Vicky and Joe drink tea and discuss philosophy. Well, kind of. Vicky reveals herself to be a bit of a dick, but is on a self-improvement kick. And Joe's problem with baggy grey sweatpants floats to the surface. In this episode of the 1,000 Authors Show, the intrepid podcasters dive deep into their own brains to figure out why thinking is so hard, how to get better at it, and why it's crucial that we do.
Key Takeaways:
[1:25] It’s been a tough few days at the Dingle. The fun adventures of herding sheep.
[5:35] The Atomic Habits book that Vicky is reading is life changing!
[11:05] We’ve evolved to have these giant brains, but it’s really not efficient.
[13:55] Vicky and Joe weren’t really taught in school how to think critically.
[17:10] By the way, nobody is good at multitasking.
[18:45] How does Vicky define ‘thinking’?
[20:10] Unfortunately, throughout our lives, we are taught not to question things.
[22:05] Why is critical thinking so important?
[27:50] What are some of your cognitive biases? Let Vicky know!
[29:00] Ask basic questions about a topic, even if you think you know it.
[31:20] A lot of horrible things are happening in the UK at the moment. A little bit of empathy would be nice!
[33:45] Don’t just read the headline! Read the story. Also, double check where the research comes from.
[37:25] Get better at thinking.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
Kings of the Wyld, by Nicholas Eames
Iolo's Revenge: Sheep Farming by Happy Accident in Mid-Wales, by Diana Ashworth
Vicky and Joe are almost foiled by technology and then a ghost in the Dingle, before moving swiftly on to today's topic: hard things. (Stop being smutty.) There follows a lurid tale in which Vicky relives a terrifyingly hard moment so vividly her hands turn into some kind of pond creature, and Joe reveals that he actually thought she might die. (Spoiler alert: she didn't.) Why all the talk of hard things? Aha. Well. Because writing a book is hard, and doing hard things is amazing. Listen in and find out why.
Key Takeaways:
[3:00] Vicky is really enjoying Diana Ashworth’s writing. It is delightful, engaging, and funny.
[4:25] Why should you write a book?
[8:35] What types of hard things has Joe had to face recently?
[9:55] Vicky explains what Trad Rock Climbing is. You will probably die.
[14:45] Vicky made it to the top of the mountain and cried.
[16:05] You should write a book because it’s hard and it will make you realize you are completely capable!
[19:00] The important things in life are difficult. Renovating the Dingle is really hard work, but so rewarding.
[23:10] If it were easy, everyone would be doing it!
[25:25] Stay tuned for January! Vicky is hosting a big book launch!
[26:25] Vicky also has a writing retreat planned for you!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
The Obelisk Gate, by N. K. Jemisin
Iolo's Revenge: Sheep Farming by Happy Accident in Mid-Wales, by Diana Ashworth
Joe is wearing a dressing gown! A very snazzy, smoking-jacket-esque dressing gown, but a dressing gown nonetheless. If you only listen to the audio, you're missing out. Hop over to YouTube and have a gander. Mind you, Vicky is dressed like three of the Spice Girls at once, so... anyway, they're both perfectly dressed to discuss The War Of Art by Steven Pressfield – an excellent book for everyone who's ever struggled with procrastination. Listen in and find out what Vicky and Joe's top takeaways from the book are.
Key Takeaways:
[1:20] Joe won gold and silver in the National BJJ competition!
[2:00] Vicky, on the other hand, has scratched her eyeball.
[6:35] Today’s podcast will be a book review of The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.
[8:35] The book is extremely well organized.
[10:00] In Steven’s book, he actually doesn’t have a table of contents.
[12:20] We each have different types of personalities depending on who you are talking to. We have the work persona, the family persona, and the friend/hobby persona.
[15:55] Planning to do that ‘thing’ is really easy. Sitting down and actually doing it is not!
[17:35] Don’t start tomorrow. Start now!
[19:30] It doesn’t matter if the words you are writing are terrible! The point is you got it down on paper.
[21:50] What kind of person do you want to be today?
[25:25] Last month, Vicky wrote every single day!
[26:00] Tune in next week to find out why you should do something difficult!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast
The Obelisk Gate by N. K. Jemisin
The Next Step in the Dance by Tim Gautreaux
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield