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Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst 

Simon Sinek

My career is an accident. It started when I set out to rediscover my passion and reignite a spark I’d lost — and that journey led me to the work I do now.

If you know me from my books or my speaking, you know I’m fascinated by why people do what they do. What makes someone find joy and meaning in their life, or pursue something far greater than themselves?

I started A Bit of Optimism to explore those ideas and expand my own perspective. This podcast is a trove of honest conversations, with people who challenge me, teach me, or simply help me see things in a different way. Some guests are household names, and others you may be meeting for the first time. But each one of them has something to share that can help all of us grow.

So if you’re looking for a spark — some insight, inspiration, or just a reminder that good things are possible — join me on A Bit of Optimism!

Let’s grow together.

A Bit of Optimism

Have you ever sat through a presentation and felt your attention just start to…drift? Chances are, it wasn't the content. It was the delivery.

A year ago, Rob Willis was a corporate trainer with years of experience and a sharp eye for what makes people listen. He wondered if what he taught in workshops would resonate with a larger audience. So he started making short videos that break down what makes great speakers great: from their word choice, to structure, to the energy they brought to any room or conversation. 

Rob even made a video breaking down my method of public speaking. In his video, Rob dissects my signature opening line, and my friends couldn't stop sending it to me. One hundred videos in one hundred days later, Rob's videos are going viral on a regular basis, and a whole new audience is eager to learn from him.

But what I find most interesting about Rob is where he actually learned all of this. Not in a classroom. He learned it by giving free walking tours in Berlin, where nobody pays up front and anyone can leave at any moment. If you're boring, people simply walk away — no tip, no small talk, just people voting with their feet.

Rob and I discuss what that taught him about holding a room, why the smartest person in the room is rarely the most persuasive one, and the handful of simple, almost mechanical shifts that separate a forgettable pitch from one people actually remember.

In this episode you'll learn:

➡️ Why "if I just explain it better" is the most common, and most inaccurate, assumption speakers make

➡️ Rob's trick for holding anyone's attention, whether it's a boardroom or a crowd on a street corner

➡️ What real charisma is made of (hint: it's not confidence, it's belief)

➡️ Why so many people suddenly sound fake the moment they step on stage

➡️ 5 things you can do in your next meeting to immediately present better 

You don't need a TED Talk on your calendar to get something out of this one. Any of us who wants to be understood — in a meeting, a pitch, a hard conversation — will find something worth stealing.

This… is A Bit of Optimism.

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This episode is brought to you by SAP. Bring it with SAP GROW. The AI Cloud ERP for any size business. Learn more at https://SAP.com/GROW

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Want to keep up with Rob and his video breakdowns? Check out: https://robdwillis.carrd.co/

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Chapters
Chapters

00:00:00 The Former Tour Guide Who Cracked the Code
00:03:12 Why Trying to Sound Smart is Losing You the Room
00:03:48 100 Videos in 100 Days
00:06:16 Breaking Down the Patterns: What Makes Simon Sinek Work
00:07:33 Learning to Speak Without a Plan
00:11:41 The Knowledge Deficit Trap: Why More Information Doesn't Always Work
00:12:33 The Tour Guide Philosophy and Tracking What Actually Works
00:16:20 Simon's Book Writing Journey
00:23:10 The Art of the Distilled Message
00:25:53 The Bolt of Lightning Myth: How Great Ideas Really Happen
00:26:55 Let Them Get There First: The Power of the Aha Moment
00:29:10 Hans Rosling and What is True Charisma
00:31:47 Speaking With Conviction, Not Questions
00:34:30 The Speaking Voice Trap: Why You Sound Weird on Stage
00:36:42 Five Things You Can Do Tomorrow to Become a Better Speaker
00:44:14 The Five-Minute Rule: Why Less is Always More

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Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together.

Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do.

Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game.

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Website: http://simonsinek.com/

Leaderful: https://simonsinek.com/leaderful

Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek

Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek

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Why Trying to “Sound Smart” is Losing You the Room with Strategic Story Producer Rob Willis

This might sound familiar: you read a full page, get to the bottom, and realize you absorbed none of it. There's a stack of books beside your bed you fully intend to finish. And the only phone number you can remember is your own.

Jim Kwik says none of that means something is wrong with our brains. It’s that we were taught what to learn, but rarely ever taught how to learn.

Jim would know. A well-meaning teacher called him "the boy with the broken brain" when he was nine, and for years he believed it. He's spent the three decades since proving otherwise — as a top brain coach, a leading expert on memory and accelerated learning, and the bestselling author of Limitless. His new book, Limitless Daily, offers 366 daily upgrades to help you focus, remember, and think better.

In this episode you'll learn:
➡️ Why reading faster can actually improve comprehension
➡️ The free technique that stops your mind wandering mid-page
➡️ How to prompt your own brain the way you prompt AI
➡️ What your "dominant question" reveals about your personality
➡️ Why school teaches us what to learn but never how to learn
➡️ What digital dementia is + how to spot it in yourself
➡️ Why focus is a muscle, not a personality trait
➡️ The one thing AI will never be able to do for you

I asked Jim an entirely selfish question about how to actually get through the unread books next to my bed, and got an answer that goes far beyond discipline. Jim explains why the technology making us more capable is quietly making us less able. 

And by the end, we landed somewhere neither of us expected: AI could have given Jim every piece of advice that changed his life, word for word. But it wasn't the advice that changed him. It was that a living, breathing person cared enough to give it.

This… is A Bit of Optimism.

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This episode is brought to you by SAP. Bring it with SAP GROW. The AI Cloud ERP for any size business. Learn more at https://SAP.com/GROW

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If you want to buy Jim’s new book, Limitless Daily, head to: https://limitlessdaily.com 

Want to check out Jim’s other work like his best-selling book Limitless? Go to: https://jimkwik.com 

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Chapters
Chapters

00:00:00 The Boy With the Broken Brain: When Labels Become Limits
00:00:25 The Power of Adult Words on Children
00:06:51 The Freshman English Failure: Rock Bottom Before the Breakthrough
00:09:54 The Breaking Point: Collapsing in the Library
00:14:26 The Intervention: A Mentor Who Saw Potential, Not Limits
00:15:16 Accidental Careers: When Your Work Becomes Service to Others
00:20:48 110 People Showed Up: The Accidental Beginning of a Career
00:25:02 30 Books in 30 Days: The Student Who Saved Her Mother's Life
00:26:19 Service Over Success: Why Purpose Matters More Than Profit
00:31:31 Grow Givers vs Go Getters: Growing So You Have More to Give
00:32:23 Why Smart People Can't Finish Books
00:34:24 Your Brain Is Bored, Not Broken
00:38:49 The Visual Pacer Hack That Changes Everything
00:40:23 Ask Better Questions: How to Prime Your Brain for Learning
00:44:55 Focus Is a Muscle: Training Attention in the Age of AI
00:46:00 Why AI Will Never Replace Bedside Manner
00:49:11 It Was Never About the Information, It Was The Power of Being Seen

+ + +

Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together.

Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do.

Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game.

+ + +

Website: http://simonsinek.com/

Leaderful: https://simonsinek.com/leaderful

Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek

Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek

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Your Limits Are Learned (And They Can Be Unlearned) with Brain Coach Jim Kwik

Hello from Team Simon! We're taking a quick break this week and will be back with brand-new episodes of A Bit of Optimism next Tuesday. 

Until then, we're revisiting one of our favorite episodes — when bestselling novelist Fredrik Backman joined the show to talk about the thing he's spent his whole career writing about: the quiet, radical power of showing up for people.

And Fredrik says great friendships aren't found by luck. They're built deliberately, repeatedly, and, sometimes, inconveniently by people who choose to do the work.

Fredrik is the internationally bestselling author of A Man Called Ove (adapted into the film A Man Called Otto), Anxious People, and the Beartown series. His book, My Friends, is a love letter to the relationships that quietly shape who we become.

In this conversation, Fredrik opens up about his best friend of over 30 years and what 30 years of real friendship actually requires. His words will have you thinking hard about the friends you might be taking for granted.

In this episode you'll learn: 

➡️ Why great friendship is a skill + what the work actually looks like 

➡️ The concept of your "people” vs. “humans" 

➡️ Why your friends are your best editors

➡️ The friendship rule that changed how Fredrik's entire friend group thought about relationships

➡️ The unexpected value of quantity of time vs. quality of time 

➡️ How to be genuinely happy for someone else 

➡️ The difference between healthy self-deprecation and low self-esteem 

➡️ Why the work in a relationship is never solely on the relationship — it's always on you

A great relationship isn't a stroke of luck. It's a choice you make every day, in small ways, often when it's inconvenient. This conversation is a reminder of why it's worth it.

This… is A Bit of Optimism.

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To buy Fredrik’s book, My Friends, visit: https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Fredrik-Backman/411545926 

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Chapters
Chapters

00:00:00 We Don't Need Algorithms to Find Our People
00:02:45 Fredrik's Viral Speech: Fueled by Pure Panic
00:05:55 The Power of Authenticity: Why Imperfection Resonates
00:07:29 Choose Your Seven Humans Wisely
00:08:56 The Friend Who Taught Him Everything
00:15:43 Quality Time vs Quantity Time: The ROI of Presence
00:17:53 The "I Want To," Not "I Have To" Philosophy
00:20:55 Your Friends Are Your Best Editors
00:13:23 Writing as Self-Editing
00:15:06 Learning to Be Happy for Others
00:22:41 The Gift of Time: Showing Up When It Matters
00:23:56 Be A Great Friend, Get Great Friends
00:28:55 The Work Is On You: Relationships and Self-Growth
00:36:23 Algorithms Would Never Match Us: The Value of Difference
00:34:21 Trying Is Everything
00:35:55 People vs Humans
00:37:18 Self-Deprecation vs Low Self-Esteem
00:39:22 The Jantelagen: Swedish Humility Law
00:45:26 The Fear of Disappointing People
00:48:00 Expectations vs Reality: Letting Go of Fantasy
00:49:00 Understanding Bullies: Finding What We Have in Common
00:51:21 Fighting Narcissism: Surrounding Yourself With Better People
00:52:08 Being Comfortable Not Knowing: The Gateway to Learning
00:55:28 The World's Best Cardamom Bun Debate

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Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together.

Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do.

Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game.

+ + +

Website: http://simonsinek.com/

Leaderful: https://simonsinek.com/leaderful

Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek

Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek

Revisited: Choose Your Seven Humans Wisely with Author Fredrik Backman

Maybe this sounds familiar: you leave a party and spend the rest of the night convinced everyone was upset with you. Or you replay something you said in a meeting for days and second-guess every last word.
Vanessa Van Edwards has been there. As a self-proclaimed "recovering awkward person," she’s spent two decades decoding the hidden dynamics of human interaction to make those skills teachable for introverts and extroverts alike.
Vanessa is a behavioral researcher, bestselling author, and founder of Science of People. In her book, Conversation: How to Be Instantly Likeable in Any Interaction, she makes the case that social skills aren't a personality type, they're learnable. And she believes we are living in the most critical moment in history to start learning them.
In this episode you'll learn:
➡️ Why "just be yourself" is unhelpful advice + potentially cruel
➡️ The important everyday interactions technology + AI replaced
➡️ Where to stand at a party so someone always talks to you
➡️ How to have better conversations (+ why you already have the skills)
➡️ What the real antidote to awkwardness is
➡️ How to practice micro-social skills without turning people off
➡️ Why we’re all ambiverts + how to understand ambiversion
➡️ How soft skills drive major career inflection points
➡️ The concept of social fitness + the “nutrition” of your relationships
In this conversation, Vanessa lays out how even the most socially anxious among us can build real connections and become more likable… even in a world that has quietly removed all the places we used to accidentally get good at being human. And the secret isn't confidence. It's something far more generous.
This… is A Bit of Optimism.
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Watch A Bit of Optimism on Spotify, and Spotify Premium users can enjoy the show ad-free.
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To pre-order Vanessa’s new book, Conversation: How to Be Instantly Likeable in Any Interaction, head to: https://www.scienceofpeople.com/conversation/
Want to learn more people skills from Vanessa? Check out The Science of People: https://www.scienceofpeople.com/
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Chapters
Chapters

