The Golden Hour: Recent Episodes
OptimalWork
Hosted by Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes, co-founders of OptimalWork, The Golden Hour will help you learn to challenge yourself in each hour of work according to your highest ideals. We'll discuss all aspects of Dr. Majeres's approach to work, which he developed in his private practice and teaches at Harvard Medical School, and show how it applies to everyday situations like professional work, study, sleep, and relationships.
For a set of online tools to help you put the ideas into practice, visit www.OptimalWork.com.
Please send questions for discussion to info@optimalwork.com.
269: Kevin and Sharif dive deep into the true biology and psychology of burnout — not as mere exhaustion, but as “bad tired on steroids.” Kevin explains how chronic threat mode floods the brain with cortisol, amplifying the “type two” tiredness that crushes motivation, focus, and connection. Together, they explore the three engines of vitality — meaning, effort, and attention — showing how burnout arises when these engines fall out of sync. Sharif presses on the dilemma of working hard without seeing results, while Kevin reveals how reconnecting work with love and service can transform fatigue into renewal. It’s a fascinating look at how neuroscience and reframing unite to reignite purpose in daily life.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
268: Kevin and Sharif unpack why “good tired” and “bad tired” aren’t just degrees of fatigue but two distinct brain states tied to adenosine pathways—and how dopamine (and even caffeine) changes the experience. They translate cutting-edge neuroscience into practical steps you can test today: work from motives of love and service (to protect motivation), structure your day in focused sprints with real breaks (up to ~90 min work / ~15 min reset), and practice mindful unit-tasking to avoid the energy drain of context switching. They also cover what to do if you’re already in “bad tired,” plus break tactics that actually restore you—light, movement, hydration, and brief parasympathetic resets (prayer, mindfulness, a quick call). If marathons and multitasking leave you feeling futile or spent, this conversation shows how to finish the day “good tired” with strong sleep pressure and renewed momentum—and tees up next week’s deep dive on burnout and depression.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
267: Kevin and Sharif explore how depression connects to “bad tired,” the draining fatigue that comes from poor sleep, chronic stress, or unfinished effort. At the center is one molecule — adenosine — which can make us feel either “good tired” (satisfied, fulfilled) or “bad tired” (blue, demotivated). Kevin unpacks how adenosine builds up in the brain, how sleep and astrocytes clear it, and how simple practices — from morning light, hydration, and exercise to breathing, cold exposure, and creatine — can flip tiredness from despair into satisfaction.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
266: Overcoming anxiety occurs in three successive stages. In this first installment of a three episode series, we discuss stage one: confronting the trigger of anxiety head-on, embracing the fear. Over time, the trigger will habituate; as you challenge yourself, the fear you experience will gradually diminish. You can then develop a sense of daring, which is the beginning of the second stage, the topic of next week’s episode.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
265: When a child does something wrong, your first instinct may be justice: to punish them. In this episode, we discuss “No-Drama Discipline,” by Daniel Siegal and Tina Bryson, exploring how to discipline children in a way that builds your bond with them and promotes their moral development. By connecting with your child, helping him or her gain insight into what went wrong, and look for ways to repair and reintegrate, discipline becomes a way of actually deepening your bond with them, rather than a source of friction.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
264: Difficult situations can feel intolerable. That intolerable feeling is produced by dynorphins and it makes us want to give up and abandon the difficulty we’re facing, whether it’s exercise, a difficult task, time in the sauna, or some small annoyance. But the more we embrace the dynorphin effect — the intolerable feeling — the more we develop a kind of inner strength. And, paradoxically, we end up unleashing a subsequent wave of endorphins, which cause feelings of wellbeing and improved mood. In this episode, we discuss how to harness this effect to grow in ideals and form deeper bonds.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
263: What do you do when you feel tired? Go back to sleep? Take a nap? Power through? In this episode, we discuss a number of approaches to overcoming tiredness, from tracking your levels of fatigue (not recommended) to changing up your diet. But the ultimate approach draws on all the principles of OptimalWork and will actually help you harness tiredness for increased energy!
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
262: Mindfulness lies at the heart of OptimalWork’s approach. Living your highest ideals means being fully present, fully engaged with reality. Cultivating this habit is the work of mindfulness. But mindfulness rests on a set of apparent contradictions. Foremost among them is this: while mindfulness involves accepting reality as it is, it is often used as a way of achieving personal or behavioral change. In this episode, we discuss this apparent paradox and others, shedding light on the true nature of mindfulness and how to practice it most effectively.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
261: The two fundamental ways you can relate to challenge are approach and avoidance. Typically, approach leads to a virtuous cycle: the challenge gets easier and more enjoyable over time as you grow in mastery. Avoidance, on the other hand, often leads to a vicious cycle of increasing difficulty and pain. In this episode we further break down approach into three levels — tolerating, accepting, and loving the challenge — to show how to speed up the virtuous cycle and maximize your growth in the process.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
260: With rising rates of anxiety and depression, some have suggested that managers be trained to provide “mental-health first aid” to employees in distress. In this episode, we discuss the best ways managers can help employees thrive at work, how to help them grow, and how to balance the need to get results from their teams with the ideal of supporting and mentoring them.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
259: What’s the best way to prevent distractions? Are prevention techniques — like website blockers — effective? In this episode, we discuss different strategies aimed at behavior change. We argue that the source of the most sustainable behavior change is to build self-mastery through right action. By doing this, you’ll be laying the foundations for new predictions by your brain. Over time, it will come along and be no longer a source of friction, but a great help in pursuing meaningful action.Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
258: Reframing is a practice that developed from cognitive behavioral therapy. It means discovering the opportunity present within a challenge. If you face a challenge that causes anxiety, distraction, or burnout, reframing can help you approach it more effectively. But reframing can do more. It will also help you harmonize the different parts of your life so everything is working in the same direction: toward your highest ideals.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
257: At the heart of our approach is the practice of a Golden Hour: preparing your mind for a time of work, focusing on one thing, and setting a stop time in advance. Doing a Golden Hour brings the key practices of psychology into your hour of work, so you not only do your best work, but you also practice bringing your highest ideals into your actions, which is the entire goal of OptimalWork. In this episode, we discuss the genesis of the Golden Hour, how to do it well, and some common questions about how to tailor it do different situations.Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
256: Shame is the emotion we feel when we fear that our failures or weaknesses will become known. This fear can lead us to pursue certain outcomes as defenses — money, success, prestige, etc. — or to shy away from challenges that will expose us. In this episode, we discuss how to experience and accept shame, and why doing so gives us a profound freedom and unlocks the most meaningful forms of growth.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
255: When people experience cognitive dissonance — that is, a clash between one’s self-concept and reality — they will tend to favor their self-concept, and can rationalize this bias in a process of self-justification. This process can thwart meaningful personal growth. In this episode, we discuss self-justification, how to identify it and how to overcome it — and a clever way to use it to develop deeper bonds.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
254: It’s a widespread belief that when experiencing negative emotions like anger or frustration, it’s helpful to vent them. In fact, this practice is counterproductive. Studies indicate that when people express negative emotions in this way, far from letting them out, they in fact get more of them. This result is confirmed by a consideration of the neuroscience of perception and appraisal. In this episode, we discuss the origin of the theory of catharsis, why it’s wrong, and what to do instead — and what to do if someone is venting to you.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
253: In their 2019 book “The Power of Agency,” Paul Napper and Anthony Rao lay out their theory of growth and happiness, which centers on the concept of “agency.” In this episode, we compare their seven principles with OptimalWork’s approach, and show how ideals are essential to true agency.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
252: Procrastination is something of a mystery. Its costs — decreased quality of work, fraying of bonds with others, increased negative emotions like stress, even negative health effects — are universally acknowledged. Yet procrastination persists — or, put precisely, people persist in procrastinating. In this episode, we discuss the primary cause of procrastination (a reluctance to experience negative emotions like stress or reluctance), how it leads to a vicious cycle of procrastination, and how to overcome it.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
251: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Majeres continue their discussion of Optimal Parenting with another set of questions. They begin with the importance of connection during child meltdowns and the balance between emotional regulation and moral teaching. The final question sparks a long discussion of the importance of rituals in helping parents build family culture and pass on their beliefs and values. The conversation highlights that rituals, whether daily or weekly, provide a sense of safety and predictability, ultimately aiding in children's emotional regulation and moral development.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
250: In this episode, Sharif Younes and Dr. Kevin Majeres field questions about parenting based on the previous episodes in the series. They address common concerns from parents, including how to rectify past mistakes, manage anxiety in children, and foster connections in large families. The conversation emphasizes that it's never too late to improve parenting practices and that modeling change can positively influence children. They provide practical strategies for parents to enhance their relationships with their children, regardless of their age or past parenting styles.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
249: In this episode, Sharif Younes and Dr. Kevin Majeres focus on the essential role of discipline in effective parenting. They discuss the challenges parents face in setting and enforcing limits, and the importance of establishing clear expectations and consistent routines. The conversation highlights how discipline, when rooted in connection and guided by positive reinforcement, helps children develop self-control and responsibility. They also revisit the “1-2-3 Magic” method as a practical approach to managing misbehavior, emphasizing how consistent, calm discipline fosters long-term growth and character formation.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
248: In this episode, Sharif Younes and Dr. Majeres discuss the third quality of Optimal Parenting: consistency. Regular routines, standards, and ideals—applied consistently—foster children's intrinsic motivation and emotional stability. The conversation also highlights the benefits of challenges and discomfort in family life, the role of best practices, and the impact of nutrition, sleep, and screen time on child development. The episode concludes by showing how consistency strikes a balance between laxity and rigidity in parenting, ensuring that higher ideals—not just outcomes—guide parenting and family practices.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
247: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres delve into the second principle of Optimal Parenting: fostering and conveying confidence in your child’s ability to grow and thrive on challenge. They discuss the importance of skills and ideals, and practical strategies for parents, starting with real-life scenarios. The conversation highlights actionable takeaways for parents to implement in their daily interactions with their children, ultimately aiming to cultivate a love of learning and the ability to navigate challenges effectively.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
246: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres do a deep dive into the first principle of Optimal Parenting: the power of connection during challenging moments for children. They discuss the dynamics of dynorphin surges and how parents can help children navigate these emotional storms through bonding and validation. The conversation emphasizes the balance between being overly sensitive (enmeshed) and being too detached, advocating for a mindful middle ground approach to parenting that fosters resilience and growth in children.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
245: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres explore the topic of parenting, introducing the three key principles of Optimal Parenting: connection, confidence, and consistency. They begin with some background neuroscience to explain why parents are essential in the first place—offering a contrast to approaches like gentle parenting or the view presented in the recent book The Sovereign Child. Upcoming episodes will dive deeper into each of these three principles.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
244: This episode continues our discussion of Alfie Kohn’s “Punished by Rewards.” Kohn believes that a person’s motivation (especially a child’s) starts out pure but gets corrupted by rewards and praise. Here we explore the possibility that intrinsic motivation is actually something that develops over time, and thus behavioralist psychology, rather than destroying intrinsic motivation, in fact opens up a path to it.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
