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A Bit of Optimism

Simon Sinek
Mental Health
Leadership
Friendship
Creativity
Loneliness
Community
Relationships
Personal Growth
Happiness
Identity
Climate Change
Vulnerability
Entrepreneurship
Self-Improvement
Grief
Mortality
Empathy
Optimism
Nuclear Energy
Education

My career is an accident. It started when I set out to rediscover my passion and reignite a spark I’d lost — and that journey led me to the work I do now. If you know me from my books or my speaking, you know I’m fascinated by why people do what they do. What makes someone find joy and meaning in their life, or pursue something far greater than themselves? I started A Bit of Optimism to explore th... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes243Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
CareersBusinessEducationSelf-Improvement

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Artwork for A Bit of Optimism

Latest Episodes

Team Simon here! A Bit of Optimism is on a short break, and brand-new episodes return October 27. Until then, we're revisiting a few conversations we keep coming back to.

This week it's Arthur Brooks, a longtime friend of Simon's and one of his favo... more

YouTube

Hello from Team Simon! We're taking a few weeks off and will be back with brand-new episodes of A Bit of Optimism on Tuesday, October 27. Until then, we're revisiting some of our favorite conversations, starting with one of the most fun we've ever ha... more

Be honest: you've taken a mental health day that made you feel worse. You stayed in bed, you avoided the thing, and by evening it was still waiting for you—with less of the day left to face it.

Amy Morin thinks the problem starts with the word. We t... more

YouTube

The internet is flooded with advice for dating in the smartphone age: know your type, trust the spark, watch for red flags, protect your peace, never settle.

It sounds like self-respect, but relationship expert Amy Chan thinks it’s a big reason dati... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Rob Lowe
Actor and podcast host (Literally with Rob Lowe)
Actor
Episode: Revisited: The Power of Saying "Screw It" with Rob Lowe
Amy Morin
Psychotherapist and author
Independent
Episode: What Mentally Strong People Do on Their Worst Days with Psychotherapist Amy Morin
Amy Chan
Relationship expert, founder of Renew Breakup Bootcamp, author of Unsingle
Renew Breakup Bootcamp; Unsingle
Episode: The Dating Advice Making Us Worse at Love with Relationship Expert Amy Chan
Rob Willis
Strategic Story Producer
Self-employed / content producer
Episode: Why Trying to “Sound Smart” is Losing You the Room with Strategic Story Producer Rob Willis
Jim Kwik
Leading memory and accelerated-learning expert, author of Limitless
Kwik Learning
Episode: Your Limits Are Learned (And They Can Be Unlearned) with Brain Coach Jim Kwik
Mary Holland Nader
Reality TV star, founder of Mary & Pip, host of Growing Interest
Mary & Pip; Love Thy Nader; Growing Interest
Episode: How to Trust Yourself When Everyone Has an Opinion with Love Thy Nader's Mary Holland Nader
Brendan Hunt
Coach Beard from Ted Lasso, writer/producer/creator
Ted Lasso (Apple TV)
Episode: What Happens When You Bet on Yourself with Ted Lasso’s Brendan Hunt
Alex Simon
Founder of LifeShop, teaches emotional intelligence
LifeShop
Episode: What Is Your Team Afraid to Tell You? | A Bit of Optimism: Feelings at Work | PART 3
Harville Hendrix
Relationship expert, Imago Relationship Therapy creator
Imago Relationship Therapy / co-author with Helen LaKelly Hunt
Episode: Why We Fall for the Wrong Person with Couples Therapist Dr. Harville Hendrix

Host

Simon Sinek
Host of the show and lead interviewer focused on leadership, growth, and optimism through pragmatic conversations with a diverse set of guests.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 8.2k ratings
  • Unterhaltsam, lehrreich und motivierend

    Die Mischung aus interessanten Themen, mutigen und zugleich behutsame Fragen (an spannende Gäste) so wie sympathisch Humor, macht diesen Podcast zu einer meiner Lieblingssendungen.

    Thank’s for doing the work.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    WildcatHendricks
    Germany21 days ago
  • First time listener

    This was my first time listening to A Bit of Optimism, and I’ll be honest, I wasn’t familiar with the show or either of you beforehand. (Apparently, I live under a rock. 😅)

    After a long week, I decided to take a bit of a mental reset this morning. I put on How to Trust Yourself When Everyone Has an Opinion, grabbed my colouring book, and just sat, listened, coloured, and meditated.

