We've just faced a weekend of big decision making....and now that's leading to even more decisions!Times like this can cause us to step back and reevaluate our options:Should we step out and take a risk?Do we consolidate what we have?Whose opinions should I listen to?My very special guest this week is Annie Duke. She shares my passion for decision-…

Welcome back to this series, based on the incredibly popular course from Coursera called Learning How To Learn.This week we're taking a look at the principles behind Procrastination and Memory.There are some principles I can already attest to having made a difference in learning difficult topics so I can't wait to share this with you......now for t…

My guest this week is in the very rare category of "People I would get up at 3am to have a conversation with"Viva Frei is a former litigator turned Youtuber whose subscriber count has skyrocketed in recent months. This is mostly thanks to his VLAWG series where he takes a legal matter in the public eye and breaks it down so that normal people can u…

Welcome to episode two in this four part series of Learning How To Learn.In the previous episode we talked about some basic principles such as focused and diffuse learning, so I'd encourage you to check out that episode once you're finished with this oneThis time around we're looking at the concept of "chunking", it's a process that makes learning …

If you don't dream of owning your own home some day, are you even a New Zealander? That's how deeply this rite of passage seems to be ingrained in our way of life.That dream seems increasingly out of reach for the average Kiwi, but how did we get here? Was it overseas buyers? The lack of a capital gains tax?To help make sense of it all, my guest th…

Few things have impacted my life as much as discovering my passion for learning.There is nothing more natural to the human condition. To be around a newborn baby is to experience wide-eyed wonder at every turn, complimented by the resilience to master challenges that will take years to achieve like walking and talking.Yet by the time we leave schoo…

I'm starting this episode on a personal note. About a year ago I started to form a compelling new vision of what my life could be, but it was going to take some pretty wild changes.Fast forward till now and I'm excited to see these things start to come together, so I wanted to share this journey with you and a few of the things that have made it po…

For a podcast that's often focused on personal growth, in this episode we're talking economic growth!This month in New Zealand the Tax Working Group released their report and home owners held their breath.There it was....a recommendation for a capital gains tax on property sales. There were a host of other recommendations of course, but they were d…

In 2007, Vanessa Evetts received a moment of inspiration. Ten years later it would become her debut novel.Easy as that, right?For anyone looking to make a creative passion into a career, you need to listen to this conversation.Vanessa talks about the power of the process and how the time between her first novel's initial inspiration and its eventua…

After talking to Gabrielle, I observed that she had every reason not to be grateful after what she's been through.Her response?"How could I NOT be grateful!"You're about to meet one of the most inspiring guests I've ever had on The Andrew Curtis ShowIt could be a story of sickness, isolation and depression.Instead, it's a story of gratitude, faith,…

It looks like I've accidentally started the year with a theme of pursuing dreams and goal setting...I have found that the fulfillment of a goal or dream almost never happens in isolation - we need a cheer team to encourage us and help provide clarity when needed.My guest this week has taken her passion for creativity and coaching people, then combi…

Many people talk about making changes to their lives, very few appear to follow through.Marcus and Jo Slagel are the exceptions to the rule, and as we start the new year, I wanted to share their story with you.We all carry dreams and passions for what our lives can be. We can also push against the discomfort and pain of a life that's not in line wi…

When I began to consider post graduate study a few years back, it reignited my interest in tertiary education.I suddenly saw the changes that had taken place, culturally and technologically, then began to wonder if our models of tertiary education had adapted to meet those changing needs.My instinct was that they hadn't, but I was very encouraged t…

Welcome to the final step in our Self Authoring journey.In this episode, Josh and I recap what we have found most valuable from taking a look at our past and seeing the impact it has had on our lives up until.We also get a little more philosphical than usual (if that's possible....haha)and talk about the implications of the search we all have for m…

Welcome to the second of my "Taking On" series.This is where I like to use my podcast to look at difficult or controversial topics that might be difficult to cover sufficiently in a traditional newspaper article or news segmentOne of the most requested topics was mental health awareness, something I was eager to cover but also wary of not adding mo…

In 1980, Kenneth E. Hartman murdered a homeless man in a Los Angeles area park after a drug-fueled binge. He was then sentenced to life without the possibility of parole by the state of California.Locked up and thrown away, this is not where his story endsThis episode of The Andrew Curtis show is the story of a man who did not succumb to the darkne…