243: In this episode, we explore the radical claims made by Alfie Kohn in his 1993 book Punished by Rewards. Kohn, an expert in education and psychology, argues against the use of rewards to incentivize behavior. For Kohn, such incentives cause people to lose intrinsic motivation: for instance, kids get motivated by grades, not learning; employees get motivated by money, not creativity and service.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
242: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the nature of addiction. They begin by exploring its development, showing how addiction often starts as a pursuit of pleasure but can evolve into a compulsive behavior that undermines personal ideals and freedom. The conversation focuses on the neuroscience of addiction, highlighting the role of the brain's dorsal striatum in compulsive behaviors. Dr. Majeres explains how the shift from the ventral to the dorsal striatum marks a transition from pleasure-seeking to compulsion, driven by dynorphins. The discussion also covers the nature of habits, the importance of reframing and mindfulness in breaking addiction cycles, and strategies for recovery.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
241: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the Seven Deadly Sins from a psychological perspective, exploring how these vices can be viewed as habits or addictions that violate personal ideals. They discuss the nature of addiction, the role of cravings, and the importance of understanding the triggers behind addictive behaviors. The conversation emphasizes the significance of mindfulness, acceptance, and practical skills in overcoming addiction and fostering personal growth. It also highlights the impact of environment on addiction and the necessity of building meaningful connections to combat feelings of loneliness and vulnerability.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
240: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres explore the concept of dynorphins and their role in personal growth, looking at a variety of cases. They discuss how dynorphins can affect behaviors such as perfectionism, procrastination, and workaholism, emphasizing the importance of embracing pain to foster growth. The conversation also touches on emotional responses, the challenges of insomnia, and the significance of validating one's feelings to enhance emotional resilience.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
239: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres delve into the concept of dynorphins and their role in human suffering and growth. They discuss how dynorphins are linked to discomfort and the importance of embracing this discomfort for personal development. The conversation explores the functions of the amygdala in emotional responses, the relationship between dopamine and dynorphins, and the significance of order and intensity in overcoming challenges. They also touch on the concepts of threat learning and safety learning, and how reframing our perception of dynorphins can lead to greater growth and love in our lives.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
238: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres explore the concept of dynorphins and their crucial role in emotional growth and personal development. They discuss the importance of embracing discomfort and unwillingness as pathways to growth, drawing on insights from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The conversation highlights how dynorphins influence our emotional responses and coping mechanisms, and how understanding these dynamics can aid in mentoring and personal transformation. The episode concludes with practical strategies for cultivating willingness and love in the face of discomfort.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
237: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the transformative practices of OptimalWork, focusing on projects, growth goals, and the Golden Hour. They explore the importance of setting growth goals, the role of AI in enhancing productivity, and the significance of mindfulness and attention in work. The conversation highlights recent updates to the OptimalWork app and tools.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
236: The pain you experience from negative emotions is your brain’s way of predicting and preparing you for some kind of avoidant behavior. In this episode, we’ll show you how to most directly change your brain’s predictions and thus attain a new mastery over discomfort.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
235: When you experience anything — tiredness, pain, distractions — you’re engaging not just reality, but also your brain’s predictions. This insight has profound consequences for how you should engage challenges like tiredness, and for the types of beliefs you should have about yourself. In this episode, we discuss how to interpret and respond to your experiences and your brain’s predictions.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
234: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the complexities of generosity, distinguishing between true and false forms. They explore the barriers that prevent individuals from being generous, such as fear of exploitation and loss of personal boundaries. The conversation emphasizes the importance of trust in relationships and how generosity can enhance personal growth and strengthen bonds. They also discuss the need for strategic resets in one's approach to generosity, ensuring that it remains a healthy and sustainable practice.
Find more athttps://OptimalWork.com
233: We work in order to produce something of value for others. In order to work better, rest is important to restore ourselves and maintain energy. But activities of leisure carry us beyond rest to contemplation, and are done for their own sake. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss the relationship between rest, work, and leisure.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com.
232: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the concept of generosity, exploring its foundational role in personal growth and relationships. They discuss how generosity is intertwined with humility, the importance of serving others, and how it can transform our lives and the lives of those around us. The conversation also touches on the balance between generosity and prudence, the development of generosity as a habit, and the necessity of being genuinely interested in others.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
231: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the significance of home life and how it shapes our relationships and personal growth. They explore the concept of a 'thoughtful home' as presented in Dia Boyle's book, emphasizing the importance of attention, care, and challenge within the family dynamic. The conversation covers practical strategies for fostering a nurturing environment, the role of family meals, the impact of technology, and how to integrate home life with work life for comprehensive well-being.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
230: Toxic positivity means invalidating the negative emotions of others. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss how to engage negative emotions — in ourselves and others — in a constructive way, by being understanding and encouraging, rather than positively toxic.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
229: Sometimes it may seem like the outcome is the most important thing you need to obtain: the perfect grade, the well-deserved promotion, or the necessary money. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss the superiority of growth goals and why you should never aim for outcomes as ends in themselves.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
228: Whenever we do something repeatedly, we’ll tend eventually to do it in a rote, automatic way. This even applies to OptimalWork’s core practices: reframing, mindfulness, and challenge. In this episode we show how curiosity can help you overcome this tendency and bring a sense of newness to every challenge you face.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
227: Dr. John Gottman identifies four stages in the breakdown of a relationship: defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and, ultimately, contempt. Each of these behaviors points to a deeper issue — a lack of humility. In this episode, we explore a fundamental attitude that can help you heal and strengthen bonds by addressing all four forms of relational breakdown. The key? Approaching challenges with a childlike spirit. This perspective enables you to overcome the fear of shame that often underlies these issues. Children naturally embody openness to learning, resilience in the face of failure, and freedom from excessive self-consciousness — qualities we can all learn to emulate.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
226: Dr. John Gottman identifies four stages in the breakdown of a relationship: defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and ultimately contempt. Each of these reflects a deeper issue— a lack of humility. In this episode, we delve into the fourth stage: contempt. Contempt is the most significant predictor of relationship decline and divorce, due to its permanence and the emotional distance it creates. Contempt also has cultural implications, particularly in parenting, and the need for fostering bonds through understanding and mutual respect. Humility, growth mindset, and trust are crucial in overcoming contempt and helping us orient ourselves toward the good of others, our bonds with them, and our common goods.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
225: Dr. John Gottman identifies four stages in the breakdown of a relationship: defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and ultimately contempt. Each of these reflects a deeper issue— a lack of humility. In this episode, we delve into the third stage: stonewalling. Stonewalling means putting up obstacles to forming bonds with others. While defensiveness and criticism most concern one’s attitude, stonewalling goes deeper and touches upon one’s attention. Stonewalling at its most extreme implies an inward collapse of attention, an unwillingness to attend to others.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
224: Dr. John Gottman identifies four stages in the breakdown of a relationship: defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and ultimately contempt. Each of these reflects a deeper issue— a lack of humility. In this episode, we delve into the second stage: criticism, or what we call a critical spirit. A critical spirit often arises from hyperfocusing on someone else’s flaws, conflating those flaws with their identity, and viewing them as fixed and unchangeable. It can also serve as a kind of projection—an unconscious act of attributing our own shortcomings to others. Recognizing a critical spirit within ourselves, however uncomfortable, can open the door to profound personal growth. By addressing the root of this behavior, we not only improve our relationships but also cultivate greater humility and self-awareness.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
223: Dr. John Gottman describes four stages in the breakdown of a relationship: first defensiveness, then criticism, then stonewalling, and finally contempt. Each of these is a manifestation of a lack of humility. Having laid out the big picture in our previous episode, here we do a deep dive into the first, defensiveness. We explain how it arises and how it relates to key concepts in our approach, like Reframing, Growth Mindset, and Threat Mode.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
222: In this episode of the OptimalWork Podcast, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres delve into the significance of humility in leadership and team dynamics. They explore the concept of humble leadership, the detrimental effects of pride, and the four horsemen of team dysfunction: defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and contempt. The conversation emphasizes the importance of cultivating humility as a means to foster better relationships, enhance team cohesion, and promote personal growth. The episode concludes with actionable steps for developing humility and the transformative power it holds in achieving mastery in various aspects of life.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
221: Over the past five years, OptimalWork has grown into a unique and powerful digital platform for growth, centered on our MasterClass. In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Majeres discuss the history of our digital platform and recent findings about how effective the MasterClass is in helping people achieve behavior change.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
220: Working with a spirit of service lies at the core of working at your best. But the spirit of service has a doppelgänger: aiming to please people. This often arises from motives of fear (fear of conflict, etc.), whereas service is rooted in love. In this episode, we compare these two motivations, and discuss how to escape the trap of seeking to please others.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
219: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the concept of Extreme Ownership, as introduced and developed by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. Willink and Babin learned this concept from their time serving as Navy Seals and have gained popularity adapting it to other contexts, like business and relationships. In this conversation, Sharif and Dr. Majeres discuss the nuances of this approach, and share applications to challenges faced in various contexts, from the classroom to the boardroom.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
218: In this installment of our series on mastery, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres explore the third and final stage: the optimizing stage. The optimizing stage of mastery has deep connections to other core concepts of OptimalWork like deliberate practice, continual growth, and above all service. In the optimizing stage, we can go beyond the automaticity characteristic of the implicit stage (stage two) and develop our mastery to such a degree that we can pour our entire selves into a task. In this way, the optimizing stage of mastery is also connected to flow, the state of peak focus, when we become, as it were, fused with the present task.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
217: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres explore the second of the three phases of mastery: the implicit phase of mastery. This phase is the most dangerous, because it is where bad actions can become automatic habits, and where good habits can become plateaus. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid these pitfalls. The implicit phase of mastery is also closely connected with flow. The next episode will cover the final stage of mastery: optimizing strategies.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
216: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres delve into the concept of mastery, focusing on its explicit phase. Broadly, mastery has three forms: mastery over a technical skill, self-mastery, and mastery in the context of bonds. For all these forms, crafting a strategy (a goal plus steps) is essential to developing explicit mastery. As you develop explicit mastery, you can harness dopamine to maintain motivation by setting appropriate micro-goals to complete as you carry out your strategy.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
215: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres explore the concept of mastery, its relationship to service, and the neuroscience behind it. We can distinguish between three stages of mastery: explicit, implicit, and optimizing. Ultimately, mastery is not just about raw technical skills, but about putting these skills to the service of higher ideals and ultimately our bonds with others.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
