Something You Should Know

Епізоди

• SYSK TRENDING - Understanding and Controlling Our Fear 02.06.2026 25хв

  Fear can save your life—or quietly ruin it.. Fear keeps you alert, helps you avoid danger, and in many situations can literally save your life. Without fear, humans probably wouldn’t survive very long. But fear also has another side. Sometimes the fear response kicks in when there is no real danger at all—or at least not enough danger to justify the level of anxiety we feel. Worry about money, health, relationships, social situations, or the future can become overwhelming and begin to shape the way we live our lives. In some cases, fear becomes less of a protector and more of a prison. Dr. Arash Javanbakht, psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and director of the Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic at Wayne State University School of Medicine, studies how fear and anxiety work inside the brain. In our conversation, he explains why humans evolved to be fearful, why modern life can trigger anxiety so easily, and how understanding fear may help you gain more control over it rather than letting it control you. If you’ve ever wondered why your mind sometimes reacts so strongly—or why anxiety can feel impossible to shut off—this discussion offers a fascinating look at what fear is actually trying to do for you and how to keep it from getting in the way of living a full life. Dr. Javanbakht is author of Afraid: Understanding the Purpose of Fear and Harnessing the Power of Anxiety (https://amzn.to/3LDJ93K). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠⁠⁠ SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• When What You Said Isn’t What They Heard & The Real Way People Get Ahead 01.06.2026 51хв

  Dog owners tend to live longer and be healthier than people without dogs. But why would owning a dog have such a powerful effect on your health? The answer turns out to be surprisingly fascinating—especially when it comes to what dogs may be doing for children. https://hi.umn.edu/news/health-perks-pet-ownership You know that frustrating moment when someone completely misunderstands what you meant—even though you thought you were being perfectly clear? Communication problems often happen because people aren’t all “speaking” the same way. According to psychotherapist Jason VanRuler, there are five distinct communication types, and each hears the world differently. Which means the problem may not be what you said—but how the other person processes it. Jason explains how understanding these communication styles can dramatically improve relationships, reduce conflict, and help people finally feel understood. He is author of Discovering Your Communication Type: The 5 Paths to Deeper Connections and Stronger Relationships (https://amzn.to/43iBcJB). A lot of people were taught that if you work hard, stay humble, and keep your head down, success will eventually find you. That sounds nice. It’s also often terrible career advice. Promotions and opportunities frequently go to the people who know how to make themselves visible, memorable, and impossible to overlook. Courtney Johnson, creator of the viral “Problematic Career Cheat Codes” series on TikTok, explains the unspoken rules that actually drive career success—and why many talented people unknowingly sabotage themselves by following outdated advice. She is author of Career Cheat Codes: The Unspoken, Unconventional, and Unfiltered Rules of Career Success (https://amzn.to/4tIk7DD). Nearsightedness has exploded around the world, especially among children and young adults. Most people blame screens. But researchers say the bigger issue may actually be something we’ve stopped doing—and the consequences could affect eyesight for life. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2830598 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠⁠⁠ SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• This Is Why You Dream & The Benefits of Solitude – SYSK Choice 30.05.2026 49хв

  Most people assume being rich would solve almost every problem in life. More freedom. Less stress. More happiness. But psychologists who work with wealthy families say money—especially when people grow up with a lot of it—can create a surprising set of emotional and psychological problems that few outsiders ever see. Source: Dr. Stephen Berglas author of Reclaiming the Fire (https://amzn.to/3VjeRIS). Why do humans dream at all? Why does the brain create these intense experiences while we sleep? And why do dreams sometimes feel more emotionally real than waking life? Neurosurgeon and neuroscientist Dr. Rahul Jandial explains what modern science is discovering about the dreaming brain, including how dreams may help process emotion, simulate danger, strengthen memory, and shape mental health in ways we are only beginning to understand. He is author of This Is Why You Dream: What Your Sleeping Brain Reveals About Your Waking Life (https://amzn.to/3KmOE5N). Modern life sends a clear message: if you spend too much time alone, something must be wrong. But researchers studying solitude say that idea may be completely backward. Time alone—when chosen intentionally—can improve creativity, emotional resilience, self-awareness, and even relationships with other people. Psychologist Netta Weinstein joins me to explain why humans actually need periods of disconnection from others and why learning to be comfortably alone may be one of the healthiest skills modern people can develop. Netta directs the European Research Council’s “Solitude: Alone but Resilient (SOAR)” project and is author of Solitude: The Science and Power of Being Alone (https://amzn.to/3wVA7eb). “Organic seafood” sounds healthy and environmentally friendly. But what does that label even mean when applied to fish and shellfish? The answer reveals a surprisingly murky world behind a term many consumers assume is carefully regulated. https://www.foodrepublic.com/1413904/why-organic-seafood-myth/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠⁠⁠ SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• How to Get People to Say Yes & What Your Darkest Emotions Mean 28.05.2026 50хв

  “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” We’ve all heard it countless times. But where did that idea come from—and is it actually true? Researchers have taken a much closer look at breakfast and the findings may surprise you. Source: https://www.bmj.com/content/364/bmj.l42 Whether you realize it or not, you negotiate all day long—with your spouse, kids, friends, coworkers, and even strangers. The ability to persuade people and navigate difficult conversations can dramatically improve your personal and professional life. Attia Qureshi has spent decades teaching negotiation and persuasion strategies to leaders and organizations. In our conversation, she explains the subtle skills that make people more influential, why persuasion is often misunderstood, and how small changes in communication can help you get better outcomes without being manipulative or aggressive. Attia is founder of AQ Consulting, former MIT faculty member, adjunct professor at the University of Michigan, and co-author of Never Settle: Persuasion & Negotiation Skills to Get What You Want (https://amzn.to/4ugR3US). Attia's exclusive link for SYSK listeners: https://www.attiaqureshi.com/something Most people embrace emotions like joy and happiness while trying to avoid emotions such as anger, jealousy, shame, envy, and regret. But those darker emotions may actually contain important information about who you are, what you value, and what’s happening beneath the surface of your life. Daniel Smith, psychotherapist and author of Hard Feelings: Finding the Wisdom in Our Darkest Emotions (https://amzn.to/4dPzBkw), explains why these uncomfortable emotions exist, what purpose they serve, and why understanding them may be essential for emotional growth and self-awareness. Human attraction is far more complicated than simply “good looks.” In fact, repeated exposure, familiarity, attention, and several other subtle factors can quietly make someone seem more attractive over time—even when nothing about their appearance changes. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/evolutionary-human-sciences/article/visual-attention-to-faces-during-attractiveness-and-dominance-judgements/38F4497B251EFE2D8ED9F4D37F82D9C5 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠⁠⁠ SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• SYSK TRENDING - The Dangers of Collective Illusions 26.05.2026 28хв

  Humans are social creatures, and one of our strongest instincts is to fit in with the group. We want to belong. We want approval. And often, we assume that if enough people appear to believe something, it must be true. But what if a lot of people are only pretending to agree? According to Dr. Todd Rose, this happens far more often than we realize. People routinely stay quiet about what they truly think because they fear being judged, criticized, or isolated. The result is something he calls a “collective illusion”—a situation where many people privately disagree with something while publicly going along with it because they mistakenly believe most others support it. And in today’s world of social media, that problem may be getting worse. Loud, confident voices online can create the impression that an opinion is widely accepted—even when it isn’t. Yet humans are wired to interpret visibility and volume as popularity and truth. Dr. Todd Rose, Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and author of Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions (https://amzn.to/3CZz6AF), joins me to explain how conformity shapes behavior, why groups sometimes make terrible decisions, and how easily people can be influenced by what they think everyone else believes. This conversation may change the way you look at public opinion, social pressure, and even your own willingness to speak up. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠⁠⁠ SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Why Humans Crave Rituals & How Music Transports Your Mind 25.05.2026 49хв

  A lot of people treat melatonin like a harmless sleeping pill. But that’s not really what it is. Researchers are increasingly concerned that melatonin is misunderstood, overused, and often taken in ways that may not help sleep much at all. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9892750/ Humans have always relied on rituals to mark important moments in life—weddings, funerals, graduations, religious ceremonies, even small personal traditions. Rituals help create meaning, connection, and a sense of belonging. Yet many traditional rituals are fading as fewer people marry, attend religious services, or follow long-standing customs. At the same time, entirely new rituals are emerging all over the world to fill that void. Bruce Feiler joins me to explain why rituals matter so deeply to humans, why we continue creating them even when old traditions disappear, and how rituals may be more important to our emotional wellbeing than most people realize. Bruce is author of A Time to Gather: How Ritual Created the World—and How It Can Save Us (https://amzn.to/4nrtvtP) Have you ever heard a song that instantly transported you somewhere else? Suddenly you’re reliving a memory, imagining a scene, or feeling emotions that seem almost cinematic. Those experiences are called musical daydreams—and they happen far more often than most people realize. What’s fascinating is that people from completely different backgrounds often report remarkably similar experiences when listening to the same music. Elizabeth Margulis, professor of music at Princeton University and director of the Music Cognition Lab, explains why music has this unusual power over the mind, how musical daydreams work, and what they reveal about the way humans experience emotion and imagination. She is author of Transported: The Everyday Magic of Musical Daydreams (https://amzn.to/4tDmqrL). Closing your eyes while kissing feels natural and romantic. But why does it actually feel strange to keep your eyes open during a passionate kiss? Neuroscience suggests there may be a very specific reason your brain prefers eyes you NOT watch what you are doing. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/why-we-kiss-with-eyes-closed-psychologists-research-a6943731.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠⁠ SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• How to Make Better Friends & Cleaning Myths That Waste Your Time - SYSK Choice 23.05.2026 50хв

  The sound of crickets on a warm summer night is instantly recognizable. But the tiny creatures making all that noise are far more fascinating than most people realize. Crickets have some remarkable abilities and behaviors that may change the way you think about them entirely. Source: Hugh Raffles author of Insectopedia (https://amzn.to/4bOcK51) People today have fewer close friendships than in the past, and loneliness is becoming increasingly common. Yet making and maintaining friendships may not be nearly as complicated as many people think. Anna Goldfarb, friendship journalist and author of Modern Friendship: How to Nurture Our Most Valued Connections (https://amzn.to/3K9Fqdb), explains why friendship often feels harder in adulthood, what gets in the way of meaningful connection, and the surprisingly simple things people can do to build stronger, more fulfilling relationships. Housecleaning sounds boring—until you realize a lot of what people believe about cleaning is outdated, ineffective, or just plain wrong. Some common cleaning habits waste time, waste money, and don’t even work particularly well. Melissa Pateras, whose wildly popular TikTok videos have attracted millions of viewers (https://www.tiktok.com/@melissadilkespateras?lang=en), joins me to share smarter, simpler ways to clean your home, do laundry, and tackle everyday messes more effectively. She is author of A Dirty Guide to a Clean Home: Housekeeping Hacks You Can’t Live Without (https://amzn.to/3VbJ0ts). Getting kids outside to play has all kinds of benefits—but one of the most important has to do with protecting their eyesight. Researchers are discovering a fascinating connection between outdoor time and children’s vision health. https://www.aao.org/eyenet/article/outdoor-activity-and-myopia-in-children%E2%81%A0 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Your Hormones Control More Than You Think & How Big Mistakes Shape You 21.05.2026 51хв

