Unlock Your Inner Wonder Woman in this Encyclopedia of Podcast Topics

Many people may be familiar with social psychologist Amy Cuddy from her famous TED Talk given in 2012. In that talk, she advised people to strike a Wonder Woman pose before big events and opportunities. Her idea was that body language doesn’t impact just how others see us, but also how we see ourselves. As of the time I’m writing this review, the talk has had nearly 46 million views. Pretty popular! 

As a result of the popularity of the talk, Cuddy wrote a book in 2015 expanding on the talk. My biggest takeaway is that to be your best self and to be fully present in big moments, you fake it until you become it. (I’m a mediator, and the advice we often give is act as if. Same idea.) You “fake” it by expansive body language, breathing techniques, visualization, and other things that are pretty popular on podcasts.  Your mind will follow your body. Nuding yourself into little successes pays off in the long-term.

The book is full on interesting trivia and inspiring anecdotes. I listened to the audiobook (thanks, library!), and Cuddy read the book herself. I am glad she did. The book talks a lot about authenticity, and how important it is for people to trust us and for us to be successful. I enjoyed Cuddy’s reading precisely because she was so authentic. Her passion, sense of humor, and curiosity all came through. I’m not sure if it’s better to have a physical book handy for easy reference, or if it’s better to listen to the long-form version of the TED talk, the audiobook.

Since the talk was from 2012 and the book is from 2015, a lot of these ideas have leaked out into our pop culture. A lot of the information, therefore, may not seem new. I gave the book three stars because it was enjoyable, but not groundbreaking in 2018. That being said, it’s nice to have all of the information in one place!