214: Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres delve into the significance of breath in regulation attention and managing anxiety. One of the most interesting advances in the understanding of breath is the discovery of the oxygen paradox: breathing too much can actually reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches your brain. Breathing, mood, nutrition, attention, and activity are all interrelated. Understanding the relationship between breathing, oxygen, and carbon dioxide shows just how transformative proper breathing techniques can be.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
213: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the importance of learning how to self-regulate your attention. We often try to address distraction and worrying — two common obstacles relating to attention — by re-arranging our external circumstances, changing aspects of our lives. This can be helpful and even necessary at times. But to get the best results, it is also important to focus on the internals, on our own capacity to focus our attention. This capacity is like a muscle that we can strengthen over time with the right exercises.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
212: In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the importance of attention for working at your best. Understanding how your attention works — especially the dynamic between task attention and default attention — can help you improve how you both rest and work. Some may think that focus is a matter of brute force and self-discipline, or of simply arranging your environment. But the understanding of attention explored here points to deeper strategies that we can use to master our attention and shape ourselves in the process.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
211: Is it possible to sustain a high level of challenge throughout the day? At first, it may seem daunting. But embracing challenge brings growth and with it an increase in energy. The key is to embrace challenges in order to serve, so that challenges are not about improving yourself in isolation, but deepening the bonds with those around you.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
210: When focusing on self-improvement, it is natural to look first at your behaviors and strive for behavior change. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif explore what change on the inside looks like: how you relate to the inner friction produced by “parts” of you, like an inner critic or a harsh taskmaster. They show that behavior change is best built on a foundation of interior transformation.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
209: It is possible to accept in theory that every challenge presents an opportunity, while still in reality viewing the actual challenges you face in a negative light. In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Majeres discuss the need for a robust worldview to be able to reframe any challenge, and how to tap into that worldview to make it more operative.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
208: There is increasing interest in dopamine, a molecule that is closely related to our experience of pleasure, reward, expectation, and motivation. It’s involved in negative processes, like overindulgence and addiction, but it can also be harnessed to set virtuous cycles in motion. Surprisingly, as Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss, the dopamine molecule is involved in the very spiritual processes of living ideals and deepening bonds.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
207: In this episode Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss Steven Pressfield’s book “The War of Art.” Pressfield has developed a kind of mythology to describe the psychology of following one’s true calling. You know you’re on the right path if you encounter Resistance. But if you persevere and work through the Resistance your Muse will inspire you to do great things. In this episode, we compare Pressfield’s practical conclusions to the advice we give at OptimalWork.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
206: Cognitive behavioral therapy, positive psychology, and other developments in the field of psychology have put flourishing on the map as a primary goal of psychological growth. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the nature of flourishing, and the surest path to obtaining it.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
205: In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss OptimalWork's recently launched anxiety course called Overcoming Anxiety. Having the proper attitude toward anxiety is essential. Rather than thinking we must get rid of anxiety or merely cope with it, we need to see how to embrace anxiety and use it to perform at our best and live out our highest ideals. This understanding is key to shaping our actions, and also helping others to engage the challenges they face.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
204: : In this episode, we focus on the ideal of temperance, sketching what it looks like at various levels, and how to grow in it. At all levels, we show how temperance, the ability to act according to your ideals no matter what desires you have, is not a matter of effortful willpower, but can be gained with the simple practice of mindfulness.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
203: Ideals lie at the core of our approach. Indeed, our mission is to help you challenge yourself according to your highest ideals in each hour of work and life. For this, it is necessary to have an image in your mind of what the various ideals look like when lived fully. In this episode, we paint a picture of humility.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
202: In his book “The Confident Mind,” Dr. Nate Zinsser, shares the approach he’s developed as the director of West Point’s Performance Psychology Program and consultant for numerous elite athletes. His insights, which center on the idea of confidence, can be transformative not only for preparing for combat and athletic competitions, but also for approach challenges in everyday life. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss his work, compare it to OptimalWork’s approach, and identify one key idea that would enhance Dr. Zinsser’s analysis.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
201: When people face psychological challenges, they need to fully feel the difficult emotion in order to rise above it. Similarly, important bonds are greatly strengthened by fully feeling positive emotions — in order to second and intensify them. All people can benefit from the practice of mindfulness of the heart, a form of mindfulness that can be practiced all day long.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
200: Reframing lies at the heart of OptimalWork’s approach. In this episode, Dr Kevin Majeres and Sharif survey some precursors to reframing in the literature and practice of psychology and cognitive behavioral therapy, and what distinguishes reframing from these other approaches.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
199: The classic example of a courageous person is one who can approach the possibility of death in battle. But this case has little to do with work in the modern world. Is courage, then, irrelevant? In this episode, we discuss what courage means in a modern work context and why it is not just relevant, but essential for thriving.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
198: As you start to develop a new habit, you may meet internal resistance. Far from being a sign that you’re failing to build a virtuous cycle, facing internal resistance is actually a sign that you’re on the verge of real progress. Resistance is necessary in order to build true and lasting momentum and connect your new habits to deeper and more meaningful motives.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
197: Complaining is very tempting. When experiencing difficulty, it can seem helpful to vent our frustration. But chronic complaining can hinder the development of genuine bonds and can reinforce a negative mindset. Complaining narrows our focus and prevents us from reframing challenges as opportunities for growth. In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Majeres do a deep dive into complaining. Defending oneself or correcting injustices are not considered complaining. Real complaining — which is the futile expression of impatience — has negative effects on our brain and body, weakens our bonds with others, and prevents us from truly solving the problems we face. Instead of complaining, we can accurately assess challenges and find ways that they will bring out our best.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
196: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the concept of self-efficacy and its practical application in various examples. Self-efficacy is the brain's prediction of success right before engaging in a task. It affects motivation, resilience, and the ability to overcome challenges. The key is to shape self-efficacy by widening the context of success and identifying concrete steps to improve performance. The examples discussed include dealing with a critical boss, learning a difficult subject, and staying focused on repetitive tasks. All of these situations require reframing challenges, setting goals, and maintaining intensity. These examples should help you see more clearly how to apply these principles in your own case. They also highlight that OptimalWork’s core principles — reframing and forming strategies — are not rules or rote formulas, but require your own flexibility, ingenuity, and creativity.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
195: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the concept of self-efficacy and its relationship to mastery and confidence. Albert Bandura, a psychologist at Stanford, initiated the self-efficacy literature. He developed ways to help people overcome their fear of snakes and observed that this process helped them engage challenges in other areas of their lives. They seemed to develop a more general sense of self-efficacy, not only the ability to deal comfortably with snakes. This episode describes the essential elements of self-efficacy and shows how to develop this mindset. Self-efficacy has an interesting relationship to concepts in psychology like self-esteem and growth mindset, as well as OptimalWork’s key pillars of reframing, mindfulness, challenge, developing strategies, and growing in mastery.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
194: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss Cal Newport's new book, “Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout.” “Slow Productivity” builds on themes he explores in his previous books: for instance, mastering your craft and focusing on the process of working. Here Newport focuses on three principles for achieving greater long-term productivity: doing fewer things, working at a natural pace, and improving the quality of your work. The conversation highlights the connection between Newport’s principles and the OptimalWork’s ideals of order, intensity, and constancy in work. It also touches on ways that OptimalWork’s approach complements Newport’s. Whereas Newport focuses on how to develop greater mastery, OptimalWork adds the purpose behind mastery: growing according to ideals, and developing bonds with others.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
193: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the theory and science behind reframing, which is a foundational skill of OptimalWork. Reframing is essential to personal growth and overcoming challenges. But it goes beyond many of the techniques espoused by “self-help experts.” It is not just about positive thinking or building habits, but about discovering the meaningful opportunities for growth hidden within the challenges you face. This episode summarizes the theory and science of reframing, with practical examples to help you apply this key skill in your life.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
192: Automaticity, while beneficial in some ways, can also be a danger if it makes everyday actions become rote. Treating each moment of a task as unique allows for growth, meaning, and mastery. One way to do this is frequently setting growth goals to stretch yourself in how you do things. The second half of the episode covers the Reframer tool on OptimalWork.com. The Reframer takes you through a number of steps to set a growth goal that will help you reframe a present challenge from a threat to an opportunity.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
191: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres review the book “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt. “The Anxious Generation” attributes the skyrocketing levels of anxiety among youth, particularly Gen Z, in large part to the widespread use of smartphones and social media. The negative effects of smartphones include social disconnection, sleep deprivation, attentional problems, and addiction. Haidt recommends dramatically restricting kids’ access to the “virtual world,” while also encouraging them to engage more with the real world. Sharif and Dr. Majeres summarize Haidt’s insights and show how they connect to key OptimalWork concepts like challenge and ideals.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
190: In her recent best-seller “Bad Therapy,” Abigail Shrier argues that therapy for children causes more problems than it solves. Shrier critiques the approach many therapists take as based on a flawed understanding of human nature, and she also draws attention to data suggesting that modern therapy is not stopping the increase in rates of anxiety, depression, etc. and may even be increasing them. In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres explore Shrier’s work, arguing that while much of her critique is valid, it only applies to a certain subset of therapy. The solution to bad psychology is good psychology, not no psychology.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
One of the least-discussed emotions may be the most powerful in bringing about well-being. When was the last time you were filled with awe? People may think of awe as a nice-to-have emotion, but not needed for living a good life. Recent research, however, suggests that awe may be essential to true thriving.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
188: It can be tempting to fit people into our categories: we think things like, “she’s sanguine,” “he’s not good at math,” “she’s shy,” “he’s melancholic.” We may even convince ourselves that these labels help us people as they want to or ought to be treated. But taken too far, labels prevent us from forming meaningful relationships with people. They can limit what we say or do, leading us to avoid certain topics of conversation or shared activities, and sometimes even introduce fear into the relationship. To form true bonds, we need to be radically open to the other person and treat them as a unique individual.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
187: The brain’s models and predictions play a central role in the vicious cycles that drive procrastination, dread, and anxiety. When your brain assess a challenge as a threat, often it’s predicting some pain, or shame and sounds the alarm to get you to avoid it. To reverse these vicious cycles and transform them into virtuous ones, we need to shape our brain’s predictions, de-fusing from our models, opening up to reality, and asking: How can this bring out my best? What would a new and better way of doing this look like?
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
186: Why do we sometimes feel like we're at war with ourselves? In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres dive into a therapy approach called Internal Family Systems (IFS), exploring how our mind has various parts — protectors and exiles — which are sometimes in conflict. Approaching these parts with curiosity and compassion paves the way to resilience and growth. IFS offers value tools for everyday life and self-therapy. This discussion is geared toward empowering you to apply these learnings to your own internal challenges, fostering a path to flourishing.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
185: What motivates you to get up in the morning? What motivates you to continue working on a challenging task? Learning how to motivate yourself is essential to true success, but so many people are motivated by a fear of failure, that is, by shame. In this episode, we discuss the relationship between shame and motivation, how to tap into deeper sources of motivation, and how to overcome shame using techniques from Internal Family Systems (IFS). In our next episode, we’ll discuss more in-depth how to apply IFS.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
Negative feedback is a part of life. It’s also essential in helping us identify our biggest opportunities for growth. In this episode, we discuss how to give and receive negative feedback and the role it plays in the social dimension of growth.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
183: Overcoming anxiety occurs in three successive stages. In the third and final installment of a three episode series, we discuss stage three: using adrenaline to achieve maximal growth. Stage one, bronze-work, centers on challenging yourself by engaging triggers head-on, and it has the effect of habituating the fear associated with that particular trigger. Stage two, silver-work, centers on being mindful of the alarm as it’s sounding, and it helps you accept the discomfort associated with triggers in general. Finally, stage three, gold-work, helps you focus on transcendent goals — skills, ideals, and bonds — so that the adrenaline you have brings out your best.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
182: Overcoming anxiety occurs in three successive stages. In the second installment of a three episode series, we discuss stage two: using mindfulness to experience the alarm of anxiety. When you focus on the alarm of anxiety, rather than the trigger only, the learning generalizes to all triggers. It also flips the feeling of fear into one of daring, an eagerness to approach the trigger. This sets the stage for you to use your anxiety and adrenaline to achieve peak performance, which is the topic of next week’s episode.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
181: Overcoming anxiety occurs in three successive stages. In this first installment of a three episode series, we discuss stage one: confronting the trigger of anxiety head-on, embracing the fear. Over time, the trigger will habituate; as you challenge yourself, the fear you experience will gradually diminish. You can then develop a sense of daring, which is the beginning of the second stage, the topic of next week’s episode.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
180: When a child does something wrong, your first instinct may be justice: to punish them. In this episode, we discuss “No-Drama Discipline,” by Daniel Siegal and Tina Bryson, exploring how to discipline children in a way that builds your bond with them and promotes their moral development. By connecting with your child, helping him or her gain insight into what went wrong, and look for ways to repair and reintegrate, discipline becomes a way of actually deepening your bond with them, rather than a source of friction.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
179: Difficult situations can feel intolerable. That intolerable feeling is produced by dynorphins and it makes us want to give up and abandon the difficulty we’re facing, whether it’s exercise, a difficult task, time in the sauna, or some small annoyance. But the more we embrace the dynorphin effect — the intolerable feeling — the more we develop a kind of inner strength. And, paradoxically, we end up unleashing a subsequent wave of endorphins, which cause feelings of wellbeing and improved mood. In this episode, we discuss how to harness this effect to grow in ideals and form deeper bonds.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
178: What do you do when you feel tired? Go back to sleep? Take a nap? Power through? In this episode, we discuss a number of approaches to overcoming tiredness, from tracking your levels of fatigue (not recommended) to changing up your diet. But the ultimate approach draws on all the principles of OptimalWork and will actually help you harness tiredness for increased energy!
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
177: The goal of OptimalWork is to help people challenge themselves according to their highest ideals in each task. In this episode, we dive deeper into this core concept, showing how challenge is the surest path to growth.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
176: Whenever we do something repeatedly, we’ll tend eventually to do it in a rote, automatic way. This even applies to OptimalWork’s core practices: reframing, mindfulness, and challenge. In this episode we show how curiosity can help you overcome this tendency and bring a sense of newness to every challenge you face.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
175: Whether we’re aware of it or not, we’re always broadcasting our own inner experience. By shaping our actions according to our ideals, we forget about ourselves and create a positive tone around us. In this episode, we’ll show you psychological strategies for how to do this.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
174: Mindfulness lies at the heart of OptimalWork’s approach. Living your highest ideals means being fully present, fully engaged with reality. Cultivating this habit is the work of mindfulness. But mindfulness rests on a set of apparent contradictions. Foremost among them is this: while mindfulness involves accepting reality as it is, it is often used as a way of achieving personal or behavioral change. In this episode, we discuss this apparent paradox and others, shedding light on the true nature of mindfulness and how to practice it most effectively.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
173: The two fundamental ways you can relate to challenge are approach and avoidance. Typically, approach leads to a virtuous cycle: the challenge gets easier and more enjoyable over time as you grow in mastery. Avoidance, on the other hand, often leads to a vicious cycle of increasing difficulty and pain. In this episode we further break down approach into three levels — tolerating, accepting, and loving the challenge — to show how to speed up the virtuous cycle and maximize your growth in the process.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
172: Many people think that they and others work best under extreme external pressure: impending deadlines, demanding bosses, etc. In this rebroadcast, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes discuss better ways to achieve intensity.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
171: Have you ever worked with great intensity and lost track of time, only to realize later that it was all a waste? You had fallen for the trap of hyperfocus.In this episode, we’ll distinguish between hyperfocus and true flow, and show you how to always attain the latter.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
170: With rising rates of anxiety and depression, some have suggested that managers be trained to provide “mental-health first aid” to employees in distress. In this episode, we discuss the best ways managers can help employees thrive at work, how to help them grow, and how to balance the need to get results from their teams with the ideal of supporting and mentoring them.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
169: What’s the best way to prevent distractions? Are prevention techniques — like website blockers — effective? In this episode, we discuss different strategies aimed at behavior change. We argue that the source of the most sustainable behavior change is to build self-mastery through right action. By doing this, you’ll be laying the foundations for new predictions by your brain. Over time, it will come along and be no longer a source of friction, but a great help in pursuing meaningful action.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
168: Reframing is a practice that developed from cognitive behavioral therapy. It means discovering the opportunity present within a challenge. If you face a challenge that causes anxiety, distraction, or burnout, reframing can help you approach it more effectively. But reframing can do more. It will also help you harmonize the different parts of your life so everything is working in the same direction: toward your highest ideals.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
167: At the heart of our approach is the practice of a Golden Hour: preparing your mind for a time of work, focusing on one thing, and setting a stop time in advance. Doing a Golden Hour brings the key practices of psychology into your hour of work, so you not only do your best work, but you also practice bringing your highest ideals into your actions, which is the entire goal of OptimalWork. In this episode, we discuss the genesis of the Golden Hour, how to do it well, and some common questions about how to tailor it do different situations.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
166: Shame is the emotion we feel when we fear that our failures or weaknesses will become known. This fear can lead us to pursue certain outcomes as defenses — money, success, prestige, etc. — or to shy away from challenges that will expose us. In this episode, we discuss how to experience and accept shame, and why doing so gives us a profound freedom and unlocks the most meaningful forms of growth.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
165: When people experience cognitive dissonance — that is, a clash between one’s self-concept and reality — they will tend to favor their self-concept, and can rationalize this bias in a process of self-justification. This process can thwart meaningful personal growth. In this episode, we discuss self-justification, how to identify it and how to overcome it — and a clever way to use it to develop deeper bonds.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
164: It’s a widespread belief that when experiencing negative emotions like anger or frustration, it’s helpful to vent them. In fact, this practice is counterproductive. Studies indicate that when people express negative emotions in this way, far from letting them out, they in fact get more of them. This result is confirmed by a consideration of the neuroscience of perception and appraisal. In this episode, we discuss the origin of the theory of catharsis, why it’s wrong, and what to do instead — and what to do if someone is venting to you.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
163: In their 2019 book “The Power of Agency,” Paul Napper and Anthony Rao lay out their theory of growth and happiness, which centers on the concept of “agency.” In this episode, we compare their seven principles with OptimalWork’s approach, and show how ideals are essential to true agency.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
162: Procrastination is something of a mystery. Its costs — decreased quality of work, fraying of bonds with others, increased negative emotions like stress, even health effects — are universally acknowledged. Yet procrastination persists — or, put precisely, people persist in procrastinating. In this episode, we discuss the primary cause of procrastination (a reluctance to experience negative emotions like stress or reluctance), how it leads to a vicious cycle of procrastination, and how to overcome it.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
161: This episode continues our discussion of Alfie Kohn’s “Punished by Rewards.” Kohn believes that a person’s motivation (especially a child’s) starts out pure but gets corrupted by rewards and praise. Here we explore the possibility that intrinsic motivation is actually something that develops over time, and thus behavioralist psychology, rather than destroying intrinsic motivation, in fact opens up a path to it.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
160: In this episode, we explore the radical claims made by Alfie Kohn in his 1993 book Punished by Rewards. Kohn, an expert in education and psychology, argues against the use of rewards to incentivize behavior. For Kohn, such incentives cause people to lose intrinsic motivation: for instance, kids get motivated by grades, not learning; employees get motivated by money, not creativity and service.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
At OptimalWork, we often emphasize generosity as a crowning ideal: a key character quality to strive for. But this raises some questions. Should you just give everything to everyone? What are the limits? What if people start to take advantage of your generosity? In this episode, we discuss how to set boundaries that will help you maximize your generosity by making it sustainable.Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
Conversations can be a source of frustration, but they can also be the source of our deepest and most fulfilling joys. The bonds that we form with others are forged in large part through conversations. In this episode, we’ll talk about the key skill needed to have good conversations.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
Do you have any anxiety that you feel might be holding you back? In fact, anxiety is like a forge that you can use to shape yourself according to your highest ideals. In this episode, we show you how to find the challenge at the root of your anxiety and engage it as a unique opportunity.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
Do you ever find that you don’t have enough time to accomplish all the things you’d like to? Small blocks of time may seem inconsequential, but they add up. Making wise use of these blocks can increase your productivity by 20% — the difference between getting ahead and falling behind. How to do it? That’s the topic of today’s rebroadcast.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
A lot of people have heard about the practices of sleep hygiene, and are using them, but still struggle to achieve sleep. It may seem like sleep is something that either happens effortlessly or not at all. Recent research, however, suggests that falling asleep is a skill that can be learned.
Find more at https://OptimalWork.com
154: The pain you experience from negative emotions is your brain’s way of predicting and preparing you for some kind of avoidant behavior. In this episode, we’ll show you how to most directly change your brain’s predictions and thus attain a new mastery over discomfort.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
153: When you experience anything — tiredness, pain, distractions — you’re engaging not just reality, but also your brain’s predictions. This insight has profound consequences for how you should engage challenges like tiredness, and for the types of beliefs you should have about yourself. In this episode, we discuss how to interpret and respond to your experiences and your brain’s predictions.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
You may have a goal of achieving a high level of performance with no difficulty, no inner turmoil whatsoever. In this rebroadcast, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss approaching challenges in a different way: not aiming for effortless success, but rather for acceptance of difficulty and perseverance — what Dr. Majeres calls aiming for silver, rather than gold.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
More and more people report experiencing “imposter syndrome,” often in new and challenging social or professional situations. They are unable to internalize their own success, attributing it instead to external factors like chance or luck; as a result, they often see themselves as “frauds.” In this rebroadcast, we introduce a solution to imposter syndrome that gives us independence from the validation and judgements of others.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
If you think you waste too much time—for example, on social media, internet, and entertainment—there is likely some part of you that is urging you to do better. In this rebroadcast, we show how to redirect the energy of these different “parts” of you—the one seeking entertainment, and the one criticizing your time wasting—in order to integrate them and achieve inner harmony.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
Are you hypnotized right now? It might surprise you to learn that, in a technical sense, you very well may be. Understanding how trances work, the topic of today’s rebroadcast, will allow you to free your attention from the things that capture it.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
148: We work in order to produce something of value for others. In order to work better, rest is important to restore ourselves and maintain energy. But activities of leisure carry us beyond rest to contemplation, and are done for their own sake. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss the relationship between rest, work, and leisure.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
147: Sometimes it may seem like the outcome is the most important thing you need to obtain: the perfect grade, the well-deserved promotion, or the necessary money. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss the superiority of growth goals and why you should never aim for outcomes as ends in themselves.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
146: Toxic positivity means invalidating the negative emotions of others. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss how to engage negative emotions — in ourselves and others — in a constructive way, by being understanding and encouraging, rather than positively toxic.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
145: Over the past five years, OptimalWork has grown into a unique and powerful digital platform for growth, centered on our MasterClass. In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Majeres discuss the history of our digital platform and recent findings about how effective the MasterClass is in helping people achieve behavior change.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
Do you think you have a bad memory? Do you think summer goes by too fast? It turns out, there’s one solution for both problems. In this rebroadcast, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss strategies that can both improve your memory and enrich your experiences, which can apply to making your summer more fruitful and making it seem longer.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
143: Working with a spirit of service lies at the core of working at your best. But the spirit of service has a doppelgänger: aiming to please people. This often arises from motives of fear (fear of conflict, etc.), whereas service is rooted in love. In this episode, we compare these two motivations, and discuss how to escape the trap of seeking to please others.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
142: Is it possible to sustain a high level of challenge throughout the day? At first, it may seem daunting. But embracing challenge brings growth and with it an increase in energy. The key is to embrace challenges in order to serve, so that challenges are not about improving yourself in isolation, but deepening the bonds with those around you.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
141: When focusing on self-improvement, it is natural to look first at your behaviors and strive for behavior change. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif explore what change on the inside looks like: how you relate to the inner friction produced by “parts” of you, like an inner critic or a harsh taskmaster. They show that behavior change is best built on a foundation of interior transformation.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
One of the consequences of living in threat mode is that you often feel overwhelmed. Your view of yourself and your situation becomes fixed, and you can lose your optimism. In this rebroadcast, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discussed how to regain a sense of possibility and freedom whenever you’re overwhelmed.
139: It is possible to accept in theory that every challenge presents an opportunity, while still in reality viewing the actual challenges you face in a negative light. In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Majeres discuss the need for a robust worldview to be able to reframe any challenge, and how to tap into that worldview to make it more operative.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
138: There is increasing interest in dopamine, a molecule that is closely related to our experience of pleasure, reward, expectation, and motivation. It’s involved in negative processes, like overindulgence and addiction, but it can also be harnessed to set virtuous cycles in motion. Surprisingly, as Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss, the dopamine molecule is involved in the very spiritual processes of living ideals and deepening bonds.
137: Sometimes when people learn about OptimalWork they think the principles apply only to desk work, academic work, or deep work: in a word, work that can be completely controlled. In this episode, Rashad Badr and Dr. Kevin Majeres show how OptimalWork’s principles can be applied to all types of work, focusing especially on meetings you attend, the quintessential example of work that’s “out of your control.”
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
136: In this episode Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss Steven Pressfield’s book “The War of Art.” Pressfield has developed a kind of mythology to describe the psychology of following one’s true calling. You know you’re on the right path if you encounter Resistance. But if you persevere and work through the Resistance your Muse will inspire you to do great things. In this episode, we compare Pressfield’s practical conclusions to the advice we give at OptimalWork.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
135: Cognitive behavioral therapy, positive psychology, and other developments in the field of psychology have put flourishing on the map as a primary goal of psychological growth. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the nature of flourishing, and the surest path to obtaining it.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
If there’s an area in your life where you want to grow, it can be difficult to know how to make progress. In this episode, we discuss how to get started by formulating strategies and steps, that is, by applying prudence to the question of how to grow.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
We’ve often spoken about the importance of maintaining a cheerful tone around us. But sometimes people find that inwardly they are very harsh and demanding with themselves. In this episode, we’ll discuss how to aim for the ideal of cheerfulness, but interiorly: with ourselves, our thoughts, and our emotions.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
132: In this episode, we focus on the ideal of temperance, sketching what it looks like at various levels, and how to grow in it. At all levels, we show how temperance, the ability to act according to your ideals no matter what desires you have, is not a matter of effortful willpower, but can be gained with the simple practice of mindfulness.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
131: Ideals lie at the core of our approach. Indeed, our mission is to help you challenge yourself according to your highest ideals in each hour of work and life. For this, it is necessary to have an image in your mind of what the various ideals look like when lived fully. In this episode, we paint a picture of humility.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
130: In his book “The Confident Mind,” Dr. Nate Zinsser, shares the approach he’s developed as the director of West Point’s Performance Psychology Program and consultant for numerous elite athletes. His insights, which center on the idea of confidence, can be transformative not only for preparing for combat and athletic competitions, but also for approach challenges in everyday life. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss his work, compare it to OptimalWork’s approach, and identify one key idea that would enhance Dr. Zinsser’s analysis.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
129: In the book “Brain Energy,” Dr. Chris Palmer explores the link between metabolism — which includes diet, exercise, environment, lifestyle, and other factors — and mental illness. There is a broad overlap between metabolic disorders and mental illness. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Rashad Badr discuss Dr. Palmer’s work, and compare metabolic approaches and cognitive behavioral approaches in treating mental illness.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
128: When people face psychological challenges, they need to fully feel the difficult emotion in order to rise above it. Similarly, important bonds are greatly strengthened by fully feeling positive emotions — in order to second and intensify them. All people can benefit from the practice of mindfulness of the heart, a form of mindfulness that can be practiced all day long.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
127: Reframing lies at the heart of OptimalWork’s approach. In this episode, Dr Kevin Majeres and Sharif survey some precursors to reframing in the literature and practice of psychology and cognitive behavioral therapy, and what distinguishes reframing from these other approaches.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
You may think that anxiety is an inherent trait, something that cannot be changed, only managed. In fact, it’s a state of training — of a small region of your brain called the amygdala. In this rebroadcast, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the definite steps you can take, not just to overcome it, but actually to transform it into your best performance.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
In this rebroadcast, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the importance of rising early to meet the challenges of the day head-on. They present an email from someone who uses OptimalWork asking for advice: whether she should adjust her schedule to be much earlier to accommodate a morning workout. They apply OptimalWork’s approach to this question and examine the results it yielded.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
The New Year provides a unique opportunity for a fresh start. To make the most of this opportunity, approach your resolutions with hope and creativity: hope so that you strive for the highest things (ideals, bonds) and creativity so that you can strategize how to achieve them. In this rebroadcast, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes discuss a broad array of questions related to New Year’s resolutions.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
In this rebroadcast, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the nature of service. Working with a spirit of service means shaping yourself so that you’re the kind of person who is ready to give cheerfully to all those around you. Although this requires that the work you’re doing be helpful, the essence lies more in the way you do it: with a willingness to form and prioritize bonds with those closest to you.
122: The classic example of a courageous person is one who can approach the possibility of death in battle. But this case has little to do with work in the modern world. Is courage, then, irrelevant? In this episode, we discuss what courage means in a modern work context and why it is not just relevant, but essential for thriving.
121: As you start to develop a new habit, you may meet internal resistance. Far from being a sign that you’re failing to build a virtuous cycle, facing internal resistance is actually a sign that you’re on the verge of real progress. Resistance is necessary in order to build true and lasting momentum and connect your new habits to deeper and more meaningful motives.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
120: Whenever we do something repeatedly, we’ll tend eventually to do it in a rote, automatic way. This even applies to OptimalWork’s core practices: reframing, mindfulness, and challenge. In this episode we show how curiosity can help you overcome this tendency and bring a sense of newness to every challenge you face.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
119: This episode is a deep dive into the relationship between Internal Family Systems (IFS), a growing method of psychotherapy, and OptimalWork. We can view friction in life as different parts of us locked in conflict, ultimately seeking to avoid a painful emotion. Through work — and the practice of reframing, mindfulness, and challenge — we can learn to redirect the energy that powers these parts to work for us.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
118: If you think you waste too much time—for example, on social media, internet, and entertainment—there is likely some part of you that is urging you to do better. In this episode, we show how to redirect the energy of these different “parts” of you—the one seeking entertainment, and the one criticizing your time wasting—in order to integrate them and achieve inner harmony.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
117: What is the appropriate attitude toward your career? At one extreme, some treat it as merely a way of getting a paycheck. At the other, some place all hopes for fulfillment in life in their career. In this episode, we discuss how to approach your career in a way that brings out the best in you, but doesn’t make an idol of success.
We want to give credit to Terry Trespicio, whose excellent Ted Talk "Stop searching for your passion" was the source of a number of ideas discussed in this episode. You can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MBaFL7sCb8&ab_channel=TEDxTalks.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
116: In the world of work, many counsel that you should build on your strengths and depend on others to shore up your weaknesses. Is this prudent advice, or just another version of fixed mindset? In this episode, we discuss the evaluation of strengths and weaknesses, and what practical conclusions to draw from this type of analysis.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
115: In this episode, we discuss how scary movies can give you all the practice you need in accepting anxiety. Watching scary movies may be the easiest way to learn to turn fear into excitement and enjoyment.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
114: Last episode, we discussed the framework of givers and takers developed by Adam Grant. Surprisingly, givers tend to cluster at the bottom and the top of organizations, while takers occupy the middle. In this episode, we discuss how to be a successful giver: through flexibility and bringing out the best in others. A successful giver helps those around him or her become givers too.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
113: We often emphasize generosity as a crowning ideal: a key character quality to strive for. But this raises some questions. Should you just give everything to everyone? What are the limits? What if people start to take advantage of your generosity? In this episode, we discuss how to set boundaries that will help you maximize your generosity by making it sustainable.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
112: Optimism is a belief that things will improve in the future. Sometimes it doesn’t always seem that way. As we struggle to improve, we may get discouraged and think that things will always be difficult. However, the science of habits and habituation teaches us that as we challenge ourselves, things do in fact get easier and more enjoyable as our body adjusts to the new behaviors.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
111: You may have a goal of achieving a high level of performance with no difficulty, no inner turmoil whatsoever. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss approaching challenges in a different way: not aiming for effortless success, but rather for acceptance of difficulty and perseverance — what Dr. Majeres calls aiming for silver, rather than gold.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
110: Many people think that they and others work best under extreme external pressure: impending deadlines, demanding bosses, etc. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes discuss better ways to achieve intensity.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
109: Is self-love always selfish? In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Rashad Badr discuss why true self-love is actually a necessary step for being able to love others.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
108: Join Dr. Kevin Majeres and Rashad Badr for a discussion on narcissism, an attachment to one's self-image, and how to attain true self-knowledge through humility.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
Do you think you have a bad memory? Do you think summer goes by too fast? It turns out, there’s one solution for both problems. In this episode, we discuss strategies that can both improve your memory and enrich your experiences, which can apply to making your summer more fruitful and making it seem longer.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
106: Do you have any anxiety that you feel might be holding you back? In fact, anxiety is like a forge that you can use to shape yourself according to your highest ideals. In this episode, we show you how to find the challenge at the root of your anxiety and engage it as a unique opportunity.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
105: Have you ever worked with great intensity and lost track of time, only to realize later that it was all a waste? You had fallen for the trap of hyperfocus. In this episode, we’ll distinguish between hyperfocus and true flow, and show you how to always attain the latter.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
104: Does mindfulness present a paradox between self-referential thoughts and the ability to focus intensely on our work? Does mindfulness lead us to be overly focused on ourselves or lead us to forget ourselves? Can it help us to deal with a frenetic workplace? The answer to this seeming paradox and these questions gives a clear insight into OptimalWork’s theory and measure of growth.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
103: Do you ever find that you don’t have enough time to accomplish all the things you’d like to? Small blocks of time may seem inconsequential, but they add up. Making wise use of these blocks can increase your productivity by 20% — the difference between getting ahead and falling behind. How to do it? That’s the topic of today’s episode.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
102: Negative feedback is a part of life. It’s also essential in helping us identify our biggest opportunities for growth. In this episode, we discuss how to give and receive negative feedback and the role it plays in the social dimension of growth.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
101: Reframing means seeing the opportunity in any challenge. But is that always a good thing? Is it possible that reframing could make us more likely to put up with bad situations? In this episode we’ll address this possible objection to reframing.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
100: You may think that memory is a fixed trait: sure, some people may have a great memory, but yours is not so good. Well, the great masters of learning didn’t rely on natural talent — they all used strategies and techniques to memorize important texts, ideas, and arguments. In this episode, we discuss how they did it, so that you can learn to as well.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
99: We often put off big challenges — a large project, a different career path, a new hobby, etc. — because we don’t know how precisely to get started. Well, there’s a virtue for that! Study: the keen application of your mind to its proper object. In this episode, we discuss how to fruitfully engage challenges — new and old — with study.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
98: Is competition a good motivating force? Why are some people more competitive than others? Is being competitive a virtue or a vice, and can it be compatible with living a life of high ideals? These questions and more in today’s episode.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
97: When facing a conflict with someone close to us, our instinctive reaction can be one of rigidity, a desire to achieve a particular outcome, or even to fight. When this happens, our approach will harm the bond. In this episode, we show how to approach conflict with creativity, flexibility, and understanding, so that the source of the conflict can be an occasion for deepening the bond.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
96: More and more people report experiencing “imposter syndrome,” often in new and challenging social or professional situations. They are unable to internalize their own success, attributing it instead to external factors like chance or luck; as a result, they often see themselves as “frauds.” In this episode, we introduce a solution to imposter syndrome that gives us independence from the validation and judgements of others.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
95: If you’re often frustrated, you may think you need more of the opposite: more satisfaction. In this episode, we discuss how frustration is actually related to failed strategies. Each experience of frustration then points out an opportunity to employ better strategies and pursue more meaningful goals.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
94: If there’s an area in your life where you want to grow, it can be difficult to know how to make progress. In this episode, we discuss how to get started by formulating strategies and steps, that is, by applying prudence to the question of how to grow.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
93: Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, recently released a video called, “A Micro Lesson on Reframing Stress and Anxiety” (https://youtu.be/L77bItYsT0c). In this episode, we’ll discuss some of his proposed methods of reframing, comparing his common-sense approach to reframing to ours.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
92: We’ve often spoken about the importance of maintaining a cheerful tone around us. But sometimes people find that inwardly they are very harsh and demanding with themselves. In this episode, we’ll discuss how to aim for the ideal of cheerfulness, but interiorly: with ourselves, our thoughts, and our emotions.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
91: A lot of people have heard about the practices of sleep hygiene, and are using them, but still struggle to achieve sleep. It may seem like sleep is something that either happens effortlessly or not at all. Recent research, however, suggests that falling asleep is a skill that can be learned.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
90: Do you ever find yourself working with low intensity, without a clear purpose? If so, the solution may be the introduction of deadlines throughout your day. Deadlines will dramatically boost every aspect of your work, and they can even improve your sleep!
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
89: Are you new to OptimalWork? Have you started listening to the Golden Hour in the last year? Join us as we go back to the basics in this episode and discuss OptimalWork’s history, it’s mission, and how we help people get started on a path to self-mastery.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
88: Have you ever wondered whether you would be able to sustain a new habit over a long period of time? Have you ever felt an initial peak of optimism give way to a valley of despair? Join us as we discuss why this happens to some people, how this relates to a concept called psychological flexibility, and how to stay grounded during challenging times.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
87: The goal of OptimalWork is to help people challenge themselves according to their highest ideals in each task. In this episode, we dive deeper into this core concept, showing how challenge is the surest path to growth.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
86: Whether we’re aware of it or not, we’re always broadcasting our own inner experience. By shaping our actions according to our ideals, we forget about ourselves and create a positive tone around us. In this episode, we’ll show you psychological strategies for how to do this.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
85: One of the least-discussed emotions may be the most powerful in bringing about well-being. When was the last time you were filled with awe? People may think of awe as a nice-to-have emotion, but not needed for living a good life. Recent research, however, suggests that awe may be essential to true thriving.
84: We live in a society where, more and more, people are managing themselves: making decisions about what projects they’ll take on and how they will prioritize and spend their time. Essentialism is a book and a philosophy about how to thrive in this challenge — and it’s the topic of today’s episode.
Find more at https://www.OptimalWork.com.
83: Is it true that there are some jobs that are incompatible with being mindful? Is it possible that a person can practice mindfulness, only to discover it does not work for them? In this episode, we’ll show how mindfulness can be profitably practiced anywhere, by any one.
82: What, if anything, does OptimalWork have to say about reflecting on the past? How can we use gratitude to help us make sense of our lives and deepen our bonds with others? Join us as we discuss these and other questions.
81: On November 1, 2021, the founder of cognitive therapy, Dr. Aaron T. Beck, passed away. Dr. Kevin Majeres trained with Dr. Beck and reflects on his significance, both for the field of psychology and for his own work.
80: Could there be a link between ego depletion and the increase of depression in modern times? We think there could be. But it’s not ego depletion itself; rather, it’s the theory of ego depletion that may be causing it. In this episode, we discuss what ego depletion is thought to be, and why implicit belief in it does more harm than good.
79: One of the consequences of living in threat mode is that you often feel overwhelmed. Your view of yourself and your situation becomes fixed, and you can lose your optimism. In this episode, we’ll show you how to regain a sense of possibility and freedom whenever you’re overwhelmed.
78: Atomic Habits by James Clear is a recent best-seller that covers a lot of the same topics as OptimalWork. In this episode, we summarize its approach and theory and identify areas of common ground, as well as some shortcomings of the Atomic Habits approach. This helps to clarify how transformative OptimalWork’s approach really is.
77: If you’re struggling to form better habits, we have two simple practices that will help you shape your own behavior. To understand these, we first dive into some new developments in the neuroscience of self-control.
76: Having routines can help us make desirable behaviors second nature. But routine is a double-edged sword. By making behaviors automatic, routine can deplete them of meaning. Routine — the good, the bad, and the ugly — is the topic of today’s episode.
75: Have you ever struggled with negative self-talk? Visualization can be a powerful tool in approaching your inner critic. Join us as we discuss how the use of imagery can turn OptimalWork’s theory of growth into a practical strategy for achieving psychological balance.
74: Conversations can be a source of frustration, but they can also be the source of our deepest and most fulfilling joys. The bonds that we form with others are forged in large part through conversations. In this episode, we’ll talk about the key skill needed to have good conversations.
73: If we want to focus more intensely on something, it could be easy to think we just have to try harder. But recent advances in neuroscience give us two alternate approaches, which we’ll be discussing in today’s episode.
72: One of the most frequent reasons for people to see their doctor is to treat fatigue or brain fog. In this episode, we look into the causes of brain fog and the potential solutions.
