Dr. Annie Duke is a former professional poker player, an author, speaker, and consultant in the decision-making space. She is the author of the national bestseller, Thinking in Bets, and, the topic of today’s interview, 2022’s Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away. “Quitting’s for the weak” reverberates through today’s culture. Of course, quitting just because something is hard is not a good idea. However, we don’t tend to evaluate whether what we spend our time on is worth “buckling down” for. We highlight the journey, not the destination when it’s really the destination that we should be focused on. In our last episode (116), with Dr. Adam Alter, we mentioned Dr. Angela Duckworth’s Grit and Dr. Annie Duke’s Quit. Having already dived into Dr. Duckworth’s work with her in episode 21, I wanted to hear what might initially seem like a conflicting view.Topics:Is quitting a counterargument or a compliment to grit? Strategies for assessing when to quit"Explore and exploit" mindset: how does that connect to quit and grit?How to apply exploring/exploiting seasons in life"What books have had an impact on you?""What advice do you have for teenagers?"Bio:Annie loves to dive deep into decision-making under uncertainty. Her latest obsession is on the topic of quitting. In particular, she is on a mission to rehabilitate the term and get people to be proud of walking away from things. Annie is an author, speaker, and consultant in the decision-making space, as well as Special Partner focused on Decision Science at First Round Capital Partners, a seed stage venture fund. Annie’s latest book, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away, was released in 2022 from Portfolio, a Penguin Random House imprint. Her previous book, Thinking in Bets, is a national bestseller. As a former professional poker player, she has won more than $4 million in tournament poker. During her career, Annie won a World Series of Poker bracelet and is the only woman to have won the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions and the NBC National Poker Heads-Up Championship. She retired from the game in 2012. Prior to becoming a professional poker player, Annie was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship to study Cognitive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2023 Annie completed her PhD in Cognitive Psychology at UPenn. Annie is the co-founder of The Alliance for Decision Education, a non-profit whose mission is to improve lives by empowering students through decision skills education. She is a member of the National Board of After-School All-Stars and the Board of Directors of the Franklin Institute. Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/

In this episode, professor of Marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business and the Robert Stansky Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellow, Dr. Adam Alter, returns to the podcast. Today, we’ll discuss his new book, Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most. Whether you’ve had a great year, a downright awful year or a lukewarm, we’re-making-it year, the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024 bring a mental fresh start. And, with it, new resolutions and the bitter memory of some of last year’s failed resolutions.Rather than avoiding these memories of stuckness, I want to confront this universal experience. Last time we heard from Dr. Alter in episode 18, he discussed his New York Times bestselling book, Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked.Topics: Feeling stuck is universal. But, why do we not talk about it?Consequences of avoiding discussing stucknessTime is linear; life is not: breaking out of your constant progress expectationsBecoming unstuckThe Explore v.s. Exploit mindset - what are they? Deciding when to explore and when to exploit"What books have had an impact on you?""What advice do you have for teenagers?"Bio:Adam Alter is a Professor of Marketing and Psychology at New York University’s Stern School of Business, and the New York Times bestselling author of Drunk Tank Pink, a book about the forces that shape how we think, feel, and behave, Irresistible, a book about the rise of tech addiction and what we should do about it, and Anatomy of a Breakthrough, a book that presents a roadmap for getting unstuck on the path to breakthroughs.Alter was recently included in the Poets and Quants “40 Most Outstanding Business School Professors under 40 in the World,” and has written for the New York Times, New Yorker, Wired, Washington Post, and The Atlantic, among other publications. He has shared his ideas at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity and with dozens of companies around the world. Alter received his Bachelor of Science (Honors Class 1, University Medal) in Psychology from the University of New South Wales and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology from Princeton University, where he held the Charlotte Elizabeth Procter Honorific Dissertation Fellowship and a Fellowship in the Woodrow Wilson Society of Scholars.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/

