Are you thinking big enough about your retirement? The traditional one-size-fits-all retirement isn't the right fit for many people today. You can create a version that's best for you. Dr. Grace Lordan, author of Think Big, Take Small Steps and Build the Future You Want explains how findings from behavioral science can help you do just that, by overcoming cognitive biases and other obstacles. Many of my favorite books for retirement aren't about retirement, but the principles can give you an edge in thinking big and building your future.

We discuss:

Her idea of ME+ in Think Big

How the concept of Your Future Self can help you think big

Why new can narratives help us

When the “stories we tell ourselves” get in our way

How cognitive biases present obstacles

A cognitive bias many people aren’t aware of – but should be

The dangers of all or nothing thinking

Why identifying and managing your Time Sinkers can be a game changer

How small, positive actions done regularly drive make progress 

Why being compassionate toward others matters

Grace Lordan joins us from London.

__________________________

Bio

Dr Grace Lordan is the Founding Director of The Inclusion Initiative and an Associate Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Grace is an economist and her research is focused on quantifying the benefits of inclusion within and across firms, as well as designing interventions that level the playing field for under-represented talent within firms.

Grace is an expert advisor to the UK government sitting on their skills and productivity board, is a member of the UK government’s BEIS social mobility taskforce and is on the Women in Finance Charter’s advisory board.

Her academic writings have been published in top international journals and she has written for the Financial Times and Harvard Business Review. Grace is a regular speaker and advisor to blue chip finance and technology firms.

Think Big, Take Small Steps and Build the Future You Want, is her first book.

_________________________

For More on Grace Lordan

Think Big, Take Small Steps and Build the Future You Want

Website

SMILE in 2022 - London School of Economics Business Review (a 3 minute read on six life lessons from behavioral science you can put to good use this year)

_________________________

Podcast Episodes You May Like

How to Begin – Michael Bungay Stanier

The Future You – Brian David Johnson

The Mind-Body Connection and The Rabbit Effect – Kelli Harding

Tiny Habits Can Lead to Big Changes – BJ Fogg

_________________________

Wise Quotes

On Visualizing Your Future Self

"In behavioral science one of the things we know for sure is that people who visualize their future self in the present are much more likely to invest in themselves. There's lots of things that are going on that can distract us from investing in our future selves. So, it's really bringing the idea of yourself, not just the kind of vision and the lifestyle the person will actually have, but what they will actually be doing on a Monday to Friday [basis] in life is really what gets you there -  through imagination. I can't reiterate enough how well visualization works  to bring the future to life. But it also works to bring the future into the present day, which is really when you needed to get motivated to take these small steps that will get you there."

On Small Steps and a New Narrative

"I think fundamentally the stories that we tell ourselves define our actions. So if you believe that you don't deserve something, you're probably never going to get it.