Today marks a new direction for The Andrew Curtis ShowMy impression is that most people are unhappy with the coverage we receive, so I want to experiment with providing an alternative.In addition to the regular interviews that will still appear, I'd like to try a more news/current affairs themed episode without an interview guest where I can take a…

Welcome back for round three.The longer this series runs, the more convinced I am that Josh and I need a regular show.Although the main thread of discussion was supposed to be focused on the ideas uncovered by looking at our faults as a means to greater personal growth, we looked at much more.One of the many things I've enjoyed about this series is…

As someone who loves to see a clash of ideas, this has been a fascinating fortnight in New ZealandThe arrival, non-event and departure of Stefan Molyneux and Lauren Southern provoked an unprecedented debate around Free Speech, Hate Speech, and where the boundary lines will be drawn in New Zealand society.I have found the mainstream media discussion…

Welcome to the second part of my new special series, exploring the experience of Self Authoring with my special guest, Josh Storey.The Self-Authoring Suite is a set of three online writing programs: past, present and future.This week we take a look at the first part of the Present Authoring section, which is about helping identify your virtues (str…

Our relationships have been proven to provide some of the most meaningful elements of our lives.This massive net-positive does come with a few challenges. Life can be difficult, and there are times when those around us are under distress. In those moments, what do you do?Rocky's work seeks to provide an answer to that question. For those of us who …

Welcome to my new special series, exploring the experience of Self Authoring.The Self-Authoring Suite is a set of three online writing programs: past, present and future.The Future Authoring Program helps you envision a meaningful, healthy and productive future, three to five years down the road, and to develop a detailed, implementable plan to mak…

Did you know that extreme poverty has halved in the last 20 years?That this is the least violent time in human history?That infant mortality has dropped to 3.1% worldwide?If you were like me about a year ago, the answer would have been a resounding NO! For me the opposite was true, I was certain that things were getting worse.So how have we managed…

Linda Guirey is one of the most respected and sought-after experts on Life Choices. I was fascinated to speak with someone who had experienced a different journey than I had, yet discovered the same truth - that our experience of life is shaped by our thinking, and we have the power to choose what that is.Linda built her reputation by sharing these…

What does a female barber, an outside bar table and men's mental health have in common?This week's episode has the answers to all those questions!Fliss Downes is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness. She openly shares her nine year journey with depression and how she was able to find her happy place.It doesn't stop there though, as aft…

None of us would be here if it wasn't for nurses.One of the many privileges of living in New Zealand (and many other places in the western world) is a health system we can rely on. Yes it has flaws, but one of the main reasons it holds together is the skill and dedication of thousands of nurses whose commitment above the call of duty would leave th…

The final week!In our last episode of the special series, we take a look at the topics of Awe, Laughter, and the power of the stories we tell about ourselves.If you haven't checked it out already, I couldn't recommend the course that this information was taken from more highlyhttps://www.edx.org/course/science-happiness-uc-berkeleyx-gg101x-6We're a…

With only two weeks to go in the Science of Happiness series, we take an in depth look at a topic that I think has been woven through the whole time.I believe that the science behind gratitude makes a case for taking it from a "nice for some" to "essential for all".We'll also take some time to acknowledge some of the challenges to a more grateful l…

First of all, yes, that is a reference to the Proclaimers song, haha!This week on the show we're in full inspiration mode thanks to my guest Nikki Umana-Tate.Nikki is about to start her fourth charity bike ride for Hands Across the Water in four years, riding 500kms through Thailand in 5 days where the temperatures can exceed 40 degrees, all for a …

We're on the home stretch with our special Science of Happiness series, and this week we're looking more deeply into how our thoughts affect out sense of well-being.There's two main themes this week:1. Self Compassion: does this present a better alternative to a culture that is fixated on self esteem? Also, is the stern inner critic the best way to…

Ok straight up, this episode has the best tangent I have ever experienced in 30+ episodes, but more on that later...I had the privilege of meeting Sarah on a commercial shoot a few months back. She's a film maker, author, entrepreneur....basically the kind of person whose photo you should find if you look up the word "creative" in the dictionary (o…

What does it mean to be mindful? This week as part of our special series on The Science of Happiness, we take a look at where your head is at!Perhaps more importantly, we take a look at the health and wellbeing benefits that can be ours when we stop our minds from wandering and learn to appreciate the moment we are inThe content for this week's epi…

