Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

Why beliefs can either cap our potential or push us toward possibility.

What you believe about yourself could be holding you back. Fortunately, Nir Eyal says beliefs aren’t truths — and you can choose new ones.
Eyal is a former lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Stanford d.school, a celebrated author, and a renowned expert on human behavior and potential. His latest book, Beyond Belief, reveals how limiting beliefs — like “I’m a bad communicator” — quietly shape what we see, feel, and do. “A belief doesn't have to be true” to limit our potential, he says. But the same holds in reverse: a belief doesn't have to be true to expand who and what we can become. “Beliefs are tools, not truths. It just has to be useful.”
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Eyal and host Matt Abrahams explore how to identify the beliefs that hold us back — and how to replace them with ones that propel us forward. From keeping a belief journal to practicing perspective-shifting “turnarounds,” Eyal offers practical tips for rewriting the stories we tell ourselves and becoming the people we want to be.
To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium.
Episode Reference Links:
Nir Eyal
Nir’s Book: Beyond Belief
104. How to Change: Building Better Habits and Behaviors (And Getting Out of Your Own Way)
115. Rethinks: How We Set and Achieve Goals  

Connect:
Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:45) - The Power of Attention

(04:30) - The Hook Model & Surprise

(06:55) - Structure vs. Novelty

(08:50) - Identity & Limiting Beliefs

(11:52) - Beliefs Vs. Facts

(15:17) - The Four-Question Test

(21:20) - The Final Three Questions

(24:31) - Conclusion

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Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

Practical insights to help you communicate with more intention in everyday moments.

What’s the difference between reacting and responding? How do you move from memorizing your words to truly conversing in the moment? And how do you keep growing as a communicator in everyday moments?
Communication isn’t about having the perfect script. It’s about staying present enough to respond with intention. In fast-moving conversations, emotions rise, thoughts race, and structure can disappear. Yet it’s in the pause — the breath before we speak — that clarity begins.
In this Ask Matt Anything episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams shares highlights from a recent live AMA inside the Think Fast, Talk Smart Learning Community. Listener questions open the door to practical strategies for navigating emotional conversations, relying on structure rather than memorization, and building communication habits that actually stick. Because becoming a better communicator isn’t about getting it perfect — it’s about making small, intentional choices every day.
Episode Reference Links:
Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community  

Connect:
Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:40) - From Reacting to Responding

(04:34) - Memorization vs. Spontaneous Speaking

(09:44) - Growing Vocabulary

(13:43) - Asking for Better Feedback

(17:38) - Value of the Learning Community

(22:01) - Conclusion

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Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.
Strawberry.me. Get 50% off your first coaching session today at Strawberry.me/smart
Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

How to communicate who you are online.

You may not think of yourself as a content creator, but in the creator economy, Angèle Christin says we all have to learn how to communicate who we are online.
Christin is an associate professor of communications at Stanford University and a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI. According to her, “we are all content creators now.” We may not all be influencers or podcast hosts, but “We are all putting content out there and creating a public persona,” says Christin. In the digital age, “that plays an increasingly important role in hiring, promotions, and of course, getting laid off.”
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Christin and host Matt Abrahams explore how to navigate the creator economy — whether as a full-time influencer or a professional managing your online presence. From building on your area of expertise to understanding the trade-offs between short-term hype and long-term trust, Christin explains what it takes to show up online without losing yourself in the algorithm.
Episode Reference Links:
Angèle Christin
Ep.225 Speaking Fluent Internet: How Algorithms Are Changing the Way We Speak

Connect:
Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:30) - Why Metrics Reward Drama

(05:57) - Building A Professional Online Presence

(10:14) - What Makes A Good Story?

(14:03) - The Reality Of Creator Work

(18:33) - The Final Three Question

(21:43) - Conclusion

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Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.
Strawberry.me. Get 50% off your first coaching session today at Strawberry.me/smart
Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

Why being true to yourself enables you to show up better for others.

From the way you communicate, to the way you build your life and career, Graham Weaver, MBA ’99, says it’s about “giving yourself permission to fully be yourself. You can never go wrong when you’re saying your truth.”

Weaver is a lecturer in management, a GSB alum, and the founder and a partner of Alpine Investors. He stresses the importance of direct communication, highlighting how avoiding it can lead to wasted time, energy, and even financial losses. Reflecting on his own experiences in private equity, Weaver admits to struggling with being conflict-averse and not speaking his truth directly, which resulted in getting into bad deals and big losses for his company. “People think that by being indirect, they’re being kind, but all they're doing is creating confusion,” he says. “Clarity is compassionate. Even if it's not what they want to hear, the more direct and clear you can be, the more compassionate that is for the other person.”

In this Rethinks episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Weaver and host Matt Abrahams explore how being true to oneself not only fosters personal fulfillment but also enables us to show up better for others. Authenticity and self-belief lay the foundation for effective communication, leadership, and ultimately, success.
Episode Reference Links:
Graham Weaver

Connect:
Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(04:14) - Direct Communication & Limiting Beliefs

(07:24) - The Internal Game

(08:29) - An Asymmetrical Life

(13:41) - Taylor Swift & Grit

(16:35) - Pursuing Enlightenment

(21:05) - The Final Three Questions

(28:02) - Conclusion

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Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.
Strawberry.me. Get 50% off your first coaching session today at Strawberry.me/smart
Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

How to turn down the chatter of negative self-talk.

If you want to have better conversations with others, Ethan Kross says you first have to quiet down the chatter in your own head.
A professor, researcher, and author, Kross defines chatter as a “negative thought loop” that hijacks our attention and undermines our ability to perform. “We have a limited capacity to focus our attention,” he says. “Attentional resources are a limited commodity, and chatter acts like a sponge that consumes that capacity. It leaves very little leftover that allows us to do the things that we want or need to do.” 
In his work researching, teaching, and writing about emotional regulation and the conscious mind, Kross has explored how to manage the negative self-talk that sabotages our concentration. “Here's the good news,” he says. “You can get out of it. Managing your chatter [is] a lot like becoming physically fit” — and he’s developed tools and frameworks for building the muscles to turn down the noise.
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Kross joins host Matt Abrahams to share methods for quieting chatter and reclaiming precious mental resources. From distanced self-talk to mental time travel, his tools offer a way to tune out the static and tune into clarity and connection.
To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium.
Episode Reference Links:
Ethan Kross
Ethan’s Books: Chatter / Shift
Ep.179 Finding Positive in Negative Emotions: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing 

Connect:
Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:45) - Defining Chatter

(05:15) - Breaking the Loop

(10:12) - Technology & Emotional Sharing

(13:38) - Why “Get Over It” Fails

(18:58) - Emotions as Data

(21:29) - The Final Three Questions

(25:35) - Conclusion

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Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.
Strawberry.me. Get 50% off your first coaching session today at Strawberry.me/smart
Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.