Standard Humans: Recent Episodes
Aidan and Evan
The humans try Johnnie Walker’s entire whisky lineup from the budget Red Label to the high-roller Blue Label. Some of the tastes were expected, but there were a few surprising highlights along the way that y’all should definitely try for yourselves if you enjoy the classic Johnnie Walker flavours.
In this episode, the humans bring back transit expert Declan for the final stop of the O-Train Odyssey. They discuss the project's recent news, review what went wrong throughout, highlight lessons for the future, and share their hopes for the upcoming phases and transit in Ottawa more generally. Don't miss the series finale – the conclusion of the long and winding O-Train journey.
A Yearly Theme is a high-level idea that guides you throughout a year or season. It's not a resolution. You don't set any specific metrics to achieve. A theme is not to lose X pounds by the end of the year or read Y books this year. It's more of a high-level idea that guides your decisions throughout the year (e.g. Year of Health, Year of Order, Year of Novelty)
In the final episode of 2023, the humans review their themes from last year—Aidan explored "experiences," and Evan focused on "foundation." They share the highlights and challenges from the last 12 months before unveiling their Yearly Themes for 2024. Wrapping up the season with reflections and anticipation for the year ahead.
In this episode, the humans and transit expert Declan explore the notorious grand opening of the Ottawa O-Train Confederation Line. They dive deep into some of the issues, including malfunctioning doors and track problems, while discussing recommendations for improvement suggested by the official inquiry.
In this episode, the Humans dive further into the troubled history of Ottawa's O-Train Confederation Line project. Transit expert Declan joins to explore the challenges faced by this notorious project, sharing lessons for improving transit initiatives in other cities. This episode explores the 2010 municipal election, the procurement model's impact, train quality issues, testing problems, and the influence of a secretive cabal known as the "WhatsApp Group."
In this episode, the Humans introduce part one of a series exploring the cursed history of the Ottawa O-Train Confederation Line project. Special guest and transit expert Declan joins to unravel the challenges faced by one of Canada's most infamous transit projects, offering valuable lessons to improve future projects in other cities. This episode touches on what an LRT is, the history of OC Transit, and the surprisingly successful 2001 Trillium Line pilot project, setting the stage for the series to come.
This is part two of our scotch-tasting extravaganza.
Let’s drink some scotch!! Y’all might remember that we did an international Whiskey Tasting a year ago where the Scotch won, and then an Irish Whiskey Tasting where the Scotch won again (It was a comparison at the end), so now we are finally diving into the wide world of Scotch Whisky with six bottles from across the country. Part one covered Blended and Speyside scotches; in this part, we cover Islay and Kentucky scotches. There are some really good pours here, so grab a dram of your favourite scotch and enjoy the show. Sláinte!
Please drink responsibly and in moderation.
Let’s drink some scotch!! Y’all might remember that we did an international Whiskey Tasting a year ago where the Scotch won, and then an Irish Whiskey Tasting where the Scotch won again (It was a comparison at the end), so now we are finally diving into the wide world of Scotch Whisky with six bottles from across the country. This part has the first three scotches and part two will have the next three. There are some really good pours here, so grab a dram of your favourite scotch and enjoy the show. Sláinte!
Please drink responsibly and in moderation.
One of the humans visited New York and felt the need to tell you all about it for some reason. It was a pretty neat city, way too much trash lying around everywhere though.
The lads discuss their experiences with urban cycling (Expert and started a month ago), give tips on how to stay safe on a bike, explore what gear you actually need to start, and have a little rant on why SUVs are terrible.
How can we build a more fair and representative electoral system for all Canadians? One idea is to look beyond the usual countries we compare ourselves with (the United States and the United Kingdom) and see the methods other countries use to create more representative democracies. From inclusive proportional representation to the well-known and loved ranked-choice voting, in this episode, the humans highlight the standout features, real-world successes, and transformative impact of the best voting systems used around the globe. Gain insights into the principles, mechanics, and democratic implications of these systems, as they unravel the most important lessons for shaping a more fair and representative future for Canadians.
How can we build a more fair and representative electoral system for all Canadians? Join us on this episode of the Standard Humans podcast as we explore voting reform, particularly the history of voting reform in Canada and the issues arising from the First Past the Post system. We’ve been seriously considering changing how we vote for over a hundred years and have come extremely close a few times. This episode will also give you a great foundation to understand our next conversation exploring the pros and cons of different voting systems worldwide. It’s going to be great so make sure you subscribe to not miss it.
In this episode of the Standard Humans podcast, we're going to take you on a wild ride through the top cybersecurity risks you need to be aware of. From phishing emails to ransomware attacks, we're going to show you all the ways hackers can ruin your day (and your bank account). Whether you're a business owner, remote worker, or just someone who spends time online, this episode will provide valuable insights and practical tips on how to stay safe and secure in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Tune in to learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from the most common cybersecurity risks out there.
This episode specifically covers spear phishing, ransomware, and keeping your financial cards and accounts secure.
In this episode of the Standard Humans podcast, we're going to take you on a wild ride through the top cybersecurity risks you need to be aware of. From phishing emails to ransomware attacks, we're going to show you all the ways hackers can ruin your day (and your bank account). Whether you're a business owner, remote worker, or just someone who spends time online, this episode will provide valuable insights and practical tips on how to stay safe and secure in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Tune in to learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from the most common cybersecurity risks out there.
This episode specifically covers how to think about your threat model, credential stuffing hacks, and why you do actually need to update your software. Including detailed explanations on how the attacks work and steps you can take to protect yourself. Next episode will get into spear phishing, ransomware, and keeping your financial cards and accounts secure.
In this episode, the humans delve into the topic of Lent and how it can be a powerful tool for personal growth and self-improvement; even if you’re not a christian or religious. Specifically discussing the benefits of disconnecting from the digital world and embracing the power of boredom. So whether you're a seasoned Lenten observer or a curious newbie, tune in to this episode of Standard Humans and discover how you can use non-religious Lent to achieve your personal growth goals.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Hold onto your hats, folks, because in this episode of the Standard Humans podcast, we're going to be ripping apart the classic philosophical work, "How to Think about God" by Cicero. Get ready for some scathing criticism and biting commentary as we explore the book's nonsensical definition of God, laughable arguments for the existence of God, and misguided critiques of popular notions of the divine. Because let's face it, who needs thousands of years of philosophical thought when you can just listen to some random person on a podcast tell you what to think? So, if you're ready to join us in gleefully bashing an ancient philosophical work that's still somehow considered important, then this is the episode for you. But if you're looking for actual insights into the nature of God, well, you might want to look elsewhere.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
In this episode, the humans taste five different Irish whiskeys, and the scotch that one the International Whiskey Tasting episode, to understand the different tastes available from Ireland at a variety of price points. But mostly this is just an excuse to just drink a bunch of whiskey. So pour yourself a dram and enjoy the show. Sláinte!
How do you feel about getting older?
Are you worried about losing your energy, strength, and pleasure (yes that pleasure, but also the other pleasures of life and youth)? About inching closer to death every day?
In this episode, the humans discuss ‘How to Grow Old‘ by Marcus Tullius Cicero, a book about how exaggerated/mistaken those beliefs are and how great growing old can be, that is just as relevant today as when it was written in 44 BCE.
Do papers, clothes, and more constantly pile up like snow drifts throughout your home?
Have you tried tidying up before, only to relapse into messiness?
In this episode, the humans talk about the KonMari Method: a system for tidying up developed by organizing consultant and author Marie Kondo. The method promises that if you properly simplify and organize your home one time, you’ll never have to do it again in your life. In fact, none of Kondo’s thousands of clients have ever relapsed into messiness.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Alcohol is complicated. There are a ridiculous number of categories and tastes to figure out, but if you put a little bit of time and money in, you can start to appreciate the more subtle flavours and entertain friends with your worldly whiskey wisdom.
In this episode, the humans taste whiskey from five different countries (Canada, US, Ireland, Scotland, and Japan) to see how the flavours compare. Only mildly descending into a drunken stupor.
Please drink responsibly and with moderation.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Investing often seems like a complex and intimidating field full of finance-bros using 10 monitors to steal your life savings, but once you learn the fundamentals it’s pretty simple to make a plan and meet your long-term goals. You don’t need to check your accounts daily or try to time the market just right. In fact, you’ll probably be much better off if you don’t think about your investments very often.
This episode covers identifying your goals, what you need to do before you start investing, the fundamentals of the economy, determining your time horizon, and picking the right risk level for you and your needs.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Oh hi, we’re back. And now we speak for the trees.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
“Is it possible to reach your genetic potential in 6 months? Sleep 2 hours per day and perform better than on 8 hours? Lose more fat than a marathoner by bingeing? Indeed, and much more.“ - Tim Ferriss
In this episode, the humans discuss The 4 Hour Body, a book by Entrepreneur Tim Ferriss about reaching your peak physical potential with the minimum amount of effort. They discuss the best tools and mindsets for healthy living along with Ferriss’ protocols for rapid fat loss and muscle gain.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Can you trust science?
In this episode, the humans discuss the replication crisis: a methodological crisis in the sciences in which the results of many scientific studies are difficult or impossible to reproduce. The problem undermines significant findings in everything from psychology, to medical science, to chemistry.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
How much do you enjoy your leisure time?
Does your mind feel like a beehive of chaos at times?
Flow is "the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it."
In this episode, the humans discuss Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. They cover what Flow is, Psychic Energy and Entropy, how to enjoy your time off, and the stages of meaning in life.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
A yearly theme is a high-level idea that guides you throughout a year or season. It's not a resolution. You don't set any specific metrics to achieve. A theme is not lose X pounds by the end of the year or read Y books this year. It's more of a high-level idea that guides your decisions throughout the year (e.g. Year of Health, Year of Order, Year of Novelty)
Last year the humans both set themes to follow (Aidan’s was Year of the Job and Evan’s was Year of Contribution) and now it's time to review how they went and set new themes for 2022!
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
What is the best experience you've ever had?
Do you more often feel apathetic or engaged throughout your day?
Flow is "the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it." Does that sound like something you want more of?
In this episode, the humans discuss Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. They cover what Flow is, how to structure your life and personality to get more Flow, and the Paradox of Work in our culture.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Ultralearning is a proven framework to learn anything deeply and quickly, without teachers or budget-busting tuition costs.
In this episode, the humans finish their one-month Ultralearning challenge to learn the basics of Irish. They 'attempt' a conversation and discuss what went well, what didn't go well, and what they would change in their next challenge.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Ultralearning is a proven framework to learn anything deeply and quickly, without teachers or budget-busting tuition costs.
In this episode, the humans check in on their one-month Ultralearning challenge to learn Irish. They 'attempt' a conversation and discuss their progress so far, what's been working well and what they've learned.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Do you feel like you're falling behind?
Have you ever thought: "I just can't draw/cook/speak that language/{Insert cool skill you're always impressed by when you see others do}"?
In this episode, the humans discuss Ultralearning: a proven framework to learn anything deeply and quickly, without teachers or budget-busting tuition costs. Including: how to pick a learning project, how to find the best learning methods, how to set a learning schedule, and what it takes to stick with it.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
How many trees would you have to plant to offset your carbon footprint?
Which countries are environmental leaders? And which are laggards?
In this episode, the humans discuss environmentalism and sustainability. Looking at how humanity is doing globally, how Canada matches up to the rest of the world, and what you can do to help.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Do you enjoy your time off?
Do you feel refreshed afterwards?
Or are you more tired than when you started?
In this episode, the humans discuss how to make the most of your time off. Maximizing the enjoyment you get out of it and how refreshed you feel afterwards.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Are you the 'average' person?
There are lots of statistics out there talking about what the 'average' person does in a day, but do they apply to you?
In this episode, the humans discuss how Aidan spends his workday. Analysing the results of his time audit to see how long he spends on email compared to the average worker described in Cal Newport's A World Without Email. Explaining how to figure out how you spend your time. So you don't have to make decisions based on what the 'average' knowledge worker does.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
What is Radical Candour?
How do you improve the feedback you receive from others?
Which countries give the most devastating feedback in the world?
In this episode the humans discuss Radical Candor by Kim Scott, a book that shows you don't have to choose between being a pushover and a jerk. By implementing Radical Candor―and avoiding the pitfalls of Obnoxious Aggression, Manipulative Insincerity, and Ruinous Empathy―you can be a kind person and great at your job at the same time.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Shownotes:
Radical Candor by Kim Scott
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcom Gladwell - Book with the story about Korean Airlines
No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed Hastings
The Radical Candor graph
Klick Health
Article with the scale ranking cultures on directness
Yuval Noah Harari on Israeli students
How do you show your values on a resume without just listing words?
Is it okay to change your long-term goals?
How do you find out exactly what to do to achieve your goals?
In this episode, the humans return to So Good They Can’t Ignore you by Cal Newport. Discussing how they’ve implemented the lessons they discussed in SH37: So Good They Can't Ignore You.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Is everyone capable of being happy?
Are people able to change?
Does trauma exist?
In this episode the humans discuss The Courage to be Disliked, a book that shows you how to achieve real happiness and free yourself from your past experiences. Giving you the courage to change and ignore the limitations that we and those around us place on ourselves.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Should you talk to strangers on public transit?
Does meditation rewire your mind?
Is exercise more effective than anti-depressants?
In this episode, the humans continueThe Science of Well-Being by Dr. Laurie Santos, an online course offered by Yale. The class reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind working against your well-being, and what research says you can do to change.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
What will you be doing in one year?
Will you care about the same things?
Will you be at the same job?
Will you have achieved your goals?
One year ago, the humans ‘wrote‘ a letter to their 2021 selves, describing their lives and hopes for the future. In this episode, the humans listen back and respond to that letter. Discussing how far they have come and all that has changed in the last year.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Can money buy you happiness? (Studies show that it can, if used right)
Why do people get so much pleasure out of being kind?
How does your happiness change over time?
How can you shape your environment to make you more happy?
In this episode, the humans continueThe Science of Well-Being by Dr. Laurie Santos, an online course offered by Yale. The class reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind working against your well-being, and what research says you can do to help you change.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
We all know the feeling: You set a goal on New Years' intending to really do it this time, but all of a sudden, the years' gone by, and you completely forgot about your goals.
That's why the humans are taking this episode to check in on their yearly themes. Reminding each other of their existence, discussing the progress they've made, and figuring out what they want to do next.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Why is it that no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to be happy? Are there neurological reasons? What can you do to overcome them? Should you fly first-class? These are just a few of the questions the humans are here to answer.
In this episode, the humans continue The Science of Well-Being by Dr. Laurie Santos, an online course offered by Yale. This week is all about the annoying features of the mind that prevent you from being happy and strategies you can use to overcome them.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Happiness is hard. It seems like the more you try to be happy, the less happy you are. Luckily, science has figured out some tried and true methods to increase your well-being. And you can learn it all in an online course from Yale!
In this episode, the humans startThe Science of Well-Being by Dr. Laurie Santos, an online course offered by Yale. The class reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind working against your well-being, and what research says you can do to help you change.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Do you enjoy email? What about Slack? Any other professional messaging system?
Obviously you’re less happy, but have you ever stopped to ask if they actually make you more productive? What if they’re actually making the whole organization worse off?
In his latest book, A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload, Cal Newport lays out the problems with email/slack and what you can do to improve the situation.
In this episode, the humans discuss the book, the issues with email, how the problems started without anyone noticing, and what you can do to improve your productivity and happiness at the same time.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehyand Evan.
How should you live as a human being?
How do you deal with other people?
How do you get out of bed in the morning instead of staying in your blankets?
When did corn come to Europe?
People have been asking these questions for millennia, and a few have come up with some good answers.
Marcus Aurelius (121 – 180 AD) was a Stoic Philosopher and Emperor of Rome. He wrote down his thoughts on the big questions in his journal. He never intended it to be published, the book was his reminder to live life according to the right principles. After his death, people liked it enough to make copies of it and keep it around.
In this episode, the humans discuss Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. Covering the most important lessons they learned and clearing up the confusing parts.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehyand Evan.
What if you could find one habit that could magically unlock all the other good habits you’ve been trying to get? One habit to rule them all.
There isn’t one habit that will do this for every person, but you can find a habit that will work for you. This is what’s known as a keystone habit: A small change or habit that people introduce into their lives that helps other habits flourish and, over time, transforms everything.
A keystone habit is at work when people suddenly starting eating and sleeping better after they begin a regular exercise routine. The other habits weren’t the goal, but they happened anyway.
In this episode, the humans discuss what Keystone Habits are and give examples of good keystone habits you can implement in your life and bad keystone habits you should get rid of if you spot them in your life.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehyand Evan.
Has anyone ever told you that if you want to truly be happy, you should follow your passions? How would you feel if I told you that following your passions is a terrible idea? What does it even mean to have a ‘Good Job‘? How do you actually earn a ‘Good Job‘?
In this episode the humans discuss Cal Newport’s So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love. Touching on how to find a job you actually enjoy, how to actually get said job, and the mindsets you’ll need along the way.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
The way you start your semester sets the tone for the rest of the term. Are you ready for the next one?
In this episode the humans figure out the best tricks for starting a semester strong. Covering how to set up your schedule, how to get your health in order, when you should buy the textbooks (Or if you should ever buy them), how to get your productivity systems in order, and much more.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
A yearly theme is a guiding principle that you use to help you make decisions throughout the year. Allowing you to intentionally move your life in the direction you want it to go. Last year the humans both set themes to follow (Aidan’s was Year of the Portfolio and Evan’s was languages) and now it is time to review how they went and set new themes for the next year. It might not shock you to learn that 2020 through a few curve balls at the humans that they weren’t expecting, so make sure you listen to hear all about them.
At the end of every year, it’s good to review what happened before you start making decisions about what you want the next year to look like. In this episode, the humans go back through every episode of the podcast they published in 2020 and talk about what has happened since and how they feel about the topics months later. They end by discussing the future of the podcast and what they want to talk about over the next year.
How do you make time in the day for exercise, self-renewal, and personal growth? How do you wake up feeling inspired, focused, and ready to go? Is it even possible to wake up at 5am?
The this episode of Standard Humans, the humans tackle these and questions and more from Robin Sharma’s The 5am Club. Aidan followed the guidelines for almost 3 month and has a lot to say on the matter.
How does Social Media affect you? Does it take away your ability to empathize with others? Does it make you unhappy? What effect does it have on politics? How does it impact your soul?
All these questions and more are tackled in the humans’ second episode on Jaron Lanier’s Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Shownotes:The Social Dilemma on Netflix
Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now by Jaron Lanier
The Science of Well-Being by Dr. Laurie Santos
The Filter Bubble by Eli Pariser - How companies create unique information realities for each of us
How to find out which political parties Facebook thinks you support
Lord Alfred Tennyson - Evan’s Top Ad Interest on Facebook
Google shows you results based on who you are: 1, 2,
Can We Auto-Correct Humanity? - Spoken Word Video about Social Media use
Look Up - Spoken Word Video about Social Media use
All the ways Facebook is making you miserable: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
Millennials’ changing attitudes about sex
Russian trolls created the ‘Bernie Bros’
Russian trolls impersonated Black activists
Russian bots fuelled the Parkland Shooting conspiracies
Media bias fact check
Allsides.com bias and fact check
Fake News spreads 6x faster than the truth
Saudi Arabia makes a robot a citizen
The Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle
History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
Dezinformatsiya
Dezinformatsiya in the US Election
How VPN’s can save you money
Tools you can use to avoid BUMMERHow to download your data from Facebook
How to Delete or Deactivate Facebook
Facebook Feed Eradicator
How to turn off YouTube autoplay
Brave Internet Browser
DuckDuckGo Search Engine
What exactly is the problem with the social media companies? Does it have something to do with data? Where is all this fake news coming from? Why is there so much hate online? A lot of people get the feeling that Big Tech is doing something wrong, but can’t quite put their finger on what it is.
In the book, Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now, Jaron Lanier explicitly spelled out 10 fundamental issues with the social media companies and what you can do to help. In this episode, the humans discuss Lanier’s first 5 reasons and why they are so important to understand in today’s society. The conversation got so in depth that the humans ran out of time to record and will return next episode with the final 5 reasons why you should delete your social media accounts.
A Podcast is most useful when it is empty.
What is wisdom? What is ambition? What is the Tao? All questions that the humans attempt to answer in this episode while discussing the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Shownotes:Tao Te Ching (Free Online)
Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu (Translated by Ursula K. Le Guin)
Nicer copy of the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu (Translated by Stephen Mitchell)
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
The Science of Well-Being course by Dr. Laurie Santos
A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
The Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle
The Last Days of Socrates by Plato
“All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking” by Friedrich Nietzsche
When a liquid curves upward it is called a convex meniscus
Are you a human in need of sustenance? Not sure how to obtain or craft said sustenance? Then look no further, in this episode the humans dive into the basics of how to feed yourself: how they learned to “cook”, what ingredients you should always have around, and some basic recipes you can try!
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Shownotes:The Lone-Star Tick
Episode 2: Exercise and Decision Fatigue
Avengers Workout Plan (With Aidan’s meal plan)
The Science of Well-Being by Dr. Laurie Santos
The Happiness Lab by Dr. Laurie Santos
Okonomiyaki
Connected on Netflix (Pig facial recognition)
Grass-fed vs. Grain-fed beef study
Do you ever wonder if you are on the right track? If this really is the best you can do or if you would be happier on another path? That if you could only just find the answer, you would be wildly happy. These are big questions that are hard to answer, but it’s worth trying.
In this episode, the humans discuss what it means to live a good life. Asking if it is possible to figure out what a good life is, if there is a higher purpose, should you become wildly successful, is the answer DMT, is Bill Gates the ideal humans being, and of course, what actionable steps can you take to move closer to the good life.
Is good performance something that comes naturally?
Is having to put effort into your work a bad sign?
Are mistakes a sign of weakness?
If you answered yes to any of those then you might be suffering from a fixed mindset. The belief that your qualities and skills are fixed, things that cannot be changed no matter how much work you put it. In this episode, the humans discuss the fixed mindset fallacy. Coving how fixed mindsets develop, how they have personally dealt with them, and how to overcome them and become a growth mindset master (With a 4-step plan and bonus tips!).
How to Win at College by Cal Newport is Aidan’s Number One recommendation for post-secondary students. It’s concise, clear, personable, and chock full of actionable tips such as:
Drop a class every semester
Don’t do all your readings
Never pull an all-nighter
Do one thing better than anyone else you know
Don’t study in groups
If you want to get straight A’s and have a thriving social life this book is for you. In this episode of Standard Humans the humans discuss the most surprising tips Newport came up with. Discussing how they use them in their own studies and what they want to implement this semester.
Have you ever tried to figure out what your life will look like in 5 years?
Maybe you know exactly what you’ll be doing, maybe you have no idea, but have you ever tried to Design Your Life? To sit down and brainstorm multiple exciting idea’s about where you can go in life.
In this episode, the humans design their lives with Odyssey plans.They each create 3 unique plans for the next 5 years of their lives.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Shownotes:How to tell if it is a Leap Year
Designing Your Life
Designing Your Life Worksheets
The Hidden Life of Trees
How to Pretend to Have Ice Powers
How to Pretend to Have Ice Powers (for Girls)
Do you suffer from the human condition of needing a Job? Surprisingly, you’re not alone. Many people around the world also need Jobs. In this episode the humans talk about their experience with Jobs and give a lot of tips on how to acquire one. Tips such as:
How to sell yourself without being full of yourself
How to pick the right jobs to apply for
How to ask the right questions
How to format your resume and cover letter (quickly and at scale)
How to leave an interview with the employer begging you to work for them
What books have had the most impact on your life? Which books have changed the way you think? The way you live your everyday life? For the humans, it’s these 10 books. If you are interested in personal development or semi-spiritual fiction this episode is for you.
What will you be doing in one year? Will you care about the same things? Will you be at the same job? Will you have achieved your goals?
One powerful way to keep yourself on track and remind your future self of what is truly important is to write them a letter. The humans have each put together a letter all about what they are doing right now, what they want to be doing in one year, what they want to remind their future selves about, and some questions to put their future selves on the spot.
Feeling overwhelmed by your commitments? Unsure about taking on another leadership position? Want to know the questions you can ask to make sure your extra-curriculars are still right for you? Deciding what to do with your time is hard, but there are a few things you can do to help make the decision.
In this episode, the humans discuss Aidan’s latest epiphanies on the purpose of extra-curriculars. The reasons you should do them and how to tell when you need to step away. Hint: They’re not just for your resume and your social connections shouldn’t all be utilitarian. Weird right?
There are 3 things you need to do to be a physically healthy person. 1) Exercise 2) Eat Well and 3) Sleep.
By far, the most important of the 3 is sleep. If you are able to get more sleep, you will exercise more, eat better, and overall live a better life. It’ll be a life full of better social connections, less drama, and a chill attitude. You need those 7-9 hours of sweet sweet sleepy goodness.
In this episode the humans discuss misconceptions about sleep, coping with sleep anxiety, and tips on getting better sleep such as room temperature, blue light blockers, and when to have your coffee.
Do you find yourself starring at your phone for hours each day? Lost in the YouTube algorithm or Instagram comparison cycle? You’re not alone, a lot of people struggle with using Social Media healthily. The thing is, they’re not really designed to be healthy, they’re designed to keep your attention for as long as possible and get as many advertising dollars as possible. To get Your Attention Back you need to take intentional action.
In this episode the humans discuss strategies for reducing social media usage, the logistics of social media detoxes, what good habits to fill your new found time with, and getting up at 4am for some reason. It’s going to be difficult to get past the fear of missing out, but it’s worth it.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Shownotes:“Together at Home” online concert
Deep Work by Cal Newport
Cold Turkey Web blocker
Evan’s latest Bread
Evan’s Bread about to be Devoured
One of the most important tactics to intentionally creating the life you want to life is to set your goals and review them regularly. At the beginning of 2020 Evan and Aidan both set a theme for the year, and now its time to check in on their progress and figure out how to do even better for the rest of the year. Will Aidan become the mastermind marketeer? Will Evan become a polyglot capable of speaking any language thrown at him? Find out in this episode of Standard Humans.
So you might have heard that something changed in the world recently. Whenever something big changes in your life it can be difficult to adapt, and even harder to keep your health up. When you feel as though everything is falling apart it can be tempting to stay up late and forgo sleep to try and keep things together. This is always bad advice, but it is especially bad during a Global Health Pandemic. In this episode we discuss how to maintain your Three Pillars of Health (Exercise, Food, Sleep), with specific examples of how Evan and Aidan have adapted to Social Isolation. Hint: It involves couches, Sourdough Bread, and Yoga.
Most of this podcast should be common sense. You’ll never accomplish anything if you don’t take the time needed to do it.
Unfortunately, the smartest people in the world are actively against you here. They want your clicks, views, likes, and watch time. That doesn’t sound so bad on the surface, but you have to remember that time is a zero-sum game: Any time you spend doing mediocre work or mindlessly browsing is time you aren’t using to get important stuff done or relax your mind. Luckily there is a solution: Deep Work.
Cal Newport defines Deep Work as:
“Professional activity performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate.”
Deep Work is the only way to work, study, practice, or perform. This episode discusses specific strategies to carve the time out of your day and remove distractions so you can do Deep Work. As always, we’ve got general strategies as well as a few designed just for students. Strategies both Evan and Aidan have implemented in their lives since recording this episode that changed the way they do work forever.
Are you a student struggling to study for the Big Test? Are you up at 2am trying to get a project done for the 5th time this semester? Do you have any work at all that NEEDS to get done, but you just keep putting off?
If any of those apply to you then this is the episode for you. Especially if you’re in the middle of a Procrastination Cycle Right Now.
Procrastination is an issue that effects us all. Every person is capable of doing anything with their lives, it’s just a matter of actually getting the work done. In this episode we cover all the tactics you can use to accomplish your tasks and prevent yourself from procrastinating in the future. Tactics such as: -Restarting the Day -Temptation Bundling -Accountability Partners -the 2 minute rule -Betting on Yourself -Making your Social Media Ugly -and Many More
Sport is one of the most complex social interactions that exists. It requires physical exertion, competition, teamwork, and the ability to remain friends with everyone afterwards. The social skills you learn are transferrable to every other section of your life. That is why it is so important that you include sport into your exercise schedule.
We talk about all that and more in the 14th episode of Standard Humans.
Meditation has been taking the world by a very calm storm, and for good reason. Meditation can supposedly lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, decrease pain, ease symptoms of depression, and improve sleep. Some pretty great benefits from sitting in silence.
In this episode we talk about the different types of meditation, the benefits we’ve received, and how to work it into your schedule. Also, apparently it takes five months of training in France to become a meditation teacher. So that’s neat. It’s a whole tangent, listen to the episode to find out more.
To everyone who has been with us over the past 12 episodes I just want to say thank you. You’ve made this all possible and we can’t wait to continue becoming the best humans we can be next year.