Hopefully you're noticing a trend now....other people are essential to our experience of happiness!This week we're talking about co-operation and Reconciliation, and in the process we're looking at two of my favourite insights 1. How to cooperate/help others in a wise way that protects you from being taking advantage of, but also makes room for for…

Ok look....this week started out as kind of an interactive discussion on week 4 from the Science of Happiness, and just kinda spiraled out of control from there, hahaha!Marcus is one of my very best friends, so I had a great time talking with him about his perspective on Happiness and sharing some of my own insights.Weirdly enough, we don't have a …

You've made it to the third week of The Science of Happiness!This week builds on what we discussed last time around social connection and looks at two key elements that are proven to have a positive effect on our happiness - compassion and kindness.I find it equally fascinating and encouraging that these things we have always viewed as positive vir…

Welcome to the second week of The Science of Happiness!This week we're going to focus on the power of social connection and exploring the idea that there is no such thing as happiness in isolation. We are built to connect on a biological level so I hope you enjoy learning about how much of our well being is derived from our relationships!This is a …

Welcome to the first week of The Science of Happiness!This week we're going to take a look at what happiness is and isn't, along with why I believe this understanding has become essential to address the challenges we're facing today around health and well being.This is a special series based on the online course provided by the University of Califo…

Innovation - it really is a modern buzzword!The call to becoming more innovative seems to be everywhere, but what does it take to become truly innovative? Do you really have to come up with something that no-one else has ever imagined?Jay Rao is a professor at Babson College, the number one ranked school for entrepreneurship in the United States, a…

My first foray into shining a spotlight on something that's happening in our world and needs our attention. Farming in South Africa is now the most dangerous profession in the world, and the horror stories that are emerging mean that the rest of us need to take notice. How to we respond? Start by listening to Martin and Lila's story.…

Of all the guests I've had on the show so far, no-one has impacted my thinking more than this week's guest. Greg Menendez has been a friend and mentor to me for the last couple of years, and what you're about to listen to has the power to unlock your potential like never before!Von The Andrew Curtis Show

I've had the privilege of talking to incredible people on this podcast up till now, but in the last week I started to think how good it would be to hear from someone at the START of their journey. Fortunately I knew just who to talk to - listen to Rachel's journey from being dissatisfied with her path in life, to now living full of purpose and happ…

It was my turn to be a guest this week, joining my good friend Vinh for an episode of "Down The Rabbit Hole" on his FB page. If you want to check the video, you can find it at www.facebook.com/askvinhVon The Andrew Curtis Show

My one man mission with this episode is to change the way you think about Dyslexia! What it it's not a learning disability, but just a different learning style that can lead to an incredibly creative perspective on life? (Spoiler alert - it can!!)Von The Andrew Curtis Show

An exploration into the elements of better decision making with Michael A Roberto, a professor at Rhode Island's Bryant University, one of the top business programs in the USA.Von The Andrew Curtis Show

The Behavioural Insights team started life in the UK as the world’s first government institution dedicated to the application of behavioural sciences. Their goals are1. Making public services more cost-effective and easier for citizens to use2. Improving outcomes by introducing a more realistic model of human behaviour to policy; and wherever possi…

This week's conversation with Cat Howell from Eight Loop Social is in two parts. We started off discussing the finer details of her social media business, but ended up moving into a far deeper conversation about her personal development journey and how she got rid of the mindsets that were holding her back. She's an inspiration!…

Technology has changed the game for business, and now it's possible to look at the way we work and call into question the status quo. How do we get the life we want, doing the work we like, with a balance we enjoy? All this and more with Productivity blogger and consultant, Paul Minors.Von The Andrew Curtis Show

Simon founded the Red Circle Network to help New Zealand business people engage with China and bridge the gaps in cultural understanding. We talk about how he first forged that connection and some of the lessons he has learned along the wayVon The Andrew Curtis Show

An incredibly candid conversation with Elias Kanaris, former president of the NZ Speakers Association and President-Elect of the Global Speakers Federation, about what it means to serve as a leader and his journey towards making a real difference in the world.Von The Andrew Curtis Show

It's one thing to speak, it's another thing to connect with the hearts of those we're speaking to. This week's guest, Vinh Giang is a teacher and a lifelong student of communication and connection. An incredibly insightful conversation about how our ability to connect and communicate causes us all to grow and experience life on a higher level.…