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A Bit of Optimism with Simon Sinek

A Bit of Optimism

An inspiring podcast with Simon Sinek.

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Episodes: Page 15

Four Years in Solitary Confinement with political prisoner Leopoldo Lopez

Episode 117

Four Years in Solitary Confinement with political prisoner Leopoldo Lopez

If great leaders are those willing to suffer for their beliefs, Leopoldo Lopez is certainly a great leader. After he led the massive 2014 Venezuelan protests that swept the nation, the regime of Nicolás Maduro sentenced Leopoldo to over a decade of political imprisonment. He suffered four years of solitary confinement and psychological torture before he escaped.  Leopoldo tells me about his time in prison and how he cultivated the mental strength to endure. The story of how he smuggled himself into exile is a truly remarkable one. Most of us will never experience military prison, but what Leopoldo discovered about surviving enormous stress is something each of us can learn from.  This…is A Bit of Optimism. To find out more about Leopoldo and his work, check out: [worldlibertycongress.org](https://worldlibertycongress.org/)

March 5, 2024 44 min
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Redemption with charity founder Scott Harrison

Episode 116

Redemption with charity founder Scott Harrison

Life as a nightclub promoter in New York City was an unending cycle of drinking, drugs, models, and fast cars. After ten years, Scott Harrison's vices caught up with him, and a health scare forced him to reflect on his life. Scott felt decadent, wasteful, and morally bankrupt. He decided to completely reverse course. Scott spent the next 2 years in West Africa on board a nonprofit hospital ship, where he saw a level of human suffering that led him to his true calling. Today, solving the global water crisis is Scott's life's work, and he's built one of the most trusted nonprofits in the world to do just that. His organization **charity: water** has raised over $750 million, helping more than 17.4 million people access clean drinking water. Scott shares with me the painful road that led to his transformation and why living a life of service can be a path toward redemption. This...is A Bit of Optimism If you would like to help solve the global water crisis, visit: [charitywater.org](http://charitywater.org/) For more on Scott, check out: his book [Thirst](https://www.charitywater.org/thirst)

February 27, 2024 42 min
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Supercommunicators with journalist Charles Duhigg

Episode 115

Supercommunicators with journalist Charles Duhigg

Great communicators aren't born that way. They're self-made. Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist whose new book, *Supercommunicators*, explores how some people have unlocked the secret language of connection. Charles and I discuss what makes these "supercommunicators" unique, why we need stories to convey ideas, and how being honest once saved a CIA recruiter his job. This...is A Bit of Optimism. To learn more about Charles's work, check out: his book [*Supercommunicators*](https://www.charlesduhigg.com/supercommunicators) [charlesduhigg.com](http://charlesduhigg.com/)

February 20, 2024 28 min
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Community Starts at Home with author Alexandra Hudson

Episode 114

Community Starts at Home with author Alexandra Hudson

In a divided society, idealists believe we can overcome our differences. Alexandra Hudson is one of those idealists. Disillusioned by the backstabbing she witnessed in federal government, she began to research how we can repair the divisions keeping us apart.  We discuss what being civil means in a dog-eat-dog culture and why building a more connected community can start on the front porch. This...is A Bit of Optimism. To learn more about Alexandra and her work, check out: her book: [The Soul of Civility](https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250277787/thesoulofcivility) [alexandraohudson.com](https://alexandraohudson.com/)

February 13, 2024 21 min
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How To Be A Friend with chef Christina Tosi

Episode 113

How To Be A Friend with chef Christina Tosi

When life gets tough, true friends ask for help. Christina Tosi is that kind of friend. She's someone I can trust with anything and someone I can cry with. She also happens to be a world-class pastry chef, a genius dessert maker, and the founder and CEO of Milk Bar.  We reflect on the art of asking for help and how sometimes all we need from a true friend is 8 minutes of their time. This...is A Bit of Optimism. For more on Christina and her work, check out:  [https://www.christinatosi.com/](https://www.christinatosi.com/) [https://milkbarstore.com/](https://milkbarstore.com/) For more on the power of an 8-minute phone call, check out [this New York Times article](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/02/well/phone-call-happiness-challenge.html). And, by the way, I wanted to share Christina's recipe for making an [Ice Cream Loaf](https://milkbarstore.com/blogs/christina-tosi-bake-club/bake-club-birthday-ice-cream-loaf). It's magic.  You will need: 2 cups (1 pint) of softened ice cream 1 cup of self-rising flour 1 egg 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan and set aside. 2. In a large bowl, mix the melty ice cream, self-rising flour, and egg. Do not overmix. 3. Pour the batter into loaf pan. 4. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick clean. Enjoy.

February 6, 2024 40 min
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Why Awkward is Awesome with psychologist Ty Tashiro

Episode 112

Why Awkward is Awesome with psychologist Ty Tashiro

Awkwardness gets a bad rap, but the trait is often an indicator that someone is extraordinary.   Psychologist and author Ty Tashiro has spent a great deal of time studying (and living!) social awkwardness. He's fascinated by how the same traits that cause us social embarrassment can also drive exceptional accomplishment.  As a fellow awkward person myself, I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with Ty about the advantages of being awkward, what the socially fluent can learn from awkward people, and the best way to navigate conversations in loud clubs. This...is A Bit of Optimism. For more on Ty and his work check out:  His book: [AWKWARD: The Science of Why We're Socially Awkward and Why That's Awesome](https://www.tytashiro.com/awkwardbook). [tytashiro.com](http://tytashiro.com/)

January 30, 2024 32 min
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A Theory of Everyone with behavioral researcher Dr. Michael Muthukrishna

Episode 111

A Theory of Everyone with behavioral researcher Dr. Michael Muthukrishna

What makes humanity unique? Dr. Michael Muthukrishna is fascinated by why our species behaves the way it does. In his book, *A Theory of Everyone*, Michael seeks to answer some of the deepest questions humans have about ourselves and how our cultures came to be. Why do humans create culture? What do all our societies have in common? And how can this knowledge help us build a better future? This...is A Bit of Optimism. In our conversation, Michael references a paper published in *Science* titled "The Church, intensive kinship, and global psychological variation." You can read it [here](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aau5141). To learn more about Michael's work, check out: [michael.muthukrishna.com](http://michael.muthukrishna.com/)

January 23, 2024 35 min
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Atomic Habits with author James Clear

Episode 110

Atomic Habits with author James Clear

In the New Year, we all aspire to become better versions of ourselves. But how do we change our behavior so new habits actually stick? Well, James Clear is THE expert on habits. His book, Atomic Habits, is the #1 New York Times bestseller with over 15 million copies sold. Together, James and I break down his powerful approach to forming better habits, breaking the bad ones, and living the life we desire. This...is A Bit of Optimism. To learn more about James and his work, check out: [jamesclear.com](http://jamesclear.com/)

January 16, 2024 33 min
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