Something You Should Know

How to Have Great Conversations & The Surprising Truth About Optimism

October 8, 2026·47 min·6-min readconversationalself improvement
Podzilla Summary (6 min)
TLDR
Great conversations aren't just about talking—they're about connection, curiosity, and creating shared meaning. Behavioral researcher Vanessa Van Edwards and psychologist Martin Seligman reveal how small shifts in mindset and language can dramatically improve our interactions, boost agency,

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Guest

V

Vanessa Van Edwards

conversational on Something You Should Know

Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Vanessa Van EdwardsMartin Seligman

Books

Conversation: How to Connect with Anyone and Make Every Interaction Countby Vanessa Van EdwardsAgency: The Psychological History of Human Progressby Martin Seligman

Companies

Monarch

Topics

AnxietyDepressionHabitsMental HealthProductivityPublic SpeakingSelf ImprovementTherapy

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