71: Maslow proposed his famous Hierarchy of Needs in 1943, and it remains a foundational idea in psychology. In this episode, we explore the deep consistency between Maslow’s understanding and OptimalWork’s approach, discussing reframing, mindfulness, challenge, and Maslow’s paradoxically selfless understanding of self-actualization.
70: Cultivating a spirit of service lies at the heart of OptimalWork’s approach to work. Striving for a spirit of service ultimately means changing not just what we do and how we do things, but also why we do them. But how do we really assess and change something as intangible as the why behind what we do? This is the starting point for today’s discussion.
69: What makes OptimalWork different from other productivity systems? What makes the Golden Hour different from any other period of focused work? And what is the difference between OptimalWork and Dr. Cal Newport’s highly popular Deep Work? These questions and more in today’s episode.
68: We’ve often spoken about the importance of reframing challenges according to ideals. Inspired by questions, we’ve decided to revisit this topic, discussing ideals, what they are exactly, where they come from, and how to live them out in your life.
67: Reading is the best example of a skill that we use on a daily basis, and that much depends on, and yet we seldom think of practicing or improving. We’ll discuss how reading fits into OptimalWork’s approach, how to improve at both your speed and comprehension, and, yes, how to read sixty books per year.
66: Are you hypnotized right now? It might surprise you to learn that, in a technical sense, you very well may be. Understanding how trances work, the topic of today’s episode, will allow you to free your attention from the things that capture it.
65: Do you think you need a deadline imposed on you in order to get focused and motivated? Ultimately this can mean letting emotions drive your behavior. The better path is to act according to ideals, which leads to you shaping your emotions over time.
64: What is emotional intelligence? Can OptimalWork help in developing emotional intelligence? And what is the relationship between working at our best and developing a greater sensitivity for others? These questions and more in today's episode.
63: Feeling uncertain can paralyze us. In those moments, we might seek reassurance from ourselves or others. In this episode, we discuss why you shouldn’t just seek certainty, and how these challenges provide the best opportunities for adventure and growth.
62: How do you help others grow? How do you know when it’s the right time to help them grow? What’s the best way to pursue those conversations? This episode pursues these questions and others, so that you can thrive in any role in which others depend on you.
61: Is the world divided between good sleepers and bad ones? Do poor sleepers simply have to be content with not sleeping well? In this episode, we’ll discuss the skills and ideals that can help you master sleep.
60: Is personality something you can develop by working on it? What would it look like to grow your personality? In this episode, we’ll apply our theory of growth to this very tricky topic.
59: We’ve all experienced times when we’re hungry and cranky and have a hard time focusing. But surprisingly, it doesn’t have to be that way. It can do the exact opposite. When you deliberately bring on hunger through fasting, your attention and cognition are supercharged.
58: Just a few years ago, the CDC reported that 13% of Americans had taken anti-depressants in the last month. In this episode, we discuss the promises and pitfalls of these medications, and their relationship with OptimalWork’s approach of changing behaviors.
57: How do you go about pursuing high ideals and forging relationships? You might immediately think of action, but also important is rest. In this episode, we look at the science of rest, showing how to rest well, so you can work more effectively and for higher ideals, stay energized, and forge deeper bonds with others.
56: Stress is ubiquitous in these times, but it’s hard to know how to deal with it. Worrying is one response, but it can actually increase stress. So, what is stress, what causes it, and what can you do about it?
55: Flow is something everyone experiences occasionally. Time flies by, you’re totally engaged, with no distractions at all. Is it possible to achieve it at will? Is it even good to aim for that? In this episode, we discuss the most helpful ways to think about flow.
54: High stakes situations provide a unique challenge to the practice of reframing. How do we reframe failure, if we think that failure is not an option?This challenge gets to the heart of what reframing is, and how to do it.
53: You might experience email as your worst nightmare — constantly interrupted, overwhelmed, unproductive. We’ll show you how to flip this around completely. We discuss strategies for managing your inbox and, more importantly, for crafting emails to make others’ lives easier. Improving the way you compose emails is a perfect opportunity to bring a spirit of service into your work.
52: You might think that love and work have nothing to do with one another. In fact, work has a lot to learn from love, and love from work. In this episode, we explore the similarities between good work and love; how love can provide light and purpose to work; and how to “work” love to prevent it from growing cold.
51: As you’re trying to develop new and better habits, there are some common obstacles you may run into — they might lead you to give up just when you’re on the cusp of great progress. In this episode, we discuss the most common reason people give up on new habits, and how to overcome it.
50: Do you agonize over what to order at restaurants? Or struggle to make decisions that align with your highest ideals? The key to making a good decision is learning how to put your decision in the right context.
49: You may think that anxiety is an inherent trait, something that cannot be changed, only managed. In fact, it’s a state of training — of a small region of your brain called the amygdala — and there are definite steps you can take, not just to overcome it, but actually to transform it into your best performance.
48: What one practice can increase your energy and mental clarity, stop you from snoring, fix bad breath, and much much more? Transforming how you breathe has many surprising benefits. We discuss the best way to breathe, how to make the change, as well as some difficulties you might encounter along the way.
47: You may think that the challenges in your life are there to stay, and all you can do is manage them or cope. When the challenges get bigger, you may feel overwhelmed by them. This episode covers the essence of OptimalWork, which is to take the challenging situation you are facing, and flip it to make the challenge happen within you. Instead of being challenged, you are then challenging yourself — and you’ll immediately experience new energy. The challenge you face is giving you a workout for your ideals. There are no limits to the growth you can realize by actively challenging yourself according to your highest ideals.
46: Many people dream of being “confident” someday. When that day comes, they would have total certainty that they could attain any outcome they seek, without any anxiety at all. While it’s understandable that people want to work without uncertainty, this episode shows how “confidence” could actually mean that you are living on a plateau. Far better to aim instead for growth and your best performance and let confidence (or lack thereof) become simply irrelevant.
45: You may think that your intelligence is fixed for your whole life. You may even think that this level is determined by an IQ test you took in the past. Happily, neither is true. There are definite practices you can start that will improve your ability to think — they will raise your IQ.
44: When it comes to planning your day, there are two extremes: having no schedule at all, or having a rigid and constraining schedule. It is common to fall into one of these extremes, or perhaps go back-and-forth between them. Yet the most sustainable way of scheduling, the one that yields the tranquility of order, involves a personalized balance of non-negotiables and flexible work times. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss how to get your schedule to work for you.
43: Our brains naturally strive to maintain a predictable status quo. The upside of this is that we conserve energy and form habits. At the same time, it can lead to plateaus — in our skills, personal growth, and relationships. It can even cause our dealings with others to become rote, and we developed a fixed and superficial perception of those around us. Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes turn to the work of renowned neuroscientist Karl Friston to understand better the importance of challenging this status quo.
42: If you’re aiming to work at your best, constantly operating at 100%, won't you quickly become exhausted? In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes discuss how to make intense workdays sustainable by introducing periods of intense rest. Intense rest not only helps you recover from work, it also helps you consolidate the learning and growth you attain while working.
41: If someone around you has some defect that annoys you, it can cause a kind of obsession that develops into a critical attitude towards the very person. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes discuss how this annoyance develops, what it means for the relationship, and what to do about it.
40: The New Year provides a unique opportunity for a fresh start. To make the most of this opportunity, approach your resolutions with hope and creativity: hope so that you strive for the highest things (ideals, bonds) and creativity so that you can strategize how to achieve them. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes discuss a broad array of questions related to New Year’s resolutions.
39: The more you find yourself complaining or dreading, the more you’ll benefit from reframing, the skill that is most essential to OptimalWork. In this episode, Dr. Kevin and Sharif take several examples of difficult situations, pointing out possible reframes and, in the process, shedding light on the different ways to find meaning in the challenges you face.
38: In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss some questions received by email about service. Working with a spirit of service means shaping yourself so that you’re the kind of person who is ready to give cheerfully to all those around you. Although this requires that the actual work you’re doing is helpful, the essence lies instead in the way you do it: with a willingness to form and prioritize bonds with those closest to you.
37: In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss how to approach your repeating tasks in a new and better way. It comes down to three steps. First, identifying a goal to aim for, either in your way of working or what you will accomplish. Second, crafting a strategy to achieve this goal. And, finally, laying out the steps according to the strategy. You can use these steps whenever you are seeking to improve your work or change well-established habits.
36: In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the importance of rising early to meet the challenges of the day head-on. They present an email from someone who uses OptimalWork asking for advice: whether she should adjust her schedule to be much earlier to accommodate a morning workout. They apply OptimalWork’s approach to this question and examine the results it yielded.
35: In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the question of worrying. Worrying is when you have some bad outcome that you continually think about how to avoid. It is one of the top reasons people get stressed out, experience burnout, and feel fatigue. Dr. Majeres helps clarify the precise nature of worrying, as well as steps to take to overcome it.
34: In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the “cloud of unknowing.” Whenever you are on the edge of your understanding, you will experience a kind of cloud, in which the way forward is unclear. This cloud can be daunting, and you may try to leave it for a safer path — but in fact it is a condition for innovation. Dr. Majeres gives advice on how to advance through the cloud toward discovery.
33: In this episode Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the differences between applying OptimalWork at home versus a more controlled work environment like an office or library. Certainly, it may be easier to perform an uninterrupted Golden Hour in a more controlled environment. Nevertheless, since OptimalWork is all about learning how to work for the highest motives, namely, for the sake of the bonds with those closest to you, in important ways our approach really applies most easily to working at home.
32: Perfectionism is a commonly-used label, but it's often not clear what it means. In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the issue of perfectionism, its causes, signs, and effects. And they show how OptimalWork's approach is the perfect antidote.
31: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres dive further into the concept of “theta locking,” a pattern of brain activity that occurs when we recollect our attention. What it shows is that mindfulness is not a fixed trait, but a kind of muscle that we can develop through practice. Our ability to sustain our attention is something that can be directly practiced in every time of meditation. Such practice leads to the greatest sustained intensity of our attention in work.
30: In this episode Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the phenomenon of mindfulness and how you can use it to strengthen your attention. There are three key skills of attention that are developed through these exercises: monitoring your thoughts, disengaging from distractions, and redirecting your attention to the task at hand. When we deliberately train, through both physical exercise and attention exercises, we improve the "hardware" of our brain, so that it can perform better.
