In this episode, psychologist and bestselling author Fiona Murden explores why identity—not skills—may be our greatest challenge in the age of AI. We discuss resilience, identity coherence, storytelling, parenting, leadership, and why understanding who you are is becoming one of the most important human capabilities.In this episode:Why AI is creating an identity crisisIdentity by osmosis and the people who shape usHow leaders create certainty through storytellingRaising children with a stronger sense of selfThe connection between identity and resiliencePractical ways to better understand yourselfConnect with Fiona:Website: https://www.fionamurden.com/Substack (Still Human): https://fionamurden.substack.com/about

Most entrepreneurs pour relentless intention into their business and then wing it at home. Ann Sheu thinks that's backwards. She makes the case that your family is the most important team you'll ever lead, and shows how the same clarity, values, and rhythms that build great companies can build connected, resilient families.We get into values as the real foundation of a relationship, the "decade dream" and why a five-year-old can set one, weekly Family Alignment Meetings (FAMs), the difference between alignment and agreement, and why most money fights are really values fights. Ann also shares the one question that should ground every hard conversation: did your partner leave it feeling seen, heard, understood, and safe?About AnnAnn Sheu is a leadership coach, entrepreneur, and mother of four, and the founder of Mpowered Journey. She helps high-performing couples bring the clarity, alignment, and intentionality from their businesses into their family life, building stronger communication, shared expectations, and simple rhythms that reduce friction at home.What we exploreWhy values work has to come first, for each individual and then for the coupleThe "decade dream": one number that captures a whole vision (2,000 free days, 500 new experiences, 100 date nights abroad)Family Alignment Meetings, and how to run your family like its leadership teamAlignment over agreement, and why healthy couples still fight"Seen, heard, understood, and safe" as the real winning criteria in any disagreementHow values clarity dissolves most money and time conflictsConnect with Annhttps://www.mpoweredjourney.comhttps://www.mpoweredjourney.com/know-thyselfhttps://www.mpoweredjourney.com/foundations-previewhttps://www.instagram.com/mpoweredjourneyhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/mpowered-journeyMeet the host, Brad Hook, here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bradleyhook.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bradhookX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/bradleyhook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleyhook

What if the voice you use every day is only a fraction of what's available to you?Voice coach, author, and performer Barbara McAfee says most of us live in "a tiny closet in a great big mansion" when it comes to our voice. We settle into one small corner of it and never realize how much more is there.In this conversation, Barbara shares the framework at the heart of her work: five distinct voices, each with its own sound and purpose. Earth for authority and gravitas. Fire for passion and public speaking. Water for the heart and hard conversations. Metal for cutting through noise without strain. Air for imagination and story. Learning to move between them, she explains, is the difference between a flat communicator and a compelling one.We talk about why so many people decide they "can't sing," why Barbara believes singing is a human right, and how vocal range shapes leadership, storytelling, confidence, presence, and well-being. She also introduces the idea behind her new book, Vocal Intelligence, and why it matters now.Whether you're a leader, speaker, coach, parent, educator, or simply someone who wants to express themselves more fully, this episode will change how you think about your voice.In this conversation:• The five voices, and what each one is for• Why most of us work only a small corner of our range• How great storytellers use vocal variety to hold an audience• Why Barbara believes singing is one of the most human things we do• Practical ways to build vocal presence and avoid strain• Why the voice you like least often holds the most for you• The thinking behind her new book, Vocal IntelligenceBarbara closes by reading a Hafiz poem about "the astonishing light of your being," and that alone is worth staying for.Connect with Barbara McAfeeWebsite: https://www.barbaramcafee.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mcafeemusicInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbaramcafeesings/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barbara.mcafeeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaramcafee/TEDx: Bringing Your Full Voice to Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze763kgrWGgTEDx: How Oral Tradition Singing Helps Us Work & Live Better Together https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrRQulQnaoQBooksVocal Intelligence: Leading with Vitality, Presence, and Impact https://www.amazon.com/dp/1722507381Full Voice: The Art and Practice of Vocal Presence https://www.amazon.com/Full-Voice-Practice-Presence-Business/dp/1605099228Connect with BradLive Workshops & Seminars: https://bradleyhook.com/flame-method/Discover Your Values: https://values.institute/values-app/Website: https://bradleyhook.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleyhook/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradhook/Latest Book, Start With Values: https://www.penguin.co.nz/books/start-with-values-9781961293106

What if sleeping too much is almost as bad for you as sleeping too little?Brad sits down with Dr Junhao (Hao) Wen, Assistant Professor of Radiology, Computer Science, and Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University, whose latest research in Nature maps how sleep duration shapes biological aging across 23 organ systems.They get into what a biological aging clock actually is, why both short and long sleep speed up aging, and why the much-quoted "sweet spot" of 6.4 to 7.8 hours is a starting framework rather than a rule. Hao explains why long sleep may be a warning light rather than a cause, how the optimal range differs for women and men, and what all of this means for anyone trying to sleep better without spiraling into sleep-score anxiety.A grounded, practical conversation about sleep, longevity, and staying human in the age of AI-driven medicine.Study referenced: Sleep chart of biological aging clocks in middle and late life (Nature, 2026) — https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10524-5

What an 80-year-old Mongolian nomad, a group of girls from the slums of Mumbai, and a master sculptor in Hong Kong reveal about creativity.Most of us decide we're "not creative" early in life, and never question it again. This episode is here to change that.I sit down with Fredrik Haren, The Creativity Explorer, internationally bestselling author and global keynote speaker on business creativity. Over 25 years, Fredrik has traveled to more than 75 countries studying creativity, innovation, curiosity, and human potential. From Mongolia and Bhutan to India, Afghanistan, and beyond, he has interviewed entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, educators, business leaders, and everyday people in pursuit of a single question: what helps us unlock our creative potential?We explore why creativity is far more than artistic talent, why confidence and doubt have to coexist, and why curiosity may be the single most important trait shared by highly creative people. Fredrik shares stories from his travels, including lessons from nomadic cultures, the surprising mindset of children growing up in Mumbai's slums, and why some of the world's best ideas arrive when we stop searching for them.We also turn to AI, asking whether machines can be creative, how AI is reshaping the creative process, and why Fredrik believes we are witnessing the birth of an entirely new way of generating ideas rather than the end of human creativity.In this episode:Why creativity is a universal human traitThe surprising relationship between confidence and doubtWhat the word "opportunity" originally meantHow curiosity fuels creativityWhy AI may enhance rather than replace human creativityLessons from Mongolia, Bhutan, India, and beyondThe role of nature, solitude, travel, and dreams in generating ideasWhy inspiration without action can become an addictionHow to discover your own creative processFinding the unique contribution that only you can make to the worldAbout Fredrik HarenFredrik Haren is The Creativity Explorer, an internationally bestselling author and global keynote speaker on Business Creativity, Innovation, and Change. He has delivered over 2,000 presentations, lectures, and workshops in more than 75 countries across 6 continents, and has inspired over a million people from the stage to become more creative and to see the world in a new way. In 2025 he celebrated 25 years as a professional speaker.He is the author of ten books, including The Idea Book, an international bestseller featured in The 100 Best Business Books of All Time. His latest book, The World of Creativity, launched just before Christmas 2025 with Wiley Publishers. It's the summary of what learning from creative people in 75 countries over the past 25 years has taught Fredrik about how we can discover our full creative potential.Fredrik has been inducted into the Speaker Hall of Fame on 2 continents. He is a CSP and a Global Speaking Fellow, and a recipient of the TIA, given by the Global Speakers Federation and considered the highest award in the international speaking community.Connect with Fredrik HarenWebsite: https://www.fredrikharen.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredrikharenThe Creativity Explorer: https://www.thecreativityexplorer.comOrder The World of Creativity: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1907312897Connect with Brad HookWebsite: https://www.bradleyhook.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleyhookInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradhookIf you've ever thought "I'm not creative," this conversation may change the way you think about creativity, curiosity, and what it means to live a more inspired life.

Dr. Stephen Sideroff opens with a provocation: we are all designed to fail at managing stress. From there, the UCLA professor, clinical psychologist, and author of The 9 Pillars of Resilience walks Brad through why our hunter-gatherer nervous system keeps misfiring in a world that never signals we're safe, and what to do about it.The conversation covers real ground. The "Four Horsemen of Stress" that pull us out of balance. Why our biggest successes get wired to stress, so we keep seeking it out. The human performance curve, and how building resilience pushes that curve outward so you can handle more pressure before health or performance drops off. Dr. Sideroff also explains autonomic dysregulation syndrome, which he links to 70 to 80 percent of the symptoms that show up in a doctor's office, and his research naming chronic stress as a master hallmark of aging.You'll also get the practical core: the difference between a critical inner voice and a healthy "internal parent," why relaxation is a skill that takes practice, how co-regulation and genuine connection replenish us, and his idea of "the path" as an antidote to overwhelm. He closes with four first steps anyone can take today.A grounded, generous conversation about staying balanced, performing at your best, and aging well.Dr. Stephen Sideroff, author of The 9 Pillars of Resilience: The Proven Path to Master Stress, Slow Aging & Increase Vitality. Host of the Quantum Leadership podcast.Free gift, Resilience Assessment Booklet: https://drstephensideroff.com/free-gift/Read the book's first chapter free: https://drstephensideroff.com/lp/first-chapter/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drstephensideroff/X: https://x.com/DrSideroffFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephen.sideroff/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.stephensideroff9170

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.orgConnect with Brad on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradhookConnect with Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleyhook/

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 changeWhy creativity is not limited to artistsHow career development differs from simply finding a jobThe rise of non-linear careers and multipotentialityWhy young people need better stories around fame, influence, and meaningful workHow meditation, spirituality, and centredness support creativityThe long-term impact of COVID and organizational traumaHow leaders can help people move through change more humanelyConnect with Dirk Matthews:https://www.revisioncreativeconsulting.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkmatthews

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/bradhookhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleyhook/Find me: https://bradleyhook.com/Join me at a live event: https://flame.live/

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/⁠The Cosmic Wish Experiment:⁠https://cosmicwishexperiment.com/⁠Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/brownell.landrum.author⁠Instagram:⁠https://www.instagram.com/brownelllandrum/⁠TikTok:⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@brownelllandrum⁠The Art & Science of Wishing on Amazon:⁠https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CY3C574T/⁠