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Building Thinkers: Accessible Blueprints for Learning & Life

Building Thinkers: Accessible Blueprints for Learning & Life

Written by: Tracy Clark
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Building Thinkers is based on the realization that there is exponential potential in the things we build, from mindsets and behaviors, to resumes and meal-plans, but sometimes insights and impact seem out of reach or overly complex. In the Building Thinkers podcast we will explore a wide range of topics (business, education, organization, habits, therapy, finances, research to name a few) unpacking the design, strategy, and details behind the things we build to create accessible blueprints for you to explore and apply to your own learning and life. There is no limit to what you can learn.Tracy Clark
Episodes
  • Rewire Your Life for Happiness in 5 Minutes a Day

    Rewire Your Life for Happiness in 5 Minutes a Day
    Oct 9 2026
    Summary:What if the thing you've been chasing your whole career is actually working against the very happiness you're trying to achieve? My guest Ashish Kothari is the founder of Happiness Squad and bestselling author of Hardwired for Happiness, and he left a high-powered corporate career behind because he realized something most high achievers never stop long enough to see. Ashish bridges the science of positive psychology with the realities of the modern workplace in a way that is both deeply human and grounded in data.This conversation goes deep on where love is quietly being lost in our work and our lives, and more importantly, how to get it back. Ashish shows us that flourishing isn't a destination, it's a practice you can start today in five minutes or less.Key Takeaways:Why happiness and achievement aren’t the same thing.The science behind why small habits create lasting change.The gap between looking successful and actually flourishing.Where love and connection go to die in the modern workplace.Practical habits for daily flourishing.How presence and gratitude literally rewire your brain.Why resilience isn’t about toughness, it’s about how you recover.The hidden cost of building a life without real connection.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction04:11 Why high achievers often feel empty despite their success09:02 The dangerous myth that suffering is the price of success13:47 Why fear dominates the news, and how to see through it15:35 How to stop letting your emotions run the show17:44 What it means to be rooted and resilient 18:51 The practice of knowing yourself beyond what you do23:44 Three free habits anyone can start tomorrow29:45 Why choosing happiness first is actually the smarter strategyResources Mentioned:Building Thinkers NewsletterEmotional Agility by Susan DavidConnect with Ashish:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/ Website: https://happinesssquad.com/ Hardwired for Happiness by Ashish KothariThe Flourishing Edge PodcastConnect with Me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyannclark08/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingthinkers/ Building Thinkers Newsletter: https://building-thinkers.kit.com/24cdc43dcf More About Building Thinkers: I'm your host, Tracy Clark, and this is where potential becomes reality through deliberate curiosity, reflection, practice, and play. The Building Thinkers podcast is based on the realization that there's exponential potential in the things we build.And so, in my little corner of the internet and podcasting land, I want to take my 12 favorite problems, these are my constant curiosities, and I want to go deeper. I want to build thinkers. This is a community of multi-potentialites who may be disoriented by all the possibilities of success we envision but haven't yet achieved.If any of that sounds like you, come listen in. Welcome to the Building Thinkers podcast.
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    32 mins
  • How to Eat for Long-Term Health and Energy

