3 Ways to Avoid the Biggest Self-Help Traps and Just Start Enjoying Your Life
Self-help is sometimes the opposite. It can end up increasing your task list with a bunch of unrealistic expectations you never achieve. Today’s conversation is about navigation, not directions. We explore the quiet difference between a compass you trust and a checklist someone sells. Passport stamps matter less than the personality you bring to the journey; so does the company you invite to walk beside you. We trade a stack of generic self-help books for three simple ideas you can put on a sticky note. The answer might not even be faster growth but perhaps wiser detours and a network that grows because we grow. Work out if a new habit is worthwhile or if you should be doing less Build a personal compass based on your own interests Show up as the person you are How to Change the World Sam's new show can be found on major podcast players: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast Can't find it on your player? RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8 ------- UPGRADE to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - Growth Mindset Show: Growth Mindset, psychology of self-improvement Episode: 3 Ways to Avoid the Biggest Self-Help Traps and Just Start Enjoying Your Life Chapters: 00:00 The Problem with Much Self-Help Advice 02:59 Reality's Complexities vs. Simplistic Advice 09:09 Principle 1: Be Kind and Helpful 13:12 Principle 2: Spend Time with Those Who Let You Be Yourself 16:52 Principle 3: Take Ownership and Responsibility 21:22 Send Off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
30 Touko 202525min
Master Magnetic Presence: How to be yourself but more likeable w/ Harry Cohen
A sunflower doesn’t hold strategy meetings to decide which way to grow. It simply tilts toward the light. This conversation with Dr. Harry Cohen invites us to do the same. The heliotropic effect—our quiet, evolutionary pull toward positive energy—may be the simplest, most overlooked lever of leadership and community. We explore what happens when you become the light source instead of chasing it. Why a six-second smile hacks brain chemistry, how a clean apology resets trust faster than any marketing funnel, and what my own networking face-plant taught me about social tax. Take homes: Swap “small talk” for small wins to trigger instant rapport Schedule a daily 1 % kindness rep and track the ripple Deploy the two-word apology before your ego drafts excuses How to Change the World Sam's new show can be found on major podcast players: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast Can't find it on your player? RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8 ------- UPGRADE to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - Growth Mindset Show: Growth Mindset, psychology of self-improvement Episode: Master Magnetic Presence: How to be yourself but more likeable w/ Harry Cohen Chapters: 00:00 Be the Sun, Not the Salt 01:55 The Heliotropic Effect 04:13 Personality vs Circumstance 08:09 Simplicity vs Complication 11:26 Giving Feedback Effectively 18:09 Apologizing Well 20:05 Embracing Negativity 26:14 The Moonlight Surfing Metaphor 29:37 Earliest memory 31:13 Kindest thing 31:57 Summary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
27 Touko 202537min
6 Unsexy Habits of Geniuses - How to build substance over style
Uncover what it really takes to build greatness. There's much more to genius than effortless intelligence or risky business bets. We dive into the consistent habits that drive long-term results for coming out on top. They might not be sexy, but if you can leave your ego at the doo,r there's a lot more on the other side. How to Change the World Sam's new show can be found on major podcast players: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast Can't find it on your player? This is the RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8 ------- UPGRADE to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - Growth Mindset Show: Growth Mindset, psychology of self-improvement Episode: How To Change The World - Introducing my new show - The history of innovation. Chapters: 00:00 People who boast about their IQ are losers 01:45 #1 Focus on other people's achievements 03:11 #2 Always focus on learning over money or power 05:07 #3 Be the dumbest person in the room 07:17 #4 Use mentors (a lot!) 10:43 #5 Be embarrassingly weird 12:21 #6 Assume you are usually wrong 13:49 Bonus Tip: Work hard 16:18 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
23 Touko 202519min
The Joy of Missing Out: The simple way to reducing overwhelm and increase focus
