Podcasts about Motivation

Today we are talking about something that I think we all need to know about…  How to reset your dopamine. And before you think this is going to be one of those extreme episodes where I tell you to throw your phone into the ocean, stop drinking coffee, sit in a dark room for three days and eliminate everything fun from your life… That is absolutely not what we are doing. Because dopamine isn't bad. We need dopamine. Dopamine is part of what makes us want things. Pursue things. Work toward goals. Get up and go. The problem is that we are living in an environment where we can get enormous amounts of stimulation with almost zero effort. Open Instagram. Refresh your email. Check likes. Open TikTok. Eat something hyper-palatable. Buy something. Get a notification. Watch another episode. Click another video. Check your texts. Pick up your phone because you have 17 seconds with nothing to do. We have essentially eliminated boredom. And I think we need to talk about what that is doing to us. Because I don't think most people have a motivation problem. I think some people have made normal life too boring compared to the stimulation they consume all day long.   Think about this. Working toward a goal is slow. Building a business is slow. Getting stronger is slow. Improving a relationship is slow. Reading a book is slow. Learning something difficult is slow.     But your phone can give you novelty every half second. So what happens when your brain gets accustomed to incredibly stimulating rewards that require almost no effort? The things that actually build an awesome life can start feeling painfully boring.   And THAT is what I want to change today. I've been going deep into what Andrew Huberman, Chris Williamson, Stanford addiction psychiatrist Anna Lembke, Peter Attia and Gary Brecka have discussed around dopamine, reward, pleasure, discomfort and motivation. And there is one massive theme that keeps coming up: We need to stop getting so many rewards without earning them.   We need less cheap dopamine… And more earned dopamine. More accomplishment dopamine. More anticipation. More effort. More challenge. More doing hard things and feeling awesome afterward.   So today we're going to talk about what dopamine actually does, why our modern environment can completely screw with our motivation, what people mean by a dopamine reset, and most importantly… How we actually do it. Not forever. Not perfectly. But intentionally enough that normal life starts feeling interesting again.       Because imagine waking up and actually WANTING to work on your goals. Imagine sitting in your car without immediately opening your phone. Imagine finishing a workout and letting that accomplishment be the reward instead of instantly needing another stimulus. Imagine being fully engaged in dinner. Or a conversation. Or a walk. Or your kids. Or your work. That's what we're after. Not less enjoyment. More enjoyment from the things that actually matter. FIRST… WHAT IS DOPAMINE? Dopamine isn't simply the "pleasure chemical" This is probably the biggest misunderstanding. Dopamine plays a huge role in motivation, pursuit, learning, reinforcement and determining what your brain decides is worth pursuing again. Think less "this makes me happy" and more: "Go get that again." It's a molecule heavily involved in wanting and pursuing. Huberman explains dopamine in terms of baseline and peaks You have a baseline level of dopamine. Then certain experiences generate temporary increases above that baseline. The important part is what happens afterward. A big dopamine peak can be followed by a period where dopamine activity falls below where it was previously. This is part of why something incredible can sometimes leave you feeling strangely flat afterward. The higher and more frequently we chase enormous peaks, the more ordinary activities can start losing their appeal. Think about it like contrast If you eat incredibly sweet processed foods all day… A blueberry doesn't taste very sweet. There isn't anything wrong with the blueberry. Your reference point changed. The same general concept applies here. When your environment becomes filled with intense stimulation… Quiet feels boring. Reading feels boring. Work feels boring. Walking feels boring. A normal conversation feels boring. Your life didn't necessarily become boring. Your stimulation threshold changed. WHAT I MEAN BY "CHEAP DOPAMINE" I'm going to use the phrase cheap dopamine throughout this episode even though scientifically dopamine itself isn't cheap or expensive. What I mean is: A high-reward experience requiring very little effort. Things like: Endless short-form videos Constant social media refreshing Notifications Online shopping Gambling Highly processed foods Video games for hours and hours Constant snacking Drinking Continually checking texts Refreshing email Internet rabbit holes Watching episode after episode after episode Constant novelty And here's the key… None of those things has to be inherently evil. It's the dose. The frequency. And whether you've lost control over your consumption. There's a massive difference between choosing to watch a movie on Saturday night… And being literally unable to stand in an elevator for 25 seconds without checking your phone. That's the part I want us to notice. THE WORLD HAS REMOVED THE WAITING This might be one of the biggest problems. Almost everything used to have some friction. You wanted food? You cooked it. You wanted entertainment? You waited until your show came on. You wanted to talk to your friend? You called them. Maybe they weren't home. You wanted to buy something? You drove somewhere. You wanted information? You found a book. Now? Everything is immediate. Food. Entertainment. Shopping. Attention. Validation. Communication. Information. Novelty. Almost every human desire has an app attached to it. And our brains evolved in an environment where rewards generally required work. Now we can receive reward after reward while lying horizontally on the couch. That is a massive mismatch. THE PLEASURE-PAIN SEESAW One of my favorite explanations comes from Dr. Anna Lembke. She describes pleasure and pain almost like opposite sides of a balance. When we repeatedly push hard toward pleasure… Our brain tries to restore balance. And over time, you may need more of the stimulus just to experience the same effect. This is incredibly obvious with severe addiction. But I think it's useful to recognize much milder versions in ourselves. Have you ever: Opened Instagram for five minutes and 45 minutes disappeared? Finished a show and immediately needed another episode? Finished dessert and started looking for something else sweet? Checked one notification and then somehow checked four different apps? Picked up your phone without consciously deciding to? That automatic reaching is important. You aren't necessarily choosing anymore. You're responding. And I want us to get back into choosing. WHY NOTHING FEELS EXCITING ANYMORE Sometimes people say: "I'm unmotivated." "I don't feel like working." "I can't concentrate." "I'm bored." "I don't really feel excited about anything." Obviously there can be many medical, psychological and situational reasons for those feelings. But there is another question worth asking: How much stimulation are you consuming? Because if you're exposing yourself to novelty constantly… Your brain never gets a chance to be bored enough to create. Never bored enough to think. Never bored enough to solve a problem. Never bored enough to decide what you actually want. We're treating boredom like an emergency. I actually think boredom is incredibly productive. Some of my best ideas happen when there's nothing else coming into my brain. And we are filling every single empty pocket.   DOPAMINE STACKING Huberman talks about something that I think is fascinating: stacking multiple dopamine-producing experiences together. Think about a workout. Exercise itself can be rewarding. But now we add: Pre-workout. Favorite playlist. Phone. Texts. Social media. Energy drink. Maybe stimulants. Maybe a reward meal afterward. Maybe we post the workout and check responses. We've taken one intrinsically rewarding activity and stacked reward upon reward upon reward. And his point isn't that you can never do those things. It's that you don't necessarily want every good experience in life turned up to 100 every single time. Sometimes train without the perfect playlist. Sometimes walk without the podcast. Sometimes drink the coffee without simultaneously scrolling Instagram. Sometimes eat without watching television. Separate the rewards. You don't have to eliminate pleasure. Stop supercharging every experience. LEARN TO LOVE EFFORT This might be my favorite part of the entire episode. We need to stop making the reward exclusively something that comes AFTER the work. "I'll work out and then I can have this." "I'll finish this project and then I'll reward myself." "I'll complete my work and then I'll scroll." There's nothing wrong with celebrating accomplishments. But we also want to train ourselves to associate the effort itself with something positive. Because if the entire purpose of doing something difficult is the reward waiting at the end… The work becomes something you're trying to escape. Instead: "This discomfort means I'm getting stronger." "This is hard because I'm growing." "I'm proud of myself for doing this when I don't feel like doing it." "This is what keeping promises to myself feels like." "This is who I am." That shift is huge. The workout becomes the win. Doing the work becomes the win. Keeping the promise becomes the win. USE DISCOMFORT ON PURPOSE This theme comes up across a lot of these conversations. We're living in an unbelievably comfortable world. Temperature-controlled houses. Food everywhere. Cars. Couches. Entertainment. Delivery. Escalators. Amazon. Everything is optimized to eliminate friction. But voluntary discomfort can be incredibly valuable. Exercise. Walking. Strength training. Running. Sauna. Cold exposure when appropriate and done safely. Doing something physically difficult. Getting outside when conditions aren't perfect. Taking the stairs. Having the difficult conversation. Doing the work you're avoiding. The idea isn't: "Suffering is good." The idea is: Stop organizing your entire life around avoiding discomfort. Because challenge followed by satisfaction is very different from pleasure followed by emptiness. One you earned. One you consumed. We need both fun and hard things. But modern life has heavily tilted us toward consumption. DON'T START YOUR DAY WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S DOPAMINE Here's something I think would change a lot of people's lives. Do not roll over and immediately hand your brain to your phone. Because instantly you've got: Texts. News. Instagram. Email. TikTok. Other people's emergencies. Other people's opinions. Other people's lives. Other people's accomplishments. Other people's bodies. Other people's vacations. Other people's businesses. Other people's problems. Before you've even decided what YOU want your day to look like. I would rather protect that first part of the morning. Wake up. Water. Sunlight. Walk. Workout. Journal. Think. Plan. Work. Whatever your routine is. Just don't immediately flood your brain with novelty. You should decide the direction of your day before an algorithm decides it for you. THE 2.0 DOPAMINE RESET Okay. Here is what I would actually do. Not some insane internet detox. A realistic reset. RULE #1: Identify YOUR cheap dopamine Ask yourself: What do I compulsively reach for? Not what does the internet tell me is bad. What has control over ME? Maybe yours is: Instagram. TikTok. Shopping. Sugar. Video games. News. YouTube. Email. Texting. Something else. Identify the top one or two. Don't try to become a monk overnight. RULE #2: Take a meaningful break from the biggest offender If something truly feels compulsive, consider taking a real period away from it rather than constantly trying to moderate it. Try deleting it for a week. Maybe two. Maybe 30 days. See what happens. You might be shocked by how often your hand reaches for an app that isn't there. That's valuable information. RULE #3: Stop filling every gap This is a HUGE one. We're bringing back empty space. Stand in line. Just stand there. Drive five minutes. No podcast. Walk around the block. No headphones. Sit outside. Do nothing. Take a shower without content playing. Cook dinner without a video. You are retraining yourself to tolerate a lower level of stimulation. And here's the funny thing… After a while it doesn't feel low stimulation. It feels peaceful. RULE #4: Create phone-free zones Pick places where your phone does not belong. Examples: Bedroom Dinner table Gym Family time Bathroom First hour of the morning Last hour before bed Don't rely purely on willpower. Change your environment. Leave the phone somewhere else. Make the bad habit inconvenient. RULE #5: Turn off almost every notification Notifications are someone else deciding when your attention moves. Think about that. Unless something legitimately requires immediate attention… Turn it off. RULE #6: Stop stacking everything Coffee + Instagram + television + food + texting? No. Pick one. Workout + podcast + scrolling between sets + energy drink + Instagram? Simplify it. Let an experience stand alone. Food can just be food. Coffee can just be coffee. A walk can just be a walk. A conversation can just be a conversation. RULE #7: Get your dopamine through pursuit This is the big replacement strategy. You can't just remove things. You need better things to move toward. Exercise. Building something. Learning. Working. Creating. Sports. Relationships. Adventure. Goals. Competition. Skill. Experiences. Meaningful challenges. Get obsessed with something difficult. That is completely different than being addicted to consumption. RULE #8: Do one hard thing every day I love this rule. Every day, intentionally do something that you'd rather avoid. Workout hard. Make the phone call. Send the proposal. Clean the closet. Have the conversation. Finish the project. Run the hill. Get into the cold water if that's safe for you. Walk when you'd rather sit. Do the thing you've been procrastinating. You start creating evidence: "I don't have to feel like doing something in order to do it." That is power. RULE #9: Prioritize sleep Your brain isn't operating independently of your body. If you're chronically sleep-deprived, everything becomes harder. Motivation. Impulse control. Training. Food choices. Emotional regulation. Focus. Peter Attia and Huberman both hammer sleep for a reason. If we're trying to optimize our brain while sleeping five hours… We're focusing on the wrong end of the problem. RULE #10: Morning sunlight and movement Huberman talks frequently about getting outdoor light early in the day to anchor your circadian system. I love pairing that with movement. Outside. Walk. Light. No Instagram. Let your nervous system wake up naturally. It's incredibly simple. And simple things done repeatedly tend to beat complicated hacks. THE 24-HOUR CHALLENGE Here is your challenge. For the next 24 hours: No phone for the first 30 minutes after waking. No social media until you've completed something productive. Turn off unnecessary notifications. No phone while eating. Take one walk without headphones. Do one difficult thing you've been avoiding. No double-screening. If you're watching TV, you're not also scrolling. Put your phone outside your bedroom tonight. Let yourself experience boredom. Notice every time you instinctively reach for stimulation. Don't judge yourself. Observe yourself. Because awareness is the beginning of changing anything. THEN TRY SEVEN DAYS Now let's level it up. For seven days: Reduce your biggest cheap-dopamine behavior dramatically. You don't need to eliminate all pleasure. In fact, please don't. Go to dinner. Laugh. Drink your coffee. Listen to music. Hang with friends. Enjoy your life. This isn't punishment. We're trying to reclaim our ability to enjoy NORMAL things. That's the goal. Less artificial stimulation. More real life. ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION Before you reach for something, ask: Am I choosing this, or am I escaping something? That question can completely change things. Why am I opening Instagram? Because I intentionally decided to spend 15 minutes enjoying it? Fine. Or because this task got difficult? Why am I eating this? Because I'm hungry and I want it? Fine. Or because I'm uncomfortable? Why am I drinking? Because I'm celebrating with friends? Or because I can't tolerate sitting with how I feel? Why am I checking email for the 47th time? Because I'm waiting for something important? Or because working on the project in front of me is harder? That pause between impulse and behavior… That's where your power is. CHEAP DOPAMINE VS EARNED DOPAMINE This is the easiest way I can summarize the episode. Cheap dopamine: Consume. Scroll. Click. Watch. Refresh. Snack. Buy. Escape. Earned dopamine: Build. Train. Create. Learn. Connect. Explore. Compete. Finish. Accomplish. The first category isn't evil. But if the balance of your life is overwhelmingly consumption… Don't be surprised when your motivation disappears. Shift the ratio. More creating. Less consuming. More doing. Less watching. More participating. Less observing. More real life. Less digital life. WE NEED ANTICIPATION BACK I think anticipation is disappearing. When everything is immediately available… There's nothing to look forward to. And looking forward to something is part of the fun. Plan the trip. Wait for Friday night. Save the amazing dessert for dinner. Don't buy everything the second you want it. Put the concert on the calendar. Build toward the race. Earn the reward. Delay things intentionally sometimes. The waiting isn't ruining the experience. The waiting IS part of the experience. YOUR LIFE SHOULD NOT NEED CONSTANT ENTERTAINMENT This might be the line I want you to remember. You should not need to be entertained every minute in order to enjoy your life. Your kids shouldn't either. We need boring car rides. We need afternoons with nothing scheduled. We need conversations without phones. We need walks. We need staring out the freaking window. We need thinking. We need daydreaming. We need opportunities for our brains to say: "Okay… what should we do?" Creativity often appears after the stimulation disappears. THE GOAL IS NOT LOWER DOPAMINE This is important. We're not trying to crush dopamine. We're not trying to become emotionless. We're not trying to avoid things that make us feel amazing. We're trying to protect our ability to feel amazing. That's different. We want the vacation to feel incredible. The concert. The accomplishment. The amazing dinner. The business win. The race. The adventure. The hug. The goal. The experience. We just don't need to manufacture an artificial mini-version of that feeling 800 times between breakfast and lunch. Leave some room. Let your baseline exist without constantly smashing the stimulation button.   Here's what I think is so interesting about all of this. We have designed a world where almost everything that used to require effort can now be accessed instantly. And that sounds like freedom. But if we're not careful… Convenience becomes dependence. Entertainment becomes distraction. Pleasure becomes compulsion. And access becomes addiction. The answer isn't to reject modern life. I'm certainly not giving up my phone. I'm not giving up coffee. I'm not giving up Instagram. I'm not giving up amazing food or concerts or trips or all the fun things. I want MORE life. That's actually the entire point. I don't want to spend my life looking down at a screen getting tiny rewards when there are enormous rewards available by actually participating in life. I want the dopamine from doing the workout I didn't want to do. Building the business. Taking the trip. Making the memory. Trying something new. Getting really freaking good at something. Having an amazing conversation. Being completely present with my kids. Creating something I'm proud of. Doing something hard. That's the dopamine I want more of. And maybe the simplest takeaway from this whole episode is this: Stop making pleasure so easy and effort so optional. Let yourself work for things. Let yourself wait for things. Let yourself be bored. Let yourself struggle. Let yourself anticipate. Let yourself earn some of the really good feelings. Because when we stop trying to make every moment maximally stimulating… Something really cool happens. Normal life starts becoming awesome again. And that is how to be awesome at resetting your dopamine.

