Curiosity sits at the intersection of creativity, effective human interactions, problem-solving and purposeful change. Unfortunately, the pace of life — at home, work, and school — often sidetracks our natural curiosity. So, listen as we look at the familiar from a different angle or something new as a possibility to consider.
Amirah Cummings’ KIO ecosystem aims to transform education by cultivating curiosity, agency, and bigger thinking, using stories, missions, technology, and AI to help children solve real-world problems.
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Historian Dr. Nigel Perrin examines the World War II exploits of Mathilde Carré, a complex French resistance leader whose ambition, fantasy, betrayal, and survival reveal what can happen when imagined identity collides with reality.
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Tomelle Greenield and Kim Strobel argue that schools should replace reactive behavior management with preventive systems built on relationships, regulation, consistency, coaching, and viewing behavior as communication.
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Dr. Tara Bishop describes a school that combines knowledge with authentic, student-centered experiences, creating flexible pathways that develop skills, purpose, and adaptability while navigating education’s traditional constraints.
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In this episode, I explore how constraints can stimulate rather than suppress creativity by forcing us to work with what we have, clarify priorities, and discover solutions already contained within the problem.
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Fly fishing educator Nick Parish argues that fly fishing is less about catching fish than cultivating attention, creativity, relationships, and conservation through a deeper connection with the natural world.
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Serendipity isn't blind luck but the result of noticing unexpected opportunities, connecting unrelated ideas, and acting with curiosity and courage before fear or self-doubt closes the door. Guest Dr. Christian Busch explains.
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Neuroscience researcher Dr. Melissa Hughes explains how understanding your brain's cognitive blueprint helps you recognize stress-driven thinking patterns, improve decision-making, communicate more effectively, and intentionally build new neural pathways through curiosity.
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In 2019, while touring World War I battlefields, I heard the haunting story of Richard Lancaster, a British soldier who was killed in November 1914. He was only identified in 2006 after an archaeological dig unearthed his remains. I retell the story here through the voice of his dog tag.
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It’s to be expected that after more than 400 episodes, some guests and their ideas will linger longer than others. And so it is with Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander, who in their landmark book, THE ART OF POSSIBILITY, outlined a truly intriguing concept: “Giving an ‘A’.”
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After leaving education due to burnout, former principal JoAnne Duncan discovers that better questions—not quick answers—open the potential to help her create a healthier, more purposeful balance between work, well-being, and family.
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Journalist and applied behavioral scientist Elizabeth Weingarten explains how embracing uncertainty, asking better questions, and cultivating patience, self-compassion, and community can transform life's most challenging questions into opportunities for growth.
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Effective leadership is not about chasing perfection—it is about making disciplined decisions based on evidence, risk, and input from knowledgeable team members. Through the story of the New Horizons mission to Pluto, we see how mission leader Dr. Alan Stern listens first, speaks last, avoids groupthink, and recognizes when “good enough” is truly good enough rather than risking success in pursuit of marginal improvement.
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If you've ever tried to juggle multiple "priorities," dive in. We provide some tips on how to emerge from spinning too-many-plates hell.
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Rich Gassen, Director of Digital Publishing and Printing Services at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, argues that leadership is about empowering people, fostering curiosity, removing barriers, and creating environments where employees feel valued, supported, and connected to meaningful work.
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Building the capacity of others to lead is not universally practiced for one of three reasons. Here, we investigate ways to break free of those barriers.
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Career coach Brooke Erol discusses self-awareness, meaningful work, AI-driven career disruption, and retirement, urging people to build agency, adaptability, and purpose instead of simply “chasing the weekend.”
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JoAnne Duncan, a former principal who left education due to burnout and crisis overload, now prioritizes health and self-care and is beginning to explore a new, purpose-driven path grounded in curiosity, wellness, and helping others.
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Memorials are experiential spaces that invite emotional engagement and evolving interpretation, transforming visitors into participants in memory while sustaining meaning across generations through design, abstraction, and lived interaction. Dr. James E. Young guides the discussion.
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Aaron Hebeisen, a Field Operations coordinator for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, discusses public lands as a shared American asset, highlighting access challenges, bipartisan policy advocacy, and the need for active stewardship to protect these spaces for future generations.
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