    I’ll admit, it took me a little while to connect with the conversation, but somewhere along the way, it really s... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sunflower_Spirit
    Canada24 days ago
  • Hard to hear…

    I love listening to Simon & his guests and the topics! The insights are profound to me & I strive to learn something from every conversation.

    I’m struggling with the volume in the episodes. Every time I listen in the car (where I do most of my listening) I have to crank the volume about 15 notches to hear the conversation. And in the latest episode, Simon’s mic was much quieter than the guest’s mic; it was a bit disconcerting.

    Can y’all please check & level the volume?

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Mjschwinger
    United Statesa month ago
  • Bad audio levels on the dating advice episode

    The audio level for the latest episode with Amy Chan was so low that it was incomprehensible / inaudible without cranking up the volume really high. But then a sudden loud (or even normal audio level) section can completely blow out someone’s ears. The video recording on the website doesn’t have this issue (though I didn’t listen / watch the whole thing on the web yet), so something about the podcast recording caused this problem. Please fix so it can be heard on the Podcasts app.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    mrndfp
    United Statesa month ago
  • I love this podcast

    It’s so different from the other podcasts out there. It’s not a summary of points and how to’s. There’s rapport, there’s a good flow between Simon and the guest. Love!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Missamychan
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Great range of guests—from researchers to executives—with practical takeaways.
Some episodes draw polarized feedback about host dynamics, but content remains valuable.
Listeners appreciate actionable frameworks for teamwork and accountability.
Balanced guests and topics with real-world leadership insights.
High quality conversations but audience notes interrupting and balance issues.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How to Tell If Fear Is Protecting You or Holding You Back with Extreme Athlete Nelly Attar
Q: What do you think is the difference between fear that is protecting you and fear that is holding you back?
Protective fear is real and signals to be cautious, potentially risking life or safety; the fear that holds you back is the discomfort of stepping out of your comfort zone, the embarrassment or risk of failure, which you should push through while staying mindful.
What Happens When You Stop Optimizing and Start Committing with Former LA Lakers President Tim Harris
Q: What memories stand out that make the Lakers the Lakers?
Tim Harris highlights the emotional power of the moment-to-moment experience—seeing fans, players, and staff together after championships and the importance of being present to absorb the joy and chaos of victory.
How to Stop Being Socially Awkward (According to Science) with Behavioral Scientist Vanessa Van Edwards
Q: What's the key to balancing questions and listening in conversations, especially with high-status individuals?
Lead with curiosity, but read cues; for VIPs or private individuals, avoid turning the chat into an interrogation and instead share stories or invite them to share at their pace.
How to Stop Being Socially Awkward (According to Science) with Behavioral Scientist Vanessa Van Edwards
Q: How should someone begin addressing social awkwardness without feeling performative?
Start with micro-skills you're already good at, then build outward by choosing safe contexts and gradually increasing exposure, all while keeping the intention to add value and connect authentically.
The Real Reason Young People Don't Have 'The Hunger' for Work (And What Leaders Need to Hear) with Generations Expert Dr. Eliza Filby
Q: How does AI influence the way we think about work and mastery?
AI handles the repetitive, countable tasks, freeing humans to leverage judgment, care, and collective wisdom. It also challenges organizations to nurture soft skills, mentorship, and trust-building activities that AI cannot replicate, redefining mastery as the ability to collaborate and lead with empathy.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About A Bit of Optimism

What is A Bit of Optimism about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful series centered on leadership, personal growth, and the human side of work. Across recent episodes, conversations frequently explore how to build trust, nurture healthy workplace cultures, and lead with empathy, while layerings of psychology, mindfulness, and practical frameworks help listeners apply these ideas to teams, relationships, and personal goals. Guests span authors, researchers, athletes, and business leaders, bringing lessons on accountability, resilience, feedback, and meaningful work. The show often pairs introspective storytelling with actionable tactics for improving communication, collaboration, and well-being, making it valuable for listeners aiming to lead with intention and spark positive change in organizat... more

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How many listeners does A Bit of Optimism get?

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Which podcasts are similar to A Bit of Optimism?

These podcasts share a similar audience with A Bit of Optimism:

1. The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant
2. ReThinking
3. The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
4. Worklife with Molly Graham
5. The Mel Robbins Podcast

How many episodes of A Bit of Optimism are there?

A Bit of Optimism launched 6 years ago and published 243 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact A Bit of Optimism?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on A Bit of Optimism?

Recent guests on A Bit of Optimism include:

1. Rob Lowe
2. Amy Morin
3. Amy Chan
4. Rob Willis
5. Jim Kwik
6. Mary Holland Nader
7. Brendan Hunt
8. Alex Simon

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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