Looking for some inspiration?
See below for some of my favorite books, talks and podcasts, all with a unique point of view and powerful thought provoking ideas.
Podcasts & TED talks
How to Fix the Exhausted Brain
Brady Wilson teaches clever ways to energize the brain, and why stepping into other people’s shoes isn’t always the right approach.
Ten Percent Happier
Dan Harris and his guests explore various themes around mindfulness, stress and efficiency. I loved episode 392 on languishing, 360 on self compassion, and 345 on habits.
How to Liberate Yourself from Social Anxiety
Behavioral investigator Vanessa van Edwards connects the way we use our bodies to the effect on other people’s brains.
What Frogs in Hot Water can Teach us about Thinking Again
An extremely inspiring talk by Adam Grant on the power of rethinking our own identities and the situations we find ourselves in.
A Kinder Gentler Philosophy of Success
Alain de Botton’s view on “success” will make you feel relaxed and re-inspired.
Diary of a CEO
Steven Bartlett has in depth conversations around relationships, work and health. I highly recommend the episode with Dr Alok Kanojia from September 30, 2024, as well as the episode with Alain de Botton on December 28, 2023.
Hidden Brain
Shankar Vedantam has thought provoking discussions around human behavior. I highly recommend the episode “Escaping the Matrix” from March 11, 2024.
The Happiness Advantage
Shawn Achor gives a light and funny talk on happiness, and how we could all use a little change in perspective.
Books
An exploration into the way we look at wealth from a psychological perspective. Interesting for investment strategies as well as other life hacks.
A powerful book that teaches you about your own inner thoughts and your consciousness in a way that is easy to follow.
All about the importance of diversity in groups and organizations, looking at examples ranging from the CIA to climbers of Mount Everest.
A deep dive into the many reasons why our ability to pay attention has lessened over the years, and some tools to help you prevent your loss of focus.
You will never look at relationships (or sex) the same way after reading Esther Perel’s extremely wise words.
Through many interesting experiments and anecdotes, Adam Grant explains how being a “giver” helps us in life and business.
Matthew Syed challenges the way we process information and make decisions. This book is fascinating!