A Bit of Optimism

Teammateship with NBA champion Shane Battier

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

High-performing teams require more than just a leader. Great teams come from great teammates.  Shane Battier won't be in the NBA Hall of Fame, but he...

The Future of Leadership with educator Elizabeth English

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When we want wisdom, we turn to people older than us. But there is a lot to be learned from younger generations too.Elizabeth English knows this. She’...

Remember Love with the poet Cleo Wade

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We are told from a young age to pursue love—romantic love, self-love, divine love. But how do you actually define love? And once you do, how do you ...

Purpose over Profit with Thrive Causemetics CEO Karissa Bodnar

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you run a thriving company that cares more about impact than about profit and margins?Karissa Bodnar is a genius CEO who dedicated herself to b...

Beautiful Conflict with the poet Yung Pueblo

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How are you? It’s a question we get asked everyday, but we hardly ever answer it honestly.  When Diego Perez — also known under his penname, Yung...

Power with author Robert Greene

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do people become powerful? Can understanding power protect us from those who wield it too strongly?When Robert Greene first set out to write about...

Failing Well with professor of leadership Dr. Amy Edmondson

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Failure is the secret to success. Our failures are agents of inspiration, iteration, and innovation.  Dr. Amy Edmondson is the Professor of Leadershi...

Happier-ness with author Arthur Brooks

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You’ll never achieve perfect happiness. This might sound like bad news, but it’s actually a good thing. Because being happy is not a final destina...

Intuition vs. Reason with poker champion Liv Boeree

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When should we trust our gut and when should we depend on logic? Liv Boeree can actually answer that question.  She won the World Series of Poker be...

When to Quit with Steven Bartlett (Part 2)

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When should you quit a project and when should you persevere?As one of the world’s leading entrepreneurs, Steven Bartlett has thought deeply about t...

Sweating the Small Stuff with Steven Bartlett (Part 1)

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How you do anything is how you do everything.Steven Bartlett embodies this old adage.  His high standards and focus on the finest details launched hi...

Community and Empowerment with Sharmadean Reid

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Great businesses often look a lot like social movements.  Sharmadean Reid knows this from experience—she has combined technology and culture to cre...

The Book of Charlie with David Von Drehle

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to live a long and happy life?  David Von Drehle has spent 40 years covering big stories and important figures as an award-winning ...

Leadership with General CQ Brown, Jr.

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this 4th of July, I wanted to do something special to celebrate the birth of our nation. So I invited Air Force Chief of Staff General CQ Brown, J...

Preparing for Change with Cassandra Worthy

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Change is inevitable.  And yet fear, anger, and confusion are often our first reactions to changes. Cassandra Worthy experienced the negative emotio...

Trust with Jimmy Wales

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Information is power. But how do we adapt now that most of the information we consume comes with a heavy bias? In an ironic twist of fate, it’s Wik...

Life Worth Living with Miroslav Volf

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean for a life to go well? What matters most in our time on Earth? These are the most important questions of our lives and yet most of ...

Determination with Steven Pressfield

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Creative success is notoriously elusive, but those who have made the journey insist it comes down to three factors: hard work, luck, and talent. Stev...

Rewarding Kindness with Jimmy Darts

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On the path to fame, most rising stars abandon their morals.Not Jimmy Darts. He’s done just the opposite.  Jimmy started his career as a YouTuber p...

Love Without Judgment with Ana Kirova

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dating doesn’t have to be about finding “The One.”  At its most rewarding, modern love can be about growth, curiosity, and authenticity.  Ana...

The Soul of an Idea with David Copperfield

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“Soul” is a word that I've never really used, but it perfectly encapsulates what has made David Copperfield the most successful magician of all ti...

Molly's Game with Molly Bloom

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Molly Bloom’s life story is one-of-a-kind.  Her Olympic dreams were dashed, so she planned on going to law school. Instead, she wound up running a ...

The Courage of Compassion with Robin Steinberg

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How would you like to be judged for the rest of your life by the worst thing you’ve ever done?Robin Steinberg was a public defender, where she had t...

A Goofy Episode with Bill Farmer

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There is a very good chance that Bill Farmer has already made your life brighter and you had no idea.That's because Bill is a Disney Legend. He has be...

Insane Vacations with Mike Reiss

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you get one of the most successful comedy writers in television history to come on your podcast, naturally the first thing to talk about is...his...

