The Science of Wishing Is Stranger Than You Think

Mental Health, Leadership and the Future of Work

Mohini Venkatesh, MPH, Chief of Staff at the National Council, joins Brad Hook to explore the state of mental health in the U.S., the growing role of Mental Health First Aid, and why workplaces need to treat people as whole human beings. Together, they discuss loneliness, burnout, substance use, youth mental health, AI in healthcare, and the human skills leaders will need in the future of work. Mohini also shares why she remains hopeful after nearly two decades working to improve access to mental health and substance use care. Learn more about the National Council: https://www.thenationalcouncil.org [https://www.thenationalcouncil.org] Connect with Brad on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradhook [https://www.instagram.com/bradhook] Connect with Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleyhook/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleyhook/]

Creativity Isn't a Talent. It's a Survival Skill.

In this episode, Brad speaks with Dirk Matthews, President of the National Career Development Association and Interim Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations at Columbia College Chicago. Together they explore: * Creative resilience as a practical framework for navigating change * Why creativity is not limited to artists * How career development differs from simply finding a job * The rise of non-linear careers and multipotentiality * Why young people need better stories around fame, influence, and meaningful work * How meditation, spirituality, and centredness support creativity * The long-term impact of COVID and organizational trauma * How leaders can help people move through change more humanely Connect with Dirk Matthews: https://www.revisioncreativeconsulting.com [https://www.revisioncreativeconsulting.com]https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkmatthews [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkmatthews]

What Is Burnout? I Investigated and Was Surprised by What I Found

Is burnout real or just imprecise language? In this video I work through the science, the philosophy, and my own three burnout experiences to find out what burnout actually is — and why the case against it doesn't hold up. Along the way I look at something most people don't realize: the evidence base for burnout is actually stronger than the evidence base for celebrated constructs like flow state and growth mindset. Connect with me: https://www.instagram.com/bradhook [https://www.instagram.com/bradhook] https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleyhook/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleyhook/] Find me: https://bradleyhook.com/ [https://bradleyhook.com/] Join me at a live event: https://flame.live/ [https://flame.live/]

The Science of Wishing Is Stranger Than You Think

In this episode, Brad speaks with author and storyteller Brownell Landrum about her new book, The Art and Science of Wishing, and the global grassroots initiative she founded, The Cosmic Wish Experiment. Brownell explores the surprising science behind wishing, including the difference between a wish, a prayer, and a goal; why wishing rituals appear across human cultures; and how peaceful, positive, and purposeful wishes can help us align imagination, action, and collective energy. They also discuss storytelling, the reticular activating system, neuroplasticity, group wishing, savoring, and how a simple wish can become a catalyst for change. Learn more about Brownell Landrum:⁠https://brownelllandrum.com/⁠ [https://brownelllandrum.com/] The Cosmic Wish Experiment:⁠https://cosmicwishexperiment.com/⁠ [https://cosmicwishexperiment.com/] Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/brownell.landrum.author⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/brownell.landrum.author] Instagram:⁠https://www.instagram.com/brownelllandrum/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/brownelllandrum/] TikTok:⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@brownelllandrum⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@brownelllandrum] The Art & Science of Wishing on Amazon:⁠https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CY3C574T/⁠ [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CY3C574T/]

Tiny Experiments: How to Learn, Grow, and Navigate Uncertainty

What if the goals running your life are getting in the way of your growth? Neuroscientist Anne-Laure Le Cunff joins Brad Hook to explore how curiosity, small experiments, and a willingness to be wrong can help us live and learn more deeply. Anne-Laure Le Cunff — founder of Ness Labs and author of Tiny Experiments — unpacks why we overestimate what we know, how AI tools may be quietly eroding our thinking, and why time-bound experiments work better than rigid goals. She also shares the wake-up call that pulled her out of Silicon Valley and into neuroscience. TOPICS DISCUSSED * The illusion of clarity and the Google / ChatGPT effect * Designing a tiny experiment using the PACT method * Why goals and habits often fail — and what to try instead * Anne-Laure's pivot from Google to neuroscience * Response one vs. response two: meeting uncertainty with curiosity * The brain as a prediction machine * A simple question to leave you with ABOUT THE GUEST Anne-Laure Le Cunff is a neuroscientist at King's College London and the founder of Ness Labs, a newsletter read by 120,000+ curious minds. Her research explores the neuroscience of curiosity, ADHD, and lifelong learning. Previously, she led global marketing for Google Fit. She is the author of Tiny Experiments. Website: https://nesslabs.com [https://nesslabs.com]Newsletter: https://newsletter.nesslabs.com [https://newsletter.nesslabs.com]Book: https://nesslabs.com/book [https://nesslabs.com/book]Instagram: https://instagram.com/neuranne [https://instagram.com/neuranne]LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/neuranne [https://linkedin.com/in/neuranne] ABOUT BRAD HOOK Brad Hook explores human performance, wellbeing, and values-driven living through writing, podcasting, and global speaking engagements. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradhook [https://www.instagram.com/bradhook]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleyhook [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleyhook] Attend a live experience: https://flame.live [https://flame.live]Discover Brad's work: https://bradleyhook.com [https://bradleyhook.com]Values Institute: https://values.institute [https://values.institute]