DeepSummary
The episode features an interview with Nir Eyal, author of the books Hooked and Indistractable. Eyal shares insights from his books on how parents can avoid distractions and build healthy habits for themselves and their children. He emphasizes the importance of becoming an 'indistractable' parent, mastering internal triggers, making time for traction, and preventing external distractions.
Eyal provides practical strategies such as using a 'concentration crown' to signal when parents should not be interrupted, scheduling intentional time for activities, and teaching kids to self-regulate their emotions and technology use. He also discusses the role of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in habit formation and the impact of modern parenting styles on teenagers.
Throughout the interview, Eyal draws from his personal experiences as a father and shares anecdotes about raising his teenage daughter. He encourages parents to model the behaviors they want to see in their children and to create an 'indistractable' household where technology is used intentionally and not as a source of constant distraction.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Become an 'indistractable' parent and model the behavior you want to see in your children.
- Master internal triggers and learn to regulate emotions to avoid distraction.
- Schedule and make time for intentional activities, both productive and recreational.
- Use strategies like the 'concentration crown' to signal when parents should not be interrupted.
- Teach children to self-regulate their technology use and emotions from a young age.
- Understand the role of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in habit formation.
- Recognize that modern parenting styles and societal expectations can contribute to distraction and rebellion in teenagers.
- Create an 'indistractable' household where technology is used intentionally and not as a constant source of distraction.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “So if you want to raise indistractable kids, you have to be indistractable parents. That is the best thing you can do to prepare your kids for the future, is to show them by example and to tell them you're struggling, right?“ by Nir Eyal
- “We know that the average child today has ten times as many restrictions as an adult, twice as many restrictions placed on them as an incarcerated felony. So it's no surprise when we constantly tell people, when we tell kids what to do all day long, they want autonomy, they want freedom, they want to be left alone.“ by Nir Eyal
- “Fundamentally, I can't emphasize this enough, because people don't want to believe this is true, but it is absolutely the case that distraction is a symptom of dysfunction. It's a symptom of our inability.“ by Nir Eyal
Entities
Company
Product
Person
Book
Movie
Game
Episode Information
Startup Dad
Adam Fishman
4/11/24
Nir Eyal writes, consults and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology and business. He is the best-selling author of Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. Earlier in his career he co-founded and sold two tech companies. In addition to his books and his blog his writing has been featured in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Time Magazine, and Psychology Today. He is a husband of 23 years and the father of one teenager. In today's conversation we discussed:
* Lessons learned from both Hooked and Indistractable
* What parents specifically can do to avoid distraction and build healthy habits in themselves and their kids
* Examples from his life and books on building an indistractable household
* Habit formation and the role of extrinsic vs. intrinsic rewards
* Limit setting
* Why kids reach for phones and technology today
* Self-determination theory and the science of motivation
* Actions you can take right now to reduce distraction in your family
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, Overcast and YouTube.
—
Where to find Nir Eyal
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nireyal/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/nireyal
- Website: https://www.nirandfar.com/
Where to find Adam Fishman
- FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/
—
In this episode, we cover
[1:56] Welcome
[2:33] Nir's Childhood
[5:16] His family now
[5:40] Lessons from Indistractable as parents
[19:19] How partners align on parenting strategy
[23:44] Teaching kids how to make time for traction
[30:35] Self determination theory
[37:02] Age restrictions as protection for kids
[43:51] Rewards as a parent
[48:36] Most surprising thing as a dad
[51:49] What is your favorite thing to do with your daughter?
[53:06] How do you recharge your batteries?
[54:56] How to follow Nir
[55:25] Rapid Fire
—
Show references:
Empire of the Sun: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092965/
Back to the Future: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Dungeons and Dragons: https://dnd.wizards.com/
Duolingo: https://www.duolingo.com/
Nir’s book Indistractable: http://geni.us/indistractable
Nir’s book Hooked: https://www.nirandfar.com/hooked/
Indistractable Bonus Content: http://www.nirandfar.com/indistractable/
Hasso Plattner: https://engineering.stanford.edu/get-involved/support-engineering/funding-initiatives/hasso-plattner-institute-design-dschool
Fortnite: https://www.fortnite.com/
Minecraft: https://www.minecraft.net/en-us
World of Warcraft: https://worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/
Fitbod: https://fitbod.me/
Nir's Best Articles: https://www.nirandfar.com/best-articles/
—
For sponsorship inquiries email: podcast@fishmana.com.
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com
Production support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at
http://www.armaziproductions.com/
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupdadpod.substack.com