Down A Rabbit Hole with Seth Godin

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our time, energy, and emotions are valuable because they are finite.And yet conversations with Seth Godin always leave me feeling more patient, energi...

How To Be An Entrepreneur with Jeff Rosenthal

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Want to go fast? Go alone. Want to go far? Go together.Most entrepreneurs aren’t lone wolves. Founders like Jeff Rosenthal know that the greatest ve...

The Wisdom of Anxiety with Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Anxiety is the crown jewel of human evolution. That’s the professional opinion of neuroscience professor and clinical psychologist Dr. Tracy Dennis...

Guaranteed Joy with Richard Curtis

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are precious few moments in life that guarantee joy. That’s what makes time spent with Richard Curtis or watching his films so special – you...

Exploration with Leland Melvin

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Explorers discover new worlds and perspectives that change humanity forever.Leland Melvin has spent his life exploring.  He’s been a rocket scienti...

Taking Comfortable Risks with Scott Galloway

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When is a risk worth taking? We have to learn to embrace the comfortable risks - the ones where the pain of failure is worthwhile or even valuable.  ...

Digging Up the Past with Sarah Parcak

31 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah has the coolest job: Space Archaeologist.She uses satellites to find undiscovered sites buried deep beneath the ground. But the real interesting...

High Performance with Divesh Makan

24 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Divesh is one of the most connected people I know. Charming and opinionated, he advises and invests the fortunes of the most successful and wealthiest...

Embracing The Fall with Carla Hall

17 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you show up with love and aim only to give of yourself, everyone you interact with can feel it.Carla Hall has led a life and a career filled with...

Gen Z in the Workplace with Jonah and David Stillman

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Every generation is different, but one thing currently unites Boomers, Gen X-ers, and Millennials: they are all struggling to understand Gen Z.  Davi...

Ask Simon Anything: Part Two

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

New year, new opportunities, new questions!We’re ringing in 2023 with more answers to the hundreds of questions our listeners sent in from all over ...

Ask Simon Anything: Part One

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A few weeks ago, I put out an open call on social media to see what questions my listeners have for me.  And there were a LOT of responses.So, as an ...

Two Bits of Optimism with Brené Brown and Adam Grant: Part Two

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Remember how it was an incredible idea to get Brené Brown and Adam Grant on a call, have absolutely NO plan, and hit record?Well, this is the second ...

Two Bits of Optimism with Brené Brown and Adam Grant: Part One

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What separates exceptional ideas from good ideas?  Here’s an example of a good idea: Book two podcast guests and meticulously plan a conversation a...

Being Yourself with Kathryn Finney

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Daring to be different feels risky. There’s constant pressure to “read the room” or “tone it down.”Kathryn Finney discovered at a young age ...

Live A Long, Happy Life with physician Mark Hyman

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Turns out laughter isn't the best medicine. Medicine might not even be the best medicine. If you were to ask Dr Mark Hyman, he would tell you that foo...

The Value of Interruptions with Janis Burl

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us think that social media is the bastion of our younger generations. Until a middle-aged woman named Janis Burl proved that assumption comple...

The Sweet Bitter with Susan Cain

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There’s something profound in life’s bitter moments. The transformative beauty of a sad song, the anguished past of a story’s hero, the unexpect...

Kindness with James Rhee

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You went to Harvard undergrad, you went to Harvard Law, you became a hot-shot Private Equity guy.  So your next move is obviously…?If you’re Jame...

How To Be An Optimist with Pat Berges

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Don’t you hate it when you’re coasting along -- not a care in the world -- and then it feels like life comes out of nowhere and hits you like a ca...

The Labor of Love with Francesca Hogi

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s what all the poets write about, all the musicians sing about, and all the brokenhearted cry about. That’s right… It's time to talk about lo...

Unreasonable Hospitality with Will Guidara

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you walk up to someone and say “you’re being unreasonable!” most people would be offended. Will Guidara, however, would take it as a complime...

Partnering with Jean Oelwang

08 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Some of the most successful people in the world all have a secret power. It’s not their experience or technical expertise that matter most – it’...

Vulnerability and Redemption with Adrian Grenier

01 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We've all been told in our darkest times: "Don't worry this will get better"...but what happens if everything's going right? Should we be afraid that ...