    How to Eat for Long-Term Health and Energy
    Sep 25 2026
    What if the food on your plate is either slowly breaking you down or building you up? In an effort to continue the ongoing theme of living a flourishing life here at Building Thinkers, I sat down with Brad Fuster. He’s a university provost, former world-touring percussionist, and someone who went from 245 pounds, smoking a pack-a-day, and a chronic arthritis diagnosis to being 53, medication-free, and in the best health of his life. Brad has been whole food plant-based since 2013, and in this conversation he explains the difference between veganism and actually eating well, he shares the practice that put his psoriatic arthritis into full remission, and he breaks down why protein is probably the last thing you need to worry about. Key Takeaways:There’s a meaningful difference between being vegan and eating a whole food plant-based diet.The medical system is built around symptom management, not true wellness.Water fasting can reset your microbiome and improve health.Inflammatory conditions can potentially be addressed through diet and fasting.You don’t have to go fully plant-based to see benefits in your health.Timestamps:0:00 Introduction1:49 Brad’s transition to a plant-based diet5:24 Myths about protein in vegan diets8:17 The new food pyramid and nutrition education12:35 Difference between veganism and whole food plant-based diet15:38 Brad’s experience with water fasting19:39 Practical tips for increasing whole food plant intake21:10 Environmental impact of animal agriculture22:15 Final thoughts Resources Mentioned:Leading with Change When the System is Stacked Against You with Brad FusterThrive Fitness by Brendan BrazierCheck out Rich Roll on InstagramThe Game Changers (Documentary) by James CameronEdUp Innovation with Dr. Neal BarnardYour Labs Are Normal, But You Feel Awful - Now What? (Feat. Elise Clark) Connect with Brad:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-fuster-3540a350/ Podcast: https://www.edupexperience.com/edupinnovation/ SFBU: https://www.sfbu.edu/about/our-leadership Connect with Me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyannclark08/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingthinkers/ Building Thinkers Newsletter: https://building-thinkers.kit.com/24cdc43dcf More About Building Thinkers: I'm your host, Tracy Clark, and this is where potential becomes reality through deliberate curiosity, reflection, practice, and play. The Building Thinkers podcast is based on the realization that there's exponential potential in the things we build.And so, in my little corner of the internet and podcasting land, I want to take my 12 favorite problems, these are my constant curiosities, and I want to go deeper. I want to build thinkers. This is a community of multi-potentialites who may be disoriented by all the possibilities of success we envision but haven't yet achieved.If any of that sounds like you, come listen in. Welcome to the Building Thinkers podcast.
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    23 mins
  • Leading with Change When the System Is Stacked Against You

    Leading with Change When the System Is Stacked Against You
    Sep 11 2026
    Building Thinkers has had a front-row seat to the work happening at SFBU, and this episode is a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to reimagine how people learn.My guest, Brad Fuster, is the Provost of San Francisco Bay University and host of the EdUp Innovation Podcast, and he's spent more than two decades in higher education. We go deep on what it really takes to challenge the status quo, lead through resistance, and build something new when the structures around you are designed to stay the same. We also get into the MBA program launching at SFBU this September, a fully AI-integrated, flexibly paced degree designed around the way humans want to learn, at a fraction of the cost of a traditional program. Whether you're building a company, leading a team, or just trying to grow in a world that keeps changing, the lessons in this conversation go beyond the university.Key Takeaways:What it really takes to lead change when the system is designed to resist itWhy wrapping full support around learners changes everything (99.7% retention proves it)The curriculum innovation that Google, Apple, and Tesla are taking notice ofWhy bolting AI onto old systems is the wrong move and what to do insteadHow a $10K MBA is redefining what accessible, human-centered learning looks likeWhat higher ed’s crisis means for anyone building something newTimestamps:00:00 Introduction01:57 How a disillusioned provost ended up rebuilding from the inside04:33 Why "reimagining" is just a buzzword for most institutions08:35 The bold leadership move that's actually saving struggling schools08:44 What entrepreneurs need to understand about leading change10:00 The nuclear option that stops bold leaders in their tracks13:27 Why faculty resistance is more complicated than you think14:43 What it actually looks like to put students first18:07 The retention stat that changes the conversation19:14 The curriculum Google, Apple and Tesla are paying attention to25:26 Why AI in education is being done wrong and what right looks like31:37 How to build pro-social skills in an online program33:36 What happens when learning meets the real world35:24 If only people knew this about higher ed37:52 Closing thoughtsResources Mentioned:Leadership: Key Competencies for Whole-system Change by Lyle Kirtman & Michael FullanWhatever It Is, I’m Against It by Brian RosenbergMBA Pro+ SFBUConnect with Brad:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-fuster-3540a350/ Podcast: https://www.edupexperience.com/edupinnovation/ SFBU: https://www.sfbu.edu/about/our-leadership Connect with Me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyannclark08/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingthinkers/ Building Thinkers Newsletter: https://building-thinkers.kit.com/24cdc43dcf More About Building Thinkers: I'm your host, Tracy Clark, and this is where potential becomes reality through deliberate curiosity, reflection, practice, and play. The Building Thinkers podcast is based on the realization that there's exponential potential in the things we build.And so, in my little corner of the internet and podcasting land, I want to take my 12 favorite problems, these are my constant curiosities, and I want to go deeper. I want to build thinkers. This is a community of multi-potentialites who may be disoriented by all the possibilities of success we envision but haven't yet achieved.If any of that sounds like you, come listen in. Welcome to the Building Thinkers podcast.
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    38 mins
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