EPISODE 320: September's Curriculum: Your 30-Day "Best Self Syllabus"
#320: There’s something about September that makes you want to buy a new notebook, get your life together, and become a new version of yourself. Take full advantage of that energy with a different kind of September reset: creating your own Best Self Syllabus. In this month’s curriculum episode, Josie is combining the psychology of learning, identity change, and habit formation with a step-by-step plan to help you improve your life in one month. By the end of the episode, you’ll have your own personalized Best Self Syllabus designed around the version of yourself you want to become. Whether your focus this month is your career, finances, relationships, health, or simply wanting to feel better in your life, consider this your sign to treat September like the beginning of a new semester. Grab your cutest notebook–class is officially in session.
You’ll learn:
Why September is psychologically primed for a fresh start—and how to use that motivation to your advantage
Why asking “What do I need to learn?” can be more useful than only asking “What do I want?”
The fascinating benefits of adopting a beginner's mindset
What habit research actually says about how long it takes a behavior to become automatic (spoiler: there is no magic 21-day rule)
How practicing new behaviors can begin to change the way you see yourself
A step-by-step guide to choose your “major,” write a course objective, pick your electives and required reading, create assignments you’ll actually follow through on, and schedule your September “final exam”
This episode is brought to you by Tatcha.
Get The Essence at Tatcha.com and use code "EVERYGIRL" for 15% off, through October 31st.
CHAPTERS:
00:20 - Welcome Back + Why September Feels Like a Fresh Start
03:32 - The Psychology Behind the Fresh Start Effect
08:52 - Hot Girl Habit #1: Ask “What Do I Need to Learn?”
13:18 - Hot Girl Habit #2: Adopt a Beginner Mindset
17:38 - Hot Girl Habit #3: Practice Who You Want to Become
22:46 - How to Build Your Best Self Syllabus
23:51 - Step 1: Pick Your Major
24:57 - Step 2: Write Your Course Objective
27:06 - Step 3: Choose Your Electives
28:59 - Step 4: Create Your Required Reading
30:39 - Step 5: Create Your Assignments
33:02 - Step 6: Schedule Your Classes
34:24 - Step 7: Decide How You’ll Be Graded
37:21 - Your September 30th “Final Exam”
39:28 - Your Best Self Syllabus Recap
RESOURCES & MENTIONS:
The Fresh Start Effect — Hengchen Dai, Katherine Milkman & Jason Riis’s research on how temporal landmarks like a new week, month, semester, year, or birthday can increase motivation toward goals. This is the study Josie is describing at the beginning. Read “The Fresh Start Effect” study
Learning vs. Performance Goals — Gerard Seijts and Gary Latham’s research on why focusing on acquiring skills and strategies can be more effective for complex tasks than focusing only on the desired outcome. This matches the business/market-share study Josie discusses. Read “Learning versus performance goals”
Learning Multiple New Skills & Cognitive Abilities — Research on older adults learning multiple unfamiliar skills such as Spanish, drawing, and music composition. Josie references the finding that cognitive performance increased to levels comparable with adults roughly 30 years younger. Read the updated study
How Are Habits Formed? — Phillippa Lally and colleagues’ habit-formation study. Read “How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world”
Implementation Intentions — Peter Gollwitzer’s research behind Josie’s advice to decide when and where you’ll complete an assignment rather than simply saying you’ll do it. Read “Implementation Intentions: Strong Effects of Simple Plans”
The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel — Specifically recommended by Josie as an example of “required reading” if your Best Self Syllabus major is money.
The Everygirl’s Best Self Syllabus — This is especially worth linking because Josie explicitly tells listeners they can find the Best Self Syllabus on The Everygirl.
CONNECT WITH JOSIE:
Follow @josie.santi
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