Upgrade Thought

Pre-order Raising Resilience

In print https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Resilience-Children-Thrive-Uncertainty/dp/0063286564

Or audiobook:

https://www.audible.com/pd/B0C4VC1DDB?source_code=ASSORAP0511160007

Hello and welcome to Upgrade Thought! 

In this episode, I will be speaking with Dr. Tovah Klein. Dr. Klein is the director of the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development (generally referred to as the “Toddler Center”), and teaches a full-year course at Barnard on toddler development. Additionally, she is a respected author of multiple parenting books: she published her first book, How Toddlers Thrive,  in 2014 and will be coming out with her second book, Raising Resilience, on September 3rd. In this conversation, we discuss the newer of these two books. Expect to learn how Dr. Klein defines resilience; whether it takes tragedy to build resilience; how children can build a sense of agency; why being a perfect parent is not only unattainable, but undesirable; why praising children might unintentionally harm their mindset; what the phrase “less is more” means in the context of parenting; what research on attachment theory has to say about how parents should treat their kids, and more. 

If you like what you hear, you can preorder Dr. Klein’s book using the link in the show description. I highly recommend it, and can only imagine how impactful this information would be to someone who is actually a parent! 

And now, without further ado, enjoy the show!

Hello and welcome to Upgrade Thought! 

In this episode, I will be speaking with Shlomo Meisels. Shlomo is the CEO and founder of SM Staffing, a recruiting agency that matches businesses with potential employees, as well as providing career and entrepreneurship coaching. Expect to hear how Shlomo founded and built this business; what he considers the hardest aspect of his job; what his advice is on how to discover a career path that excites you; how to ace a job interview; how NOT to ace a job interview; what employers get wrong when evaluating potential new hires; how to become a better networker; how basketball is similar to business; what the sages say is the first question Jewish people get asked in the next life; and more. 

Enjoy the show!

Hello and welcome to Upgrade Thought! In this episode, I will be speaking with Lucas Cohen. 

Lucas is so passionate about MMA that he has an MMA betting group and podcast (Counterpunch Podcast). In this conversation, we discuss these entrepreneurial pursuits, his journey growing Counterpunch to over 10k followers on Instagram, and what makes a great sportscaster. Additionally, Lucas shares his opinion on the best knockouts of all time, how he deals with the death threats he has gotten as a result of “playing with people’s money,” what he thinks is the best martial art for self defense, how the UFC should pay their fighters, and more. 

Enjoy the show 

Hello and welcome to Upgrade Thought! 

Today, I will be speaking with my good friend, Miles Segal. Miles just finished his first year at Deep Springs, the smallest college in America, with an undergraduate student body of 28. Deep Springs offers a liberal arts education in philosophy and classics literature on a cattle range in the middle of…California. Expect to learn why he would subject himself to an educational style that seems, to the average 18-year-old, like pure torture; what the experience at this school consists of; and why he ultimately chose to drop out. Additionally, we explore a variety of questions regarding the efficacy of the education system; what semiconductor chips are, how they are made, and why our economy is so reliant upon them; and last (but certainly not least), why Miles is an anarchist. Miles is one of the smartest, most intellectually curious people I know. His interests are broad and unconfined, ranging from technology, to economics, to math, to politics, to bicycle tinkering. Therefore, speaking with him is always both enjoyable and intellectually engaging. I hope you will feel the same way about this discussion. 

Now, without further ado, enjoy the show! 

0:00 Dropping out

Hello and welcome to Upgrade Thought! 

In this episode, Bennett Santora and I explore the significance of small milestones; the definition of reasoning skills; the role of axiomatic “first principles” in moral/philosophical reasoning; key economic assumptions; using everyday struggles as forces that drive personal growth; and more. 

Enjoy the show!

Hello and welcome to Upgrade Thought! Today, I will be speaking with Daniel Sokolovsky. Danny has lived in 5 countries in the last 7 years, coaching basketball at the professional level. In this episode, expect to hear all about his experiences coaching high-level athletes around the world, what it was like to take a head coaching job at age 27, his mindset for navigating the extreme pressures of coaching, the acronym he uses to stay present, how reading about seemingly unrelated topics makes him better at his job, how living in so many different places has changed his perspective on life, the sacrifices needed to become a high-performer, and more.

Enjoy the show!

Hello and welcome to Upgrade Thought! After a short hiatus, I am back with a new episode. 

Today, I will be welcoming back my friends, Bennett and Manyu. In this episode, we share our thoughts on developing healthy relationships with social media and technology. We share some creative strategies for accomplishing this, before proposing an overarching framework for avoiding hedonic pleasures and embracing delayed gratification. Personally, I have found it quite difficult to figure out how to use my phone in a healthy way, allowing me to extract the benefits without experiencing the potential negative consequences. That being the case, this discussion was incredibly useful to me. I hope you will feel the same way. Now, without further ado, enjoy the show!

Hello and welcome to Upgrade Thought! Today, I will be talking with Justin Chong. 

Tennis is often deemed a “rich sport” because many successful tennis players had access to formal training, high-end tennis centers, and world class coaches. These resources are incredible for those who have the means but can put those without that level of access at a disadvantage.

In this discussion, I talk with Justin about his experiences becoming a tennis recruit with limited formal training, what it is like waking up at 4am for practice, how Justin trained in the snow during the winter, and how athletes can find meaning after their sports career ends. 

Throughout the conversation, we discuss philosophical concepts like healthy perfectionism, balance, first principles, and more. 

Enjoy the show!

Hello and welcome to Upgrade Thought! Today, we will be discussing two quotes…

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” - Steve Jobs 

“I’m not better than you because I am rich. I am rich because I am better than you.” - Jeff Bezos

With regards to the second quote, the conversation morphed into a HEATED debate as to whether people should be open about how much money they make. Nevertheless, this was an open, honest, and fun discussion. Enjoy the show!