Think Significantly

In the last decade, there has been a growing concern that our use of and reliance on social media platforms is causing a stratification in society.  The complicated algorithms that drive those apps to feed us content are designed to keep us engaged as long as possible.  In the simplest terms, they show us what they know we want to see in the hopes that we’ll keep engaging.  Many think this has led to us being exposed to an ever more narrow flow of information.  The risk, of course, is that an echo chamber could ensue. But is social media the bogeyman, or do we need to look in the mirror to find the problem?

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When someone brings up their latest vacation destination, are you able to locate where they went on a map? The ability to discern geographic relativity to any given position is a requisite skill for those who dabble in politics, commerce, transportation, urban planning, and a number of other disciplines.  Despite the growing importance of understanding the complex network of interaction between people and countries, Americans are woefully weak on geography -  not only internationally, but domestically.  As we move ever closer to being one world community, it is increasingly important that we become geo-literate, that is, able to use geographic understanding and geographic reasoning to make far-reaching decisions. In today’s conversation, we will discuss why we aren’t as “map proficient” as we should be–and how the bias inherent in our maps is a contributing factor!

In our discussion, we brought up a study by Movoto that demonstrated our struggle with geography. This video shows what the researchers were able to see in real-time during the experiment.  We think it is immensely interesting, and hope you think so, too! https://youtu.be/YI-ouKKI5GI

Conversation Kindling:

Super double bonus!!!  In this episode, we talk about how the Mercator map causes people to have false notions of the size and location of many geographic features.  Specifically, we call out the size disparity between the actual size of Greenland and Russia and how they are portrayed on the world’s most popular map.  To really drive that point home, we’ve got another resource to share with you all, and it comes to us from the good people at the Nature Index who shared this digital representation that shows the affected landmasses oscillating between their actual size and the size they appear on the map.  If you were having trouble picturing how drastic the differences are, this will give you a new appreciation for how far off our perception can be!

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Surveys reveal that a host of employers today do not believe that they are attracting a workforce that is able to think critically. Despite there being a direct correlation between employees who are able to think critically and profit margins, critical thinking seems to be a skill that isn’t encouraged within our school systems or our social circles. Why is this? In this episode, we highlight the different phases and many benefits of critical thinking and explore how “unlearning” can be a game-changer.

Conversation kindling:

Did you know that when asked simple questions about global trends, such as how many people live in poverty or why the world’s population is increasing, we tend to get the answers wrong? In fact, our rate of being wrong is so high that a chimpanzee choosing answers at random will correctly outguess journalists, Nobel laureates, and investment bankers.

As it turns out, the world, with all of its imperfections, is in a much better state than we might think. Why is this important? Because according to Hans Rosling, a Swedish physician and statistician, when we worry about everything all the time instead of embracing a worldview based on facts, we can lose our ability to focus on the things that threaten us most.

Click HERE to access the quiz from the Factfulness quiz to find out if you can outperform that chimpanzee, and start on the stress-reducing path to only carrying opinions for which you have strong supporting facts.

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We’re kicking off our new theme of Question Everything this month with an exploration of self!

Most people love the feeling of being celebrated. Getting recognized for something we’ve accomplished or for doing something better than everyone else gives us a boost to our self-image and floods us with positive feelings. Not being good at something, on the other hand, is generally not a positive experience. We shy away from things we haven’t mastered for fear of looking foolish or being judged for a lack of ability. However, there is something to be said for–and gained by–instituting a mindset of continuous improvement in our lives. Even if our goal isn’t mastering a task, committing to a mentality where continuous improvement is a mainstay can have significant positive effects on one’s life.

Conversation Kindling:

Visual Capitalist has a fascinating graphic that shows the daily routines of famous creative people that you can see HERE. The visual breaks down the individual’s day by sleep, exercise, food/leisure, work, and creative pursuits. It even has an interactive component which is fun to play with. The reason that we’re sharing it on the heels of our “Question Everything” month is because your schedule could be another place for you to reevaluate your life. All of these individuals achieved notoriety in their respective fields, yet their schedules were vastly different. When are you most creative? Does it coincide with when you engage in your most creative endeavors? Are you a night owl who somehow wound up working at a job with a 6 AM start?  What tweaks could you make to your day that would be more in alignment with your natural “ebb and flow?”

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In most success stories, you are bound to find one person getting the credit for the work of many, lesser-known individuals. As an example, you might be able to name the guy who summited Everest first, but do you know who acted as his trusty sherpa? In this week’s episode, we dive into the importance of the sidekick and how the “guy behind the guy” is often more vital than the guy himself. We discuss the benefits of a good sidekick, the traits that make a good wingman, the benefits of putting team before self, and how the support of your family differs from that of a trusted friend.

Conversation Kindling:

In our final Group Dynamic-themed episode, we discuss the dynamic of the sidekick and the important role the sidekick plays in a protagonist’s success, whether the adventures are real or imagined.  In this TED talk from 2010, Derek Sivers explains how having one person in your corner multiplies a movement’s chance of taking hold. An early follower exhibits a special kind of leadership. While the leader might get the credit for the movement, it is the first follower who generates the momentum.

https://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_how_to_start_a_movement?language=en

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In some ways, we are constantly performing for those around us.  Even when we’re with our most trusted companions, we have expectations on us that we try to fill. These expectations often fall under the umbrella of specific roles that commonly occur in groups.  Whether at work or with friends, there are certain personalities that regularly show up. The roles we end up playing depend on many factors, many of which are out of our control. In this episode, Pete and Melissa discuss what these roles are, how the roles help groups function, and how we choose these roles (or how they’re chosen for us).

Conversation Kindling:

In this episode, we discuss the various roles that we end up playing in groups and how those roles are dependent on a multitude of factors. This Team Role Test uses the concept of Team Roles, one of the most widely used measures in organizational psychology, and will measure your aptitude for different team behaviors. Take this free quiz and discover what team roles you thrive in.

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There is an old adage: "Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future."  It’s widely accepted that we are influenced by the company we keep, but the extent to which that is true, and the effect it has on us, might not be clear.  Philosophers and scientists alike have sought to explain the relationship between our friends and our behaviors, beliefs, and outcomes.  Is there science to back up these folk knowledge truisms?  How much can we change our lives by being deliberate about choosing who to spend time with?  Just how many people are influencing us on a daily basis?  In today’s episode, Mellisa and Pete traverse the centuries to find anecdotes about the effects our compadres have on our behavior, our morals, our health, and even our happiness!

Conversation Kindling:

As we noted in our discussion, research demonstrates that there is a relationship between our friends and our behaviors, beliefs, and outcomes. This interactive chart from Our World in Data illustrates who Americans spend the most daily minutes with at different ages of their life. What we found fascinating about this chart is that people–across all age brackets–are spending most of their time alone, and this is based on data collected between 2009 and 2019, which was pre-pandemic! How does this impact the idea that we are the average of the five people that we spend most of our time with? And, what effect does this alone time have on our health if human connection is so important to our wellbeing?

Visual Capitalist - Who Americans Spend the Most Time With by Age

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In the premiere episode of season two, Melissa and Pete discuss who they would most like to invite to dinner and why. This fun foray introduces the month-long topic of group dynamics in a fun, revealing chat.

Conversation Kindling:

If you enjoyed Think Significantly’s virtual dinner party, check out this article on the salon culture. Akin to a dinner party, salons are an opportunity for people to gather to debate, to stoke passion, and to inspire. Consider who you’d invite to your own salon and what topics you’d discuss with your guests.

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In the season finale, Pete and Melissa give a peek behind the curtain at what goes into making Think Significantly, and share some of the lighter moments that didn't make it into the episodes.

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It is not uncommon to find advice that promises that taking risks is the recipe for success. What is harder to find is someone telling you how to evaluate which risks are worth taking. What separates a successful entrepreneur from everyone else? Is it work ethic and expertise? Marketing savvy and a convincing sales pitch? Maybe to some extent those things are true. But maybe the biggest difference is how those entrepreneurs perceive and evaluate risk in critical situations. We have a bevy of forces that influence our willingness to take chances and while those forces cripple some, they inspire others to action. Every journey starts with a single step, and in today’s conversation we’re going to explore what makes some people more likely to take that step than others.

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