Afford Anything

《Afford Anything》Podcast

You can afford anything, but not everything. We make daily decisions about how to spend money, time, energy, focus and attention – and ultimately, our life. How do we make smarter decisions? How do we think from first principles? On the surface, Afford Anything seems like a podcast about money and investing. But under the hood, this is a show about how to think critically, recognize our behavioral blind spots, and make smarter choices. We’re into the psychology of money, and we love metacognition: thinking about how to think. In some episodes, we interview world-class experts: professors, researchers, scientists, authors. In other episodes, we answer your questions, talking through decision-making frameworks and mental models. Want to learn more? Download our free book, Escape, at http://affordanything.com/escape. Hosted by Paula Pant.

  1. 1日前

    Secrets to Getting Promoted, from Harvard Business Alum Leslie Zane

    What can M&Ms, McDonalds, Harry Potter, Aquafina, Taylor Swift, Jeopardy, and Bed Bath & Beyond teach us about landing a dream job or securing a promotion? Plenty. Imagine you're at a job interview. You've rehearsed your answers, polished your resume, and you're feeling confident. But what if the key to landing that job isn't just about your skills and experience? What if it's about how you make people feel? How you make people feel is your brand, Zane says.  That's what Leslie Zane, a Harvard Business School alum and prominent branding expert, talks about in this interview. She says that whether you're trying to get a new job, a promotion, or more customers for your small business, it all comes down to how you build your personal brand. Zane breaks it down into three main ideas: be salient, be relevant, and be distinctive. Being salient means making sure people remember you. It's not just about doing your job well, but about connecting with people all over your company. Zane gives an example of a dental hygienist who calls patients after their appointments to check on them and offer advice. This extra touch helps the hygienist stick in people's minds. Being relevant is about focusing on the good stuff. Zane says if you make a mistake at work, don't dwell on it. Instead, do more good things to push out the bad memory. She talks about how McDonald's dealt with rumors about "pink slime" in their food. Instead of denying it over and over, they started showing how they make their food with fresh ingredients. This helped people forget about the pink slime and think about good things instead. Being distinctive means standing out, but in a way that still feels familiar. Zane tells a story about the game show Jeopardy. When the longtime host Alex Trebek died, the producers tried inviting different celebrities to host the show. But viewers didn't like it. The ratings only rose when they chose Ken Jennings, a former champion contestant, as the new host. He was familiar enough that viewers felt comfortable with him. Zane also talks about how these ideas can help small businesses. She says it's important to reach out to new customers, not just focus on the ones you already have. She suggests finding ways to connect your business to things that people already enjoy. If you run an accounting firm in Kansas City, for example, you might talk about local sports teams or famous barbecue to help people feel a connection to your business. Throughout the interview, Zane emphasizes that building a strong personal brand isn't about bragging or being fake. It's about creating genuine connections with people and consistently showing your best qualities. You’re creating buzz about yourself. The more positive connections you make, the stronger your brand becomes. Zane's advice goes against some common ideas about marketing and self-promotion. She says you don't need to stick to just one thing or only target a specific group of people. Instead, she encourages reaching out to as many people as possible and finding ways to connect your skills or business to things they already care about. Timestamps Note: Timestamps will vary on individual listening devices based on dynamic ad lengths 0:00 - Importance of becoming a personal brand for career growth 6:04 - Tapping into the instinctive mind 8:54 - How brands grow in people's minds 13:40 - Situational salience using M&M's example 18:40 - Why Harry Potter is a salient brand 24:23 - Three key elements of building a personal brand 29:20 - McDonald's addressing negative brand associations 35:40 - Be distinctive, not unique 41:00 - Jeopardy! host change and brand continuity 46:56 - Creating buzz about yourself at work 52:40 - Why core customers can be a business trap 57:20 - Handling negative feedback or associations 1:02:40 - Tips for standing out in job interviews For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode540 Learn more about your ad

    1 小時 26 分鐘
  2. 8月30日

    The Psychology of Quitting Your Job, with Dr. Tessa West

    #536: NYU Psychology Professor Dr. Tessa West has spent nearly two decades studying relationships, including those in the workplace. She talks about her research on why people feel disconnected from their jobs and what to do about it. Dr. West breaks down five main ways people might feel unhappy at work: 1. Crisis of identity: This is when you've poured a lot into your career, but you're starting to question if it's really who you are anymore. 2. Drifting apart: This happens when your job changes, not you. Maybe your company's gone through some big shifts, or your day-to-day tasks are different now. Or maybe your industry has totally changed. 3. Stretched too thin: We've all been there - too much to do and not enough time. 4. Runner up: Always close to that promotion or raise, but never quite getting there. 5. Underappreciated star: You're doing great work, but no one seems to notice. Dr. West digs into each of these, explaining what they look like and why they happen. She talks about how work relationships are a lot like romantic relationships — just as you might feel disconnected from a partner, you can feel the same way about your job. She describes a matrix that shows how satisfied you are with your job versus how much you identify with it.  She also gets practical stuff, describing how to manage distractions at work and be more productive. There's a neat concept called "working spheres" that might help you organize your tasks better. If you're thinking about leaving your job, Dr. West suggests doing some self-reflection and networking to learn about other industries or companies. She warns that there's often a lot of "hidden" stuff about jobs that you won't find in the job description, so it's essential to dig deeper. At the end, she talks about how to figure out if a new job will actually be better. Her main tip? Ask tough questions in interviews. Don't be afraid to dig into the not-so-great parts of the job or company. Dr. West doesn't sugarcoat the tough parts of work life, but she offers practical advice for dealing with them. Whether you're happy in your job or thinking about a change, you'll find something useful here. Timestamps Note: Timestamps will vary slightly on individual listening devices based on dynamic ad lengths. 1:09 - Dr. Tessa West. Psychology professor. Workplace relationships. 3:10 - Five major ways people feel disconnected from work. 4:55 - Work relationships mirroring other relationship types. 9:04 - "Crisis of identity" at work. 13:40 - Matrix: job satisfaction vs. identity centrality. 18:20 - "Drifting apart" from your career. 21:40 - Common changes causing career drift. 25:55 - "Stretched too thin" at work. 29:35 - Managing external work disruptions. 31:40 - "Working spheres" for better productivity. 37:37 - "Runner up" at work. 40:29 - Common reasons for not getting promoted. 47:51 - "Underappreciated star" at work. 51:18 - Next steps if unhappy at work. 55:56 - Determining if a new job will be better. For more information, go to https://affordanything.com/episode536 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    57 分鐘
  3. 8月23日

    What You Can Learn From the CEO Who Built KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut

    #534: We sit down with David Novak, the co-founder and former CEO of Yum! Brands, the giant parent company behind KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and the Habit Burger Grill. David shares stories from his remarkable career, offering insights into leadership, decision-making, and personal growth. We dive into one of David’s most memorable projects: the creation of Crystal Pepsi. David talks about how the idea was born out of a gut instinct when he noticed a trend toward clear beverages. The media buzz was massive, and he was convinced it was a winner. But the Pepsi bottlers pushed back, saying it didn’t taste enough like traditional Pepsi. David pressed on anyway. The product launched to a lot of fanfare but ultimately flopped.  David reflects on this experience as a lesson in the importance of listening to feedback, even when you’re sure you’re right. The conversation then shifts to David’s unique upbringing. He lived in 23 different states before high school. This taught David to adapt quickly, make friends fast, and assess people and situations—a skill set that became invaluable in his leadership roles. David then takes you through his early career, from being a mediocre student who found his passion in advertising, to making a pivotal move from marketing to operations at PepsiCo. This shift was crucial, setting him up to eventually lead Yum! Brands.  David’s journey is filled with stories of hard decisions, like turning down a bigger job at Frito-Lay because it didn’t align with what truly made him happy. He shares his philosophy on prioritizing joy and finding fulfillment in your work, a principle that guided his entire career. Leadership is a major theme in the discussion. David talks about the balance between confidence and humility, using Warren Buffett as an example of someone who embodies both. He also shares his thoughts on how to handle criticism and feedback.  According to David, the key is to listen carefully, avoid being defensive, and understand whether the feedback is valid before making decisions. David also offers practical advice on personal development. He talks about his “Three by Five” exercise, where he regularly assesses who he is today and what he needs to work on to become more effective. This habit of self-reflection has helped him stay grounded and continually improve as a leader. The episode wraps up with a discussion on company culture. David believes that creating an environment where everyone feels valued is essential for success. He emphasizes the importance of leaders modeling the behavior they want to see in their teams and being the first to extend trust and positivity. David’s stories and insights provide a deep dive into what it takes to lead a major company, make tough decisions, and continually grow both personally and professionally. Timestamps Note: Timestamps will vary on individual devices due to dynamic advertising run times. 0:00 - Introduction to David Novak and his leadership background 6:17 - David’s personal journey and learning framework 11:25 - Importance of listening to feedback in decision-making 17:31 - Impact of frequent childhood moves on David’s adaptability 23:32 - Identifying and focusing on what brings joy in life and work 29:26 - Value of learning that leads to action 35:58 - Overcoming challenges by reframing your approach 42:20 - Learning from mentors who have succeeded in your field 48:35 - Criteria for board membership: contributing and learning. 54:47 - Building a high-performance culture at Yum! Brands 1:01:02 - Mapping out learning needs for project success 1:07:25 - Gaining confidence and skills for leadership 1:13:23 - Maintaining integrity and taking the high ground 1:19:03 - A mentor relationship that shaped David’s leadership 1:26:02 - Evaluating what successful companies are doing right For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode534 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

    1 小時 40 分鐘

關於

You can afford anything, but not everything. We make daily decisions about how to spend money, time, energy, focus and attention – and ultimately, our life. How do we make smarter decisions? How do we think from first principles? On the surface, Afford Anything seems like a podcast about money and investing. But under the hood, this is a show about how to think critically, recognize our behavioral blind spots, and make smarter choices. We’re into the psychology of money, and we love metacognition: thinking about how to think. In some episodes, we interview world-class experts: professors, researchers, scientists, authors. In other episodes, we answer your questions, talking through decision-making frameworks and mental models. Want to learn more? Download our free book, Escape, at http://affordanything.com/escape. Hosted by Paula Pant.

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