In this episode, USA Today bestselling author, Noelle Salazar, returns to the pod to discuss her second book, Angels of the Resistance. Longtime listeners might recall our previous chat with Ms. Salazar in episode 24 way back in 2020.  In today’s conversation, Ms. Salazar recounts the inspiration for her Angels of the Resistance as well as how her writing process has evolved and matured since her first book, Flight Girls. She also offers advice to aspiring writers before we jump into the purpose of fiction and its impact on us. How does writing and reading about perspectives other than our own change our view of the world around us?For those interested in checking out Ms. Salazar’s book:Angles of the Resistance depicts a fascinating but hard part of women’s roles in the resistance against the German occupation of Europe during WWII. It contains some sensitive scenes that might be triggering to some members of the audience. It is a read recommended for a more mature readership.Topics:Inspiration for Angels of the ResistanceBalance of fact and fiction in Angels of the ResistancePlot process: pantser (no outline) or plotter (extensive outlining)?Evolution of Ms. Salazar's writing processBalance of storytelling and research in realistic fictionThe importance of fiction--How fiction inspires and encourages and stretches usWriting advice to aspiring authors"What books have had an impact on you?""What advice do you have for teenagers?"Noelle Salazar was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, where she's been a Navy recruit, a medical assistant, an NFL cheerleader, and always a storyteller. As a novelist, she has done extensive research into the Women Airforce Service Pilots, interviewing vets and visiting the training facility—now a museum dedicated to the WASP—in Sweetwater, Texas. When she’s not writing, she can be found dodging raindrops and daydreaming of her next book. Noelle lives in Bothell, Washington with her family.Her debut, The Flight Girls, was a USA Today and international bestseller. Angels of the Resistance is her second novel. Her third book, The Roaring Days of Zora Lily, is now on sale.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/

In our culture, perfectionism is considered a valiant weakness. And, it is worn as a badge of honor. Saying that you are a perfectionist implies that you are constantly working to better yourself and your project. You unrelentingly strive for the best possible result. You work so hard that it might require others to step in and say, “This is good enough.” It’s a valuable vice in the workspace. Or…so we thought.According to professor of psychology and leading expert on perfectionism, Dr. Thomas Curran, perfectionism is more a culturally accelerated poison than its shiny exterior lets on. Whether we like it or not, we will all stumble, fall, and fail at some point in our lives. To deal with this reality requires breaking out of the “perfection trap.”Topics:Defining "perfectionism" and its poisonous natureHow Western cultures amplify perfectionism  Origins of perfectionismPerfectionism as a worldviewDealing with questions of worth and identity as a perfectionistHow to escape the "perfection trap""What books have had an impact on you?""What advice do you have for teenagers?"Dr. Thomas Curran is a professor of psychology at the London School of Economics and author of a landmark study that the BBC hailed as “the first to compare perfectionism across generations.” His TED talk on perfectionism has received more than three million views. His research has been featured in media ranging from the Harvard Business Review to New Scientist to CNN and he has appeared on numerous television and radio programs. He is the author of The Perfection Trap.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6

Have you ever wondered if the ancient tales of legendary creatures might have a hint of scientific truth? Dr. Adrienne Mayor, a renowned historian and folklorist, takes us on a riveting journey to uncover the possible inspirations for these mythical beasts. But the adventure doesn't stop there. We venture further down the rabbit hole, examining how the tales we tell today predict the future we create tomorrow. Topics:The scientific basis of legendary creaturesRepeating motifs in folklore beastsHow fiction influences future technologies"What books have had an impact on you?""What advice do you have for teenagers?"Adrienne Mayor’s books include The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome’s Deadliest Enemy, which was a finalist for the National Book Award, Gods and Robots: Myths, Machines, and Ancient Dreams of Technology, and The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women across the Ancient World, Flying Snakes and Griffin Claws: And Other Classical Myths, Historical Oddities, and Scientific Curiosities (all Princeton). She is a research scholar in classics and the history of science at Stanford University.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6