  People love giving advice—but most of the time, it doesn’t actually change anyone’s behavior. In fact, there’s a much more effective way to influence people that works far better than telling them what they should do. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4675534/ Hormones influence nearly every aspect of your life, yet most people only have a vague understanding of what they actually do. These powerful chemical signals affect mood, stress, sleep, energy, appetite, weight, sex drive, and much more. And when hormones fall out of balance, the effects can ripple throughout the entire body. Dr. Saira Hameed, endocrinologist and author of Signals: The Hidden Power and Secret Language of Hormones (https://amzn.to/4eO37IB), explains how hormones work, why they matter so much, and what happens when this intricate signaling system goes wrong. Everyone makes mistakes—but some mistakes hit differently. A bad decision involving work, relationships, money, or reputation can feel overwhelming and difficult to move past. Michael Lynton understands this firsthand. As former CEO of Sony Entertainment, he approved a film that unexpectedly triggered an international crisis involving North Korea, cyberattacks, leaked emails, and worldwide controversy. In our conversation, he explains what he learned from that experience, why major mistakes can shake your identity so deeply, and how people can recover, grow, and even find meaning after things go terribly wrong. He is co-author of From Mistakes to Meaning: Owning Your Past So It Doesn't Own You (https://amzn.to/4toBGZj). Coffee may be doing more for your health than simply waking you up. Large-scale research suggests it appears to protect one important organ in the body—and interestingly, the protective effect may increase the more coffee you drink. https://www.coffeeandhealth.org/health/liver-function/overview PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• SYSK TRENDING - What It Means To Be Inspiring 19.05.2026 27хв

  Most of us can point to someone who truly inspired us—a teacher, boss, coach, friend, or public figure who made us think differently, push harder, or believe more in ourselves. But what exactly makes someone inspiring? Why do certain people energize and motivate us while others, even highly successful people, don’t have the same effect? It turns out inspiration is not just charisma or confidence. Research suggests there are specific qualities and behaviors that consistently make people more inspiring to those around them. And perhaps most importantly, these traits can be developed. Adam Galinsky, social psychologist, Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School, and author of Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others (https://amzn.to/3EeUYN6), joins me to explain what inspiring people do differently. In our conversation, he breaks down the habits, attitudes, and communication styles that make others want to listen, follow, and do their best work. Whether you want to become a better leader, parent, friend, or simply have a more positive influence on the people around you, this discussion offers a fascinating look at what truly inspires human beings—and how you can become more inspiring yourself. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at ⁠https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Why Walking is More Powerful Than You Think & A Career You May Have Missed 18.05.2026 47хв

  Most recipes tell you to preheat the oven before cooking. But why? Wouldn’t it save time to just let the food cook while the oven heats up? There’s actually a very good reason recipes insist on preheating—and it has everything to do with chemistry, texture, and how food cooks. https://food52.com/story/16152-why-you-must-preheat-the-oven-even-if-you-re-in-a-rush Walking may be the most underrated thing you do for your health. It seems so ordinary that most people never think much about it—but how you walk, how often you walk, the shoes you wear, and even when you walk can have a profound impact on your body, your longevity, your energy, and your risk for disease. Dr. Courtney Conley, internationally recognized expert on foot mechanics and gait dynamics, explains why walking is far more sophisticated and important than most people realize. She works with elite athletes and professional sports teams including the Phoenix Suns, New York Yankees, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, and Minnesota Vikings, and in our conversation she reveals how improving the way you walk could dramatically improve the way you feel. She is author of Walk: Rediscover the Most Natural Way to Boost Your Health and Longevity—One Step at a Time (https://amzn.to/48SHDq1). Most people choose careers from a surprisingly small slice of what’s actually available to them. Often, we follow paths we happened to be exposed to—through parents, friends, school, or circumstance—while countless other possibilities never even enter our awareness. Which raises an interesting question: could there be another kind of work you’d be better at, happier doing, or naturally gifted for? Tom Rath, who has spent decades researching work, behavior, and human wellbeing, explores how people discover meaningful work and why purpose has such a powerful effect on everyday life. He is author of What’s the Point? Turning Purpose Into Your Daily Superpower (https://amzn.to/3R0gATB). Most people know salty foods make you thirsty. What many don’t realize is that salt may also make you eat significantly more food—and not by accident. Researchers are discovering that salty, ultra-processed foods can alter the way your brain responds to hunger and satisfaction in ways that make overeating much more likely. https://keck.usc.edu/news/why-ultra-processed-foods-upfs-make-us-overeat-and-what-it-means-for-your-brain/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! DELL:  With the Dell Pro laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra with vPro, no matter how many interruptions you have, your laptop won’t be one of them. With battery that’s optimized for the way you work, and built-in intelligence that quiets distractions the moment you’re trying to focus, your tech won’t slow you down.  Find out more at https://Dell.com/Dell-Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• How Your Environment Affects Your Behavior & Curiously Strange Moments In History - SYSK Choice 16.05.2026 51хв

  “Your call is very important to us.” Companies say things like this all the time in an effort to sound customer-focused and trustworthy. But do phrases like that actually reassure people—or do they quietly create the opposite reaction? Source: Michael Maslansky author of The Language of Trust (https://amzn.to/3Wz2IQP). You already know certain places make you feel different—you just may not realize how powerful the effect really is. Walking into a church, a courtroom, a stadium, or even a grocery store can subtly change your mood, your behavior, and even the way you think. Kevin Ervin Kelley, award-winning architect and author of Irreplaceable: How to Create Extraordinary Places that Bring People Together (https://amzn.to/3UALlwE), explains how spaces are intentionally designed to influence human behavior and why the environments around you shape far more of your experience than you probably realize. History class usually focuses on wars, presidents, and major events. But some of the most fascinating stories are the ones you rarely hear about. Stories like the chaotic and nearly disastrous opening day of Disneyland, the multiple assassination plots unfolding the night Abraham Lincoln was killed, and the bizarre corporate marriage between AOL and Time Warner. Michael Farquhar, former writer and editor at The Washington Post and author of Bad Days in History (https://amzn.to/3wjKCrF) and More Bad Days in History (https://amzn.to/3QE5q3V), shares some of history’s strangest, most surprising, and often unbelievable true stories. “You have the right to remain silent…” Those famous words are instantly recognizable. But who exactly was “Miranda”? And how did one man’s legal troubles end up permanently changing the American justice system? https://www.thoughtco.com/miranda-v-arizona-104966 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Truth About Becoming Wealthy & The Hidden Damage of Our Digital Life 14.05.2026 49хв

  Most credit cards have that little 3- or 4-digit security code you constantly get asked for when shopping online. It can feel like a nuisance—but that tiny number plays a surprisingly important role in reducing fraud in a very simple and effective way. https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/education/basics/why-do-some-sites-not-require-cvv We tend to think of financial advice as timeless: buy a house, invest for the long term, diversify your portfolio, put your money in index funds. But history tells a much messier story. There were periods when stocks performed terribly, when home ownership was a bad investment, and when other “sensible” advice turned out to be disastrously wrong. Joseph Moore, historian, investor, and author of How to Get Rich in American History: 300 Years of Financial Advice That Worked (& Didn’t) (https://amzn.to/4uDCdrv), explains how financial “wisdom” changes over time, why so much money advice is shaped by the era we happen to live in, and what history can teach us about building wealth today. We’ve all heard the warnings about sitting too much and spending too much time staring at screens. But modern life practically demands it. Hours at a desk, then more hours scrolling, streaming, emailing, and checking notifications. The problem is, researchers are beginning to discover that this screen-heavy lifestyle may quietly affect far more than we realize—from energy and sleep to mood, focus, and long-term health. Manoush Zomorodi, award-winning journalist, host of NPR’s TED Radio Hour, and author of Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age and New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being (https://amzn.to/3PraStx), shares what science is uncovering about the physical and mental toll of modern digital life—and why small, surprisingly simple changes may make a meaningful difference. Revenge can feel incredibly satisfying—at least in your imagination. But what happens after you actually get even with someone? Does revenge deliver the relief and closure people expect, or does it create something else entirely? https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/if-love-could-kill/202506/revenge-from-grievance-to-grief PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• SYSK TRENDING - Why Your Consciousness is Unique 12.05.2026 28хв

