The Think Grow Podcast
60 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 442 ratingsWhere personal development meets real life. Ruben Chavez explores a variety of topics with thought leaders, scientists, creators, artists, entrepreneurs and other interesting people to bring you different perspectives you can use to enrich your mind and improve your life in whatever way you see fit.
Ruben is a writer and personal development educator. He has created a community of over 3 million people across different platforms, including his Instagram page (@ThinkGrowProsper), blog (thinkgrowprosper.com), and podcast.
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Episodes
6 Tips for Disagreeing Better
November 05, 2021 22:21 - 16 minutes - 17.4 MBI’ve put together a short list of tips for engaging with people who hold views contrary to your own. The internet makes it easy to live inside our own little content bubbles where we are protected from any viewpoints other than those with which we already agree. But this is a big problem. When we aren't exposed to opposing perspectives, we don’t learn how to relate to the people who hold them. In the same way that dealing with challenges makes us better and more resilient, exposure ...
Break Out of Your Content Bubble - Harleen Kaur
October 22, 2021 00:59 - 45 minutes - 38.6 MBIn this episode, I speak with entrepreneur and former NASA engineer, Harleen Kaur. Harleen is the founder of Ground News, a news platform that helps combat media bias by allowing people to compare how different news outlets from across the political spectrum are covering the same story. Also, I’ve been using Ground News for the past few months to give me a more well-rounded and balanced perspective on current events. I’ve found a lot of value in it. I highly recommend giving it a try! ht...
This Man Read 450 Classic Books and Distilled Their Best Ideas
September 09, 2021 22:36 - 59 minutes - 55.6 MBI speak with author Tom-Butler Bowdon. While Tom was working as a government advisor in Sydney, Australia, he began reading and taking detailed notes on many classic personal growth books in an effort to further his career. He had an idea to organize these notes into a book and worked on this for four years. In 2001, he released 50 Self-Help Classics, which has been translated into 15 languages. Since then, he has distilled the most important ideas from hundreds of other classic books ac...
A Framework For Improving Your Relationships - with Dr. Amir Levine
July 29, 2021 01:14 - 1 hour - 69 MBI speak with psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Amir Levine about attachment theory, which is the subject of his best-selling book, Attached. We discuss: How our attachment style affects our behavior in relationships The upside of anxiety and threat-sensitivity How to use attachment theory to improve your relationships How depending on others can actually make you more independent ...and much more PLEASE SUPPORT THIS EPISODE'S SPONSOR Skillshare is an online learning community w...
Honoring Conflicting Values
July 08, 2021 13:23 - 1 hour - 69.5 MBI speak with filmmaker, marketer, and sense-maker, Rob Hardy. We discuss how to navigate the complexity of human values, the tension between freedom and constraint, the intersection of values and politics, the rise of secular "religions," what it means to be a citizen, and much more. Please support our sponsor, Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with over 25,000 courses on a wide range of subjects from cooking to writing to watercolor painting. I love it and use i...
Set Boundaries, Find Peace - Nedra Tawwab
June 16, 2021 23:56 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBNedra Tawwab is the author of the New York Times best-selling book, “Set Boundaries, Find Peace.” In this conversation, she explains what boundaries are, why we need them, and how they can improve our lives. She also gives her thoughts on setting COVID-related boundaries. You can purchase Nedra’s book, “Set Boundaries, Find Peace” on Amazon. Please support our sponsor, Skillshare! Skillshare is an online learning community with over 25,000 courses on a wide range of subjects from coo...
Rewrite The Rules with Alex Starr
April 19, 2021 22:43 - 58 minutes - 62.4 MBIn this episode I speak with friend, former Wildland Firefighter, and author of Rewrite the Rules, Alex Starr about: His adventures and misadventures of wildland firefighting The value of questioning our assumptions The balance between desire and gratitude How to build resilience …and more
My Checklist for Well-Being
March 09, 2021 23:35 - 27 minutes - 28.3 MBWe all share six fundamental needs that contribute to well-being. The manner in which we meet these needs, however, varies from person to person. In this episode, I share some of the things I personally do to meet these needs in my own life.
52: The 6 Aspects of Well-Being
February 20, 2021 00:33 - 29 minutes - 29.5 MBI attempt to refine my model of well-being, which I began discussing in Episode 51. This model is centered around needs. Like any other creature, we have needs that must be met in order to facilitate well-being. If we can simply identify what these needs are, then well-being is simply a matter of meeting these needs in adaptive and sustainable ways. Of course, this raises many questions, one of which is: What are our needs? Relying on research from sociology, psychology, and philosophy, I ...
51: There's More to Life Than Happiness
January 25, 2021 08:00 - 25 minutes - 27.6 MBIn this episode, I think out loud about values and how they relate to well-being. Values are important because they are the principles on which we base our actions. Any action we take is based on some value, whether conscious or unconscious. Understanding our values can give us more clarity and perspective on our behavior and point us in a more constructive direction. Dysfunction and imbalance are often a result of failing to recognize the full spectrum of values we have as human beings. O...
50: The Power of Curiosity with Chris Williamson
December 08, 2020 22:55 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBI speak with Chris Williamson (@chriswillx on IG). He is the host of the popular podcast Modern Wisdom, owner of a UK event company, and coach for people who want to get more out of life. He's also a former reality TV star. We discuss his journey through depression, the value of knowing your personality traits, and various approaches for dealing with the inevitable uncertainty and discomfort of life. His website is https://chriswillx.com/ Please consider supporting this show by visitin...
49: The Logic of Acceptance
November 17, 2020 18:21 - 13 minutes - 13.8 MBBuilding upon the previous two episodes, I discuss why acceptance is a reasonable and rational approach for dealing with the complexity of reality. This episode's sponsor is Skillshare, an online learning community with thousands of different classes for creative and curious people. The first 1,000 people to use the link below will get a free trial of Skillshare Premium Membership: Skillshare.com/TGP
48: Integration: The Essence of Improvement
November 09, 2020 18:57 - 16 minutes - 17.1 MBBuilding upon the ideas in my previous episode ("The Master Skill of Life"), I discuss the concept of integration as the path to psychological health and genuine self-improvement.
47: The Master Skill of Life
September 24, 2020 20:00 - 29 minutes - 29.9 MBI introduce what I have come to believe is the most important skill set you can possibly cultivate from a personal, spiritual, psychological or existential standpoint.
46: Perfectionism vs Striving for Excellence
July 22, 2020 19:57 - 13 minutes - 19.9 MBA short episode about the differences between perfectionism and striving for excellence, with a short reading from a blog post I wrote.
45: Dealing With Adversity
May 14, 2020 23:05 - 11 minutes - 12.7 MBThis short podcast episode is about zooming out and remembering to view your struggles with the proper perspective. Adversity is not something to avoid or bemoan but something to confront and accept. It’s an inevitable part of a great and meaningful adventure called The Hero's Journey.
44: The Limits of Rationality with Vizi Andrei
March 17, 2020 00:12 - 1 hour - 63.9 MBI speak with the author of Economy of Truth, Vizi Andrei (@viziandrei) about a range of topics including religion, evolution, procrastination, political systems, the utility of maxims and more. Show notes at: https://thinkgrowprosper.com/blog/vizi-andrei
43: 5 Steps to Improve Your Life
January 18, 2020 22:22 - 28 minutes - 31.8 MBIn this solo episode, I explain a useful framework for thinking about and practicing personal development: THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR: Skillshare is an online learning community with over 25,000 courses. They are extending an offer to listeners of the Think Grow Podcast - two months FREE! You can take advantage of this offer at skillshare.com/THINKGROW.
42: The Myths You Live By - With Erick Godsey
December 06, 2019 00:06 - 1 hour - 75.3 MBIn this episode I speak with Erick Godsey, (@erickgodsey on IG) who describes himself as a student of the psyche, myths, and dreams. Erick draws on cognitive, evolutionary, and Jungian psychology as well as mythology and dreams to approach the question of how to “be” in the world. This was one of my favorite conversations I've had thus far on the show. THIS EPISODE BROUGHT TO YOU BY OUR SPONSOR: Skillshare is an online learning community with over 25,000 courses. They are extending an of...
41: My Daily Routine (How Constraints Enable)
September 27, 2019 20:49 - 40 minutes - 44.4 MBIn this episode, I walk through my daily routine and explain why I've been less active on social media lately (Hint: I'm writing a book!). I also discuss the principle that explains why having a routine is useful. This principle can be summed up in two words: Constraints enable. THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Skillshare is an online learning community with over 25,000 courses. They are extending an offer to listeners of the Think Grow Podcast - two months FREE! You can take a...
40: 7 Tools to Improve Your Relationships
August 22, 2019 17:54 - 43 minutes - 48.3 MBMy wife and I talk about some of the approaches and frameworks that have helped us improve and maintain our relationship for nearly a decade. We start off by addressing a question from a listener regarding her own relationship with a guy who doesn’t believe he should have to tailor his communication to suit her. This episode is mostly centered on romantic relationships but most of the principles we discuss can be applied to non-romantic ones as well. SHOW NOTES & TIME STAMPS: https:...
39: Dealing With Unworthiness, Fear, and Limiting Beliefs - With Psychologist Rebecca Ray
July 17, 2019 23:13 - 1 hour - 73.7 MBRebecca Ray is a clinical psychologist, speaker, and author of The Universe Listens to Brave. In this episode we talk about some of the more common issues she sees, including low self-worth, crippling fear, and the underlying limiting beliefs at the root of these cognitive distortions. Her new book, The Art of Self-Kindness is due for release August 2019. You can find the show notes for this episode here: https://thinkgrowprosper.com/blog/rebecca-ray
38: Master Your Diet, Master Your Life - w/ Daniel Thomas Hind
June 21, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 91.8 MBDaniel is the founder of EvolutionEat, a company that helps entrepreneurs and creatives of all types transform their diets and lives by teaching them the skill set and mindset of healthy eating. The topic of proper diet is notably left out of most conversations surrounding personal growth. But the reality is, the food we eat is just as important to living a good life as any self-development strategy or principle. It's definitely been a huge part of my personal journey. FREE MINI-COUR...
37: Dr. Dan Siegel - The Science and Practice of Presence
June 14, 2019 15:09 - 1 hour - 78.2 MBI speak with Dr. Dan Siegel. He is a clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and the Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute. Dr. Siegel has written 16 books and multiple New York Times best sellers, including Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation and The Whole Brain Child (two of my favorites). However, most of our conversation covers topics in his new book, Aware: The Science and Practice of Presence. If you feel like some of the things Dr....
36: Yumi Sakugawa - How to Become Friends With Your Demons
June 07, 2019 02:39 - 53 minutes - 56.4 MBI speak with comic book artist and author Yumi Sakugawa. Yumi’s book, Your Illustrated Guide to Becoming One With The Universe is a gem and has made it onto a couple of my book recommendation lists. A good portion of our conversation is centered around one of the ideas in that book: having cake and tea with your demons. This is a metaphor for the spiritual and psychological principle that, instead of avoiding the dark or undesirable parts of yourself, you should face them. Or, as she says:...
35: Farokh Sarmad - Networking With Purpose and Integrity
May 17, 2019 16:16 - 1 hour - 52.7 MBFarokh (@farokh) is a social media expert and entrepreneur. He was one of the very first people I connected with when I started my Instagram page (@ThinkGrowProsper) in early 2014. Since then, I’ve watched him build a hugely successful social media-based business, working with a diverse range of big name brands, ranging from L’Oréal to Dom Perignon and many others. One of Farokh’s superpowers he’s cultivated over the years is the power to network effectively. I use the word “network” with ...
34: Daniel DiPiazza - Let Go Of What's Holding You Back
May 03, 2019 15:51 - 1 hour - 74.3 MBDaniel DiPiazza is the founder of Alpha Mentorship, an immersive training and investment platform for the next generation of entrepreneurs, creators and leaders. He also is the best-selling author of the book Rich20Something. Since we met and became friends in 2015, I’ve watched Daniel undergo a massive transformation — not just in his business but in his consciousness. Daniel is currently on a world-wide speaking tour, developing the material for his new book, Wielding Power. In our conve...
33: Jonathan Fields - How To Discover The Work You're Here To Do
April 27, 2019 02:57 - 1 hour - 86.1 MBJonathan Fields is the creator of the world’s first “purpose archetypes” which he calls Sparketypes™. This framework has been used by tens-of-thousands of individuals, as well as companies and institutions to discover purpose and amplify performance. Jonathan is also an award-winning author, serial entrepreneur, and innovator in the field of human potential. He's founded a number of game-changing wellness companies and has led workshops around the world on everything from yoga and mindfuln...
32: Practical Strategies for Dealing with Overthinking [Best of the Podcast]
April 19, 2019 21:43 - 27 minutes - 35 MBIn this rebroadcast of one of my most popular episodes, I explore overthinking (and its close cousin, anxiety) from an evolutionary perspective then offer some practical strategies you can apply immediately to help you overcome repetitive, obsessive, non-productive thoughts. See the show notes for this episode here: https://thinkgrowprosper.com/blog/-how-to-stop-overthinking THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: This podcast would not exist without support from our sponsors. I ONLY partner w...
#31: Austin Kleon - The Art of Being Productively Lazy
April 10, 2019 23:53 - 1 hour - 84.2 MBAustin Kleon is the New York Times best-selling author of Steal Like An Artist and Show Your Work! -- two of my favorite books on creativity and getting discovered. His new book is Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad. In this episode, I ask Austin about some of the more personal aspects of his work and life. A central theme of our conversation is the importance of play, and why it’s so vital to producing good work. See the show notes for this episode here: http...
#30: Dr. Rubin Naiman - Rethinking Sleep and Dreams
March 28, 2019 22:56 - 1 hour - 63.2 MBDr. Rubin Naiman is a clinical psychologist and sleep & dream specialist at the University of Arizona's Center for Integrative Medicine. In this episode, we discuss: Dr. Naiman’s philosophy on sleep and dream consciousness “Wake-centrism” and the problem with how our culture views sleep The spiritual value of dreaming (and how to dream more) The cultural epidemic of dream deprivation View the show notes for this episode at: https://thinkgrowprosper.com/blog/rubin-naiman
#29: Making Sense of Self-Development
March 21, 2019 09:00 - 38 minutes - 46.6 MBHaving been a student of self-development and other related fields for the past 15 years, I’ve been exposed to a massive amount of ideas and information. Recently, I’ve been thinking about the best way to organize it all in order to make sense of it. To that end, I’ve identified three distinct categories into which most life advice/wisdom can be sorted. You can think of these categories as the principles behind the principles. They represent the fundamental ideas behind concepts in self-d...
#28: Sean McCabe - From Passion Project to Sustainable Business
March 15, 2019 01:56 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBSean McCabe (@seanwes) is an entrepreneur who has built multiple successful businesses in different niches. He is also the author of Overlap: Start a Business While Working Full Time. In this episode, we talk about the practical path to making a living from your passion. Sean is an extremely disciplined and organized person so I wanted to also pick his brain about the systems he has in place for his business and his life. Whether you are just starting out in business or are an intermedia...
#27: Ask Me Anything 3
February 27, 2019 23:38 - 41 minutes - 42.9 MBMy wife, Vanessa and I recorded this episode just hours before she went into labor with our first child. So if it sounds like we are a bit distracted it’s because we are. I will be doing more Q&A episodes in the future where I cover more ground. For now, enjoy this (sometimes rambling) ask-me-anything episode where Vanessa and I discuss the following questions: QUESTIONS ANSWERED - My guru told me I should stop reading books in order to find enlightenment. What are your thoughts on this?...
#26: Adam J. Kurtz - Overcoming Perfectionism
February 21, 2019 16:39 - 58 minutes - 66.1 MBI speak with artist, author & speaker Adam J. Kurtz (@adamjk) about overcoming perfectionism, being an online creative, and what goes into making good art/content. Adam’s work is rooted in honesty, humor and a little darkness. His latest book, Things Are What You Make of Them, is a handwritten essay collection that digs into the emotional realities of being any type of modern day creative person. This episode is for you if you’ve ever found yourself at the mercy of perfectionism, are a c...
#25: Marie Forleo - The Power of Doing What Excites You
February 14, 2019 16:20 - 1 hour - 70.7 MBMarie Forleo is a multi-passionate entrepreneur and philanthropist. She is the host of the award-winning show, Marie TV where she helps people create a life and business they love. She is also the creator of the world-class entrepreneurship training program, B-School. You can view the show notes for this episode on my blog here: http://thinkgrowprosper.com/blog/marie-forleo Marie's new book, "Everything is Figureoutable," releases September 10, 2019. You can pre-order it on Amazon here...
#24: Neil Pasricha - How (And Why) To Read More Books
February 07, 2019 15:54 - 1 hour - 81.5 MBI speak with positive psychology researcher and author Neil Pasricha ([email protected]) about how (and why) to read more books. Some topics we cover include: The main difference between reading and other forms of media The importance of fiction and why he reads more of it now than ever before How he got over a “reading slump” Why “different” is better than “better” Why he’s obsessed with the number 1000 What’s up with his quirky podcast “3 Books With Neil Pasricha” CO...
#23: How to Disagree Constructively
December 07, 2018 05:50 - 35 minutes - 39 MBDisagreeing can be frustrating but there can also be great value in it. When you disagree with someone -- whether it be in a relationship or political discussion -- instead of digging in your heels and blindly defending your position, you can use it as an opportunity to gain a better understanding of a person or viewpoint. Of course, this isn’t easy. In this episode, I discuss four obstacles that keep us from disagreeing constructively, along with several strategies for overcoming them.
#22: Think Grow Together: A Conversation With My Wife, Vanessa
November 16, 2018 14:45 - 1 hour - 67.8 MBI speak with my wife, Vanessa about a variety of topics including our upcoming transition into parenthood, our mental health, thoughts on creativity, and more.
#21: 4 Keys to Remembering What You Learn
October 18, 2018 16:56 - 24 minutes - 26.8 MBIn today's episode, I show you how to remember more of what you learn. In today’s age of information overload, it’s easy to consume tons of information and feel like we’re informed. Ironically, we understand less than ever. There’s too much information coming at us all the time. Because of this, we feel like we know things when the truth is, we couldn’t recall most of it. We may be familiar with material, but we don’t truly understand it. This is what is sometimes called the illusion of co...
#20: How To Be Resilient With Walking Paraplegic Janine Shepherd
September 30, 2018 18:17 - 49 minutes - 48.1 MBJanine Shepherd was a cross-country skier training for the Olympics when a utility truck ran her over and crushed her body along with her dreams. She was not expected to live, let alone walk but she did both. Not only did she learn how to walk again, she learned how to fly, earning her pilot's license and becoming a flying instructor in a span of 18 months. Her message: You are NOT your body.
#19: 5 Success Principles Drake Uses
September 18, 2018 21:16 - 15 minutes - 16.6 MBThis episode is the audio version of my original blog post: 5 Self-Development Principles Drake Uses. As someone who has studied personal development principles for over a decade, I take notice when I see celebrities and public figures applying these concepts in their own lives and work. I'm a big fan of Drake and have long admired how he interweaves personal development principles throughout his music and applies them in his life. He strikes me as an introspective, thoughtful, and self-...
