Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor living nearly 2,000 years ago, yet his private journal reads remarkably like modern psychological coaching. In this episode, Carly explores a powerful passage from Meditations and unpack what Stoicism, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Morita Therapy can teach us about managing difficult thoughts and emotions. If you’ve ever felt hijacked by overthinking, caught in emotional spirals, or trapped in the stories your mind creates, this episode offers a practical, stoic framework for stepping back, seeing reality more clearly, and choosing your next move with intention.

Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor living nearly 2,000 years ago, yet his private journal reads remarkably like modern psychological coaching. In this episode, Carly explores a powerful passage from Meditations and unpack what Stoicism, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Morita Therapy can teach us about managing difficult thoughts and emotions. If you&rsquo;ve ever felt hijacked by overthinking, caught in emotional spirals, or trapped in the stories your mind creates, this episode offers a practical, stoic framework for stepping back, seeing reality more clearly, and choosing your next move with intention.

Host Dr Paul Taylor, a Psychophysiologist, Neuroscientist, Exercise Scientist, and Nutritionist interviews experts from around the world on cutting edge research and practices related to improving hardiness in your mind, body and brain to become your best self.

Host Dr Paul Taylor, a Psychophysiologist, Neuroscientist, Exercise Scientist, and Nutritionist interviews experts from around the world on cutting edge research and practices related to improving hardiness in your mind, body and brain to become your best self.

Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor

Host Dr Paul Taylor, a Psychophysiologist, Neuroscientist, Exercise Scientist, and Nutritionist interviews experts from around the world on cutting edge research and practices related to improving hardiness in your mind, body and brain to become your best self. 

Host Dr Paul Taylor, a Psychophysiologist, Neuroscientist, Exercise Scientist, and Nutritionist interviews experts from around the world on cutting edge research and practices related to improving hardiness in your mind, body and brain to become your best self.&nbsp;

How Marcus Aurelius Managed His Mind And What We Can Learn From It by Carly Taylor

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/b9acf56b-75a5-4dd2-8c6e-b44b00321289/transcript

Are you stuck in a cycle of overthinking and information overload, unsure how to move forward? In this episode, I chat with Tamsin Simmons as she shares her journey from healthcare management to becoming a leadership coach and author, emphasising the power of the experiment mindset to create meaningful change. Discover how testing small, process-focused experiments can lead you toward your true goals and improve both personal and organisational performance.

Key Takeaways
The concept of the experiment mindset and its application across areas of life
Imposter syndrome: transforming it into a growth opportunity rather than a barrier
The importance of focusing on processes over outcomes in behaviour change
The three levers of behavior change: environment, psychology, and physiology
Practical strategies for designing and running personal experiments
The pitfalls of information overload and the “procrastination tools” of consuming content without applying it
How organisational incentives and environment influence behaviour, both positively and negatively
The role of curiosity and a growth mindset in sustaining motivation and joy
The universality of the experiment mindset beyond workplace leadership, including health and personal development

 

Timestamps:
04:44 - Imposter syndrome: from challenge to growth tool
06:56 - How perceptions of imposter syndrome evolve with experience
09:02 - Why the experiment mindset encourages resilience and growth
11:03 - The motivation behind writing The Experiment Mindset
13:09 - Changes in leadership and organisational behaviour over the last decade
14:43 - The failures of piecemeal workplace wellness strategies
16:15 - Moving from knowledge to action: tackling the knowing-doing gap
18:42 - Why high-quality information can become a barrier when misused
20:11 - The importance of treating yourself as your own experiment 
22:40 - Real-world example: personal experimentation with diet and health
26:11 - Understanding individual responses to health interventions
28:37 - Limiting biases in personal experiments and avoiding confirmation bias
30:36 - The three levers of behaviour change: environment, psychology, physiology
32:24 - How incentives and environment influence organisational and personal behaviour
34:43 - Rethinking outcome-based performance for better wellbeing and results
36:26 - The role of physiology and physical capacity in high performance
37:36 - The impact of environment on physiology and psychology
39:17 - Simple nutritional strategies for sustained energy and performance
41:16 - Designing meaningful experiments: aligning with your top-level goals
43:04 - Managing big change by setting realistic, incremental goals
45:06 - Focusing on process over outcome to foster resilience and curiosity
47:35 - The power of curiosity and scientific thinking in everyday experiments
48:04 - Applying the experiment mindset beyond work: health, relationships, and life
49:46 - Overcoming information overload and “constipation” in decision-making

 

Resources 

Tamsin’s book The Experiment Mindset

Website: https://www.tamsinsimounds.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamsinkate

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamsinsimounds

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamsinkatesimounds

 

Support the Podcast

If you found this conversation valuable, consider subscribing and leaving a review on your preferred podcast platform. Your feedback helps us continue to bring you insightful discussions on important health topics.

 

 

Are you stuck in a cycle of overthinking and information overload, unsure how to move forward? In this episode, I chat with Tamsin Simmons as she shares her journey from healthcare management to becoming a leadership coach and author, emphasising the power of the experiment mindset to create meaningful change. Discover how testing small, process-focused experiments can lead you toward your true goals and improve both personal and organisational performance.
Key Takeaways
<ul>
<li>The concept of the experiment mindset and its application across areas of life</li>
<li>Imposter syndrome: transforming it into a growth opportunity rather than a barrier</li>
<li>The importance of focusing on processes over outcomes in behaviour change</li>
<li>The three levers of behavior change: environment, psychology, and physiology</li>
<li>Practical strategies for designing and running personal experiments</li>
<li>The pitfalls of information overload and the &ldquo;procrastination tools&rdquo; of consuming content without applying it</li>
<li>How organisational incentives and environment influence behaviour, both positively and negatively</li>
<li>The role of curiosity and a growth mindset in sustaining motivation and joy</li>
<li>The universality of the experiment mindset beyond workplace leadership, including health and personal development</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Timestamps: 04:44 - Imposter syndrome: from challenge to growth tool 06:56 - How perceptions of imposter syndrome evolve with experience 09:02 - Why the experiment mindset encourages resilience and growth 11:03 - The motivation behind writing The Experiment Mindset 13:09 - Changes in leadership and organisational behaviour over the last decade 14:43 - The failures of piecemeal workplace wellness strategies 16:15 - Moving from knowledge to action: tackling the knowing-doing gap 18:42 - Why high-quality information can become a barrier when misused 20:11 - The importance of treating yourself as your own experiment 22:40 - Real-world example: personal experimentation with diet and health 26:11 - Understanding individual responses to health interventions 28:37 - Limiting biases in personal experiments and avoiding confirmation bias 30:36 - The three levers of behaviour change: environment, psychology, physiology 32:24 - How incentives and environment influence organisational and personal behaviour 34:43 - Rethinking outcome-based performance for better wellbeing and results 36:26 - The role of physiology and physical capacity in high performance 37:36 - The impact of environment on physiology and psychology 39:17 - Simple nutritional strategies for sustained energy and performance 41:16 - Designing meaningful experiments: aligning with your top-level goals 43:04 - Managing big change by setting realistic, incremental goals 45:06 - Focusing on process over outcome to foster resilience and curiosity 47:35 - The power of curiosity and scientific thinking in everyday experiments 48:04 - Applying the experiment mindset beyond work: health, relationships, and life 49:46 - Overcoming information overload and &ldquo;constipation&rdquo; in decision-making
&nbsp;
Resources 
Tamsin&rsquo;s book <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1394389396/ref=as_li_ss_tl">The Experiment Mindset</a>
Website: <a href="https://www.tamsinsimounds.com/">https://www.tamsinsimounds.com/</a>
LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamsinkate">https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamsinkate</a>
Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tamsinsimounds">https://www.instagram.com/tamsinsimounds</a>
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tamsinkatesimounds">https://www.facebook.com/tamsinkatesimounds</a>
&nbsp;
Support the Podcast
If you found this conversation valuable, consider subscribing and leaving a review on your preferred podcast platform. Your feedback helps us continue to bring you insightful discussions on important health topics.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Embracing the Experiment Mindset for Personal and Leadership Growth

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/065b3909-d123-4952-bcf8-b45800913c7c/transcript

The health metric that is most predictive of future disability risk - and it's not what you think.

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/c41c2ac1-82c1-4826-a5b8-b45501698870/transcript

If I Know What To Do .... Why Don't I do It? With Carly Taylor

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/85aa95ff-77e4-4965-a2b3-b4510069f43a/transcript

How Marcus Aurelius Managed His Mind And What We Can Learn From It by Carly Taylor

Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor

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Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor

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