How To Be Better
72 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 5 years ago - ★★★★★ - 43 ratingsA podcast about self-development through the lens of current events, pop culture, and experience. Each episode brings you ideas, research, clips, stories, and interviews that are designed to help you become the best possible version of you.
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Episodes
22: Vulnerability
August 07, 2018 09:04 - 35 minutes - 40.2 MBSuperman can’t lead for sh*t. That was a playful title in the mix as we crafted this episode on vulnerability. As you listen, you will start to understand what that means, and how vulnerability feeds creation, fuels innovation, dissolves barriers, and expands presence. This week’s episode is an exploration of vulnerability -- why it’s scary, how we can re-frame it, and why the world so desperately needs it. And four times TEDx speaker and a man know for heart based connection in networ...
21: Behavior
August 06, 2018 09:04 - 40 minutes - 46.1 MBThe road to frustration is paved with good intentions. Most of us can relate to having an experience, a conversation, taking a class, reading a book, listening to a podcast - and something grabs your attention. Sometimes it can feel like a 2X4 to your forehead. And you think, “I need to make a change!”, “I am going to start doing that!”, or “I’m going to stop doing that!” But then, contrary to our good intentions and certainty in the moment, we don’t follow through. Why? What happens? Thi...
20: Process
August 05, 2018 09:04 - 32 minutes - 37 MBTo get from Point A to Point B - there is always a process. Sometimes it's intentional and other times it just happens. Some aspects of that process may be effective and, ultimately, help an endeavor succeed. Other steps in the process can actually be a hinderance; and slow down or derail, even the best of intentions or ideas This week on Where There’s Smoke - for our 20th episode - we sifted through hours of Voxer messages and Skype chats, along with countless text messages and emails, t...
19: Values
August 04, 2018 09:04 - 36 minutes - 41.7 MBValues guide our every decision, whether we are aware of it or not. And they also have the power to align our character, attract others to us, and impact our ability to influence. This week on Where There’s Smoke we dig into values; share some examples of how they drive decisions; define what values are, how you recognize them, and why identifying yours is so important. Then, author and entrepreneur Chalene Johnson joins Nick and Brett in a conversation about values in action, and the ...
18: Experience
August 03, 2018 09:04 - 38 minutes - 43.7 MBExperience. It’s more than Jimi Hendrix’s band. It is the thing which shapes and sculpts us throughout our lives. It is the process by which wisdom and mastery are created. This week on Where There’s Smoke we explore the value of our experiences. We dig through our desire for instant gratification to discover that perhaps it just isn’t that gratifying. And we have a conversation with author and explorer Bassam Tarazi on why 3rd gear should be sexier. Also, we have a favor to ask you - ...
17: Taste
August 02, 2018 09:04 - 35 minutes - 41 MBTaste. What’s good? What’s bad? People often come guns blazing with their opinions on things - whether it be music, movies, art, food, or drink. But where do these ideas come from and why are they so deeply ingrained? This week on Where There’s Smoke we talk taste. Producer Nick Jaworski joins Brett as co-host this week and shares a story involving Canada’s top selling recording artist, the United States Air Force... and soap. And after exploring many influences and interactions of tas...
16: Community
August 01, 2018 09:04 - 34 minutes - 39.8 MBCommunity is a living organism - it’s always changing. And while it once only existed in a physical place, now it can also exist in just space. Technology has helped communities to evolve and become global. As Nick and Brett both leave Northern California for separate destinations, we explore what community is, why it matters, how we embrace it, and also... how to let it go. We also talk to international educator, Jeff Utecht, to discuss the evolution of communication technology, how w...
15: Moments
July 31, 2018 09:04 - 36 minutes - 42.3 MBLife is a series of moments and, these days, many people struggle to do two things - fully experience and fully capture their moments. And it turns out, doing both might be impossible. In this episode, we explore our modern tendency to use our smartphones to document everything around us. Then, we look to uncover a solution to more effectively live our moments and manage our memories. We also talk to author and speaker, Kevin Carroll, to explore the power of play and how we can be more...
14: Beginnings
July 30, 2018 09:04 - 37 minutes - 42.9 MBThere is a saying, ‘It’s not how you start that matters, but how you finish.” But what if how you finish is, in fact, dictated by how you start? Hard to say more than that without giving something away. Miracle Morning creator and author, Hal Elrod, joins us in the second half of the show to provide an almost foolproof method to start your days as your best self - present, grounded, focused, grateful, learning, and energized. Learn more about Hal Elrod at www.halelrod.com and follow...
13: Courage
July 29, 2018 09:04 - 36 minutes - 42.2 MBIs fear really the only thing we have to fear? In this episode we seek not to define fear, but to understand it - and, in turn, to get a better grasp on its antidote - courage. We have a conversation with consultant and speaker Brad Axelrad on the five specific fears that may be stopping you from creating your success. And Brett has a special Birthday wish. Learn more about Brad Axelrad at www.faceyourdragon.com and follow on Twitter: @BradAxelrad If you dig the show please RATE ...
12: Success
July 28, 2018 09:04 - 38 minutes - 43.8 MBSuccess. Most people say they want it, and yet few know what “it” is to them. Ask most people what success means to them, and they aren’t sure. In this episode, we give you a new perspective to contemplate success - by starting with “feeling”. And we borrow an idea from a “President of the Internet” to help you define it. We then have a conversation with Entrepreneur and Podcaster, Brendan Hufford, about what one psychologist called a “significant predictor of success” and how we can c...
11: Questions
July 27, 2018 09:04 - 35 minutes - 40.7 MBWhy do we ask questions? What power do they have? And how can they help us create and shape our businesses, relationships, and lives? What would it sound like to take an exploration into the world of questions? Could we start with some famous movie quotes? Perhaps steer into historic moments? And maybe dig into: Why do we ask questions? What stops us from asking them more often? How can we strengthen our questioning skills? If I told you that your question asking skills may have peaked...
10: Bias
July 26, 2018 09:04 - 38 minutes - 43.8 MBThinking, Fast and Slow would be a great name for your mind, if it were a professional wrestling duo in the ‘80s. It is also the title of a 2011 best selling book by psychologist Daniel Kahneman which analyzes the dichotomy between two modes of thought – Intuition (System 1) and Reasoning (System 2). This week we use the Internet as a springboard to start a conversation about how quickly we can jump to conclusions - both online and offline. We dig into our cognitive biases, which can ofte...
9: Caring
July 25, 2018 09:04 - 34 minutes - 39.1 MBLove is the still the killer app. No matter how much we innovate our strategies and advance our technology, all great leaders will tell you that caring is still at the heart of success. This week, we explore powerful concepts like kindness and support, while honoring the life of Stuart Scott - a man who practiced both habits throughout his life. We also look to tombstones for some wisdom, and explore the “philosophy of life in a nutshell” with Milton Mayeroff (“On Caring”). In our fin...
8: Attitude
July 24, 2018 09:04 - 34 minutes - 39.7 MB"Fish discover water last” is a French Proverb. It’s meaning is that when we are completely immersed in something, we are oblivious it is there. It is only when are pulled of it, that we can see how immersed we were. This week we leap off a viral rant by Gary Vaynerchuk and discuss the state of criticizing, complaining, and gossiping in our workplaces, our lives, and our world. What’s really going on? What are the costs? Who’s paying them? And what can we do about it? We have a powerful...
7: Empathy
July 23, 2018 09:04 - 37 minutes - 43 MBThe Breakfast Club was released into theaters 30 years ago this month. John Hughes’ classic is about five teenagers who spend a Saturday in detention and realize they are more than their respective stereotypes. As with most Hughes movies, the themes and lessons are still very relevant today. So, what can we learn from The Breakfast Club that we can apply into our lives and businesses? In this episode, we weave through the ‘80s, dip our toes into the ‘90s, and end up in the present day disc...
6: Stories & Influence
July 22, 2018 09:04 - 36 minutes - 42.3 MBStories are built into our DNA. For thousands of years they have shaped cultures, religions, and whole civilization. And they may just be the answer to the age-old question, ‘Who Am I?’ In this episode of Where There’s Smoke, we explore the power of stories - their ability to help you influence others and the role they play in defining you. We weave through scientific studies, TED Talks, and documentaries; as well as doing flybys of Mad Men, Seinfeld, Frankenstein, The Princess Bride, and ...
5: Visualization
July 21, 2018 09:04 - 33 minutes - 38.3 MBImagine if you knew how something was going to end, before it started? How much more effective would you be? How much more confident? In this episode we leap off of Malcolm Butler's post Super Bowl interview to uncover the power of preparation and visualization in life and business. How does what we think and do prior to an event dictate our success during the event? You’ll find out in this episode, along with a great conversation with ex-NFL linebacker and current performance expert, M...
4: Happiness
July 20, 2018 09:04 - 33 minutes - 38 MBSure, we could have layed up like David Simms at the US Open for Episode 4, but we’ve got too much Roy McAvoy in us. So, we are charging forward and tackling one of the biggest questions of all, “What’s the meaning of life?” The episode starts with a question from a 6-and-3/4-year-old boy; veers through Monty Python, Douglas Adams, and Tony Robbins; and ultimately lands not at a place, but at a perspective. We end the show talking to positive psychologist Laura Delizonna, and she help...
3: Accountability
July 19, 2018 09:04 - 31 minutes - 36.5 MBIn this episode, we put Tom Brady forth as the main character in a show about accountability. This may ruffle the feathers of non-Patriots fans, and disengage non-sports fans; but if both can keep an open mind, we believe you will get great value. This episode will take you from Tom Brady, to comedian Mike Birbiglia, to a viral blog post by a recruiter in Australia, and through one of the best movie speeches of all-time. In the end, author and speaker Sam Silverstein joins us, and you wil...
2: Appreciation
July 18, 2018 09:04 - 31 minutes - 36.1 MBJanuary 28, is the 29th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. In this episode, Brett shares his memories of where he was when he found out, who told him, and how he felt. What it is about certain events that causes our memories to be so visceral, while others seem impossible to recall in any detail? We will weave through the words of Maya Angelou, a Boston College psychology study, Tiger Woods, and Monet; to end up in a conversation with Dr. Paul White on how we can aut...
1: Listening
July 15, 2018 04:38 - 34 minutes - 39.8 MBWe launch How To Be Better into the atmosphere with an exploration of one of the hardest, and most valuable, skills in life to master - Listening. The episode starts with a question: "How would Einstein have fared in today's comment culture world?" From there, it veers through the chatter in our brain, Facebook HQ, Mariah Carey, and The Wizard of Oz. Lastly, we speak with Courtland Warren for guidance on the questions we can be asking ourselves, in order to better be hearing others. Fi...