What if the very structure of American politics is threatening democracy itself? Join us for an eye-opening conversation with Dr. Jacob "Jake" Grumbach, author of "Laboratories Against Democracy", as we uncover the collision between national political parties and state-level governments in the United States. Learn how technology, changes in media, and fundraising have contributed to this unique situation, and understand the increasing importance of state governments in shaping the policies that affect our lives.We'll also dive into the impact of nationalization on states like Wisconsin and Michigan, and explore the relationship between ordinary citizens and their local governments. Dr. Grumbach shares insights on the role of technology and media in transforming the political landscape, and the emergence of labor unions as a platform for collaboration across demographic lines. Furthermore, we discuss valuable advice for Gen Z on how to navigate this complex world of politics, emphasizing the importance of focusing on policy change over individual successes, and understanding the long-term nature of political involvement. Don't miss this enlightening episode that will leave you with a deeper understanding of the current state of American democracy.Topics:National vs state politics in AmericaThe nationalization of state politics and why this is a problemCreating political change as a young person"What books have had an impact on you?""What advice do you have for teenagers?" Professor Grumbach's research focuses on the political economy of the United States. He is particularly interested in public policy, American federalism, racial and economic inequality, campaign finance, and statistical methods. His book, Laboratories against Democracy, investigates the causes and consequences of the nationalization of state politics since the 1970s. Additional recent projects investigate labor unions, election law, and money in politics. Professor Grumbach teaches courses in statistics for the social sciences and in state and local politics.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6

How do we truly know what we know? Are we relying on the right sources of knowledge in our lives? Join us in this thought-provoking episode with our special guest, philosopher, and author, Dr. Esther Lightcap Meek, as we tackle these fascinating questions and unravel the complex nature of knowing.Together, we'll explore the concept of subsidiary-focal integration, which proposes that our understanding of reality hinges on our ability to interpret clues and make meaningful connections. Dr. Meek walks us through real-life examples from sports, music, and reading to demonstrate how this approach can expand our perception of the world around us. We'll also discuss the impact of social media on mental health, particularly among teenage girls, and delve into the idea of the 'loving gaze of the other' as a tool for self-discovery.Tune in for this enlightening conversation and walk away with valuable insights that could change the way you view yourself and your relationship with knowledge. We'll also share practical advice for teenagers on exploring their philosophical questions and navigating the complex world of college life. Don't miss this opportunity to challenge your understanding of reality and transform your perspective on what it means to truly know something!Topics:Philosophical Questions and KnowingThe Importance of Indwelling KnowledgePhilosophy, Mental Health, and Social MediaPhilosophy for Teenagers"What books have had an impact on you?""What advice do you have for teenagers?"Esther Lightcap Meek (BA Cedarville College; MA Western Kentucky University; PhD Temple University) is Professor of Philosophy emeritus at Geneva College, in Western Pennsylvania. She is also Senior Scholar with the Seattle School for Theology and Psychology, a Fujimura Institute Scholar, an Associate Fellow with the Kirby Laing Center for Public Theology, and a member of the Polanyi Society. Meek’s books include Longing to Know: The Philosophy of Knowledge for Ordinary People (Brazos, 2003); Loving to Know: Introducing Covenant Epistemology (Cascade, 2011); A Little Manual for Knowing (Cascade, 2014); and Contact With Reality: Michael Polanyi’s Realism and Why It Matters (Cascade, 2017). Her forthcoming book is Doorway to Artistry: Attuning Your Philosophy to Enhance Your Creativity (Cascade, 2023).An author and public speaker, Meek develops and offers everyday philosophizing that matters to all of us. Her website is www.estherlightcapmeek.com. Follow her on Facebook (estherlightcapmeek), Instagram (estherlightcapmeek), and Twitter (esther_l_meek). Esther lives in Steubenville, Ohio.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6

What hidden truths can an artist's perspective reveal about our world? And how can beauty often emerge from the depths of brokenness? Join us as we dive into a captivating conversation with renowned artist Makoto Fujimura, delving into the significance of art in capturing the essence of who we are.We also ponder the role of art in providing hope during bleak and uncertain times, drawing inspiration from artists like Frangelico, J.R.R. Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis who created masterpieces amid darkness. Makoto shares his insights on the concept of Kintsugi, a powerful reminder brokenness often proceeds beauty. Together, we examine how cultivating creativity and remaining fully present in the moment roots us to our true purpose. Don't miss this fascinating episode that will challenge your perceptions and uncover the deeper magic surrounding us in art and faith.Topics:Art, faith, and the deeper magicCreating beauty in bleak times"What books have had an impact on you?”"What advice do you have for teenagers?"Makoto Fujimura is a leading contemporary artist whose work has been featured in galleries and museums around the world, including The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, The Huntington Library in California, the Tikotin Museum in Israel, the Belvedere Museum in Vienna, and the C3M North Bund Art Museum in Shanghai, China.  His process-driven, refractive “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of the New York Times as “a small rebellion against the quickening of time.”  Fujimura is the author of 4 books, Refractions, Culture Care, Silence and Beauty, and Art+Faith: A Theology of Making. Fujimura is the recipient of the 2023 Kuyper Prize for Excellence in Reformed Theology and Public Life as well as the American Academy of Religion’s 2014 “Religion and the Arts” award.  From 2003 to 2009, Fujimura served as a Presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts.  He has also received notable recognition as a speaker, with one address selected by NPR as among the 200 “Best Commencement Addresses Ever” and by CNN as one of the top 16 “Greatest commencement speeches of all time” and is a recipient of four Doctor of Arts Honorary Degrees from Belhaven University, Biola University, Cairn University, and Roanoke College.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6

On this podcast, we strive to connect fascinating and successful people to the next generation. But today, I’d like to change it up a bit and, in partnership with the Rise initiative, highlight some of the fascinating and successful people of my generation.Throughout the past few weeks, I’ve been talking with winners of the Rise Challenge from various years. For the finale of this trilogy, I’ll be speaking with Tony Wang. For his Rise project, Tony developed an AI tool to address pharmaceutical monopolization.Rise is a program that finds promising young people and provides "opportunity for life as they work to serve others." An initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust, Rise is the anchor program of a $1 billion commitment from Eric and Wendy Schmidt to find and support global talent.Topics:How Tony tackled the monopolization of healthcare research by addressing antibiotic resistanceThe process: How did you build this?How to break down large projects into manageable piecesWhat is the future of this project?"What books have had an impact on you?""What advice do you have for other young people?"Tony Wang is a Chinese-American advocate living in the United States. Tony hopes to democratize medical research and create equality in healthcare, especially by addressing AI bias. For his Rise project, Tony developed an AI tool to address pharmaceutical monopolization, for which he was named an International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) Finalist. Tony hopes to create sustainable, ethical AI systems to fight for marginalized groups, especially racial minorities and the LGBTQIA+ community.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6

On this podcast, we strive to connect fascinating and successful people to the next generation. But today and throughout March, I’d like to change it up a bit and, in partnership with the Rise initiative, highlight some of the fascinating and successful people of my generation. Throughout this month, I’ll be talking with three of the winners of the Rise Challenge from various years. For part two of this trilogy, I’ll be speaking with Rishabh "Rishi" Ambavanekar. For his Rise project, he built a low-cost, brain-computer interface (BCI) to help stroke victims communicate via translation of their inner dialogue. Rise is a program that finds promising young people and provides "opportunity for life as they work to serve others." An initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust, Rise is the anchor program of a $1 billion commitment from Eric and Wendy Schmidt to find and support global talent.Topics:How overcoming OCD and his dad's TIA inspired Rishi to build an inner speech translator for stroke victimsHow to research and learn material outside your comfort zoneHow to deal with the "dauntingness" of new topicsUtilizing “inner speech” to build brain-computer interface (BCI)The future of his projectAdvice to other young innovators tackling intimidating projects"What books and media have inspired you?""What advice do you have for other young people?"Rishi Ambavanekar is an inventor and scientist from the US. After overcoming OCD, he grew passionate about neuroscience. Upon learning about his father’s transient ischemic attack (TIA), he decided to focus on supporting stroke recovery. For his Rise project, he built a low-cost, brain-computer interface (BCI) to help stroke victims communicate via translation of their inner dialogue. Rishi is also proud to be named a 2022 ISEF finalist, FTC innovation award semifinalist, and an avid app developer. In the future, he plans to pursue a PH.D. and start a business.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6

On this podcast, we strive to connect fascinating and successful people to the next generation. But today and throughout March, I’d like to change it up a bit and, in partnership with the Rise initiative, highlight some of the fascinating and successful people of my generation. Throughout this month, I’ll be talking with three of the winners of the Rise Challenge from various years. To begin this trilogy, I’ll be speaking with Hawi ‘Annette’ Odhiamno in honor of international women’s day. For her Rise project, she built on an existing project, designing a prototype for a water system to support farming in Kenya. Rise is a program that finds promising young people and provides opportunity for life as they work to serve others. An initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust, Rise is the anchor program of a $1 billion commitment from Eric and Wendy Schmidt to find and support global talent.Topics:Hawi’s project: creating sustainable agriculture for farmers in KenyaHow to learn material outside of your comfort zoneHow Hawi created an instruction manual in both English and SwahiliThe future of her project"What skills did you gain?"How to balance projects and high schoolHawi's advice to other young innovators"What books have had an impact on you?""What advice do you have for teenagers?"From Kenya, Hawi works at the intersection of technology and agriculture. For her Rise project, she built on an existing project, designing a prototype for a water system to support farming in Kenya. Her model uses only recycled materials, and she has involved farmers themselves in its design. She also created instruction booklets for the rural farmers in both English and Swahili (for accessibility). In the future, she hopes to study International Relations and Chinese to create sustainable relations within countries in East Africa.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6

In this interview, I’ll be talking with Prof. Andrew Pettegree who co-authored The Library: A Fragile History with Arthur Der Weduwen. What I first thought was a self-explanatory symbol of scholarly righteousness I soon learned was an icon of the individual against the institution, a battleground of the “enlightened” elite and the “plebian” people, and a habitual testament of man’s inborn desire to affect the world. And, these are just a few of the themes. Like all histories, the story of the library reveals not only the technologies and techniques that have brought us to our modern understanding of book collecting but also the human vices and virtues that have powered this progression.But, one question looms - do we still need public libraries in a digital world?Topics:Origin of public librariesPreservation of classicsHistory of censorship in the libraryHave public libraries really affected society?The future of libraries in an online worldA bibliophile's guide to organizing a libraryWhat books have had an impact on you?What advice do you have for teenagers?Andrew Pettegree, FBA is Professor of Modern History at the University of St Andrews and Director of the Universal Short Title Catalogue (an online bibliography of all books published in the first two centuries after the invention of print). He is the author of fifteen books in the fields of Reformation history and the history of communication including Reformation and the Culture of Persuasion (Cambridge University Press, 2005), The Book in the Renaissance (Yale University Press, 2010), The Invention of News (Yale University Press, 2014), Brand Luther (Penguin, 2015), The Bookshop of the World. Making and Trading Books in the Dutch Golden Age (Yale University Press, 2019) and The Library: A Fragile History, co-authored with Arthur der Weduwen, was published by Profile in 2021.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6

As a high school student, in the next few years, I’ll make some major life decisions about where I’ll go to college and whether I’ll riddle myself with decades of student debt. How will I make the best decision? My guest today, Dr. Maria Konnikova, had a similar question about her own life. How do you assess a situation and decide the best option for yourself? And, if Fate pulls a fast one on you, how do you react accordingly? In search of answers to these questions, Dr. Konnikova, a journalist and Ph.D. in psychology, tackled the game that best simulates our constant decision-making in life. And what is that game? It might surprise you. It’s poker. For her NYT bestselling 2020 book, The Biggest Bluff, Dr. Konnikova took a deep dive into poker and ended up becoming an international poker champion and winner of over $300,000 in tournament earnings. In this episode of Aiming for the Moon, we’ll discuss what this taught her about decision-making and how we can apply these skills to our own lives.Topics -Why poker?Games of complete information vs games of incomplete information and how they simulate lifeLife skills gleaned from pokerThe process of decision-making vs the result of the decisionWhat is the biggest bluff?What books have had an impact on you?What advice do you have for teenagers?Dr. Maria Konnikova is the author of Mastermind and The Confidence Game. She is a regular contributing writer for The New Yorker, and has written for The Atlantic, The New York Times, Slate, The New Republic, The Paris Review, The Wall Street Journal, Salon, The Boston Globe, Scientific American, Wired, and Smithsonian, among many other publications. Her writing has won numerous awards, including the 2019 Excellence in Science Journalism Award from the Society of Personality and Social Psychology. While researching The Biggest Bluff, Maria became an international poker champion and the winner of over $300,000 in tournament earnings. Maria also hosts the podcast The Grift from Panoply Media and is currently a visiting fellow at NYU’s School of Journalism. Her podcasting work earned her a National Magazine Award nomination in 2019. Maria graduated from Harvard University and received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Columbia University. Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6

Having developed the Internet and connected the world to our fingertips, we tend to think of ourselves as enlightened beings very different from our medieval or ancient counterparts and with very separate problems. Are our modern problems really just modern problems? Or, are they just prevailing issues repackaged for our modern sensibilities? And, if so, how can classics help us address these “modern" problems? And, why are these issues so superficially discussed throughout the culture and Western church? What can we do to deepen these conversations? Dr. Spencer Klavan and I tackle these and other questions in this first episode of 2023 and the first episode of season 4 of the podcast.Topics:The lack of depth in Western cultureThe trickling down of philosophyHow classics are relevant to todayWhy haven't we fixed anything yet?Shallowness in Western ChurchDr. Spencer Klavan's recommended reading list"What books have had an impact on you?""What advice do you have for teenagers?"Dr. Spencer Klavan is an associate editor at the Claremont Review of Books and a podcaster on the great works of the West. You can check out his book, How to Save the West, which is available to pre-order now, and his podcast, Young Heretics.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6

In this episode, I sit down with teenage author, Suzette Sheft (full bio below). We discuss the story behind her debut book, Running for Shelter: A True Story, which is a novelization of her grandmother's survival in a Nazi-conquered Europe. We also cover how her father's passing motivated her to finish her story and catalog her family history as well as her advice to other young authors. Topics -What is the book about?How did not knowing that she was Jewish affect your grandmother's experience of the Holocaust?How her father's passing motivated her to finish her bookBalancing high school and other projects- using breaks and the school schedule to your advantageGetting published - the processWhat books have had an impact on you?What advice do you have for other teenagers and young people?Suzette Sheft is a 16-year-old student at the Horace Mann School in New York City. She lives in Manhattan with her mother, twin brother, and two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys writing, reading, running, volunteering, and spending time with her family. She won a Scholastic Silver Key for an excerpt of Running for Shelter, her debut novel. The book is dedicated to her late father who inspired her to write and share her family’s story. Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6

Two decades ago, Dr. Richard Florida (full bio below) coined the term "Creative Class" when he identified a unique group of people who used their knowledge and expertise and creativity to generate income (i.e. tech innovators, musicians, bloggers, etc.). His work has shaped the thinking of modern economics and social sciences. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Florida to discuss who this class is as well as how the pandemic shifted the world even more into the creative economy. Topics-The Creative ClassWho are they?What do they do?Where do they live?Hubs of the creative classDid the pandemic flatten the world by increasing the normalcy of online interaction?What books have had an impact on you?What advice do you have for teenagers?Dr. Richard Florida is a researcher and professor, serving as University Professor at University of Toronto’s School of Cities and Rotman School of Management, and a Distinguished Fellow at NYU’s Schack School of Real EstateHe is a writer and journalist, having penned several global best sellers, including the award-winning The Rise of the Creative Class and his most recent book, The New Urban Crisis. He is co-founder of CityLab, the leading publication devoted to cities and urbanism.He is an entrepreneur, as founder of the Creative Class Group which works closely with companies and governments worldwide. Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6

One of the most anticipated technologies of the future is AI. What will it be? What will it do? How will we react? But, before we can anticipate sentiency, which we will discuss in this episode,  we must train AI to do its jobs. However, that requires properly organized data sets, a new topic in the town square. If AI is to imitate the data it is given, how do we determine what data to give it? This is a looming question in the fog of the future as the data we train AI with today creates our relationship with this unknown tech tomorrow and, in many ways, shapes the future we will soon inherit. Join me as I examine this with my friend, Sarah Newman (Full bio below).  (Check out my 100th episode special with Sarah Newman here)Topics-Data Sets and Data Nutrition - Why and How the data of today shapes the future of AI tomorrowAI and Sentiencey- Will it happen?Artificial General IntelligenceWhat is it?The current state of AGIThe future of AGIValue Alignment - Before we give AI our values, we must determine what our values areUniversal values - Are there such things?Ultimate purpose - Does man have an ultimate purpose?What books have had an impact on you?What advice do you have for teenagers?Sarah Newman is Director of Art & Education at metaLAB at Harvard, at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. Working at the intersection of research and art, her work engages with technology’s role in human experience, and interrelations between complex systems. In addition to her art practice, she is also an educator, and leads creative workshops to address interdisciplinary research problems. Her research in artificial intelligence and related technologies investigates how emerging technologies embed and mirror historical social and ethical challenges. Newman is Co-Founder of the Data Nutrition Project, which designs tools and practices for responsible AI development. She holds a BA in Philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis and an MFA in Imaging Arts from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Newman's work has been exhibited in New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Rome, and London, and she has held artist residencies in Germany, Sweden, and Italy.  Newman has previously been an AI Grant Fellow, a Harvard Assembly Fellow, a Fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, a Fellow at the Royal Society of Art, a Rockefeller AI Bellagio Resident, an artist-in-residence at Northeastern School of Law, and a grantee of the National Endowment for the Arts; with the Data Nutrition Project, she was awarded the 2022 Ars Electronica Award for Digital Humanity.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6-Tw

