4000 weeks. Like it or not, that’s (approximately) the average length of a human life. And while we intend to use that time wisely, and do all the things we care about, we often find ourselves doing the opposite. In this episode, UK author Oliver Burkeman tells us how to focus on the things that REALLY matter, rather than filling our time with the not-so-important things. Pulling from his best-selling (and incredible) book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management For Mortals, Oliver is this w...
Oct 23, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 4Ep. 36
As a DJ, TV presenter, award-winning podcaster and Triple J royalty, Linda Marigliano has had a big career and spoken to some of the biggest artists of all time. And now she joins Hugh, Ryan and Josh in The Vulnerabilitea House. Linda talks about her life growing up as the child of an Italian father and Chinese mother, and explains about how the criticism she received from her mother made her feel about herself - both then and now. Oh, and there’s some very practical advice on nose-hair tr...
Oct 16, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 35
After listening to this Academy of Imperfection, you’ll no doubt be heartily agreeing with Hugh, who introduces Dr Kiran Martin as the most impressive person he’s ever met. Over 30 years after jumping the fence to get inside a slum in Delhi so she could help treat the people in need, Dr Kiran now runs ASHA, an organisation she created that has helped over 900,000 people in over 100 slums across India. And counting! This is the story behind ASHA. And well… it’s incredible...
Oct 09, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Season 4Ep. 34
None of us like to feel rejected. Whether it be at work, with friends, or on a date. In this Dr Emisode, Dr Emily - our very own psychologist - tells Hugh, Ryan and Josh why some of us have a sensitivity to rejection. She explains what we can do about it, and how we can act compassionately towards others, and avoid making them feel unnecessarily rejected as well. For research article, 'Recognising Emotion In Faces: Developmental Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect', by Seth Pollak, follow ...
Oct 02, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 33
While many of us may think of Channel 7’s Hamish McLachlan as the voice of sport in Australia, Hamish is very quick to point to Bruce McAvaney instead. As it turns out, we all love Bruce McAvaney A LOT and apologetically talk about him for quite a while - including a few wonderful Bruce stories from Hamish. When we finally get to the Vulnerabilitea House card selection, Hamish answers the question, ‘When did your life get turned upside down and how did things change?’. This pro...
Sep 25, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 32
Stand-up comedian Nazeem Hussain lost his father to COVID-19 in 2021. In this episode, Nazeem shares the difficulties surrounding his family’s loss, and how his Dad’s life and sudden death has impacted his own life. But Nazeem also tells some wildly funny stories - in particular one about a "comedy concert" he did in Sri Lanka in front of The Prime Minister, which turned out to be organised by none other than his Dad. You probably already know Naz from his many, MANY appearances on t...
Sep 18, 2022•1 hr 30 min•Season 4Ep. 31
In Part 2 of this Academy of Imperfection, author and profanity purveyor, Johann Hari answers more of your brilliant questions. As a result, Johann talks with Hugh, Ryan and Josh about intrinsic and extrinsic values, and how they affect the things we do and social media’s role in why we do them. Also (speaking of click-bait), in an Imperfects exclusive, Johann reveals his go-to KFC order. And double-also, we recorded this episode before the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, which will make mo...
Sep 14, 2022•54 min•Season 4Ep. 30
Imperfects regular, Johann Hari joins us IN STUDIO for the first time to answer your questions! In this very special edition of The Academy of Imperfection (which we’ve split into 2 MASSIVE EPISODES OVER 2 MASSIVE... um... EPISODES!), Johann Hari talks with Hugh, Ryan and Josh about our ability to change our habits in the face of addiction. And why we can learn from the approach of Overeater’s Anonymous to help our addiction to our phones and the internet. Johann will be back later t...
Sep 11, 2022•51 min•Season 4Ep. 29
In 2003, JET’s Are You Gonna Be My Girl was one of the biggest songs on the planet. It was so big, Apple even used it for their first iPod ad. Remember? The one with the dancing silhouettes on the colourful backgrounds? Yeah, that was JET. As the bass player for JET, Mark Wilson has lived the dream of any musician. He’s toured the world and played to packed stadiums, and even stood with Beyonce and Jay Z at the MTV Video Music Awards before playing on stage in front of them. But Mark...
Sep 04, 2022•1 hr 35 min•Season 4Ep. 28
To celebrate Father's Day, Hugh plays some intimate audio of him reading a chapter of his book, 'Let Go', to his Dad (and Josh's Dad incidentally). But not just any old chapter, the final chapter ABOUT his Dad. Afterwards, Hugh explains to Ryan and Josh, how writing a gratitude letter to your Dad (even if he isn't around anymore) can have a hugely positive impact. But of course, Gratitude Letters aren't just for Dads, they're for your Mum or any carer in your life as well. Happy Fathers Day. Hav...
