Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement artwork

Self-Improvement · Sam Webster Harris | Growth Mindset Psychology

Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement

by Sam Webster Harris | Growth Mindset Psychology

Most self-help advice is guesswork dressed up as wisdom. We dig into psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral science to find what actually changes lives. WHY LISTEN? Over 8 million downloads because we answer the questions that matter: How do I build mental strength? What creates lasting motivation? How can I understand my own mind well enough to work with it, not against it? This podcast is for curious skeptics who want frameworks backed by psychology studies, not Instagram quotes. Whether you're navigating procrastination, building self-discipline, or designing your own philosophy for a life well lived—we explore the hidden psychology behind real change. WHAT YOU'LL GET Mental models and simple techniques from cognitive psychology, positive psychology, and ancient wisdom traditions like Stoicism and Buddhism. Being a human can be confusing, learning about it doesn’t have to be. We cover everything from emotional intelligence and habit formation to brain health and the nervous system. WHAT YOU DON’T GET No pseudoscience. No oversimplified "hacks." No hustle porn. Just practical insights on mindset improvement, self-development, and human psychology that respect your intelligence and mental health. THE APPROACH Instead of telling you what to think, we explore how thinking works. Armed with psychology studies, social science research, and relentless curiosity, we uncover the mechanics of belief change, attitude change, and personal development. Success is personal. You might want to leverage your neurodiverse strengths, build a business, or simply discover how to be happier. We provide the mental frameworks to pursue your definition of success with mental strength and self-care that fits your life. YOUR HOST I'm Sam Webster Harris—a lifelong learner with ADHD and an obsession with finding answers to hard questions. After launching businesses, traveling the world, and nearly dying a few times, I concluded that psychology and science are where real wisdom lives. This show is my excuse to dive deep into health and fitness research, behavioral psychology, and cool science while helping you build genuine self-discipline and motivation. PREMIUM Go ad-free and access exclusive content, AMAs, and our community Discord. Growth Mindset Premium PAST SERIES 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 and Relationships — Carol Dweck and the Multiverse of Mindsets — Addiction and Behaviour Change — Nervous System Mastery and Polyvagal Theory — Mental Strength and Self-Discipline

Chart trend

Position in the Self-Improvement chart (US), last 90 days.

#42
all-time peak
30
days in the top 50 since Nov 2024

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

8 Questions I asked Myself after 30

The World Record Breaking Jack Cai is back on the show. Asking Sam some of the deep life questions he asks himself a lot. To say this was a discussion on a single topic

Sep 11
25 min

How To Solve Complex Problems

This episode asks a simple question: what if the way forward isn't a bigger vision, but a smaller unit of thought? We trace this idea through history, biology, and the qu

Sep 8
33 min

How to Shift Your Mindset and Take Control of Your Life - w/ Kyle Livingston

Scarcity whispers that there isn't enough. Ego insists you deserve more anyway. Abundance is the quiet third option nobody mentions. Most of us were handed scarcity as a

Sep 4
49 min

7 Painful Paradoxes of Self-Improvement (And what they teach us)

You know that feeling when you try so hard to seem normal that you become a weirdo? Self-improvement works the exact same way. The more you chase happiness, the further

Sep 1
29 min

Seeking Difficulty: The Habit System Behind Three World Records and a Remarkable Life – Jack Cai

What if the thing you're avoiding is exactly what you should pursue? Jack Cai broke three world records solving Rubik's Cubes blindfolded, for teh same reason America su

Aug 28
46 min

Psychology of Mental Strength: 3 Habits to build resilience, Inner toughness & Growth Mindset

We've been sold a myth: that mental toughness means gritting your teeth and pushing through, disregarding their emotions entirely. The people who actually build lasting

Aug 25
25 min

A Growth Mindset Alone Won’t Make You a Better Leader: The psychology principles that will /wRyan Gottfredson

Explore the psychology of effective leadership and the hidden mental patterns that influence how you handle fear, failure, and change. A leader can learn new skills, ado

Aug 21
51 min

Master Finishing Things - Psychology vs Productivity, Perfectionism & Creative Constipation

Productivity gurus insist we must engineer ourselves into completion machines. This is nonsense, rather like insisting everyone should enjoy opera. The truth, as behavio

Aug 18
34 min

AMA - How to choose meaningful opportunities, take intelligent risks, and build an audience around your ideas

A meaningful life is not built by choosing perfectly. It is built by learning how to choose, revise, and continue. In this AMA, Sam examines the hidden forces that shape

Aug 11
26 min

Start Before You Feel Ready - How to Overcome Rejection and Take Action w/ Jonathan Petrides [AllPlants]

Most people wait to feel ready before they begin. But readiness is often the the feeling we only enjoy after we have already taken the first step. Jonathan Petrides, fou

Aug 7
36 min

How to be remembered in a forgetful world - 3 rules to build lasting impressions [ARCHIVE]

Most people don’t have a skills problem. They have a memory problem.. no one remembers them. So why is it you can say all the right things and still be forgettable? Beca

Aug 4
25 min

How to Build Worldly Wisdom - The Greatest Mental Models of Charlie Munger

What if the goal isn’t to be right, but to be less wrong, over time? Charlie Munger didn’t chase brilliance. He built a philosophy. A quiet system for navigating uncerta

Jul 28
37 min

Are You Creating Your Life, Or Uncovering It? — What Confucius, Radiohead, and lightning rods teach us about success

Explore the psychology of identity, creativity, and timing in this deep dive on mindset, leadership psychology, and finding your path. Today we ask if success is not a t

Jul 21
25 min

9 Ways to Live a More Interesting Life - w/ Alastair Humphreys

Most people don’t need a new life. They need a better Tuesday. In this episode, I speak with Alastair Humphreys about why life starts to feel flat when every week looks

Jul 17
41 min

How to Think for Yourself

What if the life you’re living isn’t actually yours? We are taught to listen. To adapt. To fit. And somewhere along the way, that skill becomes a default. Not a choice.

Jul 14
29 min

The Psychology of Succeeding When the Odds Are Against You - w/ Olympic Climber Kyra Condie

Kyra Condie built an Olympic climbing career while living with scoliosis. With every reason to quit and accept her limitations she refused them and beat the odds every t

Jul 10
24 min

7 Time-Management Tips for Busy Mortals - [Lessons from existential psychology]

You'll never get through your to-do list. And honestly, that's the best news you'll hear all day. Oliver Burkeman's 4,000 Weeks argues that our obsession with time manag

Jul 7
20 min

4 Fears that Secretly Sabotage your Life - And what to do about them

Fear doesn't show up wearing a mask. It shows up as a perfectly reasonable excuse — "I'm not ready yet," "the timing isn't right," "I just need to learn a bit more." The

Jun 30
34 min

The Neuroscience of Fear - Understanding anxiety, trauma and the tools to overcome them [Lessons from NPD, BPD and ADHD]

Fear isn't the opposite of growth. It's the gatekeeper of it. Every hesitation before a risk, every excuse before a hard conversation, every night spent worrying about w

Jun 23
50 min

How to Make Hard Things Easier with a Growth Mindset - w/ Graham Hobson (Founder Photobox, Moonpig)

Most people wait for change to arrive in a dramatic package. A breakthrough. A sign. A better plan. Graham Hobson’s story reminds us that real growth is quieter than tha

Jun 19
10 min

Chart positions

Where Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 12, 2026).

#186 ▲ 7 Education US
#114 ▲ 6 Self-Improvement US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

Lots of information with legitimate psychological framework...sometimes it is a bit hard to hear because it hits a little too close to home but that's when I rewind and turn it up louder! :) Recommended!

debkwebr · Dec 2024

This podcast has a lot of wonderful tips to improve how you think and how you feel about simply being alive. With so many daily stresses burdening us, Sam’s voice is a welcome balm on the nervous system and his information and suggestions will make you smarter, more resilient, and …dare I say it? …. Happier, even if the external circumstances do not change. A very worthwhile listen!

VIBRANCE Nutrition · Sep 2024

The host Sam has a deep understanding not only of psychology as a field but specific frameworks and mental models that have tremendous power and yet often remain relegated to theory and self-help books. This show synthesizes those models into real-life scenarios and ACTIONS you can take to unlock the power of our hungriest organ (not muscle)—the brain. Listen if you want to be challenged and are ready to put the knowledge (tightly edited into reasonable length episodes) to work.

TraneTrax · Jun 2024

Each episode I learn a new and useful nugget about the way my mind works and could work better in ways that I want it to. And it's really fun.

Jfkfdr · Jun 2024

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About Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement on Reason.fm

Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.

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