The Best Podcasts for Personal Growth

Listening to an incredible podcast can be like an eye-opening conversation with a mentor. It inspires you to think differently, act differently, reflect and see the world anew.

If you are in a hurry, by all means, scroll down for a curated list of my favourite podcasts for personal growth. Otherwise, take a sip of your coffee. Let’s have a chat about why podcasts are so powerful for your personal growth and how to find the perfect fit.

The Mentor from Afar

Listening to a podcast is a conversation with a mentor.

I call this type of mentor a ‘mentor from afar’. They share their knowledge in books, interviews and my personal favourite, podcasts.

They are the most overlooked mentor type.

The benefits of a mentor from afar are many:

• They are easy to find,
• You don’t need to ask them to be your mentor,
• It’s easy to connect with them anytime and anywhere,
• They include industry experts, best-selling authors and world leaders,
• You are in total control of who to pick!

You can even have more than one mentor from afar for different aspects of your life. An experienced voice to provide guidance in your career, your finances or your relationships.

Listening to podcasts is a way to surround yourself with the thoughts, ideas and values of the podcast creator and their guests. These thoughts rub off! You begin to be shaped by the books you read, the people you talk to and the podcasts you listen to.

THE LAW OF AVERAGES

Have you ever caught yourself matching the tone of voice of a colleague during a conversation? If someone smiles on the street, is your automatic reaction to smile back? It’s been scientifically proven that humans subconsciously mimic behaviour.

The ‘rubbing off’ of people you spend the most time with is sometimes referred to as the law of averages. Simply put:

According to the law of averages, if you have a self improvement goal this year to be more positive, you should surround yourself with positive people. We should surround ourselves with the type of people that we want to become

And here’s the trick. Listening to podcasts counts.

You can use use the law of averages to supercharge your personal development by immersing yourself in the ideas of incredible people who have achieved your goals and dreams already. Listen to their podcasts, read their books or hear them speak. Spend time with mentors from afar and let them teach you.

MY FAVOURITE podcasts for Personal GROWTH

The best podcasts for personal growth will be hosted by someone who resonates with you as a mentor. These are a few of my favourite podcasts for personal growth, that have shaped the way I see the world. Try them out, I hope you love them too!

Productivity: The Tim Ferriss Show 

In this podcast Tim Ferriss interviews world-class humans from all walks of life. He dives deep into the nitty-gritty habits, beliefs, decisions and strategies that make them successful.

Listen to this podcast if you want a free monthly subscription to world class mentors.

Three of my favourite episodes:

• #328: How to Say “No” Gracefully and Uncommit
• #319: How to Succeed in High-Stress Situations
• #253: Morning Routines and Strategies

Subscribe here (iTunes)
Subscribe here (Spotify)

Building Wealth: Choose FI

The co-hosts of the podcast Jonathan Mendonsa and Brad Barrett share actionable tips to build wealth, reduce expenses and eliminate debt while enjoying life. This podcast series is a step by step guide to achieving financial independence.

Listen to this podcast if you want mentors helping you navigate a well-worn path to financial independence. 

Three of my favorite episodes:

• #038: The Why of FI
• #021: The Pillars of FI
• #157: Atomic Habits with James Clear

Subscribe here (iTunes)
Subscribe here (Spotify)

Goal Setting & COURAGE: Do it scared

I think we could all do with a little inspiration to ‘do it scared’! The podcast host Ruth Soukup is a mom, business-owner and New York Times bestselling author. Her episodes include a mix of interviews with inspiring guests and solo conversations.

Listen to this podcast if you want inspiration and courage to go for your dreams. Good-vibes only!

My favourite episodes:

• #001: Why Stretch Goals are the Secret to Creating a Life You LOVE
• #002: There’s No Such Thing as a Good Excuse with Susie Moore
• #091: Fighting Back and Overcoming Overwhelming Challenges with Ariana Berlin

Subscribe here (iTunes)
Subscribe here (Spotify)

How to listen to podcasts

If this whole podcast thing is new to you, it’s easy! You can listen online or using a podcast app. I use Apple Podcasts. A couple of the most popular apps are:

• Apple Podcasts (Apple);
• Spotify (Android & Apple);
• Overcast (Apple);
• Pocket Casts (Android & Apple);
• Castro (Android & Apple);

It’s good to know that you usually don’t need to listen to podcasts in sequential order! When I’m trying a new podcast I’ll scroll through all the previous episodes and choose a title that interests me.

When should I listen to podcasts?

I love to listen to podcasts in the gym or taking the dog for a walk. They turn a boring task or chore into time to learn and get inspired. You can listen to podcasts while you are:

• Exercising,
• Commuting to work,
• Cleaning,
• Washing the dishes,
• Folding the laundry,
• Walking the dog!

WHEN SHOULDN’T I LISTEN TO PODCASTS?

I don’t recommend listening to podcasts when you need to concentrate your mental energy on another task like when you are at work or driving.

These are perfect moments to get motivated with your favourite tunes instead!

What are you’re favourite podcast recommendations?