#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.

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#225: 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 third stage: stonewalling. Stonewalling means putting up obstacles to forming bonds with others. While defensiveness and criticism most concern one’s attitude, stonewalling goes deeper and touches upon one’s attention. Stonewalling at its most extreme implies an inward collapse of attention, an unwillingness to attend to others.

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#224: 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 second stage: criticism, or what we call a critical spirit. A critical spirit often arises from hyperfocusing on someone else’s flaws, conflating those flaws with their identity, and viewing them as fixed and unchangeable. It can also serve as a kind of projection—an unconscious act of attributing our own shortcomings to others. Recognizing a critical spirit within ourselves, however uncomfortable, can open the door to profound personal growth. By addressing the root of this behavior, we not only improve our relationships but also cultivate greater humility and self-awareness.

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#223: Dr. John Gottman describes four stages in the breakdown of a relationship: first defensiveness, then criticism, then stonewalling, and finally contempt. Each of these is a manifestation of a lack of humility. Having laid out the big picture in our previous episode, here we do a deep dive into the first, defensiveness. We explain how it arises and how it relates to key concepts in our approach, like Reframing, Growth Mindset, and Threat Mode.

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#222: In this episode of the OptimalWork Podcast, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres delve into the significance of humility in leadership and team dynamics. They explore the concept of humble leadership, the detrimental effects of pride, and the four horsemen of team dysfunction: defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and contempt. The conversation emphasizes the importance of cultivating humility as a means to foster better relationships, enhance team cohesion, and promote personal growth. The episode concludes with actionable steps for developing humility and the transformative power it holds in achieving mastery in various aspects of life.

Find more at https://OptimalWork.com