You’re not lazy. You’re overloaded. And no, another productivity hack won’t save you. In this episode, I talk about how minimalism isn’t about white walls and hidden kitchen bins—it’s about your calendar, your relationships, your identity. I unpack the joy of missing out using stories from travel, creative burnout, and watching a guy walk around Britain with nothing but a backpack. Turns out, when you’re doing too much, you're not living—you’re buffering. We explore how having too many goals is like trying to break a window with a handful of dust. Want more focus? You have to do less. Three things you’ll learn: Why doing less actually makes you better at what matters How owning less clears mental space (not just your room) A question to instantly identify what’s worth saying “no” to Want your brain back? Hit play. How to Change the World Sam's new show can be found on major podcast players: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast Can't find it on your player? This is the RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8 UPGRADE to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - Growth Mindset Show: Growth Mindset, psychology of self-improvement Episode: The Joy of Missing Out: The simple way to reducing overwhelm and increase focus Chapters: 00:00 2 ways to be rich 02:23 Doing too many things stresses us out 06:36 More things = more responsibilities and more problems 09:12 Less stuff = Less problems, less complaining and more happiness 09:12 Are you doing things that exhaust you or you actually enjoy 10:09 Analogy of Breaking A Window 10:45 Story of A Recent Hiking Trip with Jamie Lloyd 14:28 A Year Can Make A Huge Difference 16:07 Make Full Use of Your Stuff 17:25 Send Off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
16 Touko 202520min
The Science of Love, Desire and Attachment - Psychology vs your Biology
Love isn’t just a feeling, it’s a pattern. And patterns, when understood, can be changed. We are the descendants of beings who bonded, lusted, and survived—not by chance, but by biology. In this episode, we explore the elegant architecture of love, divided into three distinct experiences: lust, attraction, and attachment. Each has its own hormonal symphony: testosterone’s drive, dopamine’s thrill, oxytocin’s warmth. But these chemicals, while essential, are not our destiny. We must choose how we respond to them. The opportunity lies in seeing love not just as passion, but as a practice—a practice of self-awareness, empathy, and intentionality. Reframe love from chaos to conscious experience. Observe your emotions without becoming them. Build connection that outlasts dopamine spikes. Your biology is the system, but your awareness can evolve it. How to Change the World Sam's new show can be found on major podcast players: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast Can't find it on your player? This is the RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8 UPGRADE to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - Growth Mindset Show: Growth Mindset, psychology of self-improvement Episode: The Science of Love, Desire and Attachment - Psychology vs Biology Chapters: 00:00 The 3 main components of love 01:27 Biology of Love 02:33 Lust and the role of sex hormones 05:42 Attraction and reward pathways 08:25 Attachment and bonding hormones 10:37 Love's addictive power and irrationality 11:44 Infatuation, dependence and controlling behaviours 12:51 Reckless and destructive tendencies 14:11 How we lose rational thinking 16:46 Choosing the right partner 18:02 Cultivating healthy relationship habits 18:23 Send Off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
13 Touko 202521min
Anti-Fragile: How to benefit from uncertainty and build resilience into your systems
A system that grows stronger from chaos? That’s not science fiction. It’s nature’s original design. Nassim Taleb's Antifragile isn't just a book. It’s a lens—a way to see the world not as a series of risks to be avoided, but as opportunities to evolve. In this episode, we explore what it means to thrive in disorder. From ancient myths like the Hydra, to modern jobs and biological systems, we trace the pattern: fragility is punished, antifragility is rewarded. What if you built a life where setbacks made you better, not bitter? Where unpredictability wasn’t a threat, but a catalyst? That’s the shift we’re inviting you to make. Takeaways: Design your systems to gain from shocks, not just resist them. Embrace small failures—they prevent catastrophic ones. Seek environments where your upside grows with uncertainty. How to Change the World Sam's new show can be found on major podcast players: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast Can't find it on your player? This is the RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8 UPGRADE to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - Growth Mindset Show: Growth Mindset, psychology of self-improvement Episode: Anti-Fragile: How to benefit from uncertainty and build resilience into your systems Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Book Overview 03:38 The Central Triad: Fragile, Robust, Anti-Fragile 03:38 Mythological Examples of Anti-Fragility 05:14 Real-World Examples of Anti-Fragility 08:16 Anti-Fragility in Careers and Jobs 11:05 Economic Systems and Anti-Fragility 18:27 The Barbell Strategy for Anti-Fragility 21:21 Optionality: The Key to Anti-Fragility 25:54 The Narrative Fallacy and Practical Applications 28:52 The Path to Invention: Jet Engine and Beyond 29:42 Investing in Thinkers, Not Theories 30:11 Scientific Research vs. Practical Tinkering 31:05 Discussing 'Elephant in the Brain' 32:18 Understanding Favorable Asymmetries 33:41 Bitcoin as a Hedge Against Hyperinflation 35:00 Perishable vs. Non-Perishable: Longevity of Ideas 36:05 Nature's Anti-Fragility and Diet Choices 38:57 Neo Mania: Obsession with Newness 39:56 Medicine: Less is More 45:05 Ethics of Fragility and Anti-Fragility 45:30 Wrap up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9 Touko 202550min