00:00:00 Social Skills in the Digital Age Crisis
00:01:47 Vanessa's Journey: The Accidental Social Skills Expert
00:05:45 Mistakes Everyone Makes Learning to Improve Social Skills
00:08:09 Where Did Our Places to Practice Being Human Go?
00:11:17 Where to Stand at a Party When You Don't Know Anyone
00:14:17 The Ambivert Reality: Social Fitness and Friendship Nutrition
00:18:07 The Discomfort Problem: Why Young People Avoid Rather Than Adapt
00:21:33 Put the Shoes in the Box: The Art of Knowing When to Stop
00:34:54 Intention Matches Action: Defining Authenticity
00:46:56 The Power of Being Seen: How Love Changed Everything
00:49:51 The Ultimate Social Skill: Helping Others Feel Normal
00:42:20 Micro-Social Skills: Finding the Parts of Yourself You Like

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Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together.
Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do.
Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game.
+ + +
Website: http://simonsinek.com/
Leaderful: https://simonsinek.com/leaderful
Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek
Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek

How to Stop Being Socially Awkward (According to Science) with Behavioral Scientist Vanessa Van Edwards

We often comfort ourselves with the idea that things happen for a reason, or define our struggles as a test of strength. Tom Nash might ask you to reconsider.
Tom is a speaker, former DJ, and globe-trotting advocate for agency, anti-fragility, and the radical idea that your worst moment might be your greatest asset — as he argued in his TED Talk, "The Perks of Being a Pirate.” He’s also the mind behind Last Meal with Tom Nash where he asks his guests what their last meal would be if the world ended tomorrow, and then actually cooks it for them.
In our conversation, Tom shares how, at 19, a rare bacterial infection left him a quadruple amputee with a 2% chance of survival. And he'll tell you it's the best thing that ever happened to him.
This isn’t just another conversation about resilience. It’s a deep dive into agency and the difference between a life that happens to you and one you actually choose.
In this episode, we explore:
➡️ Why the story you tell yourself about your own life is the most powerful force in it
➡️ The difference between resilience and anti-fragility (and why it matters)
➡️ Tom’s framework for navigating adversity: The Artist, the Author, and the Alchemist
➡️ The counterintuitive reason why we actually need support networks
➡️ Why "everything happens for a reason" can be a trap (and the perspective that works better)
➡️ What your last meal choice reveals about what you're really searching for
➡️ Why the concept of being "self-made" is a dangerous illusion
Tom joins me to ask a fundamental question: who is really holding the pen when it comes to your story?
This… is A Bit of Optimism.
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Watch the new season of Tom’s show Last Meal with Tom Nash and head to: https://www.lastmealwithtomnash.com
Want more Tom? Check out his website: https://www.tomnash.com
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Chapters
Chapters

00:00:00 Adversity Can Be The Best Thing You Experience
00:03:45 Tom's Story: Contracting Meningococcal Disease
00:07:47 The Gift of Agency: Choosing to Amputate
00:16:18 The Artist, The Author, and The Alchemist: A Framework for Anti-Fragility
00:20:28 The Alchemist: Turning Adversity Into Advantage
00:23:52 Learning to Walk Again: The Momentum Metaphor
00:26:57 The True Purpose of Support Networks
00:34:33 Why 'Everything Happens for a Reason' Robs You of Agency
00:47:37 The Last Meal Question: What Your Choice Reveals About Freedom
00:42:23 Joel Robuchon: Leadership Through Teaching, Not Commanding
00:58:34 The Problem With Inspirational Affirmations
01:00:59 Stop Saying Everything Happens for a Reason

+ + +
Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together.
Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do.
Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game.
+ + +
Website: http://simonsinek.com/
Leaderful: https://simonsinek.com/leaderful
Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek
Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek
Simon’s books:
The Infinite Game: https://simonsinek.com/books/the-infinite-game/
Start With Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/start-with-why/
Find Your Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/find-your-why/
Leaders Eat Last: https://simonsinek.com/books/leaders-eat-last/
Together is Better: https://simonsinek.com/books/together-is-better/