Do you find yourself overwhelmed by commitments? Unable to spend time on the things you actually want to be doing? In this episode we discuss a method for evaluating commitments when they come up to decide if it’s really worth taking on. Allowing you to Confidently say No when its not worth it and Yes when the opportunity is perfect for you.
Change is a phenomena we all experience many times throughout our lives, but that doesn’t make it any less of a nuisance. Aidan is dealing with a huge change right now and created a step by step guide to deal with change in a healthy and productive way. If you’re dealing with a change or are planning to make one soon this is the episode for you!
There will always be seasons of life that are busier or more stressful. Times where the habits you’ve built up will start to fall apart. In this episode of the Standard Humans podcast we discuss strategies to get back on the good habit wagon. Whether you want to start exercising, cooking, or making podcasts again these strategies and mindsets will help you get back on track.
The last 15 minutes is just a chat about some great books so if you’re just waiting for us to get back on topic it’s not going to happen. If you like literature feel free to stick around though.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Sponsors:Audible. Support the show by listening to great books for free for 30 days. After 30 days get 1 credit per month. Keep your books forever, even if you cancel. Get 30% off additional audiobooks. Easy exchange process, swap any audiobook you don’t love.
Shownotes:John C. Reilly ‘For Your Health'
Foods that may cause Headaches Not vouching for the quality of this website
Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
The Way of Kings: Book One of the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Gercia Marquez
Time’s Arrow by Martin Amis - Book that goes backwards
Memento - Movie that goes backwards
Do you find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in your house? Is keeping up with the Jonses' lifestyle keeping you from getting ahead? Are you curious about the logistics behind living in a storage locker? If so then this episode of the Standard Humans Podcast is for you. We talk about the benefits of living a minimalist lifestyle and how Aidan has used it to improve his life.
Did you get enough travel stories in the last episode? Doesn't matter, get ready for more. We've got people smoking on airplanes, stunt driving in the streets of Dubai, weaving through Bangkok traffic, and so much more.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Donate on Patreon
Tomska Marmite Video
Canadian Women’s Soccer Team
Evan’s One Photo from Asia
Doosan Bears Hat on Amazon
Beach Chicken reviews (Filter by chicken)
Small Beer Cans
Payless fake luxury brand
Train Track Market Photo
ByWard Market
30-50 Feral Hogs
Tuk-Tuk cab in Thailand
J-Walking in China
Dubai Stunt Drivers | Stunt Drivers Article | Stunt Driving Video
What is a Dart
Mom and Daughter Banned for Life from Air Canada
United Airlines Broke his Guitar
Lumpini Park
Standard Humans Social Links (Voting available until Wednesday Oct 2 at 7pm)
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Questionable chicken, food that is actively trying to kill you, and bargaining for hilarious knockoff items. Evan just got back from Asia and has a lot of stories to share with you (Mainly about the food). Hear about all the above and more in this episode of the Standard Humans Podcast.
In this episode Evan and Aidan set out to create Bucket Lists. Specifically Top 5 lists with things to accomplish such that you can look back at the end of your life and be satisfied. These include places, activities, business goals, and more.
Deciding what to do after high school is tough. There are so many different options to choose from. Do you take a year off? Go to University? Maybe College or a Trade? All these questions and more are answered in this episode of Standard Humans.
Everyone needs to get things done at some point during the week, but how do you keep track of it all and trick yourself into doing it? In this episode we tackle these questions and more.
Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.
Donate on Patreon
NHS Rice Article
Comparable Blue Microphone
Surface Book 2
Office 365 Subscription Includes OneNote
iClicker Remote
South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut
Support the Show Page
Amazon.ca - Link to Support the Show
Getting Things Done by David Allen
The Office: Full Series
Notebook for Bullet Journaling
Dry Erase Board for Housework that Aidan uses
Kanban System explained
Dry Erase Calendar The one Aidan uses on the fridge
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Why is it that some people can’t seem to even start exercising but others aren’t able to stop themselves? What is decision fatigue and how do you overcome it? Why would anyone even want to try martial arts? In this episode of the Standard Humans Podcast these questions and more are answered.
This 0th episode is a preview of the rest of the show. We briefly touch on our experience and opinions about topics like Exercise, Meditation, Public Speaking, and University.