How to Be Less Wrong: The psychology of self-deception and silly things we believe
Cognitive bias. False memory. The Dunning-Kruger effect. What do they all have in common? They show how unreliable our minds can be. In this episode, we explore the science and philosophy of self-knowledge. From flawed reasoning and failed planning to empathy gaps and epistemic humility. But explained using normal English... Along the way, we uncover powerful tools to help you become more reliable, more curious, and a little less wrong. How to Change the World Sam's new show can be found on major podcast players: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast Can't find it on your player? This is the RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8 UPGRADE to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - Growth Mindset Show: Growth Mindset, psychology of self-improvement Episode: How to Be Less Wrong: The psychology of self-deception and silly things we believe Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: The Illusion of Understanding 01:34 The Unreliable Nature of Our Minds 06:04 The Dunning-Kruger Effect and Cognitive Bias 08:00 The Limits of Empathy and Understanding Others 10:40 The Flaws in Our Reasoning and Decision Making 12:39 No awareness or feedback 14:24 Our tendency to fail 16:45 Building Reliability and Resilience18:44 Nonreacting - Chinese farmer parable 21:20 Conclusion: Embracing Our Ignorance for Growth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6 Touko 202527min
Emotional Intelligence: Why the FBI Trains for Empathy, and You Should Too w/ Steven Stein
People avoid you for reasons that have nothing to do with your deodorant. You can be smart, talented, even funny—but if people feel unseen or misunderstood around you, your life gets smaller. Dr. Steven Stein has tested emotional intelligence in everyone from Air Force recruiters to reality TV contestants. And the results are weirdly human. EQ isn’t about being soft. It’s about knowing when to shut up, when to speak up, and when to walk away. This episode breaks down emotional intelligence like it’s a muscle group: you’ve got to work it, stress it, and recover from it. Steven explains the science, shares unexpected stories (like lighthouse keepers and narcissists), and makes EQ feel practical We explore: 🔹 Spot the everyday signs you're low on EQ (and how to fix them) 🔹 Build empathy without becoming a pushover 🔹 Train your emotional intelligence like going to the gym 🔹 The biggest traits of success in the FBI, air force, army and navy 🔹 The psychology of reality TV Come away with the practical side of emotional intelligence in real life - not just in theory How to Change the World Sam's new show can be found on major podcast players: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast Can't find it on your player? This is the RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8 UPGRADE to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Steven Stein Bestselling author and psychologist who has worked with leading corporates, defense agencies and some of the biggest reality TV shows. Steven J. Stein Books: EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and your success Emotional Intelligence for Dummies Hardiness: Making stress work for you to achieve your goals Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - Growth Mindset Show: Growth Mindset, psychology of self-improvement Episode: Emotional Intelligence: Why the FBI Trains for Empathy, and You Should Too w/ Steven Stein Chapters: 00:00 Emotional Intelligence - Steven Stein Intro 02:18 Everyday signs of emotional intelligence 05:40 Improving Emotional Intelligence 08:02 Emotional Intelligence in Different Professions 11:30 Coaching for Emotional Intelligence at Work 14:20 The US Air Force Emotional Intelligence Study 17:00 Empathy Training Course 18:39 Emotional Intelligence and Neurodiversity 23:22 Trainable Aspects of Emotional Intelligence 24:40 Building Empathy by Using Drugs 27:11 Personal Growth in Emotional Intelligence 30:41 Reality TV and Emotional Intelligence 34:54 Cross-Cultural Differences in EQ 38:20 General Likability vs. Emotional Intelligence 40:42 Tips to Build Assertiveness 43:40 Relationship between IQ and EQ 49:59 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2 Touko 202554min