  What if your experience of reality isn’t real—but something your brain is creating? And what does it really mean to be you? It sounds abstract, even a little out there. But scientists are actively studying these questions, and what they’re discovering is both fascinating and a bit unsettling. The way you perceive reality—what you see, hear, and feel—may not be a direct reflection of the world at all. Instead, it could be something your brain is actively constructing in real time. Anil Seth, professor of cognitive and computational neuroscience at the University of Sussex, has spent years exploring how consciousness works. In our conversation, he explains how your brain creates your sense of self, why your experience of reality is unique to you, and how two people can live in the same world yet experience it very differently. He is author of Being You: A New Science of Consciousness (https://amzn.to/3DvkibU). If you’ve ever wondered why you see the world the way you do—or what’s really behind that experience—this discussion will likely change how you think about your own mind. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Why You Hate Uncertainty & The New Science of Living Longer 11.05.2026 49хв

  Have you ever struggled with a problem—only to have the answer suddenly appear when you stopped trying? It feels almost like magic, but it’s actually your brain working in a very specific way when you step back. https://drexel.edu/now/archive/2016/March/Insight_Correctness/ We all want to know what’s going to happen next. But life doesn’t work that way. In fact, the real challenge may not be uncertainty itself—but our growing discomfort with it. Simone Stolzoff, journalist and author of How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World that Demands Answers (https://amzn.to/428rpWb), explains why we crave certainty, why that craving can make life harder, and how learning to tolerate—and even embrace—uncertainty can change the way you experience the world. You’ve probably heard that your health is shaped by both your genes and your lifestyle. But how much control do you really have? Are some outcomes unavoidable—or can your daily choices actually override genetic risk? Dr. Florence Comite, endocrinologist and expert in longevity and precision medicine, has spent decades studying how to optimize health at the individual level. In our conversation, she explains how genes influence your future, where they don’t, and how understanding your personal biology can help you make smarter decisions to improve health and extend lifespan. She is author of Invincible: Defy Your Genetic Destiny to Live Better, Longer (https://amzn.to/3Pir404). In the middle of a tense conversation, it’s easy for things to escalate quickly. But there’s a simple three-word phrase that can instantly shift the tone—turning conflict into something more productive and less combative. Source: Bill Jensen author of The Simplicity Survival Handbook (https://amzn.to/4thwWEX) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• How to Get Better at Anything & Why So Many People Like Tattoos - SYSK Choice 09.05.2026 50хв

  When buying a car, color might seem like a purely personal choice. But it turns out that picking a less popular color could actually pay off later in a surprising way—especially when it’s time to sell. Source: Westways Magazine Summer 2024 / “Color Considerations” What does it really take to get better at something? Is it just practice—or is there a smarter way to improve? Why do some people seem to make rapid progress while others plateau? Scott Young, writer, podcast host (https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/podcast/), and author of Get Better at Anything: 12 Maxims for Mastery (https://amzn.to/3JOQ60k), breaks down what actually works when it comes to learning and skill-building. In our conversation, he explains the principles that separate effective practice from wasted effort—and how small adjustments can lead to much faster improvement. Tattoos have been around for thousands of years, yet their popularity today seems higher than ever. What draws people to permanently mark their bodies? Do they regret it later—or does the meaning deepen over time? Matt Lodder, senior lecturer in art history at the University of Essex and one of the world’s leading experts on tattoo history, takes us inside this fascinating world. He is author of Painted People: 5,000 Years of Tattooed History from Sailors and Socialites to Mummies and Kings (https://amzn.to/4bdVJlb), and in our discussion he explores the cultural, psychological, and historical reasons tattoos continue to hold such strong appeal. Humming might seem like a small, almost unconscious habit—but it can have a surprisingly positive effect on how you feel. And there’s more going on behind it than you might think. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture-council/articles/humming-for-self-care-tool-for-leaders-toolboxes-1234956725/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES : We love the Planet Visionaries podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Listen or watch on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you are listening to this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Science of Getting Lucky & What People Secretly Google 07.05.2026 49хв