#18: Idil Ahmed - Keys to Manifesting Your Vision
September 01, 2018 20:27 - 58 minutes - 54.5 MBIn this episode, I speak with author, speaker, and self-described science enthusiast Idil Ahmed about consciously creating your reality. Idil has written a new and long-awaited book called Manifest Now, which is all about guiding you through the mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of creating the life you want. In this conversation, she explains some of the key principles and ideas in that book. ================ REMINDER: Registration for the next Mindset Shifts Masterclass is o...
#17: Personality 101: Understanding Others and Yourself Better
August 14, 2018 08:00 - 1 hour - 72.3 MBI discuss the Big Five personality model and how it can improve your life and relationships with my wife and business partner Vanessa. For books and other resources related to this topic, visit my blog http://thinkgrowprosper.com/blog. Article I wrote about the Big Five personality model: http://thinkgrowprosper.com/blog/big-five-personality-traits
#16: Act Like The Person You Want to Become
August 03, 2018 00:14 - 5 minutes - 6.82 MBIn this mini-episode, I analyze the old adage, "Fake it 'til you make it" from a different angle. You've probably heard this phrase hundreds if not thousands of times. But what does it really mean? Is there any truth to it? And how can you use it in the real world? As is the case with many pithy maxims like this, it's necessary to dig a little deeper to extract its value. In this short episode, I try to do just that. Let me know your biggest takeaway by leaving a review on iTunes with...
#15: Gretchen Rubin - Four Tendencies That Shape Your Life
July 24, 2018 04:13 - 53 minutes - 51.2 MBGretchen Rubin is a New York Times bestselling author who writes about happiness and human nature. In this episode, we talk about a personality framework she created called The Four Tendencies, which describes how you respond to inner and outer expectations. It has deeper implications than you might think. Take The Four Tendencies Quiz to find out which one you are.
#14: Jim Kwik - Learning How to Learn
June 15, 2018 09:00 - 1 hour - 79.9 MBJim Kwik is a celebrity brain & memory coach. He is the founder of Kwik Learning, with online students in over 150 countries. He is a world-renowned expert in speed-reading, memory improvement, brain performance, and accelerated learning. For over two decades, he has served as the brain coach to students, seniors, entrepreneurs, and educators, and as an advisor to many of the world’s leading CEOs and celebrities. In this episode we talk about the meta-skills of learning how to learn and ...
#13: Yung Pueblo - Cultivating Inner Peace
June 08, 2018 21:33 - 1 hour - 68 MBToday I talk with Yung Pueblo about emotional history -- what it is and how it relates to cultivating inner peace. I ask him what it was like to go on a 45-day silent meditation retreat, what his meditative practice looks like, what other resources he recommends, how he got started on this path, and more. You can connect with Yung Pueblo on Instagram @Yung_Pueblo. His book, Inward is available on Amazon. See the full show notes for the episode -- including time stamps and resources menti...
#12: Ask Me Anything 2
May 24, 2018 23:48 - 57 minutes - 59.9 MBQUESTIONS ANSWERED: Is it necessary to do something great and earn fame? Can't I just live a normal life and make my family and people around me happy? (7:35) How do you deal with difficult people (13:00) How do you read so much without getting overwhelmed? (17:45) How do you retain information better? (21:37) How did you get into Stoicism? What books do you recommend on this philosophy? (25:34) What do you have to say about confidence? What is it? What books can I read? Most impor...
#11: Ryan Holiday - Practical Philosophy, Career Advice, and Tools for Better Learning
April 19, 2018 19:00 - 57 minutes - 49.7 MBRyan Holiday is a writer and media strategist. He is the author of seven books, including The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, The Daily Stoic, and his newest book, Conspiracy. I've admired Ryan's work for a long time and I was super excited to be able to pick his brain for an hour. I hope you get as much out of this conversation as I did. For the full show notes, including selected books & resources from the episode and time stamps of topics discussed, click the link below: htt...