In honor of the 100th episode, I am interviewed by guest host, Sarah Newman (full bio below)! Sarah Newman is Director of Art & Education at metaLAB at Harvard, at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. Working at the intersection of research and art, her work engages with technology’s role in human experience, and interrelations between complex systems. In addition to her art practice, she is also an educator, and leads creative workshops to address interdisciplinary research problems. Her research in artificial intelligence and related technologies investigates how emerging technologies embed and mirror historical social and ethical challenges. Newman is Co-Founder of the Data Nutrition Project, which designs tools and practices for responsible AI development. She holds a BA in Philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis and an MFA in Imaging Arts from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Newman's work has been exhibited in New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Rome, and London, and she has held artist residencies in Germany, Sweden, and Italy.  Newman has previously been an AI Grant Fellow, a Harvard Assembly Fellow, a Fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, a Fellow at the Royal Society of Art, a Rockefeller AI Bellagio Resident, an artist-in-residence at Northeastern School of Law, and a grantee of the National Endowment for the Arts; with the Data Nutrition Project, she was awarded the 2022 Ars Electronica Award for Digital Humanity.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/

For centuries, we have been stuck in the matrix of "The Mindest," the need for ever-exponential, economic growth. Sucked into the "game" of capitalism, we have toiled for monetary benefits always searching to double, triple, and quadruple the GDP. But, beneath every socio-economic structure is the creator's perception of human nature. For us to understand the world and escape "The Mindset," we must know what human nature really is. These questions and many more are discussed in this interview with Dr. Douglas Rushkoff (full bio below). The basis of this interview, Dr. Rushkoff's latest book, Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires, was released on September 9th, 2022.Topics:What is "The Mindset?"What is human nature and how does wealth change us?The origins of "The Mindset"The mythologies of America and their effect on our perspective How to fight "The Mindset" and make the world a better placeTransitioning from an "exponential" economy to a "regenerative" economyPromoting freedom in our productsWhat books have had an impact on Dr. Rushkoff?What advice does Dr. Rushkoff have for teenagers?Douglas Rushkoff is professor of media theory and digital economics at Queens/CUNY. Named one of the world's ten most influential intellectuals by MIT, he hosts the Team Human podcast and has written many award-winning books. He lives in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6-TwYdfPcWV-V1JvjBXkGQ

In this episode, I talk to NYT  bestselling author, Ryan Holiday (full bio below), about the disciplined life. His latest book, Discipline is Destiny, comes out September 27 (2022). Topics:The Three Types of DisciplineThe Purpose of DisciplineWhy should we have self-control?Why to define a Primary FocusHow to structure skill-building around assignmentsPractical habits for a disciplined dayWhat books have had an impact on Ryan HolidayRyan Holiday's advice for teenagersWhen Ryan Holiday was 19 years old, he dropped out of college to apprentice under Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power. Mr. Holiday had a successful marketing career at American Apparel and went on to found a creative agency called Brass Check, which has advised clients like Google, TASER, and Complex, as well as many prominent bestselling authors, including Neil Strauss, Tony Robbins and Tim Ferriss. He is the author of ten books, including The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, The Daily Stoic, Conspiracy and Stillness is the Key which have sold more than 2 million copies in thirty languages and has a following among NFL coaches, world-class athletes, TV personalities, political leaders, and others around the world. Mr. Holiday spends much of his time on a ranch outside Austin, Texas where he does his writing and work in between raising cattle, donkeys, and goats.Socials! -Lessons from Interesting People substack: https://taylorbledsoe.substack.com/Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiming4moonTaylor's Blog: https://www.taylorgbledsoe.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6-TwYdfPcWV-V1JvjBXk