Something You Should Know

Having friends is great. Paying for friendships? Not so great. Between lunches, dinners, drinks, and other get-togethers, maintaining a social life can get surprisingly expensive. And research suggests the rising cost of friendship is changing how often people see their friends and even which friendships they maintain. Listen as I explain what's happening and why it matters. https://www.badcredit.org/studies/friendship-spending-statistics/

What separates people who are remarkably successful from everyone else? Is it talent, intelligence, luck — or something much simpler? William Vanderbloemen set out to find out by studying the habits and behaviors of highly successful people. What he discovered were some surprisingly practical things almost anyone can do to stand out and get ahead. William is founder and CEO of Vanderbloemen Search Group and author of Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest (https://amzn.to/3CD1MD5). Listen as he reveals what makes certain people so exceptional and how you can put those same habits to work in your own life.

What is it really like to work for the CIA? Is it anything like the world of spies, secrets, and intrigue we see in movies and on television? And what does the CIA actually do all day? David McCloskey knows that world from the inside. As a former CIA analyst, he contributed to the President's Daily Brief, testified before Congressional oversight committees, briefed senior government and military officials, and worked in CIA field stations throughout the Middle East. Now he's also a bestselling spy novelist and author of The Seventh Floor (https://amzn.to/3CBqx2t). Listen as he takes us behind the scenes of the intelligence world, separates Hollywood fiction from reality, and reveals what life inside the CIA is really like.

You've probably heard that chewing gum can help you concentrate, sharpen your memory, or even improve your performance on a test. But does it really work? Research suggests there may be something to it, although there's an interesting catch. Apparently, when you chew the gum can make a difference. Listen as I explain this curious connection between chewing gum and brainpower. https://www.livescience.com/17520-chewing-gum-test-performance.html\

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KA'CHAVA: Ka’Chava’s new Salted Caramel is the perfect balance of mouthwatering flavor and benefits. Embrace your salty side. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kachava.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use promo code SYSK to get 15% off your first order!

VINTED: Ready to clean out your closet and make some extra money?Download the Vinted app for free and start listing! With no seller fees, you keep every dollar you earn and for a limited time, enjoy free shipping in the US on Vinted.

QUINCE: Give the gift of quality this holiday season at Quince! Download the Quince App for exclusive offers or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

DELL: Shop at ⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠ for Black Friday and find great PCs like the Dell XPS 13 laptop with a long battery life, beautiful design and powerful performance with Intel® Core™ processors. Upgrade your whole setup for less!

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Everyone knows that practice makes perfect. Or does it? Practicing is certainly important when you're trying to master something new, but research suggests there's another ingredient that can make practice far more effective. And the surprising part is that it involves not practicing. It turns out that what you do between practice sessions may be just as important as the practice itself. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/take-short-breaks-to-maximize-memory-and-learning

We tend to think great innovations happen when brilliant people have brilliant ideas. But the real stories are often much stranger. Accidents, spectacular failures, and discoveries that almost never happened have changed the world in remarkable ways. So what really drives innovation, and where might the next big breakthrough come from? Andrew Leigh, former economics professor at the Australian National University and Australia's Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, joins me to explore the surprising ways new ideas become reality. He also hosts the podcast The Good Life and is the author of The Shortest History of Innovation: From the Wheel to Gene Editing, AI, and Beyond—How New Ideas Shape Our World (https://link.amazon/B01K1qu64).

You can look right at something and still not see it. In fact, the more familiar something becomes, the less likely you may be to notice it at all. Think about the fire extinguisher in your office, the emergency exit at a place you visit regularly, or the little things around your home that have been there so long they've practically become invisible. Why does your brain tune out things that are right in front of you? And what important information might you be missing because of it? Alan Castel, professor of psychology at UCLA and author of Better with Age (https://link.amazon/B0iqnRuC5), joins me to explain the fascinating difference between seeing and noticing, why familiarity can make us surprisingly oblivious, and how to become more aware of the world around us.

The hands on an analog clock always move in the same direction — clockwise, of course. But why that direction? Who decided? There's no obvious reason a clock couldn't run the other way, and yet clocks all over the world follow the same convention. The explanation goes back much further than the invention of mechanical clocks, and once you hear it, the whole thing makes perfect sense. https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/why-do-clocks-go-clockwise

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NATIVEPATH: NativePath Bone Health Collagen is a simple addition to other important bone-supporting nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. Go to ⁠https://GetBetterBones.com/SYSK⁠ to save up to 48% and get a frother, shaker, free shipping and a 365 day money back guarantee!

AQUATRU: Head to ⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back!

BEAM DREAM: Beam’s Dream Powder is made with clean, natural ingredients formulated to fall asleep and wake up refreshed! Go to ⁠https://ShopBeam.com/SYSK⁠ and get 50% off during Beam's Cyber Sale!

TREES.COM: Right now, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Trees.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠have great deals on planting essentials, up to half off on select plants. And listeners to our show get 20% OFF their purchase when using the promo code SYSK at checkout.

KA'CHAVA: Ka’Chava’s new Salted Caramel is the perfect balance of mouthwatering flavor and benefits. Embrace your salty side. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kachava.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use promo code SYSK to get 15% off your first order!

VINTED: Ready to clean out your closet and make some extra money?Download the Vinted app for free and start listing! With no seller fees, you keep every dollar you earn and for a limited time, enjoy free shipping in the US on Vinted.

QUINCE: Give the gift of quality this holiday season at Quince! Download the Quince App for exclusive offers or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

DELL: Shop at ⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠ for Black Friday and find great PCs like the Dell XPS 13 laptop with a long battery life, beautiful design and powerful performance with Intel® Core™ processors. Upgrade your whole setup for less!

PLANET VISIONARIES: In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, this is Planet Visionaries. Listen or watch wherever you get your podcasts!

INDEED: Get a $75 Sponsored Job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/PODCAST⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Being a perfectionist sounds like a good thing. You have high standards, pay attention to details, and want to do things right. What's wrong with that? As it turns out, quite a lot. Perfectionism can actually work against you, causing you to procrastinate, obsess over mistakes, avoid taking risks, and feel dissatisfied even when you've accomplished something worthwhile. And ironically, the harder you try to make everything perfect, the less you may actually accomplish.

So why are some people perfectionists? Where does that need to get everything just right come from? And how do you know when having high standards has crossed the line into something that's holding you back? Clinical psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, author of Better Than Perfect: 7 Strategies to Crush Your Inner Critic and Create a Life You Love (https://amzn.to/32tNfDb), joins me to explain the psychology of perfectionism, why "good enough" is often more than enough, and how to let go of impossible expectations without lowering your standards. What she has to say could take a surprising amount of pressure off your life.

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NATIVEPATH: NativePath Bone Health Collagen is a simple addition to other important bone-supporting nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. Go to ⁠https://GetBetterBones.com/SYSK⁠ to save up to 48% and get a frother, shaker, free shipping and a 365 day money back guarantee!

AQUATRU: Head to ⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back!

BEAM DREAM: Beam’s Dream Powder is made with clean, natural ingredients formulated to fall asleep and wake up refreshed! Go to ⁠https://ShopBeam.com/SYSK⁠ and get 50% off during Beam's Cyber Sale!

TREES.COM: Right now, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Trees.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠have great deals on planting essentials, up to half off on select plants. And listeners to our show get 20% OFF their purchase when using the promo code SYSK at checkout.

KA'CHAVA: Ka’Chava’s new Salted Caramel is the perfect balance of mouthwatering flavor and benefits. Embrace your salty side. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kachava.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use promo code SYSK to get 15% off your first order!

VINTED: Ready to clean out your closet and make some extra money?Download the Vinted app for free and start listing! With no seller fees, you keep every dollar you earn and for a limited time, enjoy free shipping in the US on Vinted.

QUINCE: Give the gift of quality this holiday season at Quince! Download the Quince App for exclusive offers or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

DELL: Shop at ⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠ for Black Friday and find great PCs like the Dell XPS 13 laptop with a long battery life, beautiful design and powerful performance with Intel® Core™ processors. Upgrade your whole setup for less!

PLANET VISIONARIES: In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, this is Planet Visionaries. Listen or watch wherever you get your podcasts!

INDEED: Get a $75 Sponsored Job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/PODCAST⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Have you ever noticed that when two people walk together, they often fall into step without even trying? Or that people in conversation sometimes begin to mirror each other's movements? Humans have a curious tendency to synchronize with one another, often without realizing it. Why does this happen, and what does it reveal about how we connect? https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/social-synchronicity-37695

You've heard all your life that reading is good for you. It expands your vocabulary, sharpens your mind, and makes you more knowledgeable. But reading fiction may do something remarkable that other kinds of reading don't. There is something about the way fiction is written and the way our brains respond to it that produces some surprising benefits. Even the simple words "Once upon a time" can trigger something special. Andrew Piper, professor at McGill University and author of Why You Should Read More Fiction: What Data and AI Tell Us About the Value of Storytelling (https://link.amazon/B01VixDmx), joins me to explain what fascinating new research reveals about the power of fiction — and why picking up a novel may be one of the best things you can do for yourself.

We've all heard the warning about "groupthink" — that putting people together to solve a problem can sometimes produce worse results than letting them work alone. But what if the problem isn't collaboration itself, but how we collaborate? Research into collective intelligence reveals that under the right conditions, groups can become remarkably good at solving problems, generating ideas, and making decisions. The trick is knowing how to bring people together so their combined intelligence actually works. Damon Centola, professor of Communication, Sociology, and Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, studies how this happens. He is also the author of Goodthink: The New Science of Collective Intelligence (https://link.amazon/B05J8lAqo). Listen as he explains what makes some groups smarter than others and how we can use this science to work better together.

Why does time seem to speed up as we get older? You look back and wonder where the summer went, or how five years could have passed so quickly. Interestingly, research suggests that time doesn't necessarily feel faster while we're living it. It's when we look back that things seem to have flown by. So what's going on in our brains that creates this illusion? And is there a way to make life feel like it's moving a little more slowly? https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13423-025-02833-z

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

NATIVEPATH: NativePath Bone Health Collagen is a simple addition to other important bone-supporting nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. Go to https://GetBetterBones.com/SYSK to save up to 48% and get a frother, shaker, free shipping and a 365 day money back guarantee!

AQUATRU: Head to ⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back!

BEAM DREAM: Beam’s Dream Powder is made with clean, natural ingredients formulated to fall asleep and wake up refreshed! Go to https://ShopBeam.com/SYSK and get 50% off during Beam's Cyber Sale!

TREES.COM: Right now, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Trees.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠have great deals on planting essentials, up to half off on select plants. And listeners to our show get 20% OFF their purchase when using the promo code SYSK at checkout.

KA'CHAVA: Ka’Chava’s new Salted Caramel is the perfect balance of mouthwatering flavor and benefits. Embrace your salty side. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kachava.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use promo code SYSK to get 15% off your first order!

VINTED: Ready to clean out your closet and make some extra money?Download the Vinted app for free and start listing! With no seller fees, you keep every dollar you earn and for a limited time, enjoy free shipping in the US on Vinted.

QUINCE: Give the gift of quality this holiday season at Quince! Download the Quince App for exclusive offers or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

DELL: Shop at https://Dell.com/deals for Black Friday and find great PCs like the Dell XPS 13 laptop with a long battery life, beautiful design and powerful performance with Intel® Core™ processors. Upgrade your whole setup for less!

PLANET VISIONARIES: In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, this is Planet Visionaries. Listen or watch wherever you get your podcasts!

INDEED: Get a $75 Sponsored Job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/PODCAST⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can someone's taste in music make them more attractive to you? Apparently, it can. The music people listen to can influence how we perceive their personalities, how compatible we think we might be, and even how romantically interested we are in them. So what does your playlist say about you? And why do musical preferences matter when it comes to attraction? We begin with the surprising connection between music and relationships. https://www.medindia.net/news/Music-Predicts-Sexual-Attraction-80223-1.htm

Think about how many times you've written something down in a notebook. A shopping list, a brilliant idea, a diary entry, notes from a meeting, or just something you didn't want to forget. It seems like such an ordinary thing to do. But the simple act of putting thoughts on paper has helped change the course of human history. Notebooks have shaped scientific discoveries, inspired great works of art, helped build businesses, and transformed the way people think. So how did something as basic as a blank book become such a powerful tool? Roland Allen joins me to reveal the fascinating history of notebooks, the remarkable things people have done with them, and why writing things down still matters in our digital world. Roland is the author of The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper (https://amzn.to/3NGd2B8).

We all know we probably spend too much time looking at screens. But what exactly is all that scrolling, swiping, and staring doing to our brains? Is it really changing the way we think, concentrate, remember, and experience the world? And why is it so difficult to look away, even when we know we've had enough? Our brains evolved in a world very different from the one we live in today, and the constant flood of digital information may be more than they're equipped to handle. Dr. Richard Cytowic joins me to explain what's happening inside our heads when we spend so much time on our devices, why digital distraction is so powerful, and what we can do to regain control of our attention. He is a professor of neurology at George Washington University and author of Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age: Coping with Digital Distraction and Sensory Overload (https://amzn.to/4hsyVBp).

Advertisers love to use impressive-sounding claims that don't actually tell you very much. A shampoo promises to make your hair "five times silkier." Five times silkier than what? And how exactly do you measure silkiness? These claims can sound scientific and convincing, even when they're practically meaningless. And they work surprisingly well. Listen as I explain how advertisers use numbers and clever language to make products seem better than they may actually be—and why it's worth paying attention. Source: Charles Seife, author of Proofiness (https://amzn.to/3NL55KY).

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VINTED: Ready to clean out your closet and make some extra money?Download the Vinted app for free and start listing! With no seller fees, you keep every dollar you earn and for a limited time, enjoy free shipping in the US on Vinted.

QUINCE: Find your next Fall favorites at Quince! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

PLANET VISIONARIES: In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, this is Planet Visionaries. Listen or watch wherever you get your podcasts!

INDEED: Get a $75 Sponsored Job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/PODCAST⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices