Hidden Brain

11/14/2025

This week on My Unsung Hero: When her purse went missing on a trip to Chicago, Lavonne Schaafsma panicked. What she didn’t know: two strangers had already stepped in to help.

When her purse went missing on a trip to Chicago, Lavonne panicked. What she didn’t know: two strangers had already stepped in to help.

11/13/2025

When it comes to our goals, plans, or pursuits, it’s very easy to get lost in romantic ideas about the future. The poetry, if you will.

But the poetry can often get in the way of the planning and preparation needed to execute those ideas in the first place. In this week’s episode, we talk to Huggy Rao about how to combine poetry and plumbing to turn vision into reality.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2RXZEgdXEkKj1iHZNipKyZ?si=oaMpJnIjTeaesEsySfELEA

Hidden Brain · Episode

11/13/2025

New York and Philly, we’re heading your way in 2026! Join Shankar for the next stops on Hidden Brain’s live tour – more info and tickets at

Are there parts of our minds that are hidden from us? This question launched the Hidden Brain podcast ten years ago. Since then, the program has helped millions of listeners accomplish their goals, improve their relationships, and develop a deeper understanding of their emotions. Now, host and creat...

11/12/2025

Entrepreneurs tend to have no shortage of passion, heart, and vision. But Huggy Rao says there are other elements that may matter more when it comes to whether a project succeeds or fails. His research finds that visionaries often flounder not because they lack passion, but because they forget to take into account the planning, preparation and precision that are needed for real success.

In this week’s episode, how this problem shapes individual lives, organizations and businesses, and even public policy. https://www.hiddenbrain.org/podcast/why-following-your-dreams-isnt-enough/

11/07/2025

This week on My Unsung Hero: Almost 50 years ago, a stranger’s simple question gave Stacia safety — and an example she’s tried to follow ever since.

Almost 50 years ago, a stranger’s simple question gave her safety — and an example she’s tried to follow ever since.

11/06/2025

There’s still time to see Hidden Brain live! Join Shankar at the Orpheum in Los Angeles on November 22. He’ll be sharing seven key insights from Hidden Brain’s first decade. More info and tickets at

Are there parts of our minds that are hidden from us? This question launched the Hidden Brain podcast ten years ago. Since then, the program has helped millions of listeners accomplish their goals, improve their relationships, and develop a deeper understanding of their emotions. Now, host and creat...

11/05/2025

“Doctors are already starting to take this work seriously — that interactions with nature could be a supplement to existing therapies for depression and anxiety.”

We've known intuitively for centuries that spending time in nature can give us a boost. But it’s only recently that scientists have begun to identify exactly what it is about the outdoors that has such a powerful effect on our mood and our minds. This week, psychologist Marc Berman explores how spending time in nature can actually undo some of the harmful effects of our modern lives.

What is it about the outdoors that has such a powerful effect on our mood and our minds? We explore how spending time in nature can undo some of the harmful effects of our modern lives.

10/31/2025

Have you ever watched someone make a mistake over and over again, until you finally correct them... only to make things worse? In this week’s episode, psychologist Stuart Ablon explains why these methods fail, and offers better ways to help the people we care about make lasting change.

Listen and follow:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ot2FW539ljf3VbqV6ioUz?si=n2dhSUvmTqKRloLzIsBUwQ

Hidden Brain · Episode

10/30/2025

This week on My Unsung Hero: In 2008, Prop 8 passed in California, leaving Kate Elsley feeling unwelcome in her own state. Then one stranger’s quiet courage on a train platform reminded her she wasn’t alone.

In 2008, Prop 8 passed in California, leaving Kate feeling unwelcome in her own state. Then one stranger’s quiet courage on a train platform reminded her she wasn’t alone.

10/30/2025

“It frustrates us. It triggers us. And that makes it hard for us to have an empathic understanding — or an even an accurate understanding — about what might be getting in that person's way.”

When people do bad things, we often think it's because they're bad people, or they're being stubborn, or they're simply not trying hard enough. We attempt to help them fix this behavior through rewards and punishments, or we just encourage them to try harder. This week, Stuart Ablon shares a psychological insight that shows us a better way to inspire change.

Podcast Episode · Hidden Brain · 10/27/2025 · 1h 12m

10/28/2025

It can be frustrating when people do things we don't want them to. A friend cancels plans at the last minute. A child refuses to get dressed for school. Before long, resentment sets in. The temptation is to push harder. More reminders, more rules, more consequences. But the techniques we use to get people to alter their behavior are often strikingly ineffective. This week, psychologist explains why these methods fail, and offers better ways to help the people we care about make lasting change.

https://www.hiddenbrain.org/podcast/reframing-the-battle-of-wills/