ShortForm - The Podcast: Recent Episodes
Joe Loper
A lot is happening in the world and it can seem like there's no rhyme or reason to anything. The idea for this podcast was born from the craziness I see everyday to add a voice of reason and sanity to the mix.
Each episode will feature a topic or idea that has relevance today in a conversational format that focuses on intelligent discussion and has an actionable approach to use it in your daily life. As the title implies, this is to the point with no rambling or small talk. Each episode will wrap in 15 minutes or less.
How's that for efficiency?
I'm your host Joe Loper - Actor, Photographer, Writer, Teacher, Veteran
What can you do before you're worn out? Before you're stressed? This is a quick dive into how we can be better prepared for life's craziness.This episode is about building resilience in your daily life when things get tough.Let's dig in.
At its core, fear is designed to keep us alive and healthy. You can break fear down into two basic categories, instinctual and learned. I want to focus on this second type, learned fears, because what is learned can be unlearned.In this episode, we'll look at public speaking as an example of a step-by-step approach to slapping fear in the face. And how this enables you to live a life by design.Let's dig in.
We fall into patterns in our daily that tend to blind us to what's happening. We navigate life on autopilot.In this episode, we talk about situational awareness in the moment and our situation in life. How can we be aware of our environment to make a better life? To build a life with purpose.Let's dig in.7 WAYS TO PRACTICE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
How often do you hear the phrase "hustle and grind"? Or something like that. Motivational speaking has become so normalized that we see it everywhere. But how helpful are these ideas without context? Motivation is fleeting, especially without a reason to get up and get things done. In this episode, we discuss all this, what matters more, and The Mandalorian. Let's dig in.
Seneca: The Shortness of Life
Why speakers bomb
Impact Theory
It's tax time! Which means the entire nation is freaking out all at once.
This is an excellent chance to discuss how our mindset influences our choices. From being stuck in traffic to beating ourselves over not making better financial decisions, we spend a lot of time telling ourselves we suck.
Not only is that not fun, but it also has a massive effect on how we make decisions.
Our thoughts become our reality.
Let's dig in.
Fear of Uncertainty
Thinking Creates Your Reality
Henry Ford
Seneca
This is a challenging subject, but it still dominates the news cycle, and for good reason. The straightforward approach to this is to debate the pros and cons.But that's why we're still wasting time while people die. Many of them are children.At the heart of ShortForm are these questions: What are we doing? And why are we doing it? Those two questions apply to the current situation.Let's dig in.Pro and Con: Gun controlABC News: Deaths by guns
Ok, sports fans, let's talk some Keanu Reeves. More to the point, we're going to look at the John Wick movies and what we can learn from the world they've created therein. There are three specific lessons we're going to look at and how they can help create a life of intention. A quick preview, of the many lies on social media, one of the most prominent is that you deserve the most amazing life. The real-world truth is no, you don’t. What you do have is the authority over how you respond to life and what you do with it. Let's dig in.
Let’s talk about the most valuable commodity you have. It’s not money, looks, or fame. It is your time. Nothing else exists with such finite boundaries as our time on this planet.In this unfiltered episode of ShortForm: Afterdark, we look at 3 three specific traps to our focus and how they steal time.Let's dig in.FOMO: A brief overviewIs advertising manipulative?How microwaves work
We seek validation and inclusion in many ways, but what matters more? How we seek it, or the person on the other side?In this episode, we discuss what it means to be seen as an individual and what steps everyone can take to make it happen on a large scale.Let's dig in.The Importance of Being SeenWhat does it mean to be seen?
Finding Flow, and not the waitress that works at your local diner. But instead, the emotional state that happens when your skill set is just shy of the challenge presented to you, but you achieve a sense of total immersion in the work.
"...it is the ideal state where the person can find themselves enjoying their work, feeling productive, totally immersed in what they are doing, and performing at their best." - Forbes.
Sound fun?
Let's dig in.
Steven Kotler explains Flow
APA Psych Net: Challenge/skill balance
Mind Tools: The Flow Model
Finding Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Sometimes we just need to hear the simplest version, so that's what we're going to do. Less data and facts, more rawness.
In this first run we're going to talk about being a victim, making excuses and getting off our asses.
Clear and to the point.
Let's dig in.
You have to say it like it's a surprise. These are the best and worst that Hollywood produces but why do we love them?
There are tried and true plot devices that keep audiences coming back for more, and we can learn from these processes,
And who doesn't love a disaster click?
Let's dig in.
It's The Matrix come to life! But what's really going on and how can we navigate this new presence in our lives?
The truth is usually less threatening but we have to understand the technology as it exists today. Rather than the sci-fi version that Hollywood has been scaring us with for years.
And then, what do we do with this new tech. How do we make the best of it with noble intentions?
Let's dig in.
Types of Artificial Intelligence
What is A.I.?
NY Times: Chatbot Craziness
Well, it's been a bit of time since I dropped a new episode. So that's what we're going to chat about today. Sometimes we have ideas that we want to be grand in scope and purpose but the reality is, it all starts humbly.
Regardless of what I want to do with this, I have to start much simpler. And that's the best advice there is for starting something new.
Have a goal, an idea, but start as simple as possible and don't try to skip steps.
Let's dig in.
It's that time in the year, promise to make all the changes that will make your life better! But does that actually work?
Statistically speaking, no, it does not. But that's not the end of positive change, you can still do what you want to do.
In this episode we talk about where the tradition of resolutions started, why it doesn't work, and what you can do instead.
Let's dig in.
History of Resolutions
This week we look at Keshia Thomas and what she did in 1996, defending a man that potentially could care less that she exists at al, and the life she's lead since.
What are we willing to do to create the world we want?
What are we willing to stand up to?
Former Ann Arbor resident reflects on saving man from beating at KKK rally
Black woman recalls day she protected alleged Ku Klux Klan member from angry mob
(Keshia Thomas The black teenager who saved a kkk member from a Mob) AMA!
Why is staying motivated like trying to stay awake in Calculus? You don't to miss anything but it doesn't take long to zone out.
In this episode we deconstruct this so we understand that in order to get things done, we have to focus on the process rather than wait for inspiration.
This is different than the hustle/grind mindset. The longterm goal is to create a path with as little resistance as possible towards your goals.
The War of Art
The Motivation Myth
Library of Congress
Positive Psychology
Let's dig in.
Wow is this a crappy time in politics.
American politics is about who can blame the opposing party or candidate the most in order to garner the largest amount of votes based on fear and hate.
But who is really responsible for the continuing state of the nation, specifically the people that are voted into office? You may not like the answer.
We go down the rabbit hole and discuss Jocko, George Washington and how we can suck less.
Let's dig in.
Jocko Willink - Strategic Thinking
NASA - Climate Effects
Founding Fathers View on Political Parties
George Washington Farewell Address
This week we attack a common struggle, self doubt. There are a number of causes and reasons but we're going to focus what to do about it and how it's not the a reason to give up.
There are 4 specific areas to focus on and I go in to detail about how to apply them starting today.
- You're not alone
- This can be a good thing
- You're making progress
- Time to alter course
“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.”― William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure
Let's dig in.
In order to be a leader in your everyday life, which is the overarching theme of this podcast, you need to have some agency in your life first.
This week we wrap up what it takes to achieve your goals, or at the very least, what are you willing to do to make change happen?
The goal is always to have more say in what happens in your life which then bleeds over into bettering your world.
I use Dan Harmon's story circle to explore what we need to do to get what we want and how to be better prepared for the challenges that always arise.
There are 8 parts to the journey and we breakdown the last 4 this week.
- Find
- The Take
- Return
- Change
Let's dig in.
https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/dan-harmon-story-circle/
What is up party people? In order to be a leader in your everyday life, which is the overarching theme of this podcast, you need to have some agency in your life first.
This week we delve into understanding what it takes to achieve your goals, or at the very least, what are you willing to do to make change happen?
The goal is always to have more say in what happens in your life which then bleeds over into bettering your world.
I use Dan Harmon's story circle to explore what we need to do to get what we want and how to be better prepared for the challenges that always arise.
There are 8 parts to the journey and we breakdown the first 4 this week.
- The Protagonist
- The Need
- Go
- Search
Let's dig in.
https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/dan-harmon-story-circle/
What in the holy hell rage monster is going on in the United States?! Why are we so friggin' mad at everything, and everyone?
Wrapping up the previous episode about alleviating the American rage monster that seems to dominate the country right now. It's a simple approach but those are usually the best because we start to make change immediately.
Let's dig in.
Reference links:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/01/charles-duhigg-american-anger/576424/
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35406324
https://driversed.com/trending/wake-up-call-7-shocking-road-rage-statistics-you-didnt-know
https://usafacts.org/annual-publications/annual-report/
What in the holy hell rage monster is going on in the United States?! Why are we so friggin' mad at everything, and everyone?
In this episode we jump into discussing anger, lint rollers, and Socrates. Bottom line, we need to do better but how do we get there?
Let's dig in.
Reference links:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/01/charles-duhigg-american-anger/576424/
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35406324
https://driversed.com/trending/wake-up-call-7-shocking-road-rage-statistics-you-didnt-know
https://usafacts.org/annual-publications/annual-report/
In this episode we talk about the current state of the U.S. education system. What is it doing? Is it helping? Can we fix it? Should we?
"if a nation expects to be ignorant & free, in a state of civilisation, it expects what never was..."
Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter that includes this quote about the need for an educated citizenry, and the dangers of having an ignorant one. We'll use this as a basis for the discussion and include some Aaron Sorkin for kicks.
Let's dig in!
We face challenges everyday and at the heart of them is conflict. But that's not a bad thing not should it be feared. In this episode we talk about what this means for you and how you can use conflict to make better choices and build a better life.
Also, we discuss The Matrix. Because Keanu is life.
In this first episode I introduce myself, what ShortForm has in store, and what the new format means.
What happens when we're general with our ideas? Or when someone gives vague feedback? It's confusing as hell and makes a simple task 10x more difficult. I briefly discuss specificity in this episode, which sounds riveting I know, but this simple concept can change every part of your life for the better.
Be patient with me as I gather steam and figure out the best way to deliver these ideas. The 15 minute format is exciting to use but introduces a host of challenges to bring the best subject matter to you in an intelligent way. As I state in the episode, I have no idea what I'm doing.
But it should be fun!