Peripheral Thinking

Hosted by Ben Johnson

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Dec 2024

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About the show

A podcast to challenge your assumptions and inspire you with ideas from the periphery, the margins. We live in times of unprecedented change. The systems - financial, social, ecological, environmental - on which we depend are stretched to breaking point. Professional, personal and organisational ‘norms’ increasingly less normal. We are in transition. The ideas to shape tomorrow exist today at the margins. What might we learn from ancient wisdom, eastern philosophy or indigenous thinking? Or DeGrowth and other radical social and political movements? Peripheral Thinking is a podcast which investigates these ideas, so you can carry them back to the mainstream.

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42 recent

December 17, 202450 min

Recovering balance from burnout

When your current lifestyle is unsustainable, it’s time to make a change instead of waiting for circumstances to force your hand.The gradual build-up of stress, fatigue, and health issues from a demanding career can lead to a critical point where one must choose between maintaining an unhealthy status quo or taking the initiative to make a change, even when that decision feels destabilising.In this episode, Tyronne and Ben discuss practical strategies for finding balance and mindfulness in an increasingly accelerated world where everyone seems to be running at full speed. Ty shares how he recognised the early warning signs of burnout and understood the real health implications of maintaining an unsustainable work lifestyle. And they explore the challenging but rewarding journey of making major life changes, even when facing uncertainty and the destabilising effects of leaving familiar patterns behind.LinksConnect with Tyronne via LinkedInHelping You Back to Flow – Episode 40, with Dave Murphy

December 3, 202447 min

What Daoism can teach us about leadership

True leadership comes not from domination and control, but from attunement to natural rhythms, deep respect for interconnectedness, and embracing a more humble, spacious approach to guiding ourselves and others.In this episode, Ben is joined by Mimi Kuo-Deemer. She is a sixth generation lineage holder teaching Baguazhang, and a Qigong teacher with over 20 years of practice. She’s based in Oxfordshire where she teaches and livestreams sessions.This discussion covers the revolutionary perspective on leadership offered by Daoist principles, offers practical ways to find steadiness and calm in your busy life, and explores a different way of relating to nature and change that moves beyond control and separation.LinksMimi’s websiteMysticism, sacred and profane : an inquiry into some varieties of praeter-natural exerienceMight Daoism be a home for you in '22 (and beyond) – Episode 7, with George ThompsonWho doesn’t want a little peace and calm? – Episode 8, with Martin AlywardLeanMind - helping leaders back to clarity and calm.

November 19, 202456 min

Unlocking flow state

That feeling of being in the zone is a measurable neurochemical state of consciousness where we feel and perform our best. This optimal state – flow state, as it’s called – isn't limited to hobbies and sport, but can be achieved in various forms of work, and can lead to increased creativity, productivity, and personal fulfilment.In this conversation, Ben and his guest Dave Murphy explore the value of understanding and cultivating flow state at work, transforming how we approach our professional lives and overall wellbeing.Dave is an expert, helping people understand and achieve flow state, particularly in the context of work. Prior to this, Dave had a career in advertising, working for one of the best agencies in the world. His journey to understanding and teaching flow was influenced by an ayahuasca experience in Amsterdam, which opened a door of insight for him.LinksConnect with Dave via LinkedInThe Flow Advantage – Dave’s programmeBreathe New Life Into Your Work – Episode 38, with Giles HutchinsFinding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement With Everyday Life, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

November 5, 202459 min

When winter calls, invite it in

Embracing cycles of rest is essential for our own ability to grow and create. Rather than continuously striving, reaching for the next thing and going ever faster, we need to pause and recharge, acknowledging that rest is as crucial as productivity.By honouring the natural cycles of action and rest, we give ourselves the chance to integrate experiences, reflect deeply, and ultimately emerge renewed, ready to bring our full selves to the work we care about.Emma Chow is a regenerative designer and leader who learned this the hard way in 2020. Since then, she’s journeyed from global consulting to pioneering work in service of the circular economy, following a passion for nature and the climate she’s held since the age of 18.In her conversation with Ben, Emma shares how embracing rest as part of life’s natural rhythm can open up space for resilience, creativity, and a deeper connection to purpose.LinksConnect with Emma via LinkedInEmma’s website

October 22, 20241 hr 3 min

Breathe New Life Into Your Work

Growing as a person – and as a leader – often involves a metamorphosis, where one moves from an egocentric, achievement-focused mindset to a more holistic, purpose-driven approach to life and work.This shift can occur at various stages of life, and it takes courage to confront the discomfort and uncertainty that shows up. But ultimately it leads to a deeper connection with one's soul and life purpose.This journey, while challenging, can be navigated successfully with the right guidance and understanding of the process. In this discussion, Giles Hutchins outlines his relationship with this process of death and rebirth.Giles is a coach specialising in regenerative leadership and business inspired by nature. He works with leaders, founders, CEOs, and chairs from around the world, and has been taking leaders into nature for over 15 years as part of his coaching practice.LinksLeading by Nature, by Giles HutchinsOther books by GilesMovement, Mood and Mindset – Episode 34, with Sal Jefferies

May 6, 20241 hr 6 min

Discussing Right Story, Wrong Story, by Tyson Yunkaporta

Embracing different perspectives and understanding the long-term impacts of our actions, particularly in terms of cultural shifts and societal evolution, can give us valuable insights to navigate our present and future more effectively.Author Dougald Hine rejoins Ben to discuss a new book by Tyson Yunkaporta, who suggested that the best thing to do is maybe not to read a book, but to discuss it with someone else.In their conversation, they explore how deep time diligence impacts cultural changes, the role of violence in human societies, and what imposing limitations can mean to those around us.LinksAt Work in the Ruins – Episode 18Right Story, Wrong Story: Adventures in Indigenous Thinking, by Tyson YunkaportaSand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World, by Tyson YunkaportaA School Called HomeThe Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, by Jonathan HaidtFurther Adventures in Regrowing a Living Culture – Dougald’s spring 2024 series

April 22, 202413 min

PT Shorts: Where do ideas come from?

Where do new ideas come from? Your mind regenerates from the outside in, teased to life by artists, innovators, agitators playing on the margins. Their work inspires yours. This is the spark, the stuff of new ideas. As with your mind, so too an old city. Berlin in 1992 was a tired place, run dry by 50 years of division, devoid of life, energy and new story. Until it was woken up. The same today in Detroit. A husked out old powerhouse finding new form, courtesy of the peripheral thinkers and players, sparking new story, seeding new ideas. Like an old city, your mind wakes up from the outside in, seeds of ideas taking root on the margins, the periphery, before bleeding into the mainstream of your mind. In this episode, we talk about Berlin and Detroit and waking you up from the outside in. It's only a little episode; short enough to consume on a dog walk or journey to work. Or even on the toilet, if you're that way inclined. And if you like what you hear, why not sign up to keep up at www.Peripheral-Thinking.com ?

April 8, 20241 hr 7 min

The Heroine’s Journey – a universal path towards wholeness

There’s a way of seeing personal growth and transformation as a cycle of rupture, descent, emergence, and return – an inward journey that challenges us to confront our own demons, integrate different aspects of ourselves, and ultimately find a way to contribute to the collective good.Christine Raine is a speaker, facilitator, and podcaster. She developed an interpretation of Maureen Murdoch’s Heroine’s Journey, a psychological framework for personal growth and transformation that integrates this cycle. In her discussion with Ben, she explains how the journey typically unfolds more like a spiral than a circle, emphasising its impact no matter your gender identity.LinksConnect with Christine via LinkedInChristine’s websiteListen to the Heroine’s Journey podcast

March 25, 20241 hr 6 min

The missing link between mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing

Bringing movement into our daily routines is beneficial not only for our physical health, but our mental and emotional wellbeing too. Consciously integrating activity into our lifestyles helps us counteract the sedentary nature of modern life, especially for leaders and entrepreneurs sat in front of a laptop all day.Sal Jefferies is an embodiment specialist, focusing on movement and the interconnectedness of physical, mental, and emotional health. He’s deeply interested in how humans function, drawing from fields like psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, cognitive science, and embodied cognition. He discusses the importance of incorporating movement into daily life along with the negative impacts of a sedentary lifestyle. Sal also coaches entrepreneurs and business owners, applying his knowledge of movement and health to improve their performance and wellbeing.If you like this episode, don't forget you can find all our conversations at www.peripheral-thinking.com or sign up here!LinksConnect with Sal via LinkedInMindset, Mood & Movement – Sal’s podcastTED talks by Sir Ken Robinson

March 11, 20241 hr 0 min

Living a dimmer-free life, with Cecily Mak

Embracing discomfort and experiencing emotions to the fullest can give us the guidance needed to navigate positive life changes, even in difficult circumstances. But sometimes those emotions are too difficult or too stark, and so we use things like alcohol to turn down the volume. But by doing so, we dim ourselves.Today, Ben is in conversation with Cecily Mak. Cecily writes a newsletter on living a life free of alcohol (without labels like “sober” or “recovery”), and reveals how little most of us know about the carcinogenic nature of alcohol.Cecily is also a cofounder of a venture fund called Wisdom Ventures, which seeks to add spirituality, purpose and impact to the results they delivers partners and investors.LinksConnect with Cecily via LinkedInClearLife – Cecily’s newsletterFollow @clearlifejourney on Instagram