29: Procrastination always involves a double-deception. First, you get deceived by the thought of all the effort the task will take, as if that is what you face when starting the task. Next, you deceive yourself by putting it off, even though you know it’s better to get started. In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres take a deeper look at the underlying causes of procrastination. Understanding the cause reveals the path to overcoming procrastination.
28: If you’re trying to build a new habit but get frustrated by failure, you might think you need more discipline, more willpower. In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the real source of constancy in struggle and growth: sincerity. Sincerity about your motives leads to a willingness to sacrifice particular satisfactions or outcomes in the pursuit of ideals. It thus provides the sure foundation for growth and change.
27: You may have wondered how to apply OptimalWork's principles to "passive" activities like attending class or meetings. This week, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discussed how to actively challenge yourself in these situations, in particular, by doing a "post-pre flip" to completely change how you prepare for them.
26: In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss the common, but avoidable, tiredness that often hits after lunch. It can lead to discomfort, decreased productivity, and longer work-days. Dr. Majeres outlines some key principles for engaging the afternoon slump as an opportunity for growth.
25: We’ve often discussed anxiety: it develops over time as you train your amygdala to perceive certain challenges as threats to be fled. Anger is the flip side of anxiety, when you train your brain to perceive challenges as threats to be fought. In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Majeres discuss how to shape your response to anger. Since it frequently occurs in the context of close relationships, we can discover in anger an opportunity to grow closer.
24: Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss an approach to sleep developed by Dr. Guy Meadows, as found in his book, The Sleep Book, and an app he has called Sleep School for Insomnia. The approach, which is centered around the idea of acceptance, mirrors OptimalWork's approach to any challenge: essentially, applying reframing, mindfulness, and challenge to sleep. We cover the theory and practice of this approach so that you too can master sleep — and use the principles to master anything else!
Note: In the conversation, the app was referred to as The Sleep App for Insomnia, but is actually Sleep School for Insomnia.
23: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the neurological phenomenon of thalamic gating: the way your brain selectively filters sensations based on what you act on. By changing your behavior — for example, your response to pain or fears — you can train your brain to simply stop noticing these triggers. The key conclusion is that being willing to suffer in the end reduces suffering. This episode presents the neuroscience to support this claim.
22: This week we discuss the nature of addiction, that is, repeatedly giving into a craving in which the costs outweigh the benefits. Addiction comes in many varieties. One mild example discussed is frequently giving in to distractions in work. The pattern of how addictions form is generally the same, and they are likewise broken by following the three steps of the Golden Hour, reframing, mindfulness, and challenge.
21: A major new study in the American Journal of Psychiatry highlights three behavioral factors that substantially affect the likelihood of depression. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the study, as well as depression in general, and connect it to OptimalWork's approach.
20: The practice of mindfulness is becoming more and more popular, but it can be difficult to understand what it really is, and what effects it has. In this session, we discuss the practice of mindfulness, distinguishing different types of mindfulness, and explaining how certain practices can help you to work at your best, by training your attention through the deliberate effort to attain silence.
19: Exercise has a tremendous power to transform your brain. Surprisingly, exercise has been shown to be one of the most effective treatments for depression. In this video, we discuss why this is the case, and why exercise offers unique benefits for everyone, from shaping the way you approach challenges to the way your brain functions.
18: Embracing challenges starts with your judgements about them. If you’re stuck seeing challenges as threats, you need reframing. Rather than avoiding challenges, or forcing yourself to get them over with, reframing means recognizing each challenge as an opportunity for growth or service, by placing it in its true context of your whole life. Reframing is not just a mental trick — it causes an identifiable change in your brain. Among other things, this episode covers why it’s important and how to do it — with a thorough example.
17: How motivated are you to tackle the challenges of the day? For many, motivation comes and goes, which means it’s not really under your control and, more importantly, it’s not really coming from you. You get motivated by things, rather than you motivating yourself to do what’s best. Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss what motivation really is, what the only true stable source of motivation is, and how to cultivate it so you can always feel motivated to give your best.
16: In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss motives and priorities. It's common to see outcomes — like getting into the best school, securing a well-paying job, etc. — as ends in themselves. This approach has major costs: if you don't achieve the outcome, you get frustrated and double down on your outcome-focus; if you do, it just leads to you raise the bar and pursue an "even better" outcome. The alternative is to treat outcomes as means, not ends in themselves. They are a way to help you stretch yourself and ensure that you're serving others. You can tell you're being controlled by a desired outcome if you often sacrifice things — like relationships — that should actually be served by the outcomes you pursue.
This discussion was inspired by the following question: "If you posit that there’s a lot of service in most careers and that you can do them with love and that you can learn to focus and flow in most of them, then why choose one over another if it’s not for the increased paycheck, prestige, etc.?"
15: In this episode Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the nature and cause of anxiety. Understanding how anxiety works and what it really is — which is quite simple — can help you transform your approach to it. Crucially, as Dr. Majeres explains, anxiety is not a disorder or something to be avoided. Anxiety can be transformed into your best performance by following three steps: reframing, mindfulness, and engaging the challenge. You can follow these three steps before a time of work, turning it into a Golden Hour of focus and training yourself to embrace anxiety and use it to your advantage.
14: Last week, we discussed the left-brain/right-brain paradigm as it bears on work, and this week we are building off the discussion to address motives. Psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist re-popularized this paradigm in his 2009 book The Master and His Emissary, grounding it in neuroscience and using it to explain aspects of psychology, society, and culture (in contrast to previous pseudo-scientific versions of the theory). The approach has profound implications for understanding what motivates your actions — fear or love?
13: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes discuss the different roles of the two hemispheres of the brain ("left brain" and "right brain"). Psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist re-popularized this paradigm in his 2009 book The Master and His Emissary, grounding it in neuroscience and using it to explain aspects of psychology, society, and culture (in contrast to previous pseudo-scientific versions of the theory). The approach has profound implications for understanding how to work at your best — with creativity and motives of service.
12: This week we used the feeling of frustration as our starting point. In the course of the discussion, we also talked about self-labeling (what we call "schemas"); the true nature of success and failure; and the benefits of focusing on process rather than outcome. This episode gets to the heart of OptimalWork's approach. Schemas are contrasted with ideals: schemas result from and lead to motives of fear, whereas ideals, especially service, offer motives of love. When we act independently of the schemas we (implicitly) have, we become free to learn, practice, grow, and serve.
11: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the default mode network, a network of brain regions that have profound implications for the way we work and live. The default mode is involved when you get distracted, but it can also be trained to help you focus better.
10: Mastery is one of the central concepts of OptimalWork. It means doing work well, and is cultivated through the development and practice of strategies. The projects and templates tools on www.OptimalWork.com are meant to help you make good strategies, and refine them over time.
Some of the questions we discussed in this video are:
- What is mastery?
- How can you grow in mastery?
- What's the role of mentoring and collaboration in growing in mastery?
- What's the relationship between strategies and mastery?
9: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes discuss the Golden Hour, the central method behind OptimalWork. A Golden Hour is like exercise for your work, when you deliberately practice working at your best by preparing for your work with three steps: reframing, mindfulness, and challenge. The Golden Hour can be practiced at www.optimalwork.com! Some of the questions we discussed are:
- What is a Golden Hour and how do you do one?
- Why did we develop the idea of the Golden Hour? What's its origin and purpose?
- Will the Golden Hour help me find meaning and purpose in my work? (Hint: yes!)
8: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes discuss the Inventory, one of the primary tools of OptimalWork. The Inventory is a 24-item questionnaire, a unique measure of how much you're embracing challenge and growing right now. Some of the questions we discussed in this video are:
- What's wrong with the idea of temperament and personality tests?
- What is the Inventory and what's unique about it?
- How does it differ from other personality tests?
- How did the Inventory develop?
- What does my Inventory score mean?
- What's the best way to use the Inventory?
7: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss how to "materialize your ideals," that is, how to bring them to life: into reality, into your actions. The key to this is the practice of order, intensity, and constancy: three ideals that you can perfect in each hour of work, and that ultimately shape your practice of any other ideal. An example we discuss in the video is kindness. How can you bring kindness to life? First order: think about how you're going to practice it, what situations; get a good picture of what it will look like. Then intensity: apply yourself in a particular situation with your whole attention. Then constancy: challenge yourself over the course of, say, a conversation to look for more opportunities to practice kindness. This is key to understanding a saying we like to repeat: the way you work is the way you live.
6: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss how to get traction from distraction. Kevin explains our unique theory of distractions, and draws out the practical conclusions: how to prevent them, and, if they do come, how to find the opportunity for shaping yourself and practicing ideals.
Some other topics that came up:
- What to do if you wake up before your alarm goes off.
- Good use of technology/phones
5: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss how to gain victory over tiredness - in the context of afternoon tiredness, naps, and missed sleep. The discussion was mainly inspired by the following questions:
- If every time I feel tired I jump on the treadmill will that amplify the feeling of tiredness because I am acting on it?
- Can you address the advisability of the short afternoon nap?
- How do we get back on track of our sleeping schedule, once we had left it?
Dr. Kevin Majeres, co-founder of OptimalWork, gives the 11 best reasons to jump out of bed the moment your alarm first sounds. This practice is one of the keys to personal transformation and growth (along with a daily Golden Hour).
4: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss the "illusion of simultaneity" and how to get effective sleep. The discussion was mainly inspired by the following comment: One question that I have for you, is how can I begin to regulate and improve sleep hygiene? In this time of quarantine, because there aren't specific deadlines at my job, I have the luxury (if you can call it that) to sleep in and fall asleep late.
3: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss what to do when you feel overwhelmed, how to make a schedule, and how to prioritize.
The discussion was mainly inspired by the following question: The question I have is about decision paralysis/decision fatigue. I have been overwhelmed by all the projects I could do, and in the choosing, I usually fatigue out and then proceed to watch Netflix. How can I overcome decision paralysis?
2: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss how to aim for ideals in difficult relationships, and how to respond to negative emotions. The discussion was mainly inspired by the following comment: I am on quarantine. Three of the people I live with are insufferable characters. They hijack conversations, aggressively contradict people who are just sharing information (not even opinions) and needlessly complain. I'm not anxious of getting covid-19. That virus cannot hold a candle to the virulence of my housemates.
1: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss how to develop resilience in this new work environment.
Here are the questions we answered:
- How can I ensure that I will persevere in good work habits for weeks or even months?
- How should we maintain a distinction between work and family life? (E.g., thinking about work during family time; getting distracted with family when I should be working.)
- How do I choose what to do to stay productive, given that I have few serious responsibilities?