Sep 01, 2022•34 min•Season 4Ep. 27
In this Emisode, Dr Emily explains some reasons why the inner critic is there in the first place, and where it’s coming from. To watch Shirzad Chamine's Ted Talk, 'Know Your Inner Saboteurs', follow this link: https://bit.ly/2Ybu5Aa To learn more about Daniel Siegel research and to purchase Mindsight, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3TnNVV5 To read the research article 'Positive Self-Statements, Power For Some, Peril For Others', follow this link, https://bit.ly/2L4k0k3 or, https:/...
Aug 28, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 26
Carlton footballer Darcy Vescio is one of the biggest names in the AFLW, having won multiple awards including the Carlton Best & Fairest, 2-time All Australian selection and the Mark of the Year. As a marquee player, Darcy is at the top of their game. But that’s just part of Darcy’s story. Less than a year ago, Darcy publicly came out as non-binary, announcing to the football community that they would now go by the they/them gender pronouns. In this Vulnerabilitea House, Darcy te...
Aug 21, 2022•46 min•Season 4Ep. 25
This Academy of Imperfection is a little different. As Hugh explains in the opener, this episode actually IS more like a lecture. But trust us, that’s a good thing. Dr Paul Callaghan has a lot of wisdom to share that he's accrued over a lifetime of wins, losses and even a near death experience that changed his life forever. As an Aboriginal man, much of Paul's wisdom has come from his experience on The Dreaming Path, which also happens to be the title of the book he’s co-written with...
Aug 14, 2022•58 min•Season 4Ep. 24
B-B-B-BONUS EP!!! A-A-A-AGAIN!!! Every now and then, Hugh, Ryan and Josh like to get together and chat about their own imperfections that they’ve been dealing with recently. This is one of those episodes. Hugh talks about “life seasons”, Ryan explains why European holidays aren’t always as perfect as they appear, and Josh talks about watching Morning Wars with Jennifer Anniston. To read Hugh’s recommendation of Kimberly Gillan’s article in the Age...
Aug 07, 2022•49 min•Season 4Ep. 23
She’s back again! Our very own psychologist, Dr Emily! In this emisode, Dr Emily reflects on a very moving chat we had with comedian Steen Raskopoulos. She talks with Hugh, Ryan and Josh about the concept of Emotional Awareness, and explains why it’s not only important to identify your unpleasant emotions, but why it's even more important to express them when they arise. Oh, Hugh and tells us about going to Bondi. For book recommendation Atlas of The Heart by Brene Brown...
Jul 31, 2022•48 min•Season 4Ep. 22
Okay, so we're dabbling with repeat episodes because we've taken a week off. But we have recorded a new intro bit so there ya go, at least there's SOME new stuff! This episode with comedian Steen Raskopoulos is not only one of our favourite episodes, but it's also the subject of next week's emisode with Dr Emily - which we can't wait for! So yeah, back to regular, imperfect programming next week! To listen to Steen’s podcast, Congrats On The New, please follow this link: https://app...
Jul 24, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Season 4Ep. 21
Maybe you know Michelle Brasier from Aunty Donna. Or maybe from Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell. Or maybe she’s made you laugh (or cry) in any number of things she’s done on the stage and screen over the years. Or maybe you don’t her……… YET! Michelle Brasier is a singer, actor, writer and comedian who - as you’ll hear in this Vulnerabilitea House - has overcome multiple adversities since a young age. But despite the challenges, she still firm...
Jul 17, 2022•50 min•Season 4Ep. 20
We all fail. All of us. Why? Because we’re all imperfect. And no one talks about failure more passionately than The Resilience Project’s own Martin “Rac” Heppell. And he’s today’s guest lecturer in The Academy of Imperfection. Some of you may remember Rac’s first memorable appearance in The Vulnerabilitea House last season. If you haven’t heard it, we know you’ll want to listen (or re-listen) after this one - link below. Failure, the other F ...
Jul 10, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Season 4Ep. 19
Australia has had a LOT of success in the Olympic Swimming Pool. That’s an understatement. But one of our most successful and loved Olympians of recent times is golden girl, Libby Trickett. During her successful swimming career Libby was all smiles after winning gold medal after gold medal at three consecutive Olympic Games, but as she shares in this episode, on the inside she was struggling with a powerful feeling that she wasn’t enough. Libby tells us all about what that was like, ...
Jul 03, 2022•1 hr 33 min•Season 4Ep. 18
Dr Emily is back to help us all! Reflecting on our episode with Olympic BMX rider, Sam Willoughby from Season 2, Dr Emily talks us through the dangers of the Hedonistic Treadmill, and its slightly lesser known cousin, Hedonistic Adaptation. There’s a lot covered in this episode, including ‘Growth Mindset’, being mindful of what we want and why, and how quickly we actually adapt to finally getting those things we want. For book recommendation Hardwiring Happ...
Jun 26, 2022•51 min•Season 4Ep. 17
For over 30 years, Glenn Robbins has been one of the funniest and most loved performers in Australia. From The Comedy Company and Kath & Kim, to The Panel and of course Russell Coight, Glenn has guaranteed his spot in the comedy history books. But Glenn hasn’t always seen it that way. From a young age he was told he was "average", and despite his many successes, has dealt with a lifetime of performance anxiety. In this edition of The Vulnerabilitea House, Glenn opens up a...
Jun 19, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Season 4Ep. 16
In the words of her own child, Lael Stone “works for the kids”. But while Lael is technically a therapist who supports parents in understanding their children, everything Lael talks about in this edition of The Academy of Imperfection could easily be applied to all of us in understanding the people in our lives - no matter what age. Whether that be our friends, parents, colleagues or even ourselves. Through her work, Lael helps adults process their own childhood trauma, and creates e...
Jun 12, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Harry Garside is an Australian boxer who won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics - the first Olympic medal in boxing for Australia in 33 years. But to simply describe Harry Garside as a champion boxer, would be to sell him waaaaaaay short. Because Harry is also a ballet dancer, a plumber and the guy who asked to wear a dress at the Olympic Opening Ceremony with the desire of defying gender stereotypes (request denied). To listen to the podcast with Deeyah Khan that Harry recommends, please follo...
Jun 05, 2022•1 hr 31 min•Season 4Ep. 14
In this Emisode, Dr Emily returns to talk about a topic that is VERRRRRY close to the bones of Ryan, Hugh and Josh. The ongoing battle of Truth vs Harmony. Does that ring any bells for you? Do you choose to live truthfully? Or harmoniously? And what does that even mean? What’s the difference? And how do living ‘truthfully’ or ‘harmoniously’ affect us and the people around us? Dr Emily goes into all of it. In this episode, Dr Emily references conversations fro...
May 29, 2022•53 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Big episode. HUGE episode in fact. Especially for Ryan. Ryan has been a long-suffering/recent-celebrating supporter of the Melbourne Demons his entire life. And today, Premiership captain of the Dees, Max Gawn is in The Vulnerabilitea House. Ryan. Breathe. Max tells Hugh, Ryan and Josh about a courageous comment made by one of the players in a team meeting that addressed the negative way players were speaking to each other. The comment cut deep - not only for Max who felt shame for his own behav...
May 22, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 4Ep. 12
We seriously hope you listen to this one. I mean, obviously we hope you listen to all our episodes but THIS ONE... well, we reckon this one’s important. Tarang Chawla’s younger sister Niki was the kindest person he knew. But in 2015, Niki was murdered by her partner who she was trying to break up with, as a result of domestic violence. Since then, Tarang has become an activist against men’s violence, educating all Australians on the many forms of abuse and its role in the menta...
May 15, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Season 4Ep. 11
You might think that TV journalist and proud indigenous woman Narelda Jacobs has a perfect life. She’s the co-host of Studio 10, makes regular appearances on The Project, she’s a three-time host of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, and she’s... done lots of other things that are also on her Wikipedia page. But like all of us, Narelda’s life has been far from perfect. I mean come on guys, we’re all imperfect, surely you’ve learnt that by now! In this epi...
May 08, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Welcome back to Dr Emily, our very own... PSYCHOLOGIST! Reflecting on the recent episode with Luke McGregor, in this episode Dr Emily talks about panic attacks. What are they? Why do we get them? And what do we do when they show up and scare the hell out of us? Thanks Dr Em To find out more about by Russ Harris, The Happiness Trap and his work as an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Trainer visit; https://www.actmindfully.com.au/ The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not ...
May 01, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Originally from Rwanda, stand-up comedian Oliver Twist spent 14 years in a Malawi refugee camp before finally arriving in Ipswich, Queensland with his family. In this Vulnerabilitea House, Oliver answers the question, “Where is home for you?” - a simple question for some, but a complicated one for Oliver. Oliver shares stories from his extraordinarily imperfect life in great detail. Everything from being displaced by the Rwandan Genocide, to living in the refugee camp, and eventually...
Apr 24, 2022•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 8
Okay, so get this...not only is Kemi Nekvapil an author, speaker and coach, but she was trained by Brené Brown. Yuh. THE Brené Brown. As an author, Kemi has written a new book that you must read. It’s called ‘POWER: A woman’s guide to living and leading without apology’. And in our imperfect opinion, as 3 NON-women, it’s exactly what we all need right now. In this edition of The Academy of Imperfection, Kemi shares her childhood experience living in fo...
Apr 17, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 7