Stop Telling Us Everything Happens for a Reason with Anti-Victim Tom Nash

If at some point, you've looked at your life—your job, your relationships, your achievements—and thought: “is this it?” This episode is for you. 
Mike Posner had that moment at 30. His life, by every external measure, was extraordinary: he had hit songs, Grammy nominations, millions in the bank. He was a pop star… And he was miserable.
What followed was one of the most honest reckonings we've ever heard on this show. Mike walked across America, survived a rattlesnake bite, climbed Everest, and came out the other side with something no amount of success had ever given him: peace.
Mike Posner is a multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated recording artist, songwriter, and producer. But the reason you should listen to this conversation has nothing to do with any of that. It has everything to do with where he was and his incredibly human journey getting to somewhere better, more peaceful, and more meaningful. He even wrote a song about it—a follow up to his hit song “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” called “I Went Back To Ibiza.”
In this episode you'll learn:
➡️ Why achieving your biggest goals can leave you feeling emptier than before you started 
➡️ The difference between real vulnerability and broadcasting your pain online (and why intention changes everything) 
➡️ Why comfort (not failure) might be the thing quietly hollowing out your life 
➡️ What walking across America actually taught Mike about who he was and who he wasn't 
➡️ Why self-improvement taken too far becomes selfishness 
➡️ The one pursuit more valuable than success, grit, or getting to the top
You don't need a Grammy nomination to relate to this conversation, you just need to have ever wondered if the life you're building is actually the life you want.
This… is A Bit of Optimism.
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Watch A Bit of Optimism on Spotify! If you’re subscribed to Spotify Premium, you don’t get any Spotify ads on my video.
If you want to watch Mike’s new music video for “I Went Back To Ibiza,” check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDL6SEW4xKU
You can find “I Went Back To Ibiza” wherever you stream music.
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Chapters
Chapters

00:00:00 The Real Reason You Feel Empty
00:06:51 Art as Alchemy: Turning Pain into Beauty
00:18:12 The Asymmetry Between What We Have and What We Give
00:20:32 Walking Across America: Getting Out of His Comfort Zone
00:24:54 The Snake Bite: When Attention Came From Pain
00:30:13 The Problem With Avoiding Discomfort
00:33:47 From Fraud to Peace: Mike's Transformation
00:36:31 Walking Each Other Home: The Purpose of Art and Life
00:38:56 The Pursuit of Peace, Not Just Hardship
00:48:48 Getting to the Top of Everest: Only Half of the Journey

+ + +
Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together.
Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do.
Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game.
+ + +
Website: http://simonsinek.com/
Live Online Classes: https://simonsinek.com/classes/
Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek
Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek

The Real Reason You Feel Empty (Even When Life Looks Good) with Musician Mike Posner

Admit it, you've complained about at least one other generation. Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z—somehow, they all end up with reputations built around what's wrong with them.
Dr. Eliza Filby has a different suggestion: stop asking what's wrong with them. And start questioning what world they were handed.
Eliza is a contemporary historian, generations expert, and the author of Sunday Times bestseller: Inheritocracy. And with more generations in the workplace than at any point in history, she is precisely the person we need to show us a new way to win… together. 
In this conversation, Eliza makes connections about how generational change is reshaping work, wealth, and modern life that I’d never thought to connect. She might just change how you see the world (and people) around you.
In this episode you'll learn: 
➡️ Why calling Gen Z "entitled" is the wrong diagnosis (and what's really driving the behavior leaders complain about most) 
➡️ How retirement planning and eldercare became the new midlife crisis
➡️ How the economy changed after 2008 + quietly rewrote the rulebook for every generation that followed 
➡️ Why belonging is becoming increasingly rare (even though we need it)
➡️ Why Millennials + Gen Z are more likely become homeowners by being loyal to their parents than by being loyal to their jobs
➡️ 3 things no AI will replace in the workplace…
➡️ What’s driving hyper-individualism + how do we fix it
We all may have strong opinions about one another, but it’s time to focus on building greater understanding. This conversation is a good place to start.
This… is A Bit of Optimism.
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To buy a copy of Dr. Eliza Filby’s bestselling book Inheritocracy: It’s Time to Talk About the Bank of Mum and Dad, head to: https://www.elizafilby.com/books 
Want to hear more from Eliza? Check out her It’s All Relative Newsletter: https://www.elizafilby.com/newsletter 
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Chapters

00:00:00 Rethinking the Generational Divide at Work
00:01:35 How Dr. Filby Became a Generations Expert
00:04:33 Defining Generations: Why They're Getting Shorter
00:08:42 The Fragmentation of Shared Experience
00:14:29 Conspiracy Culture Infiltrates the Workplace
00:16:16 The End of Job Security and the Rise of the Solopreneur
00:18:02 What Leaders Must Offer in the Age of Uncertainty
00:20:31 The Bank of Mom and Dad: Living in an Inheritocracy
00:28:23 Why Young People Don't Have 'The Hunger' for Work
00:31:35 The Changing Life Cycle: Delayed Adulthood and Pressured Midlife
00:41:45 Rising Individualism and the Loss of 'We' at Work
00:47:02 Gen AI: The Next Generation in the Workplace
00:50:44 The Solution: Let Humans Do What Can't Be Counted
01:00:42 Disrupting the Path to Mastery and Nurturing Human Skills
01:03:02 How the Generations Can Come Together

+ + +
Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together.
Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do.
Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game.
+ + +
Website: http://simonsinek.com/
Live Online Classes: https://simonsinek.com/classes/
Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek
Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek

The Real Reason Young People Don't Have 'The Hunger' for Work (And What Leaders Need to Hear) with Generations Expert Dr. Eliza Filby

The most successful leaders, coaches, and teams in history share one counterintuitive secret: their main focus wasn’t winning. And yet… they won more than everyone else. 
My guest, Don Yaeger, learned this lesson from his mentor: legendary college basketball coach John Wooden. Don is one of my favorite master storytellers, a top business leadership coach, author of 44 books, 13 of them New York Times bestsellers, and a former Associate Editor at Sports Illustrated. Don has worked alongside the greatest athletes of our generation: Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Michael Phelps. But no relationship shaped him more than the 12 years he spent as Coach Wooden's mentee.
Whether or not you're a sports fan, I promise you: the lessons Don shares are as universal as it gets.
We explore what it really means to win in business and in life. The greatest leaders in history already figured this out. The question is why the rest of us aren't following their lead.
In this episode you'll learn: 
➡️ Why the winningest coach in college basketball history never talked about winning (and what he focused on instead)
➡️ The Bill Walton story that reveals how great leaders hold standards without exceptions (even for their best people) 
➡️ How one conversation with John Wooden transformed Don's marriage & the weekly habit he's kept for 16+ years 
➡️ What Delta CEO Ed Bastian's "virtuous cycle" can teach any leader about putting people before results 
➡️ What a great mentor actually look like and how to know when you’ve found one
If you've ever chased the short-term win at the cost of the long game… this episode is the reset you didn't know you needed. 
This… is A Bit of Optimism.
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If you want to read a free chapter from Don's upcoming book The Business of Storytelling, head to: https://www.donyaeger.com/chapter
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Chapters
Chapters

00:00:00 The Power of Appreciation: What You Look For, You Find
00:02:02 From Delivering Newspapers to Sports Illustrated: Don's Journey to Journalism
00:04:21 Don’s 12-Year Mentorship with Coach John Wooden
00:06:50 Coach Wooden's Philosophy: Pyramid of Success
00:09:00 The Bill Walton Haircut Story: How Wooden Managed Ego and Held Everyone to the Same Standards
00:10:33 Building Better Humans, Not Just Better Players
00:14:36 The Love Letters That Changed Don's Marriage
00:19:35 Looking for Things to Love: The Mindset That Changes Everything
00:22:23 Leading with Employee Care Over Customer-First Mentality
00:33:55 What True Mentorship Really Means: It's Not Transactional
00:47:07 Why Aren't More Leaders Following Coach Wooden's Example?
00:53:17 The Best Storytelling Advice: Know Your Audience

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Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together.
Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do.
Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game.
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Website: http://simonsinek.com/
Live Online Classes: https://simonsinek.com/classes/
Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek
Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek
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Photo/Video credits for this episode: https://tinyurl.com/ycxdw52s

The Leadership Advice Nobody Follows (But Everyone Should) with Top Leadership Expert Don Yaeger

We talk a lot about building successful things. But what does it actually take to build something people love?