Obscure Presidential History with Jeremy Deutsch

22 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all know a bit about Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, but which President was drunk at his inauguration?  Who was the first gay president? ...

Happiness with Arthur Brooks

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Can we ensure that we will stay happy through every phase of our lives? Arthur Brooks discovered that there is a clear fork in the road that we will a...

Giving What You Have with Mark Bustos

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When people want to do good they often get stuck because they don’t know what they can do. Mark Bustos figured out that to do good, all we need to ...

Giving A Sh*t with Phoebe Robinson

01 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Short packets of content. That’s the world we live in. We've condensed and compressed so much of what we consume that our entertainment and our news...

My True Crime Episode with David Mittelman

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Less than 5% of major crimes end in a conviction. For cold cases, that number drops to 1%.      Those numbers won’t stay low forever.  David Mit...

Rebuilding Community with Luma Mufleh

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Engraved on the Statue of Liberty it reads, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free...” A beautiful sentiment...

No More Lonely Friends with Marissa Meizz

11 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How would you react if you found out that your friends purposely planned a birthday party when you were out of town so you wouldn’t attend? And what...

Resolving Conflict with William Ury

04 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fear and anger seem to dominate the headlines. So, to start the New Year, I thought it would be a good idea to find out if there is anything we can do...

Gratitude with Omar Brownson

28 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stressed from work? Stressed from life? For all the talk of mindfulness and meditation, a lot of us still struggle to find that calm we want. Omar Bro...

Setting Boundaries with Sara Kuburic

21 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Despite all our “social” media, more and more people report feeling lonelier, more stressed and more adrift than ever before. How can we protect o...

Being Rich with Ron Finley

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We live in an era in which possessions are, too often, more important than personal health and the health of our planet. That never felt right to acti...

Hope with Shamma Al Mazrui

07 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

So many politicians say our children are our future, so why do so few nations have a cabinet level position to represent their youth? As the Minister ...

The Asymmetry of Power with Tristan Harris

30 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A small number of tech companies have amassed enormous power in our modern world. Do they wield that power responsibly, or do they abuse it to benefit...

Family with Ari Emanuel

23 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In show business, Ari Emmanuel is the consummate insider. The founder and CEO of the Endeavor agency, he represents some of Hollywood’s biggest star...

Enchantment with Chloe Valdary

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is the best way to navigate the world of diversity, equity and inclusion? Chloe Valdary’s point of view is different from the norm. The founder...

The Value of Failing with Suneel Gupta

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are only a few people in the world who have made a success out of failing. Serial entrepreneur and author of Backable, Suneel Gupta is one of th...

Awesome Responsibility with Kyle Carpenter

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve seen it in the movies, someone throws themselves onto a grenade to save their buddy, but how many of us could actually do it? Kyle Carpenter, ...

Raising Resilient Kids with Angela Duckworth

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With unprecedented levels of stress and depression amongst young people, I wanted to know what we, as an older generation can do to help. So I talked ...

Learning to Love with Tim Shriver

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Most people know him as a disability rights activist, chairman of Special Olympics or for his book The Call to Unite. But when we talked, our conversa...

Thinking Differently with Matthew Barzun

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Every now and then, I get to meet someone who sees the world differently. Matthew Barzun is one of those people. He was early to see opportunities tha...

Having a Laugh with Michael McIntyre

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In high stress times it helps to laugh,  which is why I called Michael McIntyre, one of the most  successful comedians in the world. And that’s wh...

Respect with Nicole Avant

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In a world that’s increasingly polarized, it’s harder and harder to bridge the divide between ourselves and those we disagree with. Filmmaker and ...

Designing the Future with Brian Collins

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Spotify, Target and Twitch are just three of the brands whose identity has been significantly influenced by Brian Collins. He’s a legend in the desi...

Confidence with Sara Blakely

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Confidence is this thing we all need… this thing we all want. Some seem to find it easier than others. Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, found it ...

Vulnerability with Brigadier General Michael “Johnny Bravo” Drowley

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you ask people in the military what makes them willing to sacrifice themselves for each other, the answer may surprise you. It’s not God or coun...

The One With Brené Brown

13 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

People tell me that Brené Brown’s work, more than anyone else, is the perfect companion to my work. So what a treat for me to talk to Brené to fur...

