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MetaLearn Podcast

The MetaLearn Podcast gives you the knowledge and skills needed to understand yourself and the world around you, so you can futureproof yourself and thrive in the 21st century. Host Nasos Papadopoulos interviews the world's top experts in every field, extracting the principles needed learn faster, think smarter and live better.
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Now displaying: 2020
Dec 16, 2020

Josh Kaufman is an entrepreneur, researcher, and author of three bestselling books – The Personal MBA, The First 20 Hours, and How to Fight a Hydra.

This is Part 2 of my conversation with Josh, so if you haven't already, I recommend you go back and listen to Part 1 where we discussed:

  • The concept of exploration/exploitation and how it helps you decide what to work on
  • The system Josh uses for choosing what to outsource
  • How Josh applied the fundamental law of marketing to his book Personal MBA

In this second part, we cover:

  • How to overcome akrasia defined as a lack of self-control or acting against your better judgment
  • The autofocus method Josh uses to manage his to-do list and the research methods he's used to produce 3 bestselling books
  • The need to acknowledge tradeoffs in business and life and the dangers of optimising something too early
Nov 4, 2020

Josh Kaufman is an entrepreneur, researcher, and author of three bestselling books – The Personal MBA, the First 20 Hours, and How to Fight a Hydra. I had Josh on the podcast previously where we spoke about the power of storytelling for promoting behaviour change and mastering complex projects.

Josh's book The Personal MBA provides a crash course in business by covering timeless principles and recently hit its 10th Anniversary. The 10th Anniversary of the podcast was an excellent excuse to get him back on the podcast for another chat, which was so good and went on so long, that I've split it into 2 parts.

In this first part, we discuss:

  • The concept of exploration/exploitation and how that can help you decide what to work on
  • The system Josh uses for choosing what to outsource
  • How Josh applied the fundamental law of marketing to his book Personal MBA

We also cover the five sections of business value creation, marketing, sales, value delivery, and finance that Josh structures in the business section of the book, and in Part 2 we'll touch on some of his ideas around people and systems as well as his research methods.

Oct 24, 2020
Paul Kirschner is a renowned educational psychologist and author. He is an Emeritus Professor of Educational Psychology at the Open University of the Netherlands Guest Professor at the Thomas More University of Applied Science in Mechelen, Belgium and owner of kirschner-ED.

His most recent book How Learning Happens, explores 28 key works on learning and teaching, chosen from the fields of educational psychology and cognitive psychology, and discusses what they mean in practice. He's also written books on Evidence Informed Learning Design and Urban Myths about Learning and Education.

In this episode we discuss:

  • The educational researchers that have inspired Paul and laid the foundations for the field
  • Why teaching is an art informed by a science, and how teachers should incorporate research on learning into their process
  • The concept of self efficacy and how our beliefs about our abilities impact our performance

We also discuss when students should learn about how learning happens, the importance of teachers in goal setting and the debate on domain-specific vs domain-general skills. 

 
Oct 21, 2020

In this episode I'll reflect on my experience building the podcast over the last few years and share some of the lessons I've learned about the creative process from 150 episodes. I discuss:

  • How being willing to look foolish is the starting point of every great creative achievement
  • The importance of promoting your own work and how to get over resistance to doing it
  • The severe consequences of not doing creative work as a creative person

I hope these insights will prove useful for you. Thank you for listening to the MetaLearn Podcast!

Sep 30, 2020

Ben Saunders is one of the world’s leading polar explorers and an acclaimed keynote speaker. He is the 3rd person in history to ski solo to the North and South poles and holds the record for the longest ever polar journey on foot. In this episode we discuss:

  • The daily life of a polar explorer including the training, the fundraising and the trekking
  • The nature of motivation and grit and how Ben's lessons from polar explorations can be transferred to your daily life
  • How to quit or ask for help when you need it - Ben recounts a tough decision he had to make and how it's influenced the way he operates

Ben's experience is unique and inspirational. The amount of obstacles he had to overcome mentally and physically to do what he did is right at the limit of human potential and I hope it will inspire you to dream a little bigger and grind a little harder.

