In “Barking Up the Wrong Tree: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong,” Eric Barker takes a research-driven approach in analyzing whether there is truth behind axioms like, “nice guys finish last,” and “it’s not what you know, but who you know.” Listen along as the Elizabeths extract the gems from each chapter in hopes that you can incorporate Barker’s key takeaways into your own life.

In this episode we discuss “Rework” by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. You probably won’t recognize their names, but if you’ve worked an office job in the last 5 years you have probably touched one of the tools that their company 37 Signals created, namely Basecamp. This book is a bare-bones list of advice for startups and we edit that list even further to our favorites and the most useful.

In Episode 18 we take a break from our regularly scheduled programming to bring you another short (but sweet) “Intermission”: our recurring segment in which the Elizabeths each discuss how we’ve taken a previously discussed self-help principle and applied it forrealz IRL lol etc.. This week we talk to-do lists and staying motivated.

*Parental Disclaimer* SO. MANY. F-BOMBS in Mark Manson’s “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck.” But peel away the bro-talk and what emerges is a text about our favorite v-word: you guessed it – “values”. Life is finite, and as such, you have a limited amount of f*cks to give. So give more f*cks about fewer things, and you too can lead a fuller life.

More is more, right? Wrong. At least according to “Essentialism – The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown. In this episode we talk about how to discern the trivial many from the vital few, how to cut out the trivial many and how to make that all almost effortless.

In Episode 15, the Elizabeths address one of THE hot questions of our generation: to get an MBA or not to get an MBA? This week, we read and respond to “Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In” by Roger Fisher and William L. Ury. Still considered to be the classic text in negotiations, “Getting to Yes” offers a straightforward method for navigating personal and professional disputes…without completely losing your shit. And it’s OK if you’re not interested in the management thread, per se – this book is really just a guide to having difficult conversations.

So to answer our initial question: why get an MBA when you can listen to our podcast for free?

Yesterday was International Women’s Day and we’re still feeling especially Bold for Change. For many, 2017 is the year of getting active and involved in American politics, and for us, that means being educated on some of this country’s most pressing issues. To begin to tackle the daunting subject of inequality in the US, we read “The Great Divide: Unequal Societies and What We Can Do About Them” by Joseph Stiglitz.

Econ jargon aside, there is hope (somewhere) on the horizon – a healthy economy and a fairer democracy are within our grasp if we can put aside misguided interests and say goodbye to failed policies. Take a listen for the Cliffs Notes version.

In Episode 13, we discuss the highs and lows of our week. Never fear loyal listeners: this week, we create several ties to previous texts on the Talking To Myself book list that have influenced and even helped us with our (perfectly normal, dare we say “HUMAN”) ebbs and flows. Listen along, and don’t be shy – comment with thoughts, comments or critiques. And of course, share any books you’d like for us to tackle in future episodes.

It’s February, so we’re in the mood for love. I guess. In this episode, we discuss “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” by John Gray, Ph.D. with dating expert, Marina Khorosh, of Dbag Dating. We thought it would be fun to take one of the classics for a spin, but unlike fine wine, this one doesn’t get better with age. At least we make each other laugh.