Jesse Cole has built an entirely new genre of entertainment: The Savannah Bananas and the Banana Ball League. They’re a viral sensation, selling out stadiums across the country, and have over 4.2 million fans on their ticket waitlist. On the surface, Banana Ball looks like a wild and entertaining version of baseball. But underneath it all is something much more disciplined: an obsession with the fan experience. 

Jesse calls his approach Fans First and it’s more than a slogan and the title of his book… It’s a standard. Every minute of the two-hour games are crammed with attention grabbing spectacle. It’s a full-blown live experience designed for every seat in the stadium: players dance, fans are part of the show, trick plays defy the laws of physics, there are multiple sing-alongs… all during an actual baseball game. 

In this conversation, we talk about building something new for others, from embracing years of failure (including selling just two tickets in the first three months), to creating experiences that make people feel included, joyful, and valued. We also discuss how he took inspiration from Disney and PT Barnum, the importance of affordable in-person experiences, and how his team reviews every single detail after every show to get better the next day.

Because what Jesse’s building goes beyond just entertainment. It’s a place where people can feel seen for generations to come. And in a world that often moves too fast to build things with care… Those human details might be what matter most.

This… is A Bit of Optimism.

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To learn more about the Banana Ball League or sign up for the ticket waitlist, check out: https://bananaball.com/ 

Or if you want all things Savannah Bananas, head to: https://thesavannahbananas.com/ 

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Why This Baseball Team Has a 4.2 Million Person Waitlist With Savannah Bananas Founder Jesse Cole

We live in a world that pushes us to simplify everything: right or wrong, good or bad, this or that. It makes things and our place in the world easier to understand.
But the truth is rarely simple… in fact, it’s often messy and deeply human.
For 50 years, Ken Burns has mastered his craft, becoming one of the most prolific and respected documentary filmmakers. His documentaries notably resist easy answers. From The Civil War to The Vietnam War to Baseball, Ken has shaped how we understand American identity, political memory, and our shared history. His latest project, The American Revolution, is a six-part PBS series that tells the story of America’s founding. He revisits the revolution through multiple human perspectives, which reveals new complexity to a familiar story.
Ken’s guiding principle is simple: “it’s complicated.” And that philosophy shows up in everything he does. Because the most honest stories hold opposing truths at the same time.
In this conversation, Ken and I explore why storytelling matters more than arguments, how simplifying the world can help us understand it—but also distort it—and why empathy lives in the space between what’s included in a story and what’s left out.
We also dive into why human behavior hasn’t changed much over time, what mistakes humans keep repeating, how embracing complexity might help us better understand each other, and what history can teach us about who we are and who we’re still becoming.
If you’ve ever struggled to make sense of a complicated world, or felt frustrated by how quickly we reduce people to labels, this episode is a powerful reminder: understanding lives in our ability to see the whole story.
This… is A Bit of Optimism.
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If you want to watch “American Revolution” the six-part, 12-hour documentary directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt on PBS, head to: https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-american-revolution
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Ken Burns and the Art of Telling the Whole Story

Happy New Year from Team Simon! We’re so excited to bring you more new episodes of A Bit of Optimism when we return on January 27, 2026. With your support, we’ll make 2026 an incredible year together. In the meantime, we’re revisiting some of our favorite episodes from last year.
We kicked off 2025 with a guest most podcast enthusiasts probably have heard of—Mel Robbins. This insightful conversation answers an important question: how do we push through the days where life can feel overwhelming? Especially when we're too drained to even get out of bed.
For Mel Robbins, facing this very question turned her life around. Struggling with $800,000 in debt and at rock bottom, she became obsessed with finding practical ways to regain control. Fast forward to today, and Mel is a bestselling author and podcast host who has helped millions transform their lives. In her latest book, The Let Them Theory, she reveals how shedding the weight of others' expectations can help us live more authentically.
Simon sat down with Mel to dive into how we can take action when we're emotionally spent, why our need for control ties us to other people's opinions, and how giving others the freedom to be themselves allows us to align with our true values.
This… is A Bit of Optimism.
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For more on Mel and her work, check out: ﻿https://www.melrobbins.com/podcast
and her book: https://www.melrobbins.com/letthemtheory

Revisited: The First Steps To Reducing Your Anxiety with Author Mel Robbins

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