August 9, 2022
Wait, what? We are supposed to be on holiday and the LAST thing I want to do is listen to anything related to my work. We hear you, absolutely, but these are not heavy, and nor are they "worky". Not really. Not at all, in fact.
For those of us who find the world of education to be a career, passion, calling and hobby rolled into one, here are five great recommended beach listens that spark imagination, reflection, learning and development, to help us become better versions of us. Oh, and they are all highly compatible with cocktail-sipping, we promise.
This is a good listen. You probably know Brené by now for her famous TED talks and work on vulnerability in leadership (and life in general). Her gift as a communicator is the real strength here. Brown invites a diverse audience onto her show, who are pushing boundaries in their work on leadership, resilience, connection, creativity and a host of others.
The thing is, that Brené has the ability to parse her guest's work into a summary that not only helps us tired listeners absorb complex ideas, but does so in a way that draws her guest into an exploration of the issues that somehow asks the same questions we ourselves are wondering. You can also search the podcast by theme, which makes it so much easier to keep digging. One of the things we love most about this is not only that it's all so relatable, but that the highly practical insights do not get buried. Brown will often pause and ask the guest to repeat a nugget of wisdom, helping us with that golden pause for refection. There are worse ways to spend some beach time, for sure.
Want to know why we like this? It makes us feel smarter. No, really! You know how you can watch a documentary on Ancient Egypt or the currents of the ocean, and marvel at all that new insight it brings, only to forget it 20 seconds later? Well, this is not like that. Chuck and Josh are loved by their followers, with reviews that say they feel like "old buddies", and some that even love the ads because they like the hosts voices. That is a first.
So what stuff should you know? How about how wind works, or deconstructing the myths around absinthe? From how menstruation works to what the IRA hunger strikes were all about, you'll find everything from science to popular culture, mythology to history, sports to the arts.
The style is unique and feels like a show within a show. We follow Chuck and Josh around in a mockumentary approach, as they get content together for their show. It is funny, clever, sharp and very well researched, and the best bit is that you feel like you are learning alongside them. And if you get sunburned after 10 minutes on the beach, they also have a series of "short stuff" condensed listens that will keep your skin intact.
Newspapers are not good for your health, and the 24-hour rolling doom of the news networks is definitely targeting your brain's negativity bias. Nobody wants to spend their lives, and certainly not their holiday, in a limbic state of despair at the state of the world. But neither do many of us want to remain ignorant of the plight of our fellow humans, or to be removed from the major events that are shaping our futures.
Today in Focus is a 30-minute deep dive that goes behind the splashy headlines and really explores what is going on in an insightful and meaningful way. This is not the anxiety-inducing attack of headline clickbait and dramatic imagery, but rather thoughtful and reasoned analysis that goes far deeper than the daily hype-machine.
With shows like this you can feel like you checked in on the world, and that you did so on your own terms, with the emphasis on really understanding something rather than simply reacting to it. It really is a far healthier way to engage with current affairs.
Rich Roll is an ultra endurance athlete who knows a thing or two about resilience and optimal health. However, over the years, this core interest has broadened out into a keen passion for all things self-improvement.
Before we give the wrong impression, this is not beating people over the head with advice on "optimizing" their lives, but really exploring the weird and wonderful ways in which we can be fully human and fully ourselves. With guests like Malcom Gladwell and Andrew Hubermann, this is a cerebral, visceral, emotional and substantive show that we always finish feeling reflective and altered, if even slightly.
Rich himself describes the show as "all things wellness with some of the brightest and most forward-thinking, paradigm busting minds in health, fitness, nutrition, art, entertainment, entrepreneurship & spirituality. Intimate, deep and often intense, these are not interviews. They are conversations."
That was really sneaky! But what kind of marketing consultancy would we be if we didn't mention our own podcast? geNEOusideas are bite-sized monologues on education topics as diverse as Metaverse learning and education for sustainable development; all in 10 minutes or less, which is perfect for the commute!
geNEOuschats is where we get together with luminaries and innovators from the world of education to explore what they do, and why it matters. If you are looking to network as well as learn, this is a great place to do it, as our guests are always happy to connect with others with whom their work and passions resonate.
So that's our five-and-a-bit podcast recommendations, so check them out before you check out for your well deserved summer break, and get ready to grow a little as you drop a gear and watch the sun go down on a busy year.
