#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. 

#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.

#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.

#107: 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.

#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.

#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.

#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.

#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

#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.

#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.

#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.

#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

#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.