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My guest is Joe Liemandt, technology entrepreneur and principal of Alpha School, a K-12 model that uses AI and individualized learning to help students master academics in just two hours a day, freeing the rest of their time to build businesses, conduct experiments, engage with their communities, and develop practical life skills. We discuss Alpha's promising results, tools parents and educators can use today, and Joe's vision for how AI could transform education and human potential. Show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/296-joe-liemandt Pre-order Protocols: https://protocolsbook.com Huberman Lab live events: https://www.hubermanlab.com/events Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman David: https://davidprotein.com/huberman Lingo: https://hellolingo.com/huberman Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Joe Liemandt (00:03:16) History of Traditional Classroom Model; Education Milestones (00:08:08) Sponsors: David & Lingo (00:10:25) Alpha School, High Standards & Support (00:22:33) Effective Support, Academics vs Athletics; Homeschooling (00:30:03) AI, Individualized Learning & Mastery (00:34:31) Teacher Education, Standardized Tests, Role of School (00:40:52) Sponsors: AG1 & Helix Sleep (00:43:42) AI, Scaffolding Learning, Mastery; Working Memory & Fluency (00:52:41) Working Memory, Focus; Gifted Kids (01:00:30) Basics Mastery, Grade Level Catch-Up, Individualized AI Lessons & Pace (01:06:57) Sponsor: LMNT (01:08:17) Shame, Motivation, Growth Rate; Overcoming Mental Blocks & Paying Kids (01:20:55) Suffering & Motivation, Kids Goals, Sports; Doing Hard Things (01:31:21) Founders High School, Life Skills; Kids' Goals (01:42:44) Reimagining Classroom Education (01:47:21) Importance of Building & Creating, AI & Humanity (01:58:04) Science & Redesigning Experiments, Kids' Interest-Led Projects (02:05:26) Huberman Lab Live Events (02:06:14) Learning Predictors, Gender, Income; Redesigning the School System (02:18:32) Success; Sports Academy, Alpha School Expansion (02:28:36) Acknowledgements (02:31:07) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer & Disclosures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 679 Schedule a one on one free coaching call, click here or visit LoanOfficerStrategyCall.com. Welcome to Loan Officer Freedom, the #1 podcast in the country for loan officers, hosted by Carl White. In this episode, Carl White sits down with Kevin Gillespie to explore an important leadership question: what works better, motivation or inspiration? They discuss how motivation can create an immediate push to take action, while inspiration can help people develop the internal drive and confidence to keep moving forward even when no one is pushing them. Carl and Kevin share examples from their own experiences and explain why great leadership is not about choosing one approach over the other. The key is understanding what your team needs in the moment. Sometimes people need encouragement and an example to follow. Other times they need clear standards, accountability, and a respectful push to take action. They also discuss why leaders should focus on the activities people can control instead of only measuring results like applications and closings. By coaching the right behaviors, setting clear expectations, and leading by example, leaders can help their teams improve while building a culture of personal responsibility. Whether you're leading a branch, managing a team, or looking to become a stronger leader, this episode will help you think differently about how you motivate, inspire, coach, and hold people accountable. To learn more about Kevin Gillespie's Leadership Academy and strategies for growing a stronger mortgage team, visit ProfitDrivenPlan.com.

