#235: When you experience anything — tiredness, pain, distractions — you’re engaging not just reality, but also your brain’s predictions. This insight has profound consequences for how you should engage challenges like tiredness, and for the types of beliefs you should have about yourself. In this episode, we discuss how to interpret and respond to your experiences and your brain’s predictions.

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#234: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the complexities of generosity, distinguishing between true and false forms. They explore the barriers that prevent individuals from being generous, such as fear of exploitation and loss of personal boundaries. The conversation emphasizes the importance of trust in relationships and how generosity can enhance personal growth and strengthen bonds. They also discuss the need for strategic resets in one's approach to generosity, ensuring that it remains a healthy and sustainable practice.

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#233: We work in order to produce something of value for others. In order to work better, rest is important to restore ourselves and maintain energy. But activities of leisure carry us beyond rest to contemplation, and are done for their own sake. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss the relationship between rest, work, and leisure.

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#232: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the concept of generosity, exploring its foundational role in personal growth and relationships. They discuss how generosity is intertwined with humility, the importance of serving others, and how it can transform our lives and the lives of those around us. The conversation also touches on the balance between generosity and prudence, the development of generosity as a habit, and the necessity of being genuinely interested in others.

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#231: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the significance of home life and how it shapes our relationships and personal growth. They explore the concept of a 'thoughtful home' as presented in Dia Boyle's book, emphasizing the importance of attention, care, and challenge within the family dynamic. The conversation covers practical strategies for fostering a nurturing environment, the role of family meals, the impact of technology, and how to integrate home life with work life for comprehensive well-being.

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#230: Toxic positivity means invalidating the negative emotions of others. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss how to engage negative emotions — in ourselves and others — in a constructive way, by being understanding and encouraging, rather than positively toxic.

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#229: Sometimes it may seem like the outcome is the most important thing you need to obtain: the perfect grade, the well-deserved promotion, or the necessary money. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss the superiority of growth goals and why you should never aim for outcomes as ends in themselves.

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#228: Whenever we do something repeatedly, we’ll tend eventually to do it in a rote, automatic way. This even applies to OptimalWork’s core practices: reframing, mindfulness, and challenge. In this episode we show how curiosity can help you overcome this tendency and bring a sense of newness to every challenge you face.

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#227: Dr. John Gottman identifies four stages in the breakdown of a relationship: defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and, ultimately, contempt. Each of these behaviors points to a deeper issue — a lack of humility. In this episode, we explore a fundamental attitude that can help you heal and strengthen bonds by addressing all four forms of relational breakdown. The key? Approaching challenges with a childlike spirit. This perspective enables you to overcome the fear of shame that often underlies these issues. Children naturally embody openness to learning, resilience in the face of failure, and freedom from excessive self-consciousness — qualities we can all learn to emulate.

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#226: Dr. John Gottman identifies four stages in the breakdown of a relationship: defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and ultimately contempt. Each of these reflects a deeper issue— a lack of humility. In this episode, we delve into the fourth stage: contempt. Contempt is the most significant predictor of relationship decline and divorce, due to its permanence and the emotional distance it creates. Contempt also has cultural implications, particularly in parenting, and the need for fostering bonds through understanding and mutual respect. Humility, growth mindset, and trust are crucial in overcoming contempt and helping us orient ourselves toward the good of others, our bonds with them, and our common goods.

Find more at https://OptimalWork.com