The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

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Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com

Episode #347: Steven Strogatz - How Calculus Reveals The Secrets Of The Universe

Leaders who sustain excellence:
- Have a willingness to be a beginner
  - "When you're naive, you ask new questions"
- "They have the courage to be someone who's just starting"
- How do you fight the urge to live up to a prior reputation of being an expert at something?
  - Be known as an adventurer. Cannot have an ego.
Six degrees of separation is a math problem
The strength in weak ties
- It's important to connect with people outside of your typical orbit
- Action: Go to a strange party, play a new sport, go to a new gym, meet oddballs
  - Collect "casual acquaintances"
The value of being a helper:
- Be the assist person, help others, do little acts of kindness, promote someone else's work
How Steven and I got to know each other:
- David Epstein's wife made an intro for David and Steven... And then from David to me.
  - "Be the kind of person who remembers others names"
Why should a normal person learn calculus?
- "The world has been turned upside down by calculus"
- "Calculus is the mathematical study of change"
- "It's a great intellectual adventure story"
- "Calculus is the language that God talks" --> The laws of nature are built in calculus
How to be more creative?
- Be broadly interested in many different topics. Take something from one area and apply it somewhere else.
Advice Steven would give to a mid-level manager:
- "Getting high grades is jumping through hoops someone else sets"
- "As a PhD, you have to make your own hoops"
- "People need to be more adventurous, and then figure it out"
Why you should study Improv as a leader:
- Use "Yes and..." This helps with brainstorming and coming up with new ideas. Put out a lot of wacky ideas to get to the good stuff.
- "I want people to be gripped irrationally by the imagination"
The power of mentors:
- "Learn from both the great coaches and the bad ones"
The value of friendships:
- The story of Mr. Joffray -- Physically impressive and wonderfully intelligent. He took pleasure in Steven passing him.
The value of teaching:
- It helps create empathy... It forces you to put yourself in the mind of someone else. "Bad teachers don't have empathy."
How does Steven prepare for big moments?
- "I try to be myself. And talk myself out of being intimidated." ---> The audience wants you to do well.
Life advice:
- "Do what you care about most, what drives you the most, do the hard work to become skillful."
- Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea