You might know Simon Sinek from Start With Why or his well-known TED talk about the Golden Circle. His podcast, A Bit of Optimism, isn’t about quick tips or productivity hacks. It’s long-form, conversational, and curious.

It feels less like a show and more like sitting in on thoughtful conversations between people who actually enjoy thinking.



There are many episodes by now, so instead of pointing vaguely at “the podcast,” I want to share a few specific ones I’ve listened to more than once — and what made them stay with me.

Episodes I loved:

Failing Well with Dr. Amy Edmondson

This conversation revolves around failure, but not in the loud, motivational-poster sense. It’s about psychological safety, honesty, and what really allows people to try, stumble, and keep going.

What stayed with me was how quietly radical her perspective is: that failure itself isn’t the point. Learning is. The space around mistakes is where everything happens.

It made me reflect on how often we rush to judge outcomes instead of observing them.

This one felt like a small exhale.

They talk about boredom not as a problem to solve, but as a mental landscape we’ve almost erased. A place where imagination has room to wander instead of being constantly fed.

I loved how this episode defended stillness, slowness, and mental white space in a world that treats stimulation like oxygen.

It reminded me that some of the best ideas don’t arrive with fireworks. They drift in quietly.

P.S.: If you, like me, have a soft spot for nerdy stuff, Elle is your girl. “Fonts hanging out” alone is worth following her on Instagram for. 😊

Lee Clow has spent decades shaping some of the most iconic advertising campaigns, and this conversation is full of stories rather than slogans.

What fascinated me wasn’t the scale of his work, but the way he talks about ideas. Not as clever tricks, but as emotional

anchors. Things people recognize themselves in.

It’s an episode about resonance. About why some things pass through us… and others stay.

This episode has a lighter, playful energy. It weaves between food, creativity, curiosity, and risk.

What I loved most was how much permission lives in this conversation. Permission to experiment, to follow odd ideas, to not know exactly where something will lead.

It’s the kind of episode that makes you feel a little braver without ever telling you to “be brave.”

This one is funny, quick, and unexpectedly thoughtful.

The conversation jumps between humor, culture, perspective, and the strange ways our minds work. It’s not a neat, linear episode. It’s more like mental parkour.

I found myself smiling a lot while listening to this one. And also rewinding.

Both good signs.

These are the kinds of podcast episodes I love. Not because they tell me what to do, but because they leave something behind. A thought, a question, a small shift in perspective.

I’ll be sharing more of these listening notes as I go — across different topics, moods, and voices.

And I’d genuinely love to know: are you a podcast person? And if yes… which one has actually made you stop and listen? Drop me a line and let me know :-)

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