry DNA kit, go to www.Ancestry.com/something

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-Purple. To get a free pillow with your mattress purchase text the word “Something” to 79-79-79.

-Capital One. What’s in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com 

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Do you turn your headlights on when you drive during the day? You should - and that is just one of several things I discuss that can instantly make you a better and safer driver even if you think you already are. http://www.cracked.com/article_20106_6-little-known-driving-tips-that-couldsave-your-life_p2.html

If you have a computer then you have been hacked. That’s the conclusion of Marcus Carey who is a cybersecurity expert and what you call a “white hat hacker.” Companies pay him to break into their computer systems to see how vulnerable they are. He joins me to discuss just how easy it is for hackers to hack into your computer, your thermostat, your refrigerator and any other device hooked up to the Internet – and why they do. He also has some excellent suggestions to protect yourself. Marcus is the author of the book Tribe of Hackers: Cybersecurity Advice from the Best Hackers in the World (https://amzn.to/2VGRdUv).

Will you be going to church this weekend? It is worth considering if you want to live a long life. I discuss some fascinating research that connects longevity with attending religious services. http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2521827

You can certainly argue that healthcare today has lost some of its personal touch. If you’ve ever gone to the doctor and had him look at a computer screen more than he looks at you – then you know what I mean. So what can be done to help doctors and patients connect and put a little more humanity make in the healthcare business? Dr. Eric Topol sees a solution. Eric is the author of the book Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Medicine Human Again (https://amzn.to/2HxZoii). He joins me to explain how we can integrate artificial intelligence into our medical care to make it better for everyone. 

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-Grove. Get a 3-piece cleaning set from Mrs. Meyer’s spring scents, a free 60-day VIP membership, and a surprise bonus gift just for you when you sign up and place an order of $20 or more at www.grove.co/something

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Texting and driving is dangerous. Everyone know that. But why is it so much more dangerous than driving and drinking coffee or driving and talking or driving and tuning the radio? There is actually a good answer for that you need to hear so this episode starts with that. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-05/uoh-ass050916.php

You ask questions all day long because that is how to learn and connect with others. So asking better questions will help learn and connect even better according to journalist Warren Berger author of The Book of Beautiful Questions: The Powerful Questions That Will Help You Decide, Create, Connect, and Lead (https://amzn.to/2YI202R). Warren has studied the power of questions and when you are done listening to what he says, you’ll think more carefully about how you ask them.

Women stare at attractive men just as men stare at women. But what are women looking at specifically? What body parts stand out in women’s minds? Listen and find out. http://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/the-very-first-thing-women-notice-about-guys

We all carry baggage from our childhood into our adult life. What we do with it will determine whether it gets in the way or allows you to live a full and productive life. Libby Gill is someone who had a lot of baggage. Today she is the head of her own executive coaching firm – she is the former head of communications and public relations for Sony, Universal, and Turner Broadcasting, and she is author of the book Traveling Hopefully, How to Lose Your Family Baggage and Jumpstart Your Life (https://amzn.to/2M9aChB). Libby joins me to tell her story and has wonderful advice for anyone who wants to shed that baggage.

This Week's Sponsors

-Grove. Get a 3-piece cleaning set from Mrs. Meyer’s spring scents, a free 60-day VIP membership, and a surprise bonus gift just for you when you sign up and place an order of $20 or more at www.grove.co/something

-Calming Comfort. Order a Calming Comfort weighted blanket and get $15 off the displayed price when you use promo code: something15. Go to www.CalmingComfortBlanket.com.

-Capital One. Go to www.CapitalOne.com. What's in your wallet?

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How do you get top dollar when you sell on eBay? Well of course you need good photos and a great description but it turns out some of the specific words in that description can really raise or lower the amount people will pay. I begin this episode with an explanation of that. (http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/money/a38347/how-to-make-money-on-ebay/)

Workers improve when they get feedback. A company’s culture is the key to success. Good leadership is what makes a company thrive. Although you may believe these assumptions to be true, there is some good evidence they are not. Marcus Buckingham has studied people and performance for a long time and he joins me to explode some commonly held beliefs about workers and the workplace. Marcus’ new book is called Nine Lies About Work (https://amzn.to/2HlAkdW). If you work for a living and want to grow in your career, you need to hear this.

Have you ever cracked an egg open and seen a little spot of what looks like blood inside? Is it safe to eat? I’ll explain what the food experts say about where that little spot of red comes from and just harmful it is. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-stir/egg-facts_b_2498764.html)

Decisions about money always seem to be complicated. In part that is because we have so many financial decisions to make and there is a lot of emotion wrapped up in money. Amanda Clayman comes on the podcast as my guest to discuss how we make financial decisions, why it is hard and how to make better decisions with our money. Amanda is a financial therapist and a financial wellness advocate for Prudential. Her website is www.AmandaClayman.com

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If you want to learn something better and faster, there is a little trick that seems to work. We begin this episode by revealing some research from John Hopkins School of Medicine that says a slight change in the way you learn any new skill can make all the difference in the world. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/want_to_learn_a_new_skill_faster_change_up_your_practice_sessions

Nothing is more American than the hamburger. We eat a lot of them. So where did the hamburger originate? Who came up with the idea? How has it evolved over the years? Award-winning writer Chris Carosa, author of the book Hamburger Dreams:How Classic Crime Solving Techniques Helped Crack the Case of America’s Greatest Culinary (https://amzn.to/2Hevorp) did some good old fashioned detective work to uncover the real story of the hamburger. He joins me to discuss what he found.  

Your life is full of risks. Almost everything you do has some risk in it- from what you buy in the store to investments to simply driving down the street. Alison Schrager, an economist and journalist joins me to help us all understand how risks work and offers advice on how we can handle risk better. Alison is the author of the book An Economist Walks Into a Brothel: And Other Unexpected Places to Understand Risk (https://amzn.to/2VUkjDZ).

It seems most people are put off by the sound of someone slurping their food. Yet people do it and in some cultures it is considered quite normal. So why do people do it? Does it serve a purpose that only people who slurp know about? Listen to find out. https://www.rd.com/advice/relationships/annoying-eating-habits/

This Week's Sponsors

-Capterra. To discover the best software for your business - for free - go to www.Capterra.com/something

-Linzess. For information about your IBSC symptoms go to www.ohmygut.info/podcast.

-Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com

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Does cooking food on the grill increase your risk of getting cancer? The answer is – maybe. But it isn’t that simple. This episode begins with a discussion on which foods may or may not increase cancer risk and how you cook that food may make all the difference. (http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/does-grilling-really-cause-cancer)

In the old Star Trek TV show (filmed about 50 years ago), Scotty used to talk to the computer on board the starship Enterprise. That was how he communicated his commands. Fast forward to today and we are now doing the same thing with Siri and Alexa. So, is voice computing the beginning of a new revolution in computing that will unshackle us from the keyboard? Or is it just a quick way to set a timer, play music and find the nearest fast food restaurant - but not much more? Journalist James Vlahos joins me to discuss this. James is a contributor to The New York Times Magazine, Popular Science, Scientific American, the Atlantic, GQ, and National Geographic – and he is author of the book Talk to Me: How Voice Computing Will Transform the Way We Live, Work (https://amzn.to/2YinseC)

What do Adidas, Ikea, Nutella, Porsche and Hermes have in common? They are all name brands that many people mispronounce. Listen to hear if you’ve been pronouncing them correctly or not. http://www.businessinsider.com/brand-names-mispronounced-2016-5

Have you ever worked for an incompetent boss and wondered how he or she ever got to where they are? There are interesting reasons why so many leaders in high places are incompetent – and it has been researched by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor of business psychology at University College in London and Columbia University in New York. He is also author of the book Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders (and how to fix it). (https://amzn.to/2Jxqk37). He joins me to explain why this happens and how to stop it.

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When you travel, there is a good chance you don’t sleep all that well the first night you are at your destination. It is so common it has a name – it is called the “First Night Effect.” This episode begins with an explanation for why it happens and some advice to counter the effects. http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822%2816%2930174-9

What exactly is your mind? I know that’s a weird question but think about it – you have a mind that determines who you are. So is your mind the same thing as your brain? If you took your brain and put it into someone else’s body would it still be the same mind? Would you still be you? To discuss that, I have invited Alan Jasonoff, a Professor at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT and author of the book The Biological Mind: How Brain Body and Environment Collaborate to Make Us Who We Are (https://amzn.to/2VDYqbR). 

What’s better – beer in a bottle or a can? What’s the fastest way to chill champagne? These are just a few of the questions I tackle with expert advice on the proper ways to serve and drink wine, beer and spirits. https://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/food-drinks/a54470/ways-youre-drinking-wrong/

Being an insecure person isn’t easy. You are frequently doubting yourself and you are very sensitive to criticism. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Is being insecure just part of your personality or something you can change? Where does that insecurity come from? Joining me to discuss this is Joseph Nowinski, he is a clinical psychologist and author of the book, The Tender Heart Conquering Your Insecurity (https://amzn.to/2VDTfca).

This Week’s Sponsors

-LinkedIn. Go to www.LinkedIn.com/podcast to get $50 off your first job posting.

-Ancestry. Go to www.Ancenstry.com/something to get your Ancestry DNA kit for only $50 (offer expires 5/13/19)

-Better Help. Go to www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK to get 10% off your first month of counseling

-Away Travel. For $20 off a suitcase go to www.awaytravel.com/something and use the promo code: something

-Capital One. www.Capitalone.com. What’s in your wallet?

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Restaurants want you to spend more money. And the menu can be a powerful tool to accomplish that. This episode begins with exactly how restaurant menus entice you to buy more expensive items and spend more money in general. Listen and you are sure to save money. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/15-sneaky-restaurant-menu-tricks-that-tempt-you-spend-more.html

In the old days, you had very little influence or impact as a consumer. You either bought products or services or you didn’t and there wasn’t an easy way to give feedback or talk with other customers like yourself. Then came the Internet. It has launched a new era for consumers and businesses alike. Joining me to talk about this is David Weinberger who has been a strategic marketing VP a “writer in residence” at Google a researcher, consultant and author of the book Everyday Chaos: Technology Complexity and How We’re Thriving in a New World of Possibility (https://amzn.to/2XPioxZ).  

Little behaviors mean a lot. How you shake hands, eye contact, whether or not you are late – they all send a message to other people. Listen as I explain what message they send and how to maximize the impact. (Travis Bradberry author of “Emotional Intelligence 2.0”)

Sometimes the answer is right in front of you but you completely miss it. It happens to everyone – even the experts. Gordon Rugg – a British researcher and author of the book Blind Spot: Why We Fail to See the Solution Right in Front of Us (https://amzn.to/2GFXQCa) joins me to explain why this happens. Sometimes it is because we ask the wrong questions or we ask to wrong expert. Listen as Gordon shares some fascinating insight into this common problem.

This Week's Sponsors

-Fab Fit Fun. For $10 off your first box go to www.FabFitFun.com and use the promo code: something

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