The Surprising Psychology of Fire That Explains Gender Roles and Male Violence
Ever felt like you were wrestling with more than just a campfire? Me too. Turns out, controlling fire is a bit like trying to control your own mind; tricky, unpredictable, and full of surprises.
In this episode, we have an episode drop from Sam's new show "How to Change the World; The History and Future of Innovation".
We dive into the wild story of how humanity’s obsession with fire set us on the path to becoming who we are today. We’ll talk about global wildfires and backyard barbecues, and how both are woven into our DNA and even impact things like gender roles and male aggression.
If you’ve ever wondered why you crave campfire chats or why your brain loves new ideas, this one’s for you.
Takeaways:
Fire literally rewired our bodies and minds
Our social lives, from dinner with friends to group self-improvement, started around the fire.
Rethinking what you fear could be the key to your next breakthrough.
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NEW SHOW - How to Change the World: The History & Future of Innovation
Learn about the evolving story of the human species and our ideas told in chronological order. The podcast is full of fun facts, surprising stories and philosophical insights.
Found on all major podcast players:
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8
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Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
Chapters
00:00 Intro to the episode drop
03:57 The Role of Fire in Civilization
04:38 Fire's Impact on Predators and Prey
06:40 First Fire - 500 million years ago
10:05 Humans and fire - ~2 million years ago
12:17 The Discovery of Fire
13:48 When did we discover Fire
14:29 Stadium of Grandmothers
15:32 Fire's Influence on Human Biology
18:03 Fire and Human Digestion
20:52 Light and Campfires
23:02 Mealtimes
24:09 Fire's Role in Human Birth and Survival
26:00 Why Only Humans Mastered Fire
28:32 Fire, Social Structures & Gender Roles
33:52 Role Change in the Information Age
35:54 Fire's Role in Human Expansion - 70,000 years ago
36:21 Find the second half of the episode on the new show
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40:56
Why Wisdom Isn't About Age - And what really defines maturity
What if everything we believe about wisdom and maturity is backwards?
Most of us carry this quiet assumption that growing up means becoming someone else... someone more serious, more predictable, more aligned with what society expects.
What if wisdom isn't about following prescribed paths. It's about developing an intimate relationship with your own evolution. True maturity emerges when we stop trying to prove ourselves and start honoring our authentic desires.
This episode challenges the tyranny of "should" and invites us into a more generous understanding of human development. The most mature thing you can do? Stop rushing toward someone else's definition of who you ought to become.
What you'll discover:
Wisdom is seasonal—what serves you now might not serve you later, and that's growth
Judgment is immaturity—truly wise people don't prescribe paths for others
Your timeline is sacred—comparison is the enemy of authentic development
Time to rewrite the rules of growing up on your own terms.
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NEW SHOW - How to Change the World: The History of Innovation
Learn about the history of invention and the evolving story of the human species told in chronological order. The podcast is full of fun facts, surprising stories and philosophical insights.
Found on all major podcast players:
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8
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UPGRADE to Premium:
🏖️ Ad-free listening
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content
💬 Community Discord
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Get in Touch
👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
Chapters
00:00 The Wisdom of Youth
01:07 Outgrowing the Need to Prove Yourself
03:02 The Shifting Joys of Travel
06:45 Finding Thrills Closer to Home
08:36 Avoiding Judgment of Others' Paths
09:46 Helping Others Find Their Own Aligned Path
11:07 Redefining Maturity
12:29 Redefining Wisdom
15:32 Send off
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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22:59
Introspection and How to Work Out What to do With Your Life - w/ Melissa Monte
What if your rock bottom was actually a launchpad? Melissa Monte, host of the Mind Love podcast, shares how hitting her lowest point became the catalyst for building a life she truly loves.
Melissa's journey wasn't a straight line to success. After facing trauma, bad relationships, and even a felony charge for someone else's crime, she found herself in a jail cell with a choice: let her limitations define her or use them as guideposts. She chose the latter, teaching herself digital marketing and eventually launching a successful podcast.
This episode dives into the raw, messy process of self-discovery and how our biggest failures can become our greatest teachers.
Ask yourself what you can do without anyone else's permission.
Use your limitations as guideposts to steer you in a new direction.
Instead of chasing shiny objects, ask yourself: What am I endlessly curious about
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----
NEW SHOW - How to Change the World: The History of Innovation
Learn about the history of invention and the evolving story of the human species told in chronological order. The podcast is full of fun facts, surprising stories and philosophical insights.
Found on all major podcast players:
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
Can't find it on your player?
RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8
----
UPGRADE to Premium:
🏖️ Ad-free listening
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content
💬 Community Discord
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Get in Touch
👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
Chapters
00:00 How we can find ourselves feeling lost
02:32 Melissa Monte: Host of Mind Love Podcast
07:14 The Power of Adversity and Self-Development
10:10 Raising a Child with Growth Mindset
15:10 Introspection and Self-Discovery
21:35 Introduction to Podcasting Journey
22:14 Self-Reflection and Discovering Purpose
23:18 Identifying Strengths and Superpowers
24:32 Creating a Podcast and Sustaining Passion and Growth
26:52 Podcasting Skills and Insights
29:07 Epiphanies and Personal Growth
33:02 Overcoming Challenges
35:31 Building Relationships and Networking
39:57 Kindest Thing
43:39 Final Thoughts and Contact Information
44:05 Outro
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55:24
The Surprising Habits of Emotionally Resilient (unstressable) People /w Military Psychologist Steven Stein
What if the stories we tell about stress and adversity are holding us back? What if the most resilient people are not the strongest, but the most adaptable?
This episode is an invitation to rethink resilience. Dr. Steven Stein shares how the hardiness mindset shifts our relationship with challenge. A concept born in military research but relevant to artists, entrepreneurs, and everyday heroes.
It’s not about stoicism or sheer willpower; it’s about seeing meaning in difficulty, embracing uncertainty, and committing to a journey bigger than the immediate obstacle. T
You’ll discover how small shifts in thinking can ripple into profound changes in how you live, work, and connect.
Actionable takeaways:
Cultivate challenge as a lens for growth, not a reason to retreat.
Practice focusing your efforts where you have influence, not where you feel powerless.
Let your commitments guide you beyond temporary discomfort.
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----
NEW SHOW - How to Change the World
Sam's new show can be found on major podcast players:
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
Can't find it on your player?
RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8
----
UPGRADE to Premium:
🏖️ Ad-free listening
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content
💬 Community Discord
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Get in Touch
👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Hardiness Concept
01:57 Hardiness: The Three Cs
08:11 Positive Thinking vs Reframing
09:20 Hardiness in Acute vs Chronic Stress
12:03 Writing habits and hardiness
15:40 Does Hardiness Grow over time
15:44 Hardiness: The Three Cs
21:15 Weird Memories
22:32 Kindest Thing
24:30 Moments of Wonder
26:02 Send Off
26:15 Wrap up
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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31:57
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31:57
Loud Thoughts: Depression, Anxiety, ADHD and the Default Mode Network [Archive]
We revisit a classic episode to understand the circuitry of the self as we uncover the neurological pathways behind the Ego and explain what the Default Mode Network is.
Topics covered:
What the hell is the Default Mode Network
The Brain Pathways of Anxiety and Depression
The imbalances causing ADHD
How modern medicines interact with the brain
The effect of meditation and psilocybin on the DMN
Starting with Hans Berger's pioneering work with EEG this episode covers the history of Default Mode Network discovery, its role in ADHD symptoms, and the impact of Default Mode Network on depression.
We also explore the connection between DMN and anxiety disorders and discuss the benefits of therapeutic interventions targeting the Default Mode Network.
Learn how modern neuroscience uses DMN insights to enhance psychiatric treatments and the overall understanding of mental health.
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Advertisers
BetterHelp
The world's largest online therapy provider
BetterHelp.com/GrowthMindset - 10% off 1st month
Liquid I.V.
Sugar-free hydration for any occasion
Liquid-IV.com - 20% off with code GROWTH
----
NEW SHOW - How to Change the World
Sam's new show can be found on major podcast players:
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
Can't find it on your player?
RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8
----
UPGRADE to Premium:
🏖️ Ad-free listening
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content
💬 Community Discord
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Get in Touch
👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
Further Reading
Default Mode Network on Wikipedia
Where is the Default mode network
Paper: The Brains Default Mode Network
Paper: Schizophrenia and DMN
Paper: Autism and DMN
Theory of Mind
Related Episodes
How to Stop Catastrophizing
Science of Psilocybin Therapy w/ Gabriel Charalambides
Psilocybin Therapy
John Hopkins Research
Legal treatment in the USA - Odyssey
Meditation Retreats
Paper: Meditation effect on the DMN
Book: Why Buddism is True (Evolutionary Psychology of Meditation)
10 day Vipassana (free) - Dhamma.org
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to the Default Mode Network
02:04 Hans Berger and history of EEG and brain mapping
04:49 Discovery of the Default mode network
06:14 What is the default mode network?
06:33 #1 Self-referential thought
07:00 #2 Theory of mind
07:43 #3 Autobiographical memory
08:12 #4 Envisioning future scenarios
08:32 #5 Mind wandering and daydreaming
09:16 #6 Creativity
10:21 Depression and the brain
11:28 Anti Depressant medication and the DMN
12:41 Anxiety
14:08 Anti Anxiety medication and Benzodiazepines
15:27 ADHD
16:16 ADHD medication and stimulants
18:03 How Meditation Regulates the DMN
20:34 Psilocybin impact on the DMN
22:41 Wrap up
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
About Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement
There are a lot of opinions on how to master your mind, but then there’s PSYCHOLOGY.
We’re all stuck with the brain we’re born with, but we aren’t stuck with how we use it.
Learn science-backed answers to make the most of your mind and your life.
CURIOUS?
Growth Mindset Psychology is the "self-help sceptic" podcast for the curious.
Whether you want to improve performance, navigate setbacks, or know who you are.
We find answers to the true science of self-improvement.
So put down the astrology chart and start working with your mind, instead of against it.
With over 8 million downloads and 60,000 monthly listeners, you’re invited to join.
PROCESS
Instead of telling you what to think, we discuss how thinking works.
Armed with a stack of science journals, textbooks and a boatload of curiosity, we uncover the mechanics of the mind.
Why? >>> Success is personal!
You might want to make the most of your neurodiverse strengths, start a business, or simply find more reasons to smile.
Hone your ability for independent thinking and growth with mental models to pursue your definition of success.
HOST
I’m Sam Webster Harris, a lifelong learner with ADHD, a raging curiosity, and an obsession with finding answers to hard questions.
After launching several businesses, travelling the world and nearly dying a few times I concluded that science and Psychology are where it’s at.
What actually makes people happy? What’s the best way to treat a brain? How can I get more done?
Studying the answers we find that changing behaviours requires building mindsets, mental models, and a healthy relationship with failure.
I run the show to help listeners enjoy nutritious content that feeds their minds (and I needed a legitimate excuse to cover for my reading addiction).
PREMIUM
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ARCHIVE
Previous guests include Olympians, Scientists, Billionaires, and Sam's Mum.
Past series:
— Psychology vs Stoicism
— Time Management for busy mortals
— Independence and knowing yourself
— Cognitive biases and rational thinking
— Psychology of connection
— Carol Dweck and the Multiverse of Mindsets
Listen to Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement, Taringa Podcast and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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