Something You Should Know

How to Read a Room Like a Pro & The Surprising Truth About Self-Esteem

Something You Should Know

Show Notes

If you’ve ever tried to look at your phone while wearing sunglasses and found the screen strangely dark—or even completely black—there’s a fascinating reason why. And you don’t necessarily have to take off your sunglasses to fix it. Listen and discover a very simple trick. https://www.allaboutvision.com/eyewear/sunglasses/lenses/polarized-lenses-and-lcd-screens/

Imagine walking into a meeting, party or conference and quickly figuring out who has influence, who knows whom, who feels uncomfortable and what is really going on beneath the surface. That’s the skill of “reading the room.” Some people seem naturally good at it, but it turns out the rest of us can learn it too. Pamela Meyer explains what to watch and listen for—and how becoming a better social observer can give you a real advantage at work and in everyday life. Pamela is an expert in deception and human behavior, a Certified Fraud Examiner and founder and CEO of Calibrate. She is author of How to Read the Room: The Art and Science of Social Observation(https://link.amazon/B07AOq218).

Most of us assume that good self-esteem comes from feeling positive about ourselves. But trying to convince yourself that you’re wonderful may not work—and can sometimes make you feel worse. So where does genuine self-worth actually come from? Psychologist Dr. Marisa Franco explains the surprising science of self-esteem, why compliments and positive self-talk don’t always have the effect we expect, and what actually helps us feel more secure in ourselves and our relationships. Marisa is a professor at the University of Maryland and author of Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Secure Attachment (https://link.amazon/B01yeoZk0).

There is an unmistakable smell when you walk into an old bookstore or open a book that has been sitting on a shelf for decades. Where does that “old book smell” actually come from? Even more interesting is why so many people find it so pleasant. It turns out there’s some intriguing chemistry—and psychology—behind it. https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/did-you-know/why-do-old-books-smell-so-good

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

MONARCH: Write your own money story with Monarch! Use promo code SYSK at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Monarch.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get your 1st year of Monarch Core half off at just $50

AQUATRU: Head to https:AquaTru.com and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK, with a 30 day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back!

TREES.COM: Right now, ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Trees.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠have great deals on planting essentials, up to half off on select plants. And listeners to our show get 20% OFF their purchase when using the promo code SYSK at checkout.

VINTED: Ready to clean out your closet and make some extra money?Download the Vinted app for free and start listing! With no seller fees, you keep every dollar you earn and for a limited time, enjoy free shipping in the US on Vinted.

WAYFAIR: Ready to upgrade your home for way less? Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Wayfair.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ right now to shop all things home and get your space ready for less.

QUINCE: Find your next Fall favorites at Quince! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

PLANET VISIONARIES: In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, this is Planet Visionaries. Listen or watch wherever you get your podcasts!

INDEED: Get a $75 Sponsored Job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/PODCAST⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More from Something You Should Know

Oct 22, 2026

Ever meet someone for the first time and then spend the next hour wondering what they thought of you? Did you say the right things? Were you interesting? Did you make a good impression? It turns out we're not particularly good at judging how these encounters go. Researchers have discovered something surprising about what happens when two strangers meet — and understanding it might change the way you think about your next conversation. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30183512/

Oct 20, 2026

You are constantly sending signals without saying a word—and so is everyone around you. The way someone sits, moves their hands, looks at you, or suddenly changes their posture can offer clues about what they’re thinking and feeling. But reading body language correctly is more complicated than simply assuming crossed arms mean someone is defensive.

Oct 19, 2026

When you delete a spam text, your phone often gives you the option to “Delete and Report.” But have you ever wondered what actually happens when you report it? Who gets the report? Does anyone do anything with it? Turns out, hitting that button isn’t as pointless as it may seem. https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-report-spam-text-messages

Oct 17, 2026

Most of us know that driving faster burns more gas. But just how much does slowing down actually save you? The difference is bigger than you might think. And if you drive around with a bike rack attached to your car, even when there’s no bike on it, you’ll definitely want to hear this. https://abc7.com/archive/9151803/

Oct 15, 2026

We all have vivid memories of major events from our past — moments we can picture so clearly that we’re certain we remember exactly what happened. They’re known as “flashbulb memories.” But here’s the strange thing: even when those memories feel crystal clear, they may not be very accurate and there is an interesting reason why. https://dictionary.apa.org/flashbulb-memory

See all episodes →