Faith with Quilen Blackwell

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Occasionally I get to meet someone whose story absolutely inspires me. Quilen Blackwell is that person. He was on the path set for him - good grades, ...

A Tension Deficit with James Harding

05 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Where do we find the truth? As the business of news has become, well, a business…it seems to have become more and more difficult to actually find th...

The Infinite Game with Dr. James Carse

29 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Many people have theories, but what philosopher, Dr. James Carse, figured out is more profound. He articulated a basic truth about how the world act...

Happying with Derren Brown

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when someone who is obsessed with human behavior, instead of becoming a psychologist, chooses a career in entertainment? Mentalist and il...

Conversion with Ric Elias

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

On January 15th 2009, Captain “Sully” Sullenberger, against all odds, landed his US Airways Airbus safely on the Hudson River. How would you have ...

Generosity with Ann Marie Scichili

08 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In life we learn different things from different people. From my friend, retail executive Ann Marie Scichili, I learned about generosity. So, in the s...

Joy with Marco Bizzarri

01 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Gucci CEO, Marco Bizzarri, finds joy in the little things. This is his secret. His secret to a happy life, also his secret to leadership. And it works...

Fight with Love, Fight for Love with Aloe Blacc

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We are living in a polarized world filled with fear and uncertainty. There is, however, a way we can overcome all of it - Love.  Grammy nominated sin...

Finding your Tribe with Amy Cuddy

17 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We all want to feel like we belong. We feel safe surrounded by people who see the world the way we see it. This is why we all have to find our tribe. ...

A Bit of Everything with Adam Grant

10 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What would you talk to organizational psychologist and author of Give and Take, Adam Grant, about? Everything! This was one of those conversations tha...

Moving Forward with my sister Sara

14 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Twenty years ago my sister and our family suffered a tragedy that we don’t talk about very often. She wanted to talk about it with the hope that it ...

A Lot of Optimism (Or The One Where I Met Andy Grammer)

07 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Where does optimism come from? I think it comes from an innate sense that the future is bright. Andy Grammer, an incurable optimist, thinks it starts ...

Ethical Fading with Lenny Wong

31 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Are you honest? Let me ask the question a different way: have you ever told a lie? You can see the problem. Dr. Lenny Wong has spent years studying th...

Second Chances with Bruce Deel

24 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s often easier to learn lessons when we look at extreme cases. I turned to the military to understand trust. To learn about compassion, I turned ...

Challenging Authority with Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss

17 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Two things - money and the internet - influence and impact almost everything in our lives. Which is a problem when both are run by just a few companie...

Extreme Listening with Deeyah Khan

10 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Extreme listening are two words that don’t usually go together. But there is no other way to describe what Deeyah Khan does. A Muslim woman, she mad...

Quiet Service with General Stan McChrystal

03 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

General Stan McChrystal was the Commander of The Joint Special Operations Command under President Obama and is the author of Team of Teams. He has had...

Courage with Guy Raz

27 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We all need courage these days. The courage to speak out, the courage to be optimistic, the courage to take care of our loved ones when we’re hurtin...

Gratitude with Carolyn Adams

20 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Carolyn Adams is an extraordinary woman. A world-renown dancer, pioneer, and teacher - she is a light that shines bright. I wanted to discover what sh...

Shades of Grey with Jenna Arnold

13 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We live in a world that is increasingly polarized. Reality, however, is a lot more grey than that, which can make us feel uncomfortable. That’s why ...

Entrepreneurship with Helene and Seth Godin

06 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

An entrepreneur is not what most people think…that’s what I discussed with marketing guru and serial entrepreneur Seth Godin and his entrepreneur ...

Leadership with Bob Chapman

29 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I imagine a world in which the vast majority of people wake up inspired, feel safe wherever they are, and end the day fulfilled by the work that they ...

Service with Maria Shriver

22 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I wanted to talk about Service. Given how she lives her life, Maria Shriver was the perfect person to talk to. We went for a socially distanced walk t...

How To Have Difficult Conversations with David Harris

15 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I have a desire to have necessary and difficult conversations. But I don’t always know how to start them. My brilliant friend and colleague David Ha...

Hope with Curtis Martin

08 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our nation is facing a challenge unlike it’s faced in decades. There’s anger, there’s fear, there’s exhaustion. This week I’ve reached out t...