The first time Tara Westover ever stepped into a classroom, she was seventeen. Today, Tara has a PhD in history and a #1 New York Times bestselling book, Educated, a memoir about her experience growing up undereducated in rural Idaho in a Mormon survivalist family. Tara and Adam talk about the triumphs and struggles of educating yourself and others, what it takes to open other peoples minds, and the difficult and surprising emotions that arise when we challenge and even change our beliefs. Trans...
Apr 18, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast What motivates us to do well, anything? Uri Gneezy is a behavioral economist who has changed our understanding of how incentives influence our decisions and actions. Adam and Uri take a deep dive into the psychology ofrewards and punishments -- and when and why they backfire. Uris latest book Mixed Signals: How Incentives Really Work is out now. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Apr 11, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Andy Weir is the bestselling author of The Martian and Project Hail Mary. Hes known for weaving deep, carefully researched science into his novels, building intricate sci-fi worlds that have captivated millions of readers. But heres a plot twist: Andy doesnt actually love the act of writing itself so how does he motivate himself to do it anyway? Adam talks with Andy about the creative process, the skills involved in discarding bad ideas, finding joy in worldbuilding and research, and why you sho...
Apr 04, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sian Beilock is a cognitive scientist who specializes in why we choke under pressure. Shes also the first woman to be elected President of Dartmouth College. Sian shares with Adam her unique perspective on delivering results in high-stress environments, the value of sitting with discomfort, and strategies for guarding against performance anxiety. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 28, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence chatbot capable of generating human-like text, seems to be everywhere. But how trustworthy are these tools -- and what do they mean for the future of writing and work? Adam brings AI entrepreneur Allie Miller and innovation and entrepreneurship professor Ethan Mollick to discuss the capabilities of ChatGPT, debate its merits and downfalls, and ponder what we should -- and shouldnt -- leave to AI. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscri...
Mar 21, 2023•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast As a novelist, Jennifer Lynn Barnes has earned acclaim from critics and fans alike her series The Inheritance Games has sold over a million copies. Before she became a bestselling author, she was a leading researcher in psychology on what draws us to fiction and how it affects us. Jennifer and Adam discuss the psychology of reading and writing, fiction and fandom, and the role of imagination in the stories we love most. Then a special guest co-host (Adams daughter!) asks Jennifer about creativit...
Mar 14, 2023•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Justin Gregg is an animal cognition expert -- he studies what goes on inside the heads of other creatures, and what that means for us. Hes a captivating science writer: one of his specialties is explaining whether dolphins are actually smart, and his most recent book is If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal. In an expansive conversation, Justin and Adam discuss what makes the human mind unique, muse over the life lessons we might learn from the animal world, and debate whether or not, when it comes to con...
Mar 07, 2023•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Yo-Yo Ma began playing the cello at age four, played for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower at age seven, and has been touring the world since. Hes released over 100 albums and won 19 Grammy awards, and hes won both the National Medal of the Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Yo-Yo talks with Adam about his experience with burnout, how he sustains his energy and creativity, and what it means for music to connect and celebrate humanity. Transcripts for ReThinking are ava...
Feb 28, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jody Avirgan has played and reported on sports at the highest levels. After being one of the few professional Ultimate Frisbee players to be featured in a Sportscenter highlight, he pivoted to a career in radio, where hes produced thoughtful stories on acclaimed shows like ESPNs 30 for 30, Freakonomics, and 99% Invisible. Now hes the host of Good Sport, a new podcast from the TED Audio Collective. Jody and Adam dive into what forges great leadership on and off the field, explore why certain citi...
Feb 21, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast As a clinical psychologist, Becky Kennedy works with parents to raise good kids. Shes best known as Dr. Becky on Instagram, and has been called the "Millennial parenting whisperer" for good reason. Becky and Adam challenge the widespread belief that its a parents job to make their children happy, talk candidly about the surprisingly difficult task of setting and maintaining boundaries, and dig into the science and practice of helping kids (and adults) deal with the ups and downs of life. Transcr...
Feb 14, 2023•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Abby Wambach is one of soccers all-time greats. But in 2015, after she retired with two Olympic medals, a FIFA World Cup Championship, and six U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year awards under her belt, she wasnt sure what would be next. In this jam-packed conversation, Abby shares how she rethought her life and work. She and Adam discuss the challenges with maintaining motivation, what makes teams great, and how to know when youve accomplished enough. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.t...
Feb 07, 2023•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kaja Kallas is the current Prime Minister of Estonia and the first woman to hold the position. Her perceptive communication and bold action against the threat of Russian authoritarianism has bolstered her reputation as a leader we should all be paying attention to. The Prime Minister talks to Adam about what we can learn from the past when thinking about future consequences, the risks of being inauthentic, and what qualities distinguish the best leaders from the rest. Transcripts for ReThinking ...
Jan 31, 2023•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Claude Steele is one of the most influential social psychologists of all time. As a Stanford professor, hes best known for his groundbreaking research on how the threat of being stereotyped undermines our performance. Adam talks with Claude about why the mere possibility of being stereotyped affects us, how we can protect ourselves from the harmful effects, and what healthy self-affirmation looks like. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast....
Jan 24, 2023•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast As an educator, Ash Brandins mission is to make learning in school as fun as playing a game. In exploring the science and practice on the effects of video games, Ash (@TheGamerEducator on Instagram) has an unusually insightfuland unusually balancedperspective. Adam and Ash discuss the evidence on how video games influence kids and adults, how to set healthy boundaries, and what it means to make leisure and play a priority. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted...
Jan 17, 2023•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Carla Harris is a fierce leader, a devoted mentor, and a dynamic speaker. A Wall Street veteran who has been named one of the most powerful Black executives in America, Carlas worked across multiple industries in her 30+ year career, and was appointed by President Barack Obama to chair the National Women's Business Council. In a highly entertaining Authors@Wharton event, Carla speaks with Adam about strategies for building relationships with mentors and sponsors, how to advocate effectively for ...
Jan 10, 2023•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Annie Duke dropped out of a PhD program in cognitive psychology and went on to win the World Series of Poker. At the Authors@Wharton Series, Adam and Annie discuss the evidence on when to pull the plug, delve into decision-making lessons from psychology and poker, and examine the difference between rethinking an idea and leaving it behind. Annies latest book Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away is out now. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted on Acast...
Jan 03, 2023•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast For our final episode of the year, lets revisit Adam and Malcolms conversation from the archive. When Adam Grant and Malcolm Gladwell sit down to challenge each other, everything is fair game. Sit ringside for this collegial cage match in which two preeminent writers rethink each other's ideas in an insatiable quest to get closer to the truth. Is intelligence undersold or oversold? Does individual blaming and shaming obscure the pursuit of real change on racism? Could rethinking everything lead ...
Dec 28, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Transcript available on Metacast As we get ready for 2023, were excited to bring you a conversation Adam had earlier this year with beloved musician Dolly Parton. Adam talks with Dolly about her creative process, how she balances getting things right with getting things done, and how she manages the hefty cup of ambition she pours herself each morning. Her latest project, Run, Rose, Run is both a novel coauthored with James Patterson and a full-length companion album. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/T4G26 Hosted ...
Dec 20, 2022•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast For decades, renowned psychologists John and Julie Gottman have studiedand guidedhealthy relationships. They share insights from their researchand their marriageon how to avoid a relationship apocalypse, handle conflict, and make love last. Their latest book, The Love Prescription is out now, and Adam has a field day getting them to demonstrate the differences between good and bad fights. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG13 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...
Dec 13, 2022•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, were sharing a preview of A Slight Change of Plans, from Pushkin Industries. Cognitive scientist Dr. Maya Shankar blends compassionate storytelling with the science of human behavior to help us understand who we are and who we become in the face of a big change. Psychology professor and motivation expert Dr. Ayelet Fishbach joins Maya to share science-backed strategies for setting smarter goals...and actually sticking with them. Hear the full episode, and more, at https://podcasts.pus...
Dec 12, 2022•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Andrea Jones-Rooy is a data scientist whos skeptical about dataand a comedian. Andrea and Adam talk about the perks and perils of sharing data on social media, the similarities between the scientific method and comedy, and the value of adding an air of mystery to the way we communicate discoveries. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG12 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 06, 2022•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Growing up, Bo Seo avoided arguments at all costsuntil he discovered competitive debate. He went on to win the world debate championship twice and coach the Australian national team as well as the Debating Union at Harvard. Adam and Bo discuss the value of good arguments, how key debate skills pushes us to sharpen our thinking, and how we can get better at disagreeing. Bos new book Good Arguments: How Debate Teaches Us to Listen and Be Heard, is out now. This episode first aired on The Next Big ...
Nov 29, 2022•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why do we work five days a week? Could we be just as productive, healthier and happier by working less? And if so, how can leaders and workers successfully make the transition to a new way of working? Adam led a lively discussion of the science and practice of shorter work weeks with top experts from government, business, and academia at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The guests were Ohood Al Roumi, the UAEs Minister of State for Government Development and the Future; Jonas Prising, CEO and ...
Nov 22, 2022•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast For someone who doesnt believe in goal-setting, Emmanuel Acho is highly accomplished. Hes a former NFL linebacker, an Emmy-winning TV sports analyst, and the New York Times bestselling author of Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man and hosts a video series and podcast of the same name. Emmanuel shares why he is anti-goals, how he consistently achieves greatness without pursuing success, and what sports have taught him about living a creative life. For the full text transcript, visit go.t...
Nov 15, 2022•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Adam McKay is one of the great satirists of our screenshes the writer, director, and producer behind Dont Look Up, Succession, and The Big Short. Before that, he was best known for making us laugh at Anchorman and as the head writer of Saturday Night Live. Adam and Adam discuss the psychology of human delusion and narcissism, what he learned from improv comedy, and why success is about way more than who you know. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG9 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...
Nov 08, 2022•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you were online during the historic 2020 election cycle, you may have seen Sharon McMahons viral videos. A former high school educator now known as Americas Government Teacher, Sharon fights polarization with nonpartisan facts. Sharon and Adam discuss how we can rethink the qualifications for elected office, who decides to run, and what information voters should weigh. They also address ways to sharpen critical thinking and ponder how to improve Congress with a few thought experimentsincludin...
Nov 01, 2022•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast When Reese Witherspoon was in rehearsals for her lead role in the 2005 film Walk the Line, she wanted to quitevery day. But she went on to win the Oscar for her performance as June Carter Cash. Since then, shes gone from playing iconic roles in films (Legally Blonde, Election, Water for Elephants) to also producing and starring in her own TV shows and movies (Little Fires Everywhere, Big Little Lies, Wild). Reese talks to Adam about how she's built confidence by facing her doubts head on, and sh...
Oct 25, 2022•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Growing up, Saul Perlmutter just wanted to know how the world worked. In 2011, he was part of the Nobel Prize-winning team that discovered the accelerating expansion of the universe. Saul and Adam talk about how science and knowledge evolve, what surprising emotions come with discovery, and why the combination of individual humility and collective confidence can solve some of the worlds biggest problems. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG6 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy ...
Oct 18, 2022•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast It took Celeste Ng a long time to believe she could write for a living. Now shes the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Everything I Never Told You and Little Fires Everywhere-- which was developed into a hit TV show by Reese Witherspoons production company, Hello Sunshine. Adam and Celeste have been friends since collegethey met through her first writing job. They discuss Celestes versatile writing process, her insights on thinking and communicating more clearly, and how she feeds ...
Oct 11, 2022•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever thought you cant do something because youre not wired that way? Neuroscientist Chantel Prat might challenge you to rethink your beliefs. Chantel dispels some sticky myths about right-brainers and left-brainers, shares her research on how learning to code depends more on verbal skills than math skills, and generates some hypotheses about Adams brain. Her debut book The Neuroscience of You is out now. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG4 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...
Oct 04, 2022•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
