What if the tension you’re trying to resolve holds the possibility of something better? Sometimes, making a wise choice starts with holding two opposing ideas at once.

In this episode of The Spacemakers, Daniel Sih and Matt Bain explore the miracle of both-and thinking: our capacity to hold conflicting ideas in tension and discover possibilities we might otherwise miss.

Drawing on Roger Martin’s idea of the “opposable mind”, they consider how this way of thinking can help us navigate the complexity of work and life. Career and wellbeing. Planning and spontaneity. Caring for ourselves and caring for others.

Through three memorable metaphors—a barbell, a metronome and a tightrope—they explore how to hold these tensions and make thoughtful adjustments as circumstances change. Living well requires movement, attention and a willingness to reconsider our choices.

They also unpack the habits that can narrow our thinking: settling for an unhelpful middle ground, digging deeper into our own perspective, or treating people who disagree with us as the enemy.

The episode closes with a practical reflection for the fortnight: when tension feels uncomfortable, which of these habits do you tend to drift towards? And what might become possible if you stayed open to another perspective?

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This season is made possible with support from our sponsors Bulk Nutrients and Productivity Masterclass.

This podcast is recorded and produced by Wildersound and Talon Media.

Mentioned in this episode:

Spacemakers Productivity Masterclass 2027

This episode is brought to you by Productivity Masterclass — a life-changing program to help senior professionals work smarter, get organised, and take their productivity to the next level. Check out our next program at https://spacemakers.au/masterclass.

Spacemakers - Productivity Masterclass

Work or life? Keeping pace or making space?

What if choosing one is part of the problem?

Modern life feels increasingly complex. We want to build meaningful careers and care for our families. Stay relevant and protect our wellbeing. Plan for the future and respond to what needs us today.

These tensions rarely disappear. But learning to hold them differently can open up new possibilities.

Welcome to Season 5 of The Spacemakers, a pod-course exploring the power of both-and thinking.

In this opening episode, Daniel Sih and Matt Bain unpack the productivity paradox: how to keep pace with a changing world while making space for a deeply human life.

Drawing on Both-And Thinking by Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis, they explore why work and life can feel contradictory while also depending on each other. Investing in your life gives you the energy to work well. Working effectively helps create the time and resources to care for what matters.

Daniel shares his uncertainty about running a business in an AI world. Matt reflects on the tension between his dislike of routines and his desire to make a meaningful contribution. Together, they consider what becomes possible when we resist the urge to resolve every tension by choosing a side.

Discover more:

SPACEMAKERS WEBSITE

YOUTUBE

This season is made possible with support from our sponsors Bulk Nutrients and Productivity Masterclass.

This podcast is recorded and produced by Wildersound and Talon Media.

Mentioned in this episode:

Spacemakers Productivity Masterclass 2027

This episode is brought to you by Productivity Masterclass — a life-changing program to help senior professionals work smarter, get organised, and take their productivity to the next level. Check out our next program at https://spacemakers.au/masterclass.

Modern life keeps asking us to choose: work or life, career or wellbeing, keeping pace or making space.

But what if the answer isn’t either/or, but both-and?

Season 5 of The Spacemakers explores how both-and thinking can help us navigate the tensions of an increasingly complex world.

Join Daniel Sih and Matt Bain for this practical and thought-provoking pod-course about being busy and rested, online and offline, planned and spontaneous, and caring for others and ourselves.

This short trailer offers a glimpse of what’s ahead.

You can also explore previous seasons of The Spacemakers here.

Discover more:

SPACEMAKERS WEBSITE

YOUTUBE

This season is made possible with support from our sponsors Bulk Nutrients and Productivity Masterclass.

This podcast is recorded and produced by Wildersound and Talon Media.

What if the beliefs holding you back aren’t actually true?

In this bonus episode of The Spacemakers, Daniel Sih is joined by New York Times bestselling author Nir Eyal to explore ideas from his new book, Beyond Belief. They unpack why knowing what to do isn’t always enough to create change, and why our beliefs may be the missing piece between intention and action.

Nir explores how our beliefs shape what we see, feel and do, the difference between limiting and liberating beliefs, and why changing the way we think about ourselves can change the way we behave. He also shares a practical approach for identifying beliefs that may be holding us back and experimenting with new perspectives that increase motivation and reduce suffering.

Resources:

Beyond Belief

Wise AI: Using Powerful Technology in a Deeply Human Way

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SEASON 4 GUIDE

This season is made possible with support from our sponsors: Bulk Nutrients, Fullers Bookshop, and The Spacemakers Dojo.

This podcast is recorded and produced by Wildersound and Production Farm Studios

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Spacemakers - Dojo

People matter. Our lives are shaped by the relationships around us. But for many of us, the quiet work of seeking approval is also the root of our exhaustion. We tie our worth to what others think, replay conversations, and never quite feel like we’re truly enough.

In this Season 4 finale of The Spacemakers, Daniel Sih and Matt Bain explore how to love people deeply without letting their opinions define us. They discuss and critique Mel Robbins’ Let Them theory, summarise the AWARE framework, and offer a glimpse of what’s coming in Season 5. It’s a rich and fitting conclusion to our deepest season yet — and even if we’ve been talking about ‘enough’, we secretly hope you’ll want a little more.

You can also explore previous seasons of The Spacemakers wherever you listen.

Discover more:

SPACEMAKERS WEBSITE

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SEASON 4 GUIDE

This season is made possible with support from our sponsors: Bulk Nutrients, Fullers Bookshop, and The Spacemakers Dojo.

This podcast is recorded and produced by Wildersound and Production Farm Studios

Mentioned in this episode:

SM_ADVERT FINAL_DOJO 5_BUNNINGS

Spacemakers - Dojo

Being rich isn’t the same as being wealthy. One increases your bank balance; the other expands your freedom, joy, and contentment.

In this second part of a two-part episode, Daniel Sih and Matt Bain turn from theory to practice, unpacking seven money-mindset practices — from noticing what’s already in your hands, to beating upgrade-it is.

Our real-world practices can help you live well today rather than postponing happiness for a future that never quite arrives. It’s about being able to look in the mirror and honestly say, “I have enough.”

You can also explore previous seasons of The Spacemakers wherever you listen.

Discover more:

SPACEMAKERS WEBSITE

YOUTUBE

SEASON 4 GUIDE

This season is made possible with support from our sponsors: Bulk Nutrients, Fullers Bookshop, and The Spacemakers Dojo.

This podcast is recorded and produced by Wildersound and Production Farm Studios

Mentioned in this episode:

BULK NUTRIENTS_ADVERT FINAL_RICE PROTEIN

Bulk Nutrients

We’re told that a better life is found when we earn “just a bit more.” Yet the dilemma of money is that the more we have, the more we tend to want. When we pin our future happiness on financial independence, we drift into a cycle of dissatisfaction, overwork, and debt — always chasing, never quite arriving.

In this episode of The Spacemakers, Daniel Sih and Matt Bain explore how our money mindsets shape our wellbeing, and why contentment has more to do with desire than income. They share practical ways to constrain our wants, appreciate what we already have, and practise enoughness — helping us experience a life that feels genuinely rich. This is Part 1 of a two-part episode.

You can also explore previous seasons of The Spacemakers wherever you listen.

Discover more:

SPACEMAKERS WEBSITE

YOUTUBE

SEASON 4 GUIDE

This season is made possible with support from our sponsors: Bulk Nutrients, Fullers Bookshop, and The Spacemakers Dojo.

This podcast is recorded and produced by Wildersound and Production Farm Studios

Mentioned in this episode:

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FULLERS BOOKSHOP

Goals can make us miserable. They promise happiness and fulfillment in the future, yet leave us restless, always chasing what’s next.

In this episode, Daniel Sih and Matt Bain explore how to move toward a better future while staying grounded in the present. They unpack the idea of Kairos moments—those meaningful interruptions in time that offer direction and purpose when we pay attention.

When we look for Kairos moments, we find a gentler way forward—one where presence matters more than progress, and enough is already here.

You can also explore previous seasons of The Spacemakers wherever you listen.

Discover more:

SPACEMAKERS WEBSITE

YOUTUBE

SEASON 4 GUIDE

This season is made possible with support from our sponsors: Bulk Nutrients, Fullers Bookshop, and The Spacemakers Dojo.

This podcast is recorded and produced by Wildersound and Production Farm Studios

Mentioned in this episode:

Bulk Nutrients