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Business
Sean D'Souza
Sean D'Souza made two vows when he started up Psychotactics back in 2002. The first was that he'd always get paid in advance and the second was that work wouldn't control his life. He decided to take three months off every year. But how do you take three months off, without affecting your business and profits? Do you buy into the myth of "outsourcing everything and working just a few hours a week?" Not really. Instead, you structure your business in a way that enables you to work hard and then take three months off every single year. And Sean walks his talk. Since 2004, he's taken three months off every year (except in 2005, when there was a medical emergency). This podcast isn't about the easy life. It's not some magic trick about working less. Instead with this podcast you learn how to really enjoy your work, enjoy your vacation time and yes, get paid in advance.
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Total 534 episodes
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22/12/2024

How To Avoid Jet Lag

It’s that time of the year when many of us travel. If it’s even a short trip, we get jetlagged for days. How do you beat it? Here’s a theory based on my “diaries”. Diaries? Yes, diaries. Let’s find out.
5m
13/12/2024

Why Random, Tiny Projects are the Key to Future Business Growth

It's normal to want to wait for the perfect moment to start a project. However, that's usually a mistake. A tiny, random project can be started right away. And in a little while, a whole decade or two decades pass. Find out how tiny, random projects make a huge difference.
7m
29/11/2024

The Power of Analogies (Part 3): How to transform analogies from tired to fresh

At times, you simply can’t think of an analogy, and you reach for something that’s been used many times before. However, there’s zero fun in using a tired analogy. How can you take this rather overused analogy and turn it into something with oomph? Let’s find out.
7m
22/11/2024

The Power of Analogies (Part 2): How to use everyday life to create stunning analogies

The Power of Analogies (Part 2): How to use everyday life to create stunning analogies Probably the biggest mistake that most of us make is that we try to find analogies. We sit down at a desk and wrack our brains trying to find an analogy that's just right. Instead, we end up with analogies that have been used repeatedly by other people. Or analogy doesn't seem fresh—and certainly not memorable. Yet, there are dozens if not hundreds of analogies waiting for us round the corner. And by that I mean literally round the corner. It's a secret waiting for us in plain sight. Let's find out how to go about creating those analogies by the dozen!
13m
15/11/2024

The Power of Analogies (Part 1): Working Backwards

When we sit down to write an article, or design a presentation, we tend to slip in an analogy. However, most of the analogies that we seem to come up with a "boring and tired". The reason why we struggle so much is because we're going about it the wrong way. And allergies – in general – should be written backwards. How do you write an analogy going backwards? That's what we'll find out in this episode.
9m
08/11/2024

Why we lose motivation (and how a “base level of success” is crucial to keep going)

We start on a learning journey and then we quickly get lost. Why is this the case? We might have systems in place, reminders that keep going off, but we still don’t have a clear understanding of what will get us to a level of fluency. This level of fluency is called “base level of success”. Unless, you and I know the base level, we simply practice, and while we get better, we don’t get very good at a skill. Well, it’s about time.
11m
01/11/2024

Why sequences are crucial for your business and how to go about implementing it.

When you go for a meal, you follow a sequence. When you are part of a wedding ceremony, there’s also a sequence. Sequences allow us to follow a thread, but it also gives the client a clear pathway. In this episode we look at the power of sequences, how to implement one and why you may want to change your sequence as technology moves forward. Let’s go!
22m
25/10/2024

Why you need to get off the Internet – and meet real people instead

The Internet has and will always be a great source of getting clients. However, if you notice, it’s also a very crowded space. There’s a place that’s a lot less busy. It’s called “the world offline”. Here’s why you need to do some exploration away from your computer.
13m
19/10/2024

Rerun 5 Why Willpower Is Weak (And How Numbers Help You Stay on Track Instead)

13m
12/10/2024

Rerun 4:The Results Paradox: Why We Have To Keep Searching For New Clients

25m
05/10/2024

Rerun 3 Why A “Lack Of Memory” Causes You To Be Less Talented In Life

16m
28/09/2024

Rerun 2 How To Create An Intensely Curious First Line For Your Article

12m
21/09/2024

Rerun 1: How To Get Clients To Go From “No” To “Yes” (And Why The Right Mindset Is Crucial)

12m
14/09/2024

The “Unobvious Reasons” WhyAdults Struggle With Language Learning - Part 2

We continue on our two part series of why adults struggle with learning. And this time around, we have an unusual enemy. The enemy is “vocabulary”. How can that be the case?
15m
07/09/2024

The “Unobvious Reasons” WhyAdults Struggle With Language Learning - Part 1

We all believe that languages should be learned early, and we’re not wrong. However, most adult learning is based on a school system that’s boring and plainly illogical. Why do adults struggle so much? The short answer is that they don’t learn like kids. The question is: what do kids do differently that makes learning so enduring? Let’s find out.
21m
31/08/2024

How to increase prices from left to right (or right to left).

In most cases, you can increase your prices by as much as 15% by moving from left to right. But what if you wanted to increase your prices by, say, 20%, instead. Well, then you move from right to left. What does all of this right, left, right mean? Well, listen to the podcast and it will make sense in a few minutes.
6m
24/08/2024

How to calm your nerves before a speaking opportunity

Giving a presentation is often nerve wracking. You know you need to relax but you are driving yourself up the wall. The usual way to solve the problem seems to be that you need to practise more. You practise, practise, and practise, but the stress won’t go away. So what does reduce the pain? It’s simpler than you’d think.
22m
19/08/2024

The "Pain Map of Learning": How Trainers Can Make Learning Fun Again

When we get into a learning situation, we’re usually excited. Then, almost immediately we feel unsure. We stumble along, not keen to move ahead. What’s happening in our brain? I’ll tell you what: a pain map is being created. This pain map is because of a lack of good instructional design. How do we avoid creating this pain map for our kids and especially for our clients? Let’s find out
27m
03/08/2024

Why Catching Up Is a Poor Strategy (And Why the “Next Sunrise” Method is More Powerful)

When we fall behind, the core instinct is to catch up. In most cases, that’s a strategy that stresses us out, and achieves very little. It feels like one foot inside and another outside. But is there a better method? Try the “next sunrise” method and see how well it works for you..
5m
13/07/2024

Why “Prompts” Speed Up Learning (And Avoid the Boring Hard Work Syndrome)

We are told time and time again that we need to practice. That we need to work hard. That’s usually a load of rubbish. Learning depends less on you as a learner and more on how the learning is designed. Here’s an understanding of how “prompts” in learning make the client eager to get to and finish an assignment, even if the learning journey is extremely long and complicated.
17m
06/07/2024

A Memory Test: Are you bad with names or is it a myth?

You've probably heard it before: I am bad at names. I don't remember names so well. But are you truly bad at names? Or is it something that we all say? In this podcast you can test yourself and figure out how impressive your memory really happens to be. Best of all, you will never say that you're bad at names – or even have a bad memory. Your perception of memory will change quite substantially. Let's go, shall we?
14m
29/06/2024

The elegant strategy to overcome “information overload” (and how to do it almost overnight).

We all struggle with information. We’re almost always behind, always making notes, trying to catch up. Should we cut back on information completely? Is that the solution? Or is there a simpler, more elegant way to relax and take in endless amounts of information? Let’s find out
17m
15/06/2024

Re-run 7 Storytelling: Why Fairy Tale Endings Are Unnecessary for Article Writing

25m
08/06/2024

Re-run 6 Balanced Feedback: Why People Want Endless Amounts of it

26m
01/06/2024

Re-run 5 How to Systematically Generate a Uniqueness (Even If You've Struggled With It Before)

21m
25/05/2024

Re-run 4 How random pieces of advice from friends and bosses help me keep my focus

19m
18/05/2024

Re-run 3 Why We Stall—And How To Pull Out of the Mess

15m
11/05/2024

Rerun 2: Why You Should Never Trust A Silent Customer

12m
04/05/2024

Rerun 1: Why We Struggle With Writing Well (And How Your Brain Is Trying to Drive You Crazy)

22m
27/04/2024

Why Negotiation Consistently Fails In Real-World Scenarios: 3 Overlooked Stages of Negotiation

When you read a book about negotiation, it seems like you should be able to get exactly what you want. However, when you go out into the real world, your negotiating turns to custard. Others don't seem to agree with your terms, and you're left hanging. Often this problem arises because of a simple set of stages that we ignore. In this podcast, we look at those three stages and see how they boost our negotiating power, without us doing anything extraordinary.
26m
20/04/2024

Why Creating a Series Gets Greater Client Involvement

When we create information, we tend to think of a single book, a single article—and may I say—a single podcast. That system works fine, but there's a method that is far superior. It's called a series. Here's why a series works so much better and how to go about creating a series of series.
19m
13/04/2024

The Five "Psychological Stages" of Entrepreneurship—And One That's More Scary Than The Rest

We don't always realise it, but we go through precise psychological stages when we are becoming entrepreneurs. The biggest problem is that one stage is more deadly than all the other stages put together. It's the stage where we lose control because we are driven by outside forces. How do we know which stage we are in? And how do we prepare ourselves for the stage that is going to seriously rock the boat?
23m
05/04/2024

The concept of bandwidth: How to control the "uncontrollable"

On any given day we will have some amount of chaos. And someday the chaos is just looking outside the door, but other days it forces its way through with an intensity that's hard to control. It seems like we are always juggling too many things, but there is a method where we can manage chaos in a less frustrating manner. Let's find out how we can look at chaos differently so that, in general, we have mostly wonderful days.
17m
22/03/2024

How to Win Friends: The Hug, Hear, Help Method

We often want to help others. It's a great trait to have in a world that is rather selfish. Yet, it can be a terrible idea when you're communicating with friends and clients. People rarely want your help. What do they want instead?  Listen to the "hug, hear, and help" method to change the way you see the world and also the way the world sees you.   Next Up: The Not So Obvious Angles For Succeeding In Life
21m
16/03/2024

Unexpected Impact (And Why You Shouldn't Give Up Communicating With Your Audience)

Sometimes we think that we're just wasting our time writing articles or recording a podcast. Or maybe even the advice we give seems to go nowhere. You'd be surprised to know that you're making an impact beyond your wildest imagination
10m
09/03/2024

How to have conversations when you don't necessarily agree with the other person.

Do you feel like you're in the world where everybody is just angry with each other? How do you cope with a situation where you don't agree with the other person? You may not agree with their politics, their way of life, and you may have no intention of going over to the other side. The answer to most "aggressive conversations" is simpler than you would expect. And it's also a lot more fun and you get to stay friends. Let's find out how.
24m
02/03/2024

Three "Slightly Boring" Ways To Create Metaphors For Your Articles

While writing an article, report or book, you're more than likely to need a metaphor. In fact, you may need at least a dozen. The problem with metaphors is that they're usually very predictable. How do you take a "boring method" and make a metaphor quite exciting? Let's find out.
21m
23/02/2024

The second best way to get out of a rut

The quickest way to get out of a rut is to have a deadline. The moment you don't have a deadline, you're in trouble. Soon, that blip becomes a blurb, which becomes a balabooza that you can't control. How do you get out of a rut quickly—really quickly? Let's find out in this episode.   Next Step: Listen to—How To Get Unstuck Bit By Bit (And Why Speeding It Up Doesn’t Usually Work)    
8m
10/02/2024

How to give praise (even when it's hard to do so)

We all want to praise others, but sometimes, it seems extremely difficult to do so.  This is why we often resort to something like "great job" or "that's cool. And Facebook has trained us to just "like" everything. This means that the person you're praising rarely feels the impact of that praise.  In this episode we'll look at how to go about praising someone, and especially how to give praise when you don't have much to say.   Next: Let's look at How To Introduce Yourself At An Event (Without Describing Your Achievements)    
26m
02/02/2024

Rerun 07 The “Coats Of Paint” System To Break Out Of The Curse Of Perfection

23m
26/01/2024

Rerun 06 How To Write The First Line Of An Article (And Instantly Get The Reader’s Attention With A Story)

25m
20/01/2024

Rerun 05 How To Avoid High Conflict – Even When You Don't Agree With The Idea

5m
13/01/2024

The Eternal Sales Page Dilemma – How To Choose The Precise Headline To Get Clients Interested On Your Sales Page

23m
06/01/2024

Rerun 03 Effective Sales Tactics: How To Create Bonuses For Your Products Or Services

15m
29/12/2023

Rerun-002 How To Get Unstuck Bit By Bit (And Why Speeding It Up Doesn't Usually Work)

30m
23/12/2023

Rerun 01 Why “A Walk In The Forest” Reinvigorates Our Busy, Stressful Lives

13m
08/12/2023

How to get clients to go from "NO" to "YES" (And why the right mindset is crucial)

Usually a "NO" feels like a door slammed in your face. However, in many cases, a "NO" isn't a forever thing. If you look at "NO" differently, there's a good chance you'll get a bucketful of "YESES". Here's my experience of going from "NO to YES".   Next Step: Listen to  Three Ways To Harness The Mastermind Mindset (And Use It Across Your Business)
12m
02/12/2023

The "Blindingly Obvious Reason" That Drives Success in Almost Any Sphere

You'd think that success parameters are everywhere—and they are. Yet, some of them are so obvious that we completely miss them. In order to turn things around and get people to get your clients—and yourself—to understand success better, you have to know the difference between ego and mastery. In this episode, that's what we explore and why it makes such a vast difference.   Next Step: Find out How Ego-Killers Can Drive Clients Away
21m
25/11/2023

The Myth of Poor Memory (And How to Overcome It Instantly)

Have you heard yourself saying: I'm not good with names! Almost everyone you run into is likely to say something similar. Is it because we're bad with names and have terrible memories? Or is it a myth that we've been perpetuating? Let's find out in this slightly odd view of memory.   Next Step: Have a listen to Why A “Lack Of Memory” Causes You To Be Less Talented In Life
12m
10/11/2023

How to create an intensely curious first line for your article

The first line is what pulls us into an article. Yet we end up writing a really boring first line. What's worse is that you could use the power of story to create an intensely powerful first line in minutes. Don't believe me? Well, do you have 10 minutes? Let's start.   Next Step: Don't miss the series on Writers's BlockWriter’s Block Series: Why Discussion and Feedback Are A Writer’s Secret Weapon (And How Professionals Use it to Their Advantage)
12m