  We often hear that we’re all connected by six degrees of separation—that you can link yourself to anyone on the planet through just a handful of people. But with billions of people in the world, how could that possibly be true? And in a world of social media and constant connectivity, is that number shrinking or growing? https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-98072-2 Some people just seem to have all the luck. Opportunities appear, things fall into place, and they end up in the right place at the right time. Is that just chance—or is there something more going on? Tina Seelig, who has spent more than 25 years teaching entrepreneurship and innovation at Stanford University, says luck isn’t nearly as random as it seems. In our conversation, she explains how certain behaviors and ways of thinking can actually increase your chances of getting lucky—and how small, everyday actions can open doors you didn’t even know were there. She is author of What I Wish I Knew About Luck: A Crash Course on Turning Aspirations into Achievements (https://amzn.to/3RaPQ2F). Here is the link to her TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/tina_seelig_the_little_risks_you_can_take_to_increase_your_luck You know what you search for on Google—but what about everyone else? When people have anonymity, they often reveal what they’re really curious about, worried about, or struggling with. The patterns in those searches can be surprising—and sometimes unexpectedly hopeful. Simon Rogers, Data Editor at Google and author of What We Ask Google: A Surprisingly Hopeful History of Humankind (https://amzn.to/4w0fvLr), shares what these billions of searches reveal about human nature, what people are really thinking about, and what we can learn when we look at all that data together. It’s often said that “nice guys finish last.” But is there actually some truth to that? Research suggests there may be a relationship between how agreeable you are and how much you earn. But the story isn’t as simple as “nice equals less money.” It raises a deeper question: are agreeable people undervalued—or are more difficult personalities rewarded in ways we don’t fully recognize? The answer may challenge what you think about success, personality, and what it really takes to get ahead. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167487022000812 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES : We love the Planet Visionaries podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Listen or watch on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you are listening to this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• SYSK TRENDING-How to Negotiate by Asking the Right Questions 05.05.2026 26хв

  For a lot of people, the idea of negotiating feels uncomfortable—something to avoid if possible. It can feel confrontational, awkward, or even risky. But what if negotiating didn’t have to be that way? What if it wasn’t about pushing harder or being more aggressive—but simply about asking better questions? It turns out that the most effective negotiators don’t rely on pressure or persuasion nearly as much as you might think. Instead, they guide conversations in a way that uncovers what really matters to the other person—and to themselves. And that shift can completely change the outcome. Alexandra Carter, Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Mediation Clinic at Columbia Law School, has spent years teaching people how to negotiate more effectively. In her book Ask for More: 10 Questions to Negotiate Anything (https://amzn.to/2T6WaY8), she outlines a simple but powerful framework built around asking the right questions at the right time. In our conversation, she explains how this approach works, why it’s often more effective than traditional negotiating tactics, and how you can use it in everyday situations—from work conversations to personal decisions—without feeling uncomfortable or confrontational. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to ⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES : We love the Planet Visionaries podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Listen or watch on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you are listening to this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Trouble with Thinking Outside the Box & What Hunger is Really Telling You 04.05.2026 49хв

  Ever feel your phone buzz in your pocket—only to check and find nothing there? It feels completely real, and it happens to just about everyone. But it’s not your phone—it’s your brain playing a trick on you. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rewired-the-psychology-technology/201305/phantom-pocket-vibration-syndrome We’re constantly told that creativity comes from “thinking outside the box.” But what if that idea is actually holding you back? It turns out that constraints—rules, limits, and boundaries—often lead to better, more innovative results. David Epstein, bestselling author and former Sports Illustrated senior writer, explains why. David is author of the book Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better (https://amzn.to/48c69lO). He reveals how structure can sharpen thinking, improve performance, and lead to better outcomes than unlimited freedom ever could. Hunger feels simple—you’re hungry, you eat. But it’s not that straightforward. There are different kinds of hunger and they don’t all come from physical need. Dr. Jason Fung, expert in body weight and metabolism is author of The Hunger Code: Resetting Your Body’s Fat Thermostat in the Age of Ultra-Processed Food (https://amzn.to/4vRAaBr). He explains how hunger actually works, why it can drive overeating, and how understanding it can help you take better control of what—and how much you eat —and still feel satisfied. If a first date doesn’t go great, it’s easy to assume there’s no point in trying again. But unless it was truly awful, passing on a second date might be a mistake. That second date might go better than you expect. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16866745/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to https://AquaTru.com now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES : We love the Planet Visionaries podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Listen or watch on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you are listening to this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Do Plants Think? & Why Dining Out Feels So Expensive - SYSK Choice 02.05.2026 51хв

  If you ever feel a wave of anxiety or that vague sense of dread, your first instinct probably isn’t to reach for a pain reliever. But there’s evidence that something you already have in your medicine cabinet may affect more than just physical pain—and the reason why is surprisingly unexpected. https://www.livescience.com/28770-tylenol-eases-existential-dread.html Plants don’t have brains—so how could they possibly be intelligent? Yet research suggests plants can sense threats, communicate with each other, and even change their behavior in ways that seem surprisingly strategic. Zoë Schlanger, award-winning writer for The Atlantic and author of The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth (https://amzn.to/4deE12f), explores this hidden world and explains how plants may be far more responsive and complex than we ever imagined. Dining out often comes with sticker shock. Between rising menu prices, service charges, and tipping, a simple meal can add up quickly. But what’s actually driving those costs? And why do some insiders argue that restaurants may still be underpriced? Andrew Friedman takes us behind the scenes of the restaurant industry and reveals the complex economics, labor, and logistics that shape the price of what ends up on your plate. He is author of the book The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (https://amzn.to/3xWJjiE). Let out a good sigh—it might do more than you think. People all over the world sigh, often without realizing it, and it plays a role in both how we communicate and how our bodies function. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-babble/201304/why-do-we-sigh PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES : We love the Planet Visionaries podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Listen or watch on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you are listening to this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• What AI Is Really Good At & That Feeling You Get When You Don’t Fit In 30.04.2026 48хв

  What makes someone—or something—attractive? It may have less to do with beauty and more to do with how easily your brain can process what you’re seeing. There’s a hidden pattern behind what we find appealing, and it shows up in more places than you might expect. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3130383/?utm Artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly, and it’s easy to feel like you’re either falling behind—or overestimating what it can actually do. So what is AI truly good at right now? Where does it fall short? And how can you use it effectively without getting lost in the hype? Christopher Mims, technology columnist for The Wall Street Journal and author of How to AI: Cut Through the Hype. Master the Basics. Transform Your Work (https://amzn.to/3Qtnd0n), breaks down what today’s AI tools can realistically do, how they differ, and how to get real value from them in your everyday work and decision-making. Have you ever been in a room where you felt like you didn’t quite belong? Maybe you held back from speaking, worried about saying the wrong thing, or felt subtly out of place. That feeling has a name: “churn.” Claude Steele, social psychologist at Stanford University and a leading researcher on identity and perception, explains how this tension arises and how it shapes behavior in powerful ways. In his book Churn: The Tension That Divides Us and How to Overcome It (https://amzn.to/4tZoQl9), he offers insight into why we feel this way—and what we can do to move through it with more confidence and connection. Should you shut your computer down when you’re done with it—or just let it go to sleep? It seems like a small choice, but the answer may not be what you think—especially given how much technology has changed. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/shut-down-sleep-or-hibernate-your-pc-2941d165-7d0a-a5e8-c5ad-8c972e8e6eff PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES : We love the Planet Visionaries podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Listen or watch on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you are listening to this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices