Podcast Summary: Something You Should Know

Episode: SYSK TRENDING – How to Become More Resilient
Host: Mike Carruthers
Guest: Akash Karia, Communication Expert & Author
Air Date: April 7, 2026

Overview

This episode delves into the concept of resilience—what it truly means, why it matters, and how anyone can learn and strengthen this vital skill. Host Mike Carruthers interviews Akash Karia, a communication expert and author of "7 Things Resilient People Do Differently," who shares practical, science-backed strategies for building resilience and bouncing back stronger from life’s setbacks.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining Resilience

• Akash’s View:
  • “Resilience to me is about your ability to bounce back but to bounce back stronger than you were before…how do you use the adversity that you encounter in your life and then come back a better person as a result of it?” (03:12)

2. Is Resilience Innate or Learned?

• Some people seem naturally resilient, but research increasingly shows resilience is a skill you can train—like a muscle.
• Akash:
  • “Resilience to me is a muscle. You're born with it, but then you can also train it, you can develop it…” (04:06)

3. Building Resilience: Micro-Challenges

• You don’t have to be “toughened up” or endure ongoing hardship.
• The key is to continually push just slightly beyond your comfort zone—take on manageable challenges that stretch your abilities without overwhelming you.
• Analogy:
  • Training at the gym: Add a small weight or extra rep, not an overwhelming increase (05:11).

4. Physical Habits: Emotion Comes from Motion

• Citing Tony Robbins: “Your emotions come from motion. Emotion comes from motion.”
• Physiology affects psychology. How you sit or stand can influence how you feel.
• Quick tactic: Change your posture, breathe deeply, get moving to shift emotional state.
• Akash:
  • “Once you change your body, it changes how you feel. So that's one of the habits in order to become more resilient.” (08:55)
• Physical exercise is shown to be as effective as medication in improving mood for some people.

5. Mental Habits: Focus & Locus of Control

• Key difference-maker: Where do you focus your attention?
• Internal locus of control = focusing on what you can change, not outside circumstances.
• Akash:
  • “People who have an internal locus of control … are happier, more satisfied, and are more successful.” (11:33)
• When feeling powerless, ask: Am I focusing on what I can influence? Reframe your mental energy accordingly.

Illustrative Example (COVID-19):

• When COVID hit, Akash’s public speaking business vanished. He initially felt helpless, but shifted focus from what he couldn’t control to what he could—building a virtual presence and working on his business foundations.
• Akash:
  • “This year has ended up being one of the most productive years of my life simply because I changed my focus.” (14:38)

6. Accepting Negative Emotions

• Common myth: Resilient people aren’t affected by hardship.
• Reality: They allow themselves to feel, process, and then transition from negative states.
• Akash:
  • “What is important is not that you ignore [negative emotions] or that you try and avoid it. What is important is that you accept it and then gradually transition away from it.” (18:24)
  • “If you try and avoid something, what happens is that, ironically, it comes back stronger.” (19:27)

7. Gratitude Practice: The ‘Three Good Things’ Exercise

• Citing research by Martin Seligman (University of Pennsylvania):
  • Every night, write down three things you’re grateful for—large or small.
  • Practicing gratitude increases happiness, satisfaction, and emotional resilience.
  • Akash:
    • “Most of us have these things in our life that we can be grateful for. And yet how often do we take the time to actually be grateful for them?” (21:56)
  • There’s even an app called “Three Good Things” to make it easy (>22:30).

8. Habit Formation: Implementation Intentions (If-Then Planning)

• Motivation alone is insufficient for behavior change.
• Key Study:
  • Control and motivation groups: Only 39% maintained an exercise habit over months.
  • “If-then” group (created specific “if X, then Y” plans): 91% adherence!
• Strategy:
  • “If it is X [trigger], then I will Y [desired action].”
  • Practical examples:
    • “If I’m feeling sad, then I’ll remind myself to change my physiology.”
    • “If it’s 9pm and I’ve just put the kids to bed, then I’ll write down three things I’m grateful for.”
  • Akash:
    • “If then is one of the most studied phenomena in psychology.” (26:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Resilience as Growth:
  • “It’s not just about getting back to where you were prior to the adversity. It is more about how do you use the adversity … and then come back a better person as a result of it.” – Akash Karia (03:17)
• On Comfort Zone Expansion:
  • “Take on tasks or take on adversity that is just a little past that circle of comfort. … That just stretches your comfort zones and allows you to build that muscle again.” – Akash Karia (05:32)
• On The Power of Focus:
  • “Once you make that shift in terms of your focus, you’ll find that you get a completely new answer because your focus has shifted.” – Akash Karia (12:36)
• On Allowing Sadness:
  • “All of these emotions … are necessary to help you become more resilient.” – Akash Karia (18:23)
  • “When you try and avoid something, what happens is that, ironically, it comes back stronger.” – Akash Karia (19:27)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:12 — What is resilience?
• 04:06 — Can resilience be developed?
• 05:11 — How to build resilience: Micro-challenges explained
• 07:51 — Physiology and emotions: “Emotion comes from motion”
• 11:06 — Mental habits and locus of control
• 13:24 — Akash’s COVID-19 business pivot example
• 18:24 — The role of negative emotions in resilience
• 20:33 — The ‘Three Good Things’ gratitude exercise
• 23:07 — Habit change: If-then implementation intentions and the 91% study

Actionable Strategies

• Move your body to shift your emotions—stand tall, deep breaths, get active.
• Reframe