Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

Reframe anxiety as a strength and use stress to enhance your communication. Stress, anxiety, nervousness — when these feelings inevitably arise, lecturer Kelly McGonigal [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/kelly-mcgonigal/] says it’s not about making them go away, but using them to your advantage. “What I have come to value about anxiety,” says McGonigal, “is it’s a sign that I care.” As she explains, feelings of stress alert us to things that matter to us and help us stay present in the moment — particularly useful, she says, when it comes to communication. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], McGonigal and host Matt Abrahams discuss how to channel stress toward more effective communication and to a deeper connection to our own purpose and meaning. This episode is brought to you by Loom. Try Loom for free today at loom.com/thinkfast [https://www.google.com/url?q=http://loom.com/thinkfast&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1738372988764462&usg=AOvVaw2sKJY9mv-bVbt0AhuCNNkK]. Episode Reference Links: * Kelly McGonigal [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/kelly-mcgonigal/]  * Original Episode: Ep.69 Feeling Nervous? How Anxiety Can Fuel Better Communication [https://www.fastersmarter.io/69-feeling-nervous-how-anxiety-can-fuel-better-communication/] * Ep.10 High-Stakes Communication: How to Manage Anxiety When Speaking in Front of Others [https://www.fastersmarter.io/10-high-stakes-communication-how-to-manage-anxiety-when-speaking-in-front-of-others/] * Ep.33 Hacking your Speaking Anxiety: How Lessons from Neuroscience Can Help You Communicate Confidently. [https://www.fastersmarter.io/33-hacking-your-speaking-anxiety-how-lessons-from-neuroscience-can-help-you-communicate-confidentl/]  Connect: * Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/] * Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io * Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website [https://www.fastersmarter.io/183-rethinks-how-anxiety-can-fuel-better-communication/] * Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io [http://fastersmarter.io/] * Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/think-fast-talk-smart/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thinkfasttalksmart/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6caGRBUYZCmgDGM2RK6mxKB9jG_ccmm3] * Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/] Chapters: * (00:00) - Introduction * (02:35) - The Benefits of Anxiety in Communication * (05:54) - Presence and Anxiety in Performance * (07:34) - Common Communication Mistakes * (11:33) - Encouraging Audience Engagement * (14:37) - Crafting Effective Communication * (16:34) - The Joy of Movement * (19:42) - The Final Three Questions * (25:49) - Conclusion ******** Become a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/p/premium/]. Take advantage of our Sponsor offer from Loom [https://www.loom.com/thinkfast]

Clarify your purpose — and stop wasting time. The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resolutions and prepare for evolutions, this special four-part series on communication, happiness, and well-being explores practical ways to enhance our lives through better communication, deeper connections, and more meaningful choices. As Cassie Holmes [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/cassie-holmes/] knows, how we spend our time has a big impact on our happiness and well-being. For her, that means focusing on the things not just immediately in front of us, but those that most closely align with our purpose. "When I say purpose, what I mean is what really drives you," explains Holmes, a professor at UCLA Anderson School of Management and author of Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most [http://fastersmarter.io/happierhour]. Living a happier and more fulfilled life, she says, rests on using purpose to drive our decisions. “Once you clarify for yourself: what is your purpose? What is your why? Then you can use that as a filter [for] where you should be spending your time.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, [https://www.fastersmarter.io/] Holmes and host Matt Abrahams explore practical strategies for being more purposeful with our time. From email management to relationship building, Holmes shares research-backed approaches for achieving greater happiness through intentional choices. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/ThinkFast [http://betterhelp.com/ThinkFast] and get ten percent off your first month. Episode Reference Links: * Cassie Holmes [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/cassie-holmes/] * Cassie’s Book: Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most [http://fastersmarter.io/happierhour]  Connect: * Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/] * Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io * Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website [https://www.fastersmarter.io/182-stop-chasing-time-and-start-owning-it-communication-happiness-wellbeing/] * Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io [http://fastersmarter.io/] * Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/think-fast-talk-smart/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thinkfasttalksmart/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6caGRBUYZCmgDGM2RK6mxKB9jG_ccmm3] * Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/] Chapters: * (00:00) - Introduction * (03:31) - Defining Purpose * (05:54) - Time Management Strategies * (08:26) - Time Tracking for Insight * (12:49) - Consolidating Tasks * (14:41) - Presence and Happiness * (16:44) - The Final Three Questions * (21:17) - Conclusion ******** Become a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/p/premium/]. Take advantage of our Sponsor offer from BetterHelp [https://www.betterhelp.com/thinkfast]

Why connection is the key to a life well lived. The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resolutions and prepare for evolutions, this special four-part series on communication, happiness, and well-being explores practical ways to enhance our lives through better communication, deeper connections, and more meaningful choices. When it comes to happiness, Arthur Brooks [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/arthur-c-brooks/] says it’s not about reaching a destination — it's about heading in the right direction. And according to him, that direction is fundamentally about relationships. "Loving more people... more and more love... if you pursue that, you will defy the trends and get happier,” says Brooks, a social scientist, Harvard Business School professor, and author of several books including Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier [http://fastersmarter.io/buildthelifeyouwant], cowritten with Oprah Winfrey. According to him, a happy life is made of enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning, which we cultivate through connection with others. "Faith, family, friends, and work, that's your basic happiness 401k plan,” he says. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Brooks and host Matt Abrahams explore the fundamental role of relationships in creating a happy life, and how effective communication helps us build and maintain these essential connections. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/ThinkFast [http://betterhelp.com/ThinkFast] and get ten percent off your first month. Episode Reference Links: * Arthur Brooks [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/arthur-c-brooks/]  * Arthur’s Book: Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier [http://fastersmarter.io/buildthelifeyouwant] Connect: * Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/] * Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io * Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website [https://www.fastersmarter.io/181-why-happiness-is-a-direction-not-a-destination-communication-happiness-wellbeing/] * Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io [http://fastersmarter.io/] * Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/think-fast-talk-smart/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thinkfasttalksmart/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6caGRBUYZCmgDGM2RK6mxKB9jG_ccmm3] * Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/] Chapters: * (00:00) - Introduction * (02:27) - Defining Happiness * (03:58) - The Macronutrients of Happiness * (05:00) - Challenges in Pursuing Happiness * (06:27) - Breaking Down Meaning in Life * (08:11) - Happiness Across Life Stages * (11:16) - Modern Happiness Challenges * (14:29) - Mindfulness and Being Present * (19:08) - The Final Three Questions * (22:54) - Conclusion ******** Become a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/p/premium/]. Take advantage of our Sponsor offer from BetterHelp [https://www.betterhelp.com/thinkfast]

Why creating happiness in the future starts today. The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resolutions and prepare for evolutions, this special four-part series on communication, happiness, and well-being explores practical ways to enhance our lives through better communication, deeper connections, and more meaningful choices. In pursuing happiness and well-being, we often focus on the present moment. But according to Hal Hershfield [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/hal-herschfield/], one of the best ways to help ourselves today is to have a conversation with ourselves in the future. "When I say future self, I really mean any version of us that exists at some later point in time," explains Hershfield, a UCLA professor and author of Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today [http://fastersmarter.io/yourfutureself]. By thinking of our future selves as different people — ones we should care about — we can make better choices in the present. "If we can tap into the feelings of our future selves, then we can do more that benefits them, which may make our lives easier now and later." In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Hershfield and host Matt Abrahams explore how communication between our present and future selves can help us set goals, make decisions, and overcome pitfalls like procrastination, enabling us to take meaningful action now so we can thrive today and tomorrow. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/ThinkFast [http://betterhelp.com/ThinkFast] and get ten percent off your first month. Episode Reference Links: * Hal Hershfield [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/hal-hershfield/]  * Hal’s Book: Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today [http://fastersmarter.io/yourfutureself] Connect: * Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/] * Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io * Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website [https://www.fastersmarter.io/180-unlocking-your-future-self-communication-happiness-wellbeing/] * Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io [http://fastersmarter.io/] * Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/think-fast-talk-smart/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thinkfasttalksmart/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6caGRBUYZCmgDGM2RK6mxKB9jG_ccmm3] * Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/] Chapters: * (00:00) - Introduction * (02:12) - What Is a Future Self? * (03:37) - Mistakes in Time Travel Thinking * (04:45) - Overcoming Procrastination * (07:16) - Connecting to Our Future Selves * (10:35) - Disappointment and Adjusting Goals * (12:14) - Goal Setting and Motivation * (15:02) - Public Accountability for Motivation * (16:04) - The Final Three Questions * (20:35) - Conclusion ******** Become a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/p/premium/]. Take advantage of our Sponsor offer from BetterHelp [https://www.betterhelp.com/thinkfast]

A double definition of happiness — and how to cultivate both parts. The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resolutions and prepare for evolutions, this special four-part series on communication, happiness, and well-being explores practical ways to enhance our lives through better communication, deeper connections, and more meaningful choices. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to happiness, but according to Laurie Santos [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/laurie-santos/], everyone needs the two key components of contentment and fulfillment — or as she puts it, being happy in your life and happy with your life. “Being happy in your life [means] your life is filled with joy,” explains Santos, a Yale psychology professor and host of The Happiness Lab [https://www.drlauriesantos.com/happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos-podcast] podcast. This felt sense of happiness — enjoying where we are, what we do, and who we’re with — is essential, but it’s not the only piece of the puzzle. Being happy with your life, she says, is the belief that “your life is going well. Being happy with your life gets closer to things like fulfillment and purpose.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Santos joins Matt Abrahams to explore how to cultivate both sides of her happiness equation, from building deeper connections with others to transforming the ways we communicate with ourselves. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/ThinkFast [http://betterhelp.com/ThinkFast] and get ten percent off your first month. Episode Reference Links: *  Laurie Santos [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/laurie-santos/] * The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos | Podcast [https://www.drlauriesantos.com/happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos-podcast]  Connect: * Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/] * Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io * Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website [https://www.fastersmarter.io/179-communication-happiness-wellbeing-finding-positive-in-negative-emotions/] * Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io [http://fastersmarter.io/] * Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/think-fast-talk-smart/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thinkfasttalksmart/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6caGRBUYZCmgDGM2RK6mxKB9jG_ccmm3] * Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/] Chapters: * (00:00) - Introduction * (02:08) - Defining Happiness * (03:21) - The Role of Negative Emotions * (04:54) - Balancing Negative and Positive Emotions * (05:45) - Positive Communication * (07:18) - Improving Self-Talk * (09:50) - Deepening Conversations * (11:04) - Navigating Difficult Conversations * (12:39) - The Power of Gratitude * (15:15) - Technology and Wellbeing * (18:33) - The Final Three Questions * (22:35) - Conclusion ******** Become a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/p/premium/]. Take advantage of our Sponsor offer from BetterHelp [https://www.betterhelp.com/thinkfast]