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PODCAST

The OptimalWork Podcast

Hosted by Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes, co-founders of OptimalWork, The OptimalWork Podcast will help you learn to challenge yourself in each hour of work according to your highest ideals. We discuss all aspects of Dr. Majeres"s approach to work, which he developed in his private practice and teaches at Harvard Medical School, and show how it applies to everyday situations like professional work, study, sleep, and relationships. For personalized plans to help you put the ideas into practice,

education self-improvement

All Episodes

00:32:57

242. How Addictions Hijack Your Brain

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/04/07

#242: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the nature of addiction. They begin by exploring its development, showing how addiction often starts as a pursuit of pleasure but can evolve into a compulsive behavior that undermines personal ideals and freedom. The conversation focuses on the neuroscience of addiction, highlighting the role of the brain's dorsal striatum in compulsive behaviors. Dr. Majeres explains how the shift from the ventral to the dorsal striatum marks a

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00:31:05

241. The Seven Deadly Sins: A Psychological Perspective

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/03/31

#241: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the Seven Deadly Sins from a psychological perspective, exploring how these vices can be viewed as habits or addictions that violate personal ideals. They discuss the nature of addiction, the role of cravings, and the importance of understanding the triggers behind addictive behaviors. The conversation emphasizes the significance of mindfulness, acceptance, and practical skills in overcoming addiction and fostering personal growth. It also

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00:32:02

240. Understanding Dynorphins III: Case Studies in...

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/03/24

#240: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres explore the concept of dynorphins and their role in personal growth, looking at a variety of cases. They discuss how dynorphins can affect behaviors such as perfectionism, procrastination, and workaholism, emphasizing the importance of embracing pain to foster growth. The conversation also touches on emotional responses, the challenges of insomnia, and the significance of validating one's feelings to enhance emotional resilience.Find more at

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00:30:48

239. Understanding Dynorphins II: The Dopamine-Rebound

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/03/17

#239: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres delve into the concept of dynorphins and their role in human suffering and growth. They discuss how dynorphins are linked to discomfort and the importance of embracing this discomfort for personal development. The conversation explores the functions of the amygdala in emotional responses, the relationship between dopamine and dynorphins, and the significance of order and intensity in overcoming challenges. They also touch on the concepts of threat

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00:31:21

238. Understanding Dynorphins I: Exploring Unwillingness

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/03/10

#238: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres explore the concept of dynorphins and their crucial role in emotional growth and personal development. They discuss the importance of embracing discomfort and unwillingness as pathways to growth, drawing on insights from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The conversation highlights how dynorphins influence our emotional responses and coping mechanisms, and how understanding these dynamics can aid in mentoring and personal transformation. The

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00:31:04

237. The Essential Tools to do OptimalWork

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/03/03

#237: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the transformative practices of OptimalWork, focusing on projects, growth goals, and the Golden Hour. They explore the importance of setting growth goals, the role of AI in enhancing productivity, and the significance of mindfulness and attention in work. The conversation highlights recent updates to the OptimalWork app and tools.Find more at https://OptimalWork.com

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00:26:59

[Rebroadcast] Mastering Your Brain’s Predictions

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/02/24

#236: The pain you experience from negative emotions is your brain’s way of predicting and preparing you for some kind of avoidant behavior. In this episode, we’ll show you how to most directly change your brain’s predictions and thus attain a new mastery over discomfort.Find more at https://OptimalWork.com

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00:24:19

[Rebroadcast] Break Through Your Brain’s Predictions

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/02/17

#235: When you experience anything — tiredness, pain, distractions — you’re engaging not just reality, but also your brain’s predictions. This insight has profound consequences for how you should engage challenges like tiredness, and for the types of beliefs you should have about yourself. In this episode, we discuss how to interpret and respond to your experiences and your brain’s predictions.Find more at https://OptimalWork.com

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00:30:39

234. The Generous Mind II: What is False Generosity?

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/02/10

#234: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the complexities of generosity, distinguishing between true and false forms. They explore the barriers that prevent individuals from being generous, such as fear of exploitation and loss of personal boundaries. The conversation emphasizes the importance of trust in relationships and how generosity can enhance personal growth and strengthen bonds. They also discuss the need for strategic resets in one's approach to generosity, ensuring

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00:27:02

[Rebroadcast] Why Leisure is More than Just Rest

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/02/03

#233: We work in order to produce something of value for others. In order to work better, rest is important to restore ourselves and maintain energy. But activities of leisure carry us beyond rest to contemplation, and are done for their own sake. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss the relationship between rest, work, and leisure.Find more at https://OptimalWork.com.

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00:29:35

232. The Generous Mind I: What is True Generosity?

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/01/27

#232: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the concept of generosity, exploring its foundational role in personal growth and relationships. They discuss how generosity is intertwined with humility, the importance of serving others, and how it can transform our lives and the lives of those around us. The conversation also touches on the balance between generosity and prudence, the development of generosity as a habit, and the necessity of being genuinely interested in others.Find

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00:25:33

231. Reviewing “The Thoughtful Home”

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/01/20

#231: In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the significance of home life and how it shapes our relationships and personal growth. They explore the concept of a 'thoughtful home' as presented in Dia Boyle's book, emphasizing the importance of attention, care, and challenge within the family dynamic. The conversation covers practical strategies for fostering a nurturing environment, the role of family meals, the impact of technology, and how to integrate home life with

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00:27:26

[Rebroadcast] The Problem of Toxic Positivity

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/01/13

#230: Toxic positivity means invalidating the negative emotions of others. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss how to engage negative emotions — in ourselves and others — in a constructive way, by being understanding and encouraging, rather than positively toxic.Find more at https://OptimalWork.com

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00:26:20

[Rebroadcast] Why Growth Goals Are Better than...

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2025/01/06

#229: Sometimes it may seem like the outcome is the most important thing you need to obtain: the perfect grade, the well-deserved promotion, or the necessary money. In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss the superiority of growth goals and why you should never aim for outcomes as ends in themselves.Find more at ⁠https://www.OptimalWork.com⁠.

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00:27:56

[Rebroacast] How to Approach Every Challenge With a...

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2024/12/30

#228: Whenever we do something repeatedly, we’ll tend eventually to do it in a rote, automatic way. This even applies to OptimalWork’s core practices: reframing, mindfulness, and challenge. In this episode we show how curiosity can help you overcome this tendency and bring a sense of newness to every challenge you face. Find more at ⁠https://www.OptimalWork.com⁠.

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00:18:05

227. Professional Humility VI: A Childlike Spirit

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2024/12/23

#227: Dr. John Gottman identifies four stages in the breakdown of a relationship: defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and, ultimately, contempt. Each of these behaviors points to a deeper issue — a lack of humility. In this episode, we explore a fundamental attitude that can help you heal and strengthen bonds by addressing all four forms of relational breakdown. The key? Approaching challenges with a childlike spirit. This perspective enables you to overcome the fear of shame that often

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00:32:15

226. Professional Humility V: Contempt

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2024/12/16

#226: Dr. John Gottman identifies four stages in the breakdown of a relationship: defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and ultimately contempt. Each of these reflects a deeper issue— a lack of humility. In this episode, we delve into the fourth stage: contempt. Contempt is the most significant predictor of relationship decline and divorce, due to its permanence and the emotional distance it creates. Contempt also has cultural implications, particularly in parenting, and the need for fostering

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00:28:52

225. Professional Humility IV: Stonewalling

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2024/12/09

#225: Dr. John Gottman identifies four stages in the breakdown of a relationship: defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and ultimately contempt. Each of these reflects a deeper issue— a lack of humility. In this episode, we delve into the third stage: stonewalling. Stonewalling means putting up obstacles to forming bonds with others. While defensiveness and criticism most concern one’s attitude, stonewalling goes deeper and touches upon one’s attention. Stonewalling at its most extreme implies an

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00:28:35

224. Professional Humility III: Critical Spirit

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2024/12/02

#224: Dr. John Gottman identifies four stages in the breakdown of a relationship: defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and ultimately contempt. Each of these reflects a deeper issue— a lack of humility. In this episode, we delve into the second stage: criticism, or what we call a critical spirit. A critical spirit often arises from hyperfocusing on someone else’s flaws, conflating those flaws with their identity, and viewing them as fixed and unchangeable. It can also serve as a kind of

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00:30:29

223. Professional Humility II: Defensiveness

The OptimalWork Podcast ·

2024/11/25

#223: Dr. John Gottman describes four stages in the breakdown of a relationship: first defensiveness, then criticism, then stonewalling, and finally contempt. Each of these is a manifestation of a lack of humility. Having laid out the big picture in our previous episode, here we do a deep dive into the first, defensiveness. We explain how it arises and how it relates to key concepts in our approach, like Reframing, Growth Mindset, and Threat Mode.Find more at https://OptimalWork.com

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282 results

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