Sep 16, 2020

Jack Butcher is a designer, entrepreneur and the founder of Visualize Value, a content platform teaching people to communicate through design and build great online products. In this conversation we discuss

- The principles of design that separate forgettable brands from iconic ones
- How to productize your skills and standout in the new economy
- The curriculum building methods Jack has used for his successful courses

So if you want to learn more about visual communication, or separate your income from your time, this episode has you covered.

Jul 22, 2020

Anna Gát is the founder of the Interintellect, a global community and talent platform for public intellectuals. In this episode we discuss:

- The moments that change lives – so called 'Damascus moments' that lead to personal transformation – and whether these moments can be forced.
- What it means to be an adult in an age where there are no clear transitions set out by society anymore and how we can manage that process ourselves.
- The notion of vocation – whether we all have something we're uniquely capable of doing, the process for discovering that and the need to harmonise your dreams with your practical reality.

I'm really impressed by what Anna is doing with the Interintellect and she's definitely spent a lot of time thinking about these questions in depth, so I'm sure you'll find this discussion valuable.

Jul 15, 2020

Sam Sethi is an award winning radio presenter, podcaster and entrepreneur who hosts the podcast Sam Talks Technology. In this episode we discuss:

- How to apply second curve thinking in your career to stay futureproof
- The future of podcasting and how listening habits differ across the world
- The cutting edge of voice tech and what's on the way

I'm becoming increasingly curious about the future of podcasting and voice tech and Sam was the perfect person to get into the weeds with on this, as well as providing some great insights on career, the army and much more.

Jun 24, 2020

Erica Young an expert in the field of network science and founder of the Reliants Project, a blog and podcast that educates people about the invisible impact of networks on our lives. In this episode we discuss:

- The networking myths that hold people back from proactively building relationships
- How understanding network science can help you progress in your career
- The habits of superconnectors, including running events and making introductions

We also talk about some of the core concepts in the field of network science, what the pandemic has done to our networks and much more.

Jun 18, 2020

Anna Gát is the founder of the Interintellect, a global community and talent platform for public intellectuals. In this conversation we discuss:

- How to build a thriving intellectual community and the inspiration behind the Interintellect
- Why utility tyranny and over optimisation is so harmful and how to combat it
- The mindsets and processes involved in facilitating great conversations

We also talk about Anna's educational experience which included managing Hungarian rockbands, her favourite lockdown books and podcasts and much more.

Jun 3, 2020

Anthony Metivier is a world renowned Memory Expert, the Founder of the blog MagneticMemoryMethod.com and author of the new book The Victorious Mind.

In this episode we discuss:
- The importance of metaphors and analogies for understanding the mind
- How to master meditation and safeguard your mental wellbeing
- How to navigate the world of self-help effectively

We also speak about the cultural conversation around mental health and the nature of knowledge. 

May 27, 2020

Matt Clifford is the CEO and co-founder of the world's leading talent investor, Entrepreneur First, which helps people launch a tech startup from scratch. In this episode we discuss:

- The current state of talent allocation including whether there are too many entrepreneurs
- What's causing the slowdown in innovation in the West and how to halt it
- The tough problem of organising genius and successful attempts to do it

We also talk about the role of government vs business in solving big problems and how the startup ecosystem has been affected by COVID-19.

May 20, 2020

Olly Richards is a language learning expert and entrepreneur, who speaks 8 languages and runs the hugely successful blog and podcast I Will Teach You A Language. In this episode we discuss topics on building an expert business including:
- How to brand yourself to stand out in a crowded marketplace
- How to build your audience so you can reach your first students
- How to create and launch a course to make your first money online
So if you want to start a thriving online business, build an engaged audience and launch a successful course, this episode has you covered.

May 6, 2020

Jeff Cobb is the bestselling author of the book, Leading The Learning Revolution and the founder of Tagoras, a learning consultancy. In this episode we discuss: 

- The impact of COVID 19 on adult learning and higher education
- The need to address disruption and displacement in employment - The secret to running good virtual events and learning experiences

So if you want to get up to speed with the latest in online learning, this episode has you covered.

Apr 22, 2020
Andreas M. Antonopoulos is a leading Bitcoin and open blockchain expert and bestselling author. In this episode we discuss:
-The implications of the crisis for the global economy and people like you
-The future of crypto including Bitcoin and different DeFi projects
-The tradeoff between government control and individual liberties
So whether you want to find out what all this economic craziness means for you, or whether it’s a good time to dip your toe into the crypto space, this episode has you covered. 
Apr 15, 2020
Stephen Kosslyn is the President and CEO of Foundry College and one of the world’s most respected cognitive scientists with four decades of experience at Stanford and Harvard. In this episode we discuss:
  • The implications of the coronavirus for online learning, including the limitations of Zoom lectures
  • Why Foundry College chose the future proof skills they teach when forming their curriculum
  • The need for lifelong learning programs and how you should be learning throughout your adult life
So whether you want to understand the educational implications of the current crisis and the future-proof skills you should be learning or get insight into the current state of online education, this episode has you covered. 
Apr 8, 2020
Caroline Crampton is a podcaster, writer and media commentator. In this episode we discuss:
- What Caroline looks for in a good podcast and her current listening habits
- The business of media and why podcasts are growing so fast
- How to make creative work that builds a loyal audience
So if you’re keen to learn more about podcasting, writing and the creative process, this episode has you covered.
Apr 1, 2020
Daisy Christodoulou is the author of the new book 'Teachers vs Tech?’ and the Director of Education at No More Marking. In episode we discuss:
- Why technology isn’t neutral, despite what Silicon Valley want you to believe 
- Daisy’s feedback on my ideas about the key 21st century skills
- The companies and people that Daisy admires in the learning and education space
This episode will help you reflect on how you use technology in your learning and point you towards some amazing thinkers and companies in the EdTech space.
Mar 25, 2020
Daisy Christodoulou is the author of the new book 'Teachers vs Tech?’ and the Director of Education at No More Marking. In episode we discuss:

- How tech can help improve education through adaptive learning and spaced repetition
- Why teaching facts is still important for foundational knowledge 
- The bad ideas behind edtech disasters including a Pearson-Apple collaboration

This episode will give you insight into the learning process and dispel the myths that are harming the way we think about education. 
Mar 19, 2020

Warren Shaeffer is the CEO and Co-Founder of Knowable, an audio-first learning platform. In this episode we discuss:

- How to launch a startup including finding a co-founder and building a product
- The audio revolution and why audio first learning has so much potential
- The importance of expertise and how to select for it on the internet

So whether you’re looking to supercharge your learning or find experts you can trust, this has you covered. 

 

Mar 11, 2020

Julian Treasure is sound and communication expert, acclaimed TED Speaker and the founder of The Sound Agency. In this episode we discuss:

- How a recent health scare altered Julian’s perspective on life and work
- Julian’s tips for effective public speaking, based on his five TED talks
- The future of audio and what the current revolution means for you

Julian is a true master of his craft so if you’re looking to improve as a communicator and speak so people want to listen you’ll get a lot out of this episode.

Mar 3, 2020

Roei Deutsch is the CEO of Jolt, a Business School for the self-made that gives you a competitive advantage from day one. In this episode we discuss:

- The learning best practices used by the military intelligence unit in the IDF
- The key insights about communication from a political campaign
- The skills knowledge workers need to thrive in the 21st century

This conversation was a packed full of useful ideas that will make you reflect on how you’re approaching your learning and what you can do better.

Feb 26, 2020

Dr John Collins is an innovation consultant, technologist and entrepreneur. In this episode we discuss:

- How to become a polymath and productively spread time across projects
- The future of synthetic biology and the innovations emerging from the field
- John’s approach to tapping in to creativity individually and in groups

The conversation also covers the ethics of technological progress and the problems with linear thinking and will help inspire you to reconnect with your natural curiosity.

Feb 12, 2020

Nelson Sivalingam is the Founder and CEO of HowNow, a learning platform that helps organisations onboard and upskill their teams in the flow of work. In this episode we discuss:

- How Nelson learned film and video production by following his curiosity
- How to learn more effectively at work and what HowNow does to facilitate this
- The skills Nelson believes people need to thrive in the 21st century

Whatever career path you’re on, this episode will give you some great insights into how you can learn more effectively on the job to improve your performance.

Feb 5, 2020

David Perell is a writer and educator on a mission to transform our relationship with information. In this episode we discuss:

- The future of media and David’s idea of Naked Brands
- Why identity is the key to transformative learning experiences
- Why knowledge workers should train more like athletes and how to do it

This conversation will give you a fresh perspective on learning and teach you how to leverage the power of the internet to accelerate your career. 

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