Big Think

• The science of effortlessness: How to activate flow | Steven Kotler: Full Interview

  “Flow states have triggers: these are preconditions that lead to more flow. 22 of them have been discovered.” What if peak performance wasn’t a mystery, but a state you could wire your brain to enter on-demand? This isn’t about "getting in the zone." It’s about specific brain circuits, chemicals, and triggers that anyone can learn to activate. Backed by science, stripped of fluff, Steven Kotler explains the science of flow, from the inside out. 00:00 Introducing Steven Kotler 00:11 Chapter 1: The biology of our brains 00:35 Psychology’s “outside-in” blind spot 03:45 The brain works in networks 06:35 Making biology your ally: the four performance pillars 07:40 Finding flow’s sweet spot 08:49 Chapter 2: What is flow? 09:55 Six signs you're in flow 12:15 A brief history of flow 15:00 22 triggers that spark flow 19:00 The golden rule of flow: challenge-skills balance 21:47 What do we mean by "challenge" and "skills"? 24:16 How to harness intrinsic motivation 26:28 Why purpose is better than passion 31:50 Flow is a focusing skill 32:35 What is your primary flow activity? 37:39 Chapter 3: Flow and peak performance 37:50 We are all wired for flow 39:05 How flow impacts creativity and happiness 40:50 Group flow: empathy, cooperation and innovation 41:55 Physical boosts and evolution’s logic 43:00 The brain’s internal drug store 49:30 Using flow to rewrite PTSD 52:00 From chemicals to habits 56:15 Final takeaways: The 6 basics 1:02:20 Support Big Think and explore further ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Steven Kotler: Steven Kotler is a New York Times bestselling author, an award-winning journalist, and the Executive Director of the Flow Research Collective. He is one of the world’s leading experts on human performance. He is the author of ten bestsellers (out of thirteen books total), including The Art of Impossible, The Future Is Faster Than You Think, Stealing Fire, The Rise of Superman, Bold and Abundance. His work has been nominated for two Pulitzer Prizes, translated into over 40 languages, and appeared in over 100 publications, including the New York Times Magazine, Wired, Atlantic Monthly, TIME and the Harvard Business Review. Steven is also the cohost of Flow Research Collective Radio, a top ten iTunes science podcast. Along with his wife, author Joy Nicholson, he is the cofounder of the Rancho de Chihuahua, a hospice and special needs dog sanctuary. ---------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Peter Singer: Are we prepared for AI to become conscious?

  "If we did create beings that were more like non-human animals, we ought to treat them much better than we now treat non-human animals." What happens when AI becomes conscious? Philosopher Peter Singer explores the ethical dilemma that could follow the creation of sentient machines. If AI can feel pain or experience pleasure, do we have a moral obligation to protect it? Singer argues that governments, scientists, and ethicists must prepare now for the rights and protections conscious AI may require. 0:00 Will we create conscious AI? 1:30 The ethical dilemma of sentient AI 1:56 Does AI deserve rights? 2:48 How we treat sentient AI 3:42 Experts in AI ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Peter Singer: Peter Singer has been described as the world’s most influential philosopher. Born in Melbourne in 1946, he has been professor of bioethics at Princeton University since 1999. His many books include Animal Liberation - often credited with triggering the modern animal rights movement - Practical Ethics, The Life You Can Save, The Most Good You Can Do, and Ethics in the Real World. In 2023, he published Animal Liberation Now, a fully revised and updated version of the 1975 original. Singer’s writings have also inspired the movement known as effective altruism, and he is the founder of the charity The Life You Can Save. In 2021 he was awarded the $1 million Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture, which he donated to nonprofit organizations working for the causes he supports. In 2023 he received the Frontiers of Knowledge Prize for the Humanities, from the Spanish BBVA Foundation. ---------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• The cracks in my powerhouse life: Cult Peloton instructor Tunde Oyeneyin

  **How do you rise when life keeps burying you in grief?** Before her 30th birthday, Tunde Oyeneyin lost her brother, her father, and her mother—half her immediate family. She wasn’t just at rock bottom. She was *cemented* in it. But instead of staying buried, she rose. 🌅 Grief taught her that none of her emotions could bring her loved ones back—and in that painful truth, she found freedom. She discovered her purpose: *to lead*. Through pain, she stepped into her power. Now a Peloton instructor, Nike athlete, and bestselling author, Tunde’s life changed with one cycling class and a five-second flash of clarity. But self-doubt followed fast. That inner voice—echoing childhood bullying—told her she wasn’t good enough. Didn’t sound right. Didn’t look the part. She believed it… until she didn’t. With the help of two friends, she decided to try. To *attempt*. That choice became her turning point. Today, Tunde embraces every version of herself—the makeup artist, the trainer, the writer, the dreamer. Her journey proves you don’t have to be perfect to lead. You just have to show up, scars and all. **Because power doesn’t come from avoiding pain—it comes from moving *through* it.** 🔥 ---------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• A neuroscientist’s guide to reclaiming your brain | Nicole Vignola

  **Are you trapped in a narrative that isn’t really yours?** From childhood, we absorb beliefs about who we are—“the smart one,” “the creative one,” “the failure.” These labels, shaped by family and environment, become our **Perception Box**, limiting what we believe is possible. But neuroscience reveals that we can rewrite our stories. By recognizing negative thought patterns, questioning old identities, and celebrating small wins, we can **rewire our brains** and reshape our reality. **So, who do you really want to be?** Your brain is wired to repeat the familiar. Change this wiring, and it will change your life. Nicole Vignola, a neuroscientist and organizational psychologist, explains how deeply rooted beliefs can limit our potential and keep us trapped in patterns of thought. These perceptions, often shaped by our upbringing and environment, aren’t necessarily our own—but they can be changed.Nicole shares how the brain’s natural biases, like negativity bias and confirmation bias, reinforce these limiting beliefs. However, with the right approach, it’s possible to reshape our mental patterns. By practicing metacognition—observing and naming our thoughts—we can start to rewire our perception and create new, empowering narratives.Our brains are capable of change at any age. By focusing on small wins and challenging automatic thoughts, we can break free from old beliefs and begin using a mindset that better serves ourselves and our futures. About Nicole Vignola:Nicole Vignola is a neuroscientist, author and corporate consultant. With a BSc in Neuroscience and an MSc in Organizational Psychology, Nicole works with companies and individuals worldwide, educating them on the science of human optimisation, health and longevity, and how to enable employees to perform better in their daily lives and in turn, bring peak performance to the workplace. Recent clients include Lloyds Bank, Makers Mark and Smeg Ltd. ---------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Give up on happiness. Go hard at wonder | Monica Parker for Big Think+

  **What if happiness isn’t the goal—but wonder is?** 🌌 In a world obsessed with positivity—where we chase happiness through job titles, self-help books, and even national constitutions—Monica Parker offers a radical shift: stop chasing happiness. Start seeking *wonder*. Happiness, she argues, is often elusive and shallow. Worse, our obsession with it can lead to **toxic positivity**, robbing us of emotional depth. But *wonder*? It's messy, complex, and deeply human. It includes joy *and* fear, beauty *and* discomfort—like a butterfly breaking free from a chrysalis. From nature’s goosebump moments to thought-provoking ideas and deep connections, Parker shows how wonder is everywhere—if we slow down enough to see it. Through “slow thought” practices like meditation, journaling, and sleep, we can awaken to wonder in our everyday lives. She doesn’t claim mastery. Instead, she invites us to join her in choosing wonder—*over and over again*. **Because in a chaotic world, maybe wonder—not happiness—is the emotion we need most.** 🌿✨ ---------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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