Podcast Picks: What I'll be listening to in 2019

At the start of the year, I set a goal to find the right place and purpose for podcasts in my life. I didn't want them to be something I listen to merely to fill in time (although I devour podcasts on flights and at airports). So I made a list of knowledge gaps - topics, conversations, people and issues that were not really on my radar or books and newspapers were not fulfilling. It was a revealing exercise in itself. I definitely did not need to listen to more on tech, organisational behaviour or leadership!

Some of my knowledge gaps included:

1. A clearer mind and slowing down: Not mindfulness content, yoga or any new recipe for green juice but smart, useful conversations on deceleration and setting boundaries.
2. Modern gurus: Why are people tuning into the likes of Yuval Harari, Fearne Cotton and Bréne Brown? Why do these voices connect with so many people?
3. Playfulness and design: How all kinds of artists, photographers, chefs and designers prepare conceptually, overcome difficulties and have fun in the creative process.
4. Contemporary addictions: No-nonsense, open conversations on everything from our relationship to food to sex, drugs to technology.
5. And finally...US politics & Brexit: I know its hard to believe anyone would want to hear more on either of these topics but I was searching for content to get above the daily sagas and noisy foray to understand deeper ideological shifts.

Here are some of #podcastrecommendations, that I #listento to on a regular basis. They've helped me discover fascinating new voices from academia, politics, popular culture and the arts, and given me some fresh ways of thinking about everything from criticism to commitment.

1. Happy Place - Fearne Cotton has incredibly candid conversations with an array of guests from Tom Daly to Dawn French who open up about the self-doubt that can come with success (My favorite episode: Russel Brand on modern addictions).
2. Where Should We Begin - Esther Perel takes you literally into the therapy sessions of couples. Each episode is an intimate and revealing window into the challenges of modern relationships, traversing loss, infidelity, pasts and new beginnings. She made me think about trust in an entirely different way!
3. WorkLife - Adam Grant takes you inside captivating workplaces from behind the scenes on The Daily Show to NASA astronaut training grounds. (My two favourite episodes are on how to love criticism and trust a co-worker you can’t stand.)
4. The Daily - The New York Times news podcast with Michael Barbaro and NYT investigative journalists break down the big news stories of the day in 20-minutes. (Highly recommend their recent episode on how our smartphone data is being used).
5. Tribe of Mentors - I'm not normally a Tim Ferris fan but this is a fantastic short-form podcast sharing the work-advice of an eclectic mix of brilliant people. (One of my favourites is with Bear Grylls that I listened to with my seven-year-old son who is a big fan!)
6. Design Matters - Debbie Millman is an exceptional interviewer. Her considered questioning encourages personalities from artist/singer Amanda Palmer to author Simon Sinek to share their stories in an entirely new light.
7. How I Built This - The NPR podcast hosted by Guy Raz encompasses a range of entrepreneurs - from Airbnb's Joe Gebbia to designer Steve Madden - to unpack the stories behind the movements their work inspired.
8. The Katie Couric Podcast - I had the pleasure of meeting Katie at the Aspen Ideas Festival earlier this year where she sat down to record a fascinating conversation with James Comey. She makes interviewing look so easy but is unbelievably talented at disarming her guests.
9. How I Work - I loved recording with Amantha Imber earlier this year about the tactics we use to get the most out of our work day. She is a first rate interviewer - asking fresh questions you can dig into and really listening. (A particularly useful episode is with Atlassian's Dom Price on how he thinks about outputs vs incomes when setting goals.)
10. Under the Skin - Russell Brand's podcasts make me laugh out loud and leaves me mulling over, well, a lot of things. His podcasts channel his cheeky energy, thespian charm and impressive gift for making philosophical thinking highly accessible. I loved hearing him take on Jordan Peterson and with the author Isabel Losada on learning mystical sensations with tantric masters!

Enjoy :) Rachel

P.S What are your podcast recommendations? What knowledge gaps would you like to fill in 2019?