This week I want to discuss the importance of recognizing and defining personal lines of acceptability, and how these lines influence our lives and leadership. I'm also covering the gradual erosion of standards, and the necessity of raising the floor of our expectations rather than just aiming for higher ceilings.I want you to walk away from this episode reflecting on your own standards and drawing new lines that align with your true potential.--Links & resources:Purchase my new book, Level Up Your LeadershipTo follow more info about the podcast@levelup.debbienealCheck out my personal instagram account@debbie_neal

Join Me To Build Your Best Fall – https://buildyourbestfall.com/ You wake up, and your hand goes straight to your phone before your feet even touch the floor. By ten in the morning, you're wired and foggy at the same time, reaching for sugar, caffeine, and one more scroll I already know will make me feel worse.That pattern has a real reason behind it, and it comes down to four brain chemicals that shape how we feel every day: dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. Neuroscientist TJ Power calls this system DOSE, and understanding how these four work together helps explain why your midlife energy, your focus, and that low hum of anxiety you've carried for years start to make sense in a whole new way.I have been trying to get TJ Power on the show for eight months. This is my favorite episode in eight years of recording.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why dopamine gets all the attention while oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins quietly run your mood and your capacityThe one morning habit that sets what your brain craves for the rest of the dayWhy boredom is one of the most restorative things you can give your brain, and what your default mode network does with those quiet minutesHow decision fatigue actually builds in your brain, and how fast it clearsWhy motivation shows up after you move, not beforeThe simple body check question TJ asks every morning before he touches his phoneWhat rest has to do with performance, and why athletes figured this out firstTimestamps:(02:09) — What DOSE stands for and why all four chemicals matter(03:50) — Oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins in plain English(06:14) — How dopamine actually builds, and the 15 minute rule for reading(07:31) — Golden retriever puppies and what they do to your nervous system(08:36) — TJ's 36 hours without a phone and what he and his wife did instead(10:40) — Where he keeps his phone all day (it isn't near him)(12:35) — The 9-to-9 detox: one woman's Saturday without a phone(15:51) — What 50 of Alli's clients named as their biggest time waster(16:49) — Instagram Reels, Coca-Cola, and how much we're really scrolling(17:43) — Your default mode network: the wise guide you stopped listening to(19:24) — Decision fatigue, glutamate, and the ache behind your forehead(23:02) — Alli's hour-long walk and the 15 minutes that are always rough(24:08) — The 60-minute headphone-free walk that changes lives(25:16) — Motivation is an outcome of behavior, not a prerequisite(26:47) — Endorphins, hills, saunas, and roller coasters(32:38) — Serotonin lives in your body, and 90% of the vagus nerve runs upward(35:20) — Why scrolling Reels in the afternoon is chemically similar to a glass of wine(36:32) — "Hey body, what would you like right now?" The morning practice(38:48) — Chasing what feels good instead of escaping what feels bad(41:12) — Do I deserve to rest? What elite athletes understand, and Alli on Sabbath(43:11) — ADHD, dopamine, and what phones are really doing(49:07) — "Dopamine diabetes": the new diagnosis TJ thinks we need(50:42) — If you only have 20 minutes a day, spend them like this(52:36) — Whatever your first dopamine hit is, that's what your brain craves all day(55:29) — The phone-free first hour and how to build a life around itLinks to great things we discussed: The Dose EffectFunction HealthUplift AppJoin me on Substack: Wise Woman MethodAlli on YouTubeI hope you loved this episode!

Episode 517: How a Bloody Trauma Case Cured My Lifelong Blood Phobia Hosts: Kevin Cornelius, LMFT Dr. David Burns Episode Summary Can your greatest fear become one of your greatest strengths? In this deeply personal episode, Dr. David Burns shares the remarkable true story of how a severe lifelong blood phobia nearly ended his medical career—and how one unforgettable day in the emergency room transformed that fear forever. David recounts his unconventional path to becoming a psychiatrist, including almost dropping out of medical school, taking years away from medicine, living without money while trying to create a life centered around helping others, and eventually finding his way back to psychiatry through a residency at Highland Hospital in Oakland. On his very first day in the emergency department, David was confronted with what seemed like his worst nightmare: a critically injured bombing victim covered in blood. Unable to avoid the situation, he was asked to help clean gunpowder from the patient's wounds. What began as overwhelming terror became an unexpected turning point that permanently erased his blood phobia—and ultimately shaped his career treating anxiety disorders. Along the way, David and Kevin explore why exposure is one of the most powerful treatments for anxiety, why motivation is essential for lasting change, and why courage doesn't require the absence of fear. This inspiring conversation is a reminder that the experiences we most want to avoid can sometimes become the doorway to profound growth. In This Episode Why David never intended to become a physician—and almost quit medical school. The childhood experiences that contributed to his lifelong blood phobia. How avoiding feared situations keeps anxiety alive. The extraordinary trauma case that unexpectedly became David's own exposure therapy. The surprising moment his fear disappeared completely. David's concept of the "200% cure"—when something you once feared becomes something you genuinely enjoy. Why therapists sometimes avoid using exposure therapy, even though it is one of the most effective anxiety treatments. Why motivation often determines whether people are able to face their fears. The role of acceptance and willingness during exposure. A moving reunion with Highland Hospital decades later through the surgeon who recently performed David's successful colon surgery. Key Takeaways Exposure works because avoidance keeps fear alive. The natural impulse is to escape what frightens us. Unfortunately, every act of avoidance teaches the brain that the feared situation is dangerous. When we stay in the feared situation long enough, anxiety eventually peaks and then naturally declines. The feared catastrophe rarely occurs, and our confidence grows. Courage means acting while you're afraid. Kevin highlights an important distinction: You don't have to eliminate fear before taking action. Real courage is moving forward even while your anxiety feels overwhelming. David's anxiety remained at a 100 out of 100 for nearly fifteen minutes before it suddenly dissolved. Anxiety cannot remain at its peak forever. One of the biggest misconceptions about anxiety is the belief that once it starts, it will continue indefinitely. In reality, anxiety naturally rises and falls. If we stop escaping and allow ourselves to experience it, it eventually loses its power. Motivation makes exposure possible. For years David simply avoided blood. Everything changed because he had something more important than avoiding fear: he wanted to become a psychiatrist. Having a compelling reason to face anxiety often makes difficult exposure exercises possible. Sometimes fear transforms into enthusiasm. David describes what he calls the "200% cure." A 100% cure means you're no longer afraid. A 200% cure means you actually enjoy doing the very thing you once feared. Many people who overcome fears discover new passions that once seemed impossible. Therapists can become afraid of their patients' anxiety. Kevin and David discuss an important obstacle in treatment: therapists themselves sometimes avoid exposure because they're afraid it will overwhelm the client. Ironically, protecting people from anxiety often prolongs suffering. Learning that anxiety is uncomfortable—but not dangerous—is one of the most healing discoveries patients can make. Exposure requires willingness, not comfort. The goal is never to feel relaxed before confronting a fear. The goal is to become willing to experience anxiety while pursuing what matters. Memorable Quotes "When you confront the thing you're afraid of, you discover that the monster has no teeth." "You don't have to be a hero. You just have to make the decision to do it." "The 100% cure is you're no longer afraid. The 200% cure is that you love doing the thing you were once afraid of." "The real harm is believing that anxiety itself is dangerous." Resources Mentioned Dr. David Burns' accompanying Psychology Today article, "How a Bloody Trauma Case Cured My Lifelong Blood Phobia." TEAM-CBT and exposure techniques for treating anxiety disorders. If You Enjoyed This Episode If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe to The Feeling Good Podcast, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with someone who struggles with anxiety or avoidance. Your support helps more people discover practical, evidence-based tools for overcoming fear and building happier lives. Listener Survey We'd love to hear from you!Your feedback helps shape future episodes and allows us to create content that is as helpful and meaningful as possible. Please use this link to take the feedback survey and share your thoughts with us about this episode.Your voice matters—and as David points out in this episode, sometimes the most important conversations begin when we're willing to express what we're really thinking and feeling. Thank you for listening to The Feeling Good Podcast! Contact Information Kevin Cornelius, LMFT is a Level 5 Certified Master TEAM-CBT Therapist and Trainer and the Clinical Director of Feeling Good Institute--Silicon Valley. He specializes in the treatment of trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship problems and insomnia. You can reach Kevin at kevin@feelinggoodinstitute.com and visit his website at www.tools4change.me. You can reach Dr. Burns at david@feelinggood.com. Feeling down in these turbulent times? Take a ride on our Feeling Great app. Feeling Great feels wonderful! You owe it to yourself to feel GREAT! Give the Greatest Gifts of ALL--Love and Happiness!

What if the rewards you're using to motivate your teen are actually making them less motivated? In this episode of Power Your Parenting: Moms with Teens, I talk with Dr. Özgür Bolat, author of The Reward Trap: Why Rewards Backfire and the Real Science of Motivating Kids, about the surprising downside of using rewards to motivate our kids. Dr. Bolat is a distinguished education scientist, researcher, associate professor, and internationally recognized expert in education and parenting. He earned his master's degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education and his PhD from the University of Cambridge and spent a year as a visiting PhD student at MIT Sloan. His research and personal experience led him to explore how achievement, praise, and rewards can create a dependence on external validation—and what parents can do differently. Dr. Bolat explains that while rewards may get teens to do what we want in the short term, compliance is not the same as motivation. When we say, “Get an A and I'll give you money,” or “Finish your homework and you can have more screen time,” teens may become focused on the payoff rather than learning, mastery, or personal responsibility. Over time, rewards can undermine intrinsic motivation and even affect creativity, self-esteem, and connection. Instead of immediately trying to control behavior, Dr. Bolat encourages parents to get curious about what's underneath it. Why isn't your teen studying? Why have they stopped caring about school? What are they struggling with? His PEACE model helps parents move away from simply fixing the behavior and toward understanding and solving the deeper problem together. 3 Takeaways for Moms 1. Compliance is not the same as motivation.Rewards may get your teen to do something today, but they don't necessarily build the internal motivation to keep doing it. Ask yourself: Am I trying to get immediate compliance, or am I helping my teen develop ownership? 2. Look underneath the behavior.Instead of asking, “How do I get my teen to study?” get curious: “Why is my teen struggling to study?” Resistance may be pointing to discouragement, disconnection, fear of failure, lack of meaning, or another deeper issue. 3. Help your teen find a cause, not just a goal.Grades and college acceptance may not be motivating enough. Talk with your teen about the bigger picture: What kind of life do you want? What are you good at? What matters to you? How do you want to contribute? Meaning, growth, values, and connection can become powerful internal motivators. Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dr.ozgurbolat/ Learn more at: https://ozgurbolat.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the eighth and final episode of the Coach's Corner Series! Today, I sit down with Coach Rae to talk about something we don't see many functional health companies address: relationship with food. We dig into why diet culture and social media have made it so hard for women to feel at peace with food, from the Britney Spears waist era to today's constant stream of body trends. Coach Rae shares the signs she looks for when a client's relationship with food might need extra attention, from fear of carbs to being afraid to keep certain foods in the house. We talk about why functional health can't just be labs, meal plans, and supplements, and why the mindset work around food fear matters just as much as the physical protocols. Rae walks us through how she approaches clients with real GI symptoms who are afraid to eat, including how elimination diets can help separate true food sensitivities from fear driven reactions. She also opens up about her own twenty plus year journey with food and control, and why curiosity with yourself is often the starting point for change. We then talk through the personality patterns she sees most often, the anxious perfectionists who feel safest when they're in control of their food, and why that sense of control can actually make your nervous system more fragile over time. Rae reminds listeners that struggling with food isn't about a lack of discipline, and that healing is possible no matter how long you've felt stuck. This is a real, honest conversation about what it actually looks like to build freedom and peace with food. Time Stamps: (2:37) Why Women Struggle with Food (5:02) Signs of Food Relationship Improvements (10:52) Where To Start When Working On This On Your Own (22:52) Parting Words on Relationship with Food (24:32) Please Share With A Friend ------- Learn more about the Vital Spark Coaching Functional Reset Method. ------- Click Here to apply for 1-on-1 coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts. ------- Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ------- Click Here for my Free Top 3 Labs training to get to the root of bloating & exhaustion. ------- Click Here to download a Free Hormone Healing Blueprint. ------- Check out our YouTube Channel for more free training. ------- Click Here to read our Client Google Reviews. ------- Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In this episode, I sit down with Andi Simon, a corporate anthropologist, founder of Simon Associates Management Consultants, award-winning author, global keynote speaker, and host of the On the Brink with Andi Simon podcast. With over 20 years of business executive experience and a PhD in anthropology, Andi breaks down what happens when work ends but life continues, exploring why retirement has become one of the most misunderstood and emotionally complex transitions. In this episode, we discuss: How anthropology led Andi to appreciate human culture Bridging anthropology and business to help leaders navigate change Helping stalled organizations learn new ways to see and think Living in a senior community to study retirement expectations Why purpose requires asking who you matter to Redefining personal identity beyond a corporate title Structuring daily routine and community outside the workplace Planning deliberately for time, health, and fulfillment in longevity Key takeaways from her book, Rethink Retirement Applying curiosity, courage, and creativity to personal reinvention About Andi: Andi Simon, PhD, is a corporate anthropologist studying what happens when work ends but life doesn't, and why retirement has become one of the most misunderstood and emotionally complex transitions of our time. She's the founder of Simon Associates Management Consultants (SAMC), an award-winning author, and a global keynote speaker who helps leaders see culture and identity more clearly, turning observation into innovation and designing smarter transitions for people and organizations. Book:https://www.andisimon.com/the-books/ Website: https://www.andisimon.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andisimon/ Podcast: https://www.simonassociates.net/category/podcast/ Book: https://www.andisimon.com/the-books/ ----- Connect with Candice Snyder! Website: https://www.podpage.com/passion-purpose-and-possibilities-1/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candicebsnyder?_rdr Passion, Purpose, and Possibilities Community Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/passionpurposeandpossibilitiescommunity/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpurposepossibilities/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicesnyder/ Shop For A Cause With Gifts That Give Back to Nonprofits: https://thekindnesscause.com/ Go to FusionaryFormulas.com and use code PASSION at checkout for 15% off your first order. Fall In Love With Artists And Experience Joy And Calm: https://www.youtube.com/@movenartrelaxation

Life is far too complicated to reduce a human being to a thousand decisions.But as a metaphor?I think there is something incredibly valuable here.Because so much of where we find ourselves today is the accumulated result of things that happened repeatedly before today.Not yesterday.Not last weekend.Not the last seven days.Often…years.And that is what I want to talk about all week.Resources: Brain.fm App(First month Free, then 20% off subscription)Discount Code: coachdamiensdLinks:IG:@coachdamien_sd@damienrayevans@livinthedream_podcast YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS6VuPgtVsdBpDj5oN3YQTgFB:https://www.facebook.com/coachdamienSD/

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To celebrate 250 episodes of Secondary Science Simplified, I'm answering listener questions covering everything from coworker relationships and classroom organization to block schedules and student connections. I'm sharing practical strategies for balancing direct instruction and inquiry, navigating scripted curriculum, managing a season when you don't have the time or energy to do everything, and integrating faith into a science classroom.➡️ Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode250Resources Mentioned:FREEBIE: Anatomy of a Class Period (never lecture more than 15 min!): Individual lab supplies in shoebox lids (12 for $28)AP Science Teacher PlaylistGrading Playlist Curriculum Design 101 Starts Here! (Episode 80) Christianity and Evolution blog postDownload your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.Take the Free Labs When Limited virtual PD courseSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com  Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.Follow, rate, and comment on Spotify.Related Episodes and Blog Posts:Episode 71, “I'm the Problem, It's Me”: Working with Difficult Coworkers and Admin with Guest Zach MatsonEpisode 149, Teaching on a Block Schedule - Why It's Not as Bad as You ThinkEpisode 246, Grouping and Engaging Students with Popsicle Sticks

Last episode we talked about removing interference--getting rid of those things that interfere with our Happy, with the direction we want our life to go. We want to continue on with that idea by talking about running interference, because when we run interference, we remove our interference. Not to mention, when we run interference for someone else and they win...then we win too. Listen as well as share with someone who has run interference for you and your life, you'll be Happy you did, and they will be Happy as well. Help us spread the HappyPayPal: www.PayPal.me/StevoHaysCash App: $HappyLifeStudiosZelle: StevoHays@gmail.comVenmo: @StevoHaysBuy Me A Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/HappyLifeStudioCheck: Payable to Hays Ministries or Steve Hays and send to 27240 213th Place S.E. Maple Valley, WA 98038 Contact usLinktree: www.Linktr.ee/HappyLifeStudiosEmail: Podcast@HappyLife.StudioYo Stevo Hotline: (425) 200-HAYS (4297)Webpage: www.HappyLife.lol YouTube: www.YouTube.com/StevoHaysLinkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/steve-hays-b6b1186b/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@happylifestudiosFacebook: www.Facebook.com/HappyLifeStudios Instagram: www.Instagram.com/HappyLife_Studios Twitter: www.x.com/stevehaysWe would also like to give a special thanks to James Kocian, for the use of his amazing songs "Head Boppin" and "Another Perfect Day". Check out more of his amazing stuff here www.JamesKocian.com or here www.Facebook.com/jameskocianmusic and tell him thanks from Happy Life Studios. The song we used for the intro was "Are You Happy" by Primitive Radio Gods. The ending song was "Make Someone Happy" by Jimmy Durante. We also used excerpts from the NFL theme and NFL Monday Night Football theme. We don't own any rights.More Episode Links:Legends Throwback: Mack Strong | 2020 Seattle Seahawks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK-VYdARoaMMack Strong - An Appropriately Named Player https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQzkWSJ-qMoAnne with an E Prayer of Peace https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD50AeTFiNU

Get the 200+ Page Optimal Living Daily Workbook (PDF) - Free. Want to turn today's episode into an actionable plan? Join the Optimal Living Weekly newsletter and I'll send you our 200-page digital workbook immediately. It's packed with the best takeaways from the show, formatted for easy reading and implementation at home. Get your free PDF workbook here: https://oldpodcast.eo.page/join Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com Episode 4137: Lea Genders explains that the same set of principles drives progress toward any big goal, whether it sits in fitness, business, or personal development. She points out that a stalled goal usually means a gap in knowledge or a gap in behavior, and that real progress is never a straight line upward. Her strongest takeaway is that habits, not motivation, are what carry the work forward once willpower runs out. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.leagendersfitness.com/news/you-can-achieve-your-goals-with-these-10-principles Quotes to ponder: "I realized that when we aren't achieving our goals, there is either a gap in knowledge or a gap in behavior. There's something you don't know yet or something you're not doing (or both)." "Motivation wanes, inspiration fades, and willpower is fleeting. Habits are ingrained." "Nothing worth achieving comes easy. It's the struggle that makes it that much more meaningful once accomplished." Optimal Living Daily is a daily personal development and self-improvement podcast where we narrate the best self-help articles on minimalism, productivity, and intentional living, read to you by a professional narrator so you can live your best life a little more every day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sasha Sweets grew up in California as a natural hustler — selling candy before moving to drugs, working at a strip club, and always chasing the finer things in life while her father was in prison for part of her childhood — before getting into a scamming operation with the father of her child in her early twenties that produced a federal indictment, 3.5 years in federal prison across California, Kentucky, and Arizona, and over $2 million in restitution. _____________________________________________  #crimenews #prisonstory #truecrimestories #scam _____________________________________________  Thank you to CASH APP for sponsoring this episode: Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/6pao71et #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. _____________________________________________ Connect with Sasha Sweets: https://www.instagram.com/sa.sweetss/?hl=en _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro: 6ix9ine and Sasha Sweets 00:19 Growing Up in California 01:07 Family Life and Dad's Prison 03:25 High School Fights and Moving 05:56 Being Out of Control 07:30 Career Dreams vs. Making Money 10:23 Work Ethic and Selling Chocolate Bars 11:55 Transition to Selling Drugs 13:37 Running Away and Parties 14:41 Starting to Dance 16:48 First Strip Club Audition 18:00 Dancing Lifestyle and Earnings 19:19 Dad Finds Out 21:30 Dad's Prison Stories 23:23 Pregnancy and Quitting the Club 24:47 Meeting Her Baby's Father 26:20 Introduction to Scamming 28:43 Motivation for More Money 31:21 Why Scamming Over Drugs 33:23 Unemployment Fraud Details 36:20 Getting Caught and Indicted 41:34 The Raid and Aftermath 45:40 Fighting the Charges 47:20 Pre-Trial Life and Waiting 48:51 Plea Deal and Sentencing 54:52 Preparing to Surrender 56:57 Self-Surrendering and the Raid 01:01:02 Dublin Prison Shutdown 01:03:04 First Cellmate and Prison Life 01:05:55 Prison Tattoos and Contraband 01:08:07 Advice from Cellmate 01:09:27 Prison Parties and Business 01:12:32 Cooking and Potato Balls 01:14:00 No Visits and Video Calls 01:15:37 Prison Relationships and Fights 01:19:22 Moving to Vegas and Kentucky 01:23:03 Life at Atwood Camp 01:25:39 Moving to Arizona Camp 01:27:23 Heat and Prison Conditions 01:28:24 Reflecting on Time Served 01:30:06 Values and Lessons Learned 01:31:50 Getting Out and Halfway House 01:33:20 Halfway House Rules and Struggles 01:35:55 Going Viral in Prison 01:38:00 Free the Finest in the Feds 01:40:43 Fascination with Women in Prison 01:41:59 Fake Prison Photos and Fame 01:43:14 Life Now and Rebuilding 01:44:04 Daughter and Her Father 01:45:44 Restitution and Future Plans 01:50:23 Biggest Lessons and Final Thoughts _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

Send us Fan MailSend us Fan MailIn this inspiring episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we sit down with Kyle Kolber, a talented author who has turned his struggles with dyslexia into a powerful narrative of resilience and creativity. Kyle shares his journey from a young boy battling self-doubt and imposter syndrome to a published author of multiple books. He emphasizes that our greatest limitations can often become our greatest strengths.Kyle recounts his early experiences with dyslexia, explaining how it affected his reading and writing abilities until a dedicated teacher helped him unlock his potential. He reflects on the challenges he faced while writing his first book during the COVID lockdown and how that creative outlet became a saving grace. Throughout the conversation, Kyle offers valuable insights into:- The impact of dyslexia on his life and writing journey- Overcoming imposter syndrome and finding confidence in his craft- The importance of accessibility in literature and writing for diverse audiences- His upcoming projects, including the final books in his Universe series and a new tale about the Connecticut melon heads.Join us for an uplifting discussion that encourages listeners to pursue their creative dreams, regardless of the obstacles they may face. For more information about Kyle and his work, visit his website or follow him on social media.Support the show

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In this episode Andrea Samadi explores how movement and sleep work together in a "brain operating system" for human performance, focusing on restorative sleep (deep + REM), personal WHOOP data, and the trade-offs created by early-morning exercise. She shares four lessons and a simple experiment to help listeners protect REM and deep sleep while maintaining an active life, emphasizing weekly rhythms, small changes, and tracking patterns rather than chasing perfect numbers. SEASON 16 | BONUS EPISODE 4 RESTORATIVE SLEEP Where Adaptation Happens Why deep sleep restores the body, REM helps integrate experience, and healthy habits must work together. ON BONUS EPISODE 4, YOU'LL LEARN: ✔ What restorative sleep really measures ✔ How deep sleep and REM support different forms of recovery ✔ Why REM percentage and duration tell different stories ✔ What my six-month sleep data revealed ✔ The hidden tradeoff behind my 4:00 AM hiking routine ✔ What happened when I slept just 21 minutes longer ✔ Why healthy habits can sometimes compete ✔ How to protect sleep without giving up movement ✔ 4 Lessons and a simple experiment for discovering your own best rhythm Episode Introduction Welcome back to the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we bridge neuroscience, social and emotional learning, and human performance to create measurable improvements in well-being, achievement, leadership, productivity and results. I'm Andrea Samadi, and throughout Season 16 we have been building what I call the Brain's Operating System for Human Performance—a neuroscience-based framework for understanding how the systems of the brain and body work together to influence how we learn, adapt, connect, lead and ultimately perform. We are currently in Phase 3: Movement, Learning and Cognition. Movement is the foundation of this phase because it affects far more than our muscles. When we move, we activate processes throughout the brain and body. Movement supports neurogenesis—the development of new neurons—particularly in areas involved in learning and memory. It strengthens connections between neurons through synaptic plasticity. We covered neurogenesis on EP 141[i] if you want to revisit that episode, if you are as curious as I am about how to regrow our brain cells. Movement that we are learning in this phase, also influences brain chemicals such as dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine and acetylcholine, which affect motivation, mood, attention and learning. Movement can also strengthen our resilience by helping us manage stress and become more emotionally flexible. It builds sleep pressure, (the longer we stay awake, the more adenosine accumulates that increases our need or “pressure” to rest) which can support deeper, more restorative sleep. And over time, these changes may contribute to greater creativity, insight, endurance and human potential. But movement only creates the stimulus. The benefits don't come from movement alone. They come from the way the brain and body respond to that movement—and that response is called adaptation. Movement changes the brain. Adaptation changes the body. Recovery is what connects the effort we make today with the strength, resilience and capacity we hope to build tomorrow. Without adequate recovery, we can receive the stimulus without fully receiving the benefit. That is why sleep belongs inside the Movement Loop. Sleep is not separate from movement, learning or performance. It is one of the primary places where the brain and body respond to what we have asked them to do. Throughout Season 16, I've been sharing some of my own health and performance data as a living case study—not because everyone should try to reproduce my numbers, but because our individual trends can help us understand how neuroscience shows up in everyday life. I thought that if I was curious about understanding my numbers—and using them to improve my health, well-being and productivity—then other people might benefit from what I've learned along the way. My data has helped me see that movement, recovery and performance cannot be understood in isolation. They work together as a system: Movement creates the stimulus. Recovery creates the conditions for adaptation. Restorative sleep is one of the places where that adaptation unfolds. And this brings us to one of the most important recovery metrics I've learned to follow: Restorative sleep. We often celebrate what happens while we're awake: Our productivity. Our focus. Our learning. Our movement. Our performance. But much of the adaptation supporting those abilities happens while we sleep. Deep sleep supports physical restoration. REM sleep supports emotional processing, memory integration and cognitive flexibility. Together, these stages help convert the demands of one day into greater capacity for the next. This episode began with one honest question about my own routine: THE QUESTION: What am I gaining by waking at 4:00 AM to hike—and what might I be giving up by not sleeping longer? This is not simply an episode about sleeping more. It is about creating a rhythm in which two essential health behaviors—sleep and exercise—support one another instead of competing for the same limited hours. You will see my data exactly as it is. Sleep is one of the weaker links in my current health routine, which makes it a useful place to learn. The goal is not to judge the data. The goal is to let the data ask a better question. Lesson 1: Restorative Sleep Contains Two Stories WHOOP (the wearable device that I use to measure sleep) defines restorative sleep as the combined time spent in deep sleep, also called slow-wave sleep, and REM sleep. Combining the two creates a useful overview, but separating them reveals two different parts of the story. Deep Sleep or Slow-Wave Sleep: Physical Restoration Deep sleep is concentrated more heavily in the earlier part of the night and supports processes associated with physical restoration. It is relevant after hiking, Zone 2 exercise, strength training and other demanding activity because sleep is part of how the body responds to the strain we create. During deep sleep: Tissue repair is supported. Growth hormone release increases. Immune function is supported. Energy is restored. The body adapts to physical strain. REM Sleep: Integration REM stands for rapid eye movement sleep and is known as the “mentally restorative” stage of sleep. This is where most dreams occur, and short-term memories are converted into long-term memories. During REM, the brain is highly active while most voluntary muscles remain temporarily inhibited. I'll never forget the part of our interview with Dr. Jaland Balal[ii], when he explained that this feature is what keeps us safe from moving around too much while we are sleeping, keeping our sleeping partners safe. REM has been associated with: Emotional processing Memory integration Aspects of learning Cognitive flexibility Creative associations Connecting new information with previous experiences Memory is supported across several sleep stages—not by REM alone. REM helps the brain process, connect and integrate. REM periods also tend to become longer as the night progresses. That means shortening the end of the sleep window may disproportionately reduce the opportunity for the longer, more REM-rich cycles that occur toward morning. Deep sleep helps restore the body. REM helps integrate the brain. We need both. That second sentence is personally meaningful because I have logged my dreams for years. A dream is not a diagnosis or a literal solution, and dreams can occur outside REM. But a dream log gives me a qualitative record of recurring emotions, images, relationships, problems and emerging ideas that my mind may still be processing. Since I enjoy learning, interviewing, writing, teaching and connecting ideas across neuroscience and social-emotional learning, REM matters for more than dream recall (which by itself is fascinating and something we will look deeper at in Phase 5 with Integration and Meaning). Lesson 2: My Data Revealed a Duration Gap When I looked at my WHOOP trends, the total restorative-sleep number was only the beginning.   Metric My average   Six-month restorative sleep 2 hr 43 min   Lifetime REM 1 hr 37 min   Last 90 days REM 1 hr 18 min   Last 30 days REM 1 hr 20 min   Recent REM percentage About 20% When I looked at six months of WHOOP data, my average restorative sleep was: 2 hours and 43 minutes per night. That number gave me the total time spent in deep sleep and REM—but it did not tell me how those two stages were distributed. When I separated them, another story emerged. My lifetime REM average was approximately: 1 hour and 37 minutes per night. But over my more recent periods, that changed: Last 90 days: approximately 1 hour and 18 minutes Last 30 days: approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes Recent REM percentage: approximately 20% of my total sleep Twenty percent is within a commonly reported adult range. But compared with my own lifetime average, my recent REM duration was approximately 17–19 minutes lower per night. That distinction matters. My REM percentage may appear healthy while my total REM duration is still lower than my personal historical average. So my real question became: Not “Is my REM normal?” but “What conditions help my brain produce more of its own normal REM?” This is the value of tracking. THE DATA LESSON: A population range provides context. Your baseline provides the story. Your trend gives you a question to test.           Lesson 3: The 4:00 AM Tradeoff I love hiking early. It gives me cardiovascular conditioning, time outside, morning light, mental clarity and consistency. In Arizona, it also helps me finish before extreme heat heats around 8am. But if I go to bed at 8:30 PM and wake at 4:00 AM, I create a maximum sleep opportunity of seven and a half hours. That is time in bed—not necessarily time asleep. It does not include the time required to fall asleep or periods of wakefulness during the night. If I remain in bed until 6:00 AM, I create two additional hours of sleep opportunity. Those two hours would not equal two hours of REM. They would contain a mixture of sleep stages and perhaps brief wakefulness. But because REM episodes generally lengthen later in the night, the added opportunity may protect some of the more REM-rich portion of sleep. If you want to understand sleep cycles, I highly recommend taking Dr. Mathew Walker's Masterclass[iii] The Science of Better Sleep. What the Early 4am Wake Gives Me Early movement and consistency Cardiovascular conditioning Time outdoors and morning light The mental and emotional benefits of hiking What Might it Cost Me Up to two hours of total sleep opportunity (lost) Part of one or more later sleep cycles (lost) Greater opportunity for REM and dream recall (important to me) Time for memory and emotional processing across sleep (important to me) The accurate interpretation is not that I lose two hours of REM. It is that I may give up two hours of sleep opportunity containing some of the night's more REM-rich cycles. That led to my central realization: healthy behaviors (like my early wake to hike) can compete when their timing is not coordinated. MY AHA MOMENT: Am I creating better sleep through movement—or repeatedly borrowing from the final part of sleep to make that movement happen? My wearable cannot prove that early wake times caused the change. Consumer wearables estimate sleep stages; they do not measure them with clinical polysomnography. But the pattern gives me a reasonable hypothesis to test. That is what self-tracking should do: not make us anxious about a number, but help us ask a better question. A Real-Time Clue: What 21 More Minutes Revealed While preparing this episode, my data gave me a real-time example of the tradeoff. On Thursday, August 27, I woke at 4:21 AM instead of 4:00 AM. That night I recorded three hours and two minutes of restorative sleep—the highest total of the week. It included one hour and seven minutes of deep sleep and one hour and 55 minutes of REM. That REM duration was approximately 35 minutes above my recent 30-day average. My graph in the show notes showed a substantial REM period close to the end of the sleep window. Twenty-one additional minutes cannot explain a 35-minute difference, and one night cannot establish cause. Sleep varies from night to night. But the observation supports the hypothesis that a 4:00 AM alarm may sometimes interrupt a REM period already underway. I also remembered my dream and added it to my dream log. That gave me another kind of data: not just how long I slept, but what my mind may have been processing, integrating or connecting. One night is a clue—not proof. Watch the trend. The lesson is not that 4:21 AM is a magical wake time. The lesson is that the final portion of sleep may be more valuable than its length makes it appear. A small extension may sometimes allow the brain to finish a cycle that an earlier alarm (or your natural body's alarm) would interrupt. Lesson 4: Build a Rhythm, Not a Perfect Day The remedy I've concluded is not to stop hiking, (I would be miserable) and it is not to maximize sleep or exercise in isolation (I wouldn't feel productive sleeping in longer). The solution is to create a weekly rhythm in which movement provides the stimulus and sleep protects the opportunity for adaptation. For me, that rhythm can include two kinds of days: 1. Early-Hike Days (twice a week) When a 4:00 AM wake time is necessary, (and possible). I can treat bedtime as part of the training plan. If family responsibilities the night before make a very early bedtime unrealistic, I can recognize that constraint and adapt. But it is important that I get to bed by 8:30pm if I want to wake up 4am.   2. Sleep-Protected Mornings On selected non-hiking days, I can remain asleep until approximately 5:00 or 6:00 AM and move later.  These mornings create more opportunity for later sleep cycles and give me a comparison condition for my experiment. What happens if I stay in bed longer? The goal is not a perfect day. The goal is a sustainable week. The Movement Loop is not: Move → Move More → Keep Pushing. It is: Movement → Recovery → Adaptation → Performance → Greater Capacity. For you, the listener, are you giving yourself enough time to recover? To Adapt? To Increase Performance? That leads to greater capacity? Or, did you notice, like me, that there was a trade off with your schedule? Tips to Implement: Run Your Own Restorative-Sleep Experiment You do not need my wake time, my REM number or a WHOOP device to learn from your own pattern. Use this five-step experiment for two to four weeks. Establish your baseline. Record your usual bedtime, wake time, estimated sleep duration, morning energy and—if available—deep and REM sleep for at least seven nights. The Whoop device rewards users who go to bed, and wake at the same time, calling it sleep consistency. Choose one change. Add 20–60 minutes of sleep opportunity on selected mornings, or move bedtime earlier before early-training days. Avoid changing every variable at once. Stanford Professor, Dr. Andrew Huberman[iv] suggests that if you can find a way to add heat to your sleeping environment in the final 2 hours of your sleep, it can increase your REM sleep. Sleeping just 21 more minutes for me made a notable difference. Protect movement differently. On sleep-protected mornings, move later, shorten the session or choose a lower-intensity option instead of skipping movement entirely. This was the game changer for me.  I opted for a walk on sleep protected days. Track a small set of outcomes. Use total sleep, restorative sleep or dream recall if available, morning clarity, afternoon energy and exercise quality. Optional wearable metrics include recovery, HRV and resting heart rate. This is where you have to notice what you see from this ONE change. It might be obvious like mine—I noticed that extra time led to a dream that I could recall. Review the pattern—not the best night. Compare at least one or two weeks of early mornings with sleep-protected mornings. Look for a repeatable combination that supports both recovery and movement. The patterns will reveal whether the ONE thing you changed made a difference for you. If you do use a wearable, remember that sleep stages are estimates. Use the device to compare patterns under similar conditions, not to diagnose a sleep disorder or chase a perfect stage score. KEY QUESTION: Can I preserve the benefits of movement without repeatedly borrowing the time my brain and body need for recovery? A Bigger Experiment Is Still Underway I have also removed one significant sleep disruptor and am tracking what happens to my REM, sleep stress, HRV, resting heart rate and recovery. I do not want to draw conclusions too early. I want enough data to distinguish a temporary response from a genuine physiological shift, so I will return to that experiment in a future episode. For now, the question is narrower: how can I protect restorative sleep while continuing to live an active life? Review  To review and conclude this week's BONUS EP 4, let's bring the four lessons—and the data—together. Lesson 1: Restorative Sleep Contains Two Stories Restorative sleep combines two important stages: Deep sleep and REM sleep. Deep sleep supports physical restoration and adaptation. REM supports emotional processing, memory integration, cognitive flexibility and creative association. We need both. Every morning, I look at my restorative-sleep total and hope it is closer to three hours than two. But this episode taught me not to stop at that combined number. The total gives me the overview. Deep sleep and REM tell me how that restoration was distributed. And REM is personally meaningful to me for another reason: I have recorded my dreams for years. Dream recall does not provide a literal interpretation of everything happening in my life. But it gives me a qualitative record of the emotions, experiences, problems and ideas my mind may still be processing. So Lesson 1 is: Restorative sleep is not one number. It contains the story of how the body restores—and how the brain integrates. Lesson 2: My Data Revealed a Duration Gap Over the past six months, my average restorative sleep has been two hours and 43 minutes. My recent REM has represented approximately 20% of my total sleep—a percentage that may appear reasonable. But when I looked at duration rather than percentage, I discovered that my recent REM was approximately 17–19 minutes below my lifetime average. REM percentage and REM duration answer different questions. Percentage tells me how my sleep was distributed. Duration tells me how much actual time my brain spent in that stage. That distinction matters because someone can have a reasonable REM percentage but still receive less total REM when the overall sleep window is shortened. So Lesson 2 is: A percentage can look healthy while duration still reveals a gap. This is why personal baselines are so valuable. Our trends help us identify the question we need to investigate. Lesson 3: The 4:00 AM Wake Time Creates a Tradeoff My data led me to examine my 4:00 AM wake time. Waking at 4:00 does not mean I am losing two hours of REM. It means I may be giving up two hours of total sleep opportunity—time that could contain approximately one to one-and-a-half later, more REM-rich sleep cycles. Then, while I was preparing this episode, I received an early clue. When I slept just 21 minutes longer—waking at 4:21 instead of 4:00—my restorative sleep reached three hours and two minutes. That included one hour and seven minutes of deep sleep and one hour and 55 minutes of REM—approximately 35 minutes more REM than my recent 30-day average. I also remembered my dream and added it to my dream log. Twenty-one additional minutes cannot explain the entire 35-minute difference, and one night does not prove causation. But the graph showed a substantial REM period close to the end of my sleep window. That gave me a clue worth investigating: My 4:00 AM wake time may sometimes interrupt a REM period that is already underway. So Lesson 3 is: The final portion of sleep may be more valuable than its length makes it appear. This does not mean that 4:21 is a magical wake time. It means that a small extension may sometimes allow the brain to finish a cycle that an earlier wake time would interrupt. Dr. Huberman, and Dr. Holmes offered tips to stay in bed longer, to capture REM rich sleep time. Lesson 4: Build a Rhythm, Not a Perfect Day My early-morning hikes provide cardiovascular conditioning, time outside, morning light, mental clarity and emotional regulation. They support my health. They also make me happy. The remedy is not to stop exercising and become miserable. The remedy is to protect sleep as well as I realistically can and arrange movement around a more complete sleep window. That might mean saving selected mornings for longer sleep. It might mean moving later on non-hiking days. It might mean moving bedtime earlier when possible. And it might mean shortening a workout when sleep has been limited. The goal is not to maximize sleep or exercise in isolation. It is to create a sustainable weekly rhythm in which both can happen. So Lesson 4 is: The best routine is not the one that produces a perfect number. It is the one that allows the whole system to work. Now let me ask you: Do you know how much restorative sleep you receive? Do you look beyond the total and examine both deep sleep and REM? Are you tracking percentages—or actual duration? Does your schedule give you enough sleep opportunity? And could one healthy behavior in your life be unintentionally competing with another? My restorative-sleep average gave me the overview. My REM duration revealed the tension. My 4:00 AM wake time created the hypothesis. My additional 21 minutes gave me an early clue. My next step is to test a better rhythm. That is what measurement is supposed to do. Not judge us. Not pressure us to produce a perfect number. Guide us toward a better decision. I hope this deeper look at restorative sleep encourages you to identify one small experiment of your own—not to chase a perfect number, but to discover the rhythm that helps you learn, adapt and perform at your best.   We'll see you next time as we return to Dr. John Medina's work—not to repeat what we have already learned about attention, but to answer the next question in the Movement Loop: once movement activates the brain, how does attention determine what becomes learning? From there, we'll revisit Jason Wittrock's work through a new lens: how metabolic health, nutrition and energy availability help the brain and body sustain movement, recovery and performance. Resources and Episode Pathway Phase 1: Regulation & Safety The Foundation Core Question: Is the nervous system safe enough to learn? Everything begins with regulation. Before we can focus, learn, lead, or perform, the brain first asks one fundamental question: Am I safe? Throughout Phase 1, our guests showed us that regulation isn't simply about reducing stress—it's about creating the biological conditions that allow the brain to learn, adapt, and thrive. Together we explored: Baland Jalal – how sleep, curiosity, imagination, and creativity prepare the brain for learning. https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/hypnagogic-genius-capture-your-best-ideas-at-the-edge-of-sleep/   Dr. Bruce Perry – why regulation, rhythm, and relationships form the foundation of every healthy nervous system.  https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/safety-first-why-a-regulated-brain-is-the-key-to-learning/   Dr. Sui Wong – how lifestyle medicine and autonomic balance build lifelong brain resilience. https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/your-eyes-the-brain-s-early-warning-system/   Rohan Dixit – how heart rate variability gives us real-time feedback on our ability to regulate stress. https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/breathe-to-reset-how-hrv-tech-reveals-hidden-stress/   Dr. Kristen Holmes – how recovery metrics reveal our physiological readiness to perform. https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/kristen-holmes-from-whoopcom-on-unlocking-a-better-you-measuring-sleep-recovery-and-strain/   Dr. Antonio Zadra – how sleep and dreaming consolidate memories, regulate emotions, and generate insight. https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/when-brains-dream-how-sleep-integrates-emotion-insight-and-creativity/ Together these conversations taught us that sleep and stress regulation aren't optional—they're the operating system that allows every higher brain function to work. Phase 2: Motivation & Neurochemistry The Direction Core Question: What moves us into action? Once the brain feels safe, it becomes ready to pursue goals. In Phase 2, we explored the internal chemistry that transforms intention into action. Our experts helped us understand that sustainable motivation isn't about willpower—it's about aligning our beliefs, thoughts, attention, energy, and movement. Together we discovered: Bob Proctor — our beliefs determine the direction of our lives. https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/belief-first-the-neuroscience-of-motivation/   Dr. Carolyn Leaf — our thinking literally changes our brain chemistry. https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/thoughts-as-biology-how-your-mind-shapes-neurochemistry/   Dr. John Medina — attention determines what the brain encodes and remembers. https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/theory-of-mind-the-missing-link-between-attention-reward-and-motivation   Dr. Anna Lembke- Dopamine, Motivation and Why the Brain Repeats Behavior https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/dopamine-nation-the-pleasure%e2%80%93pain-balance-that-drives-motivation/   Dr. Friederike Fabritius — managing our energy allows high performance to become sustainable. https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/fun-fear-focus-closing-the-motivation-loop/   Dr. Chuck Hillman & Paul Zientarski — movement activates the brain, preparing it to learn. https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/move-to-learn-how-movement-activates-the-brain-and-fuels-motivation/   By the end of Phase 2, we introduced what became The Motivation Loop, showing how beliefs influence thoughts, thoughts influence actions, actions create results, and results reinforce future beliefs. Phase 3: Movement, Learning & Human Performance The Transformation Core Question: How does movement change the brain—and how does recovery transform that change into performance? Now we're taking the next step. Phase 3 builds on everything we've learned so far. If Phase 1 created a regulated nervous system... If Phase 2 created motivation and direction... Phase 3 explains how the brain and body actually become stronger. Together we've explored this process through conversations with: Dr. Chuck Hillman & Paul Zientarski — why movement activates the brain before learning. https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/movement-first-how-a-20%e2%80%91minute-walk-lights-up-the-brain/   Dr. John Ratey — how exercise builds a healthier, younger brain. https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/movement-matters-how-every-move-rewires-the-brain/   Dr. Kristen Holmes — why recovery determines adaptation and readiness. https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/movement-isnt-enough-how-recovery-drives-real-adaptation   Dr. John Medina — how attention transforms movement into lasting learning. Jason Whitrock — how metabolism and cellular energy fuel long-term performance. WHERE WE ARE GOING NEXT Phase 4 — Connection, Emotion & Social Intelligence The Human System Core Question: How do we thrive with other people? The brain didn't evolve in isolation—it evolved through relationships. In Phase 4, we'll explore emotional intelligence, empathy, communication, trust, leadership, and psychological safety to understand how our relationships shape learning, well-being, and performance. Phase 5 — Integration & Human Performance The Complete System Core Question: How do all the systems work together? In our final phase, we'll bring everything together—regulation, motivation, movement, emotion, relationships, learning, and recovery—into one integrated framework. We'll discover how these systems work together to create measurable improvements in our well-being, achievement, leadership, productivity, and results. Selected Sleep References “What Is Restorative Sleep?” https://www.whoop.com/us/en/thelocker/what-is-restorative-sleep/ Patel AK, Reddy V, Shumway KR, Araujo JF. “Physiology, Sleep Stages.” StatPearls/NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526132/ Goldstein AN, Walker MP. “The Role of Sleep in Emotional Brain Function.” Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4286245/ Paller KA, Creery JD, Schechtman E. “Memory and Sleep: How Sleep Cognition Can Change the Waking Mind for the Better.” Annual Review of Psychology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7983127/   REFERENCES:   [i]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE 141 https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/brain-fact-friday-on-neurogenesis-what-hurts-or-helps-your-brain-cells/   [ii]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE 384 Review of our Interview with Dr. Baland Jalal  https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/hypnagogic-genius-capture-your-best-ideas-at-the-edge-of-sleep/   [iii] www.masterclass.com Mathew Walker The Science of a Better Sleep   [iv] https://www.instagram.com/p/DbO7dKLO-c8/?hl=en Dr. Andrew Huberman on ways to increase REM sleep.  

Is it wrong for a Christian to want more? In this message from Ecclesiastes 2, Pastor Todd Doxzon looks at Solomon, a man who had wealth, success, influence, and just about everything he could want, yet still ended up saying, “I hated life.” Through three words, Multiply. Mammon. Motivation., Pastor Todd breaks down the difference between healthy ambition and allowing success, money, or comfort to take God's place. If you've ever worked hard for more without stopping to ask why, this message will challenge you to take a closer look at what's really driving you.

Is it wrong for a Christian to want more? In this message from Ecclesiastes 2, Pastor Todd Doxzon looks at Solomon, a man who had wealth, success, influence, and just about everything he could want, yet still ended up saying, “I hated life.” Through three words, Multiply. Mammon. Motivation., Pastor Todd breaks down the difference between healthy ambition and allowing success, money, or comfort to take God's place. If you've ever worked hard for more without stopping to ask why, this message will challenge you to take a closer look at what's really driving you.

Send us Fan MailSend us Fan MailIn this thought-provoking episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we are joined by Tony Tenaglier, an author and manufacturing leader who challenges conventional notions of work, burnout, and success. Tony lives by the mantra "say what you do, do what you say," and shares his insights on reshaping our understanding of work in today's fast-paced world.Tony opens up about his journey in the aerospace manufacturing industry and the motivation behind his podcast, *Work Sucks, But I Like It*. He discusses the importance of embracing the grit and friction that comes with work, rather than chasing superficial metrics of success. With a focus on intrinsic motivation, Tony emphasizes the need for a shift from merely doing tasks to truly being present in our work.Listeners will explore the dynamics of burnout, the role of leadership in creating engaging work environments, and the paradox of finding joy in work while simultaneously wishing to be anywhere else. Tony also delves into the significance of internal dialogue and the power of appreciation in combating the challenges of modern work culture.What You'll Learn in This Episode:- The impact of societal expectations on our understanding of work and success- Strategies for recognizing and achieving flow states in the workplace- The role of active listening in fostering employee engagement- Insights from Tony's books, including *The Impression of a Good Life* and *Don't Let Life Pass You By*- An introduction to his upcoming book, *In a Rush to Go Nowhere*For more information on Tony Tenaglier, his books, and his podcast, visit www.worksucksbutIlikeit.com and connect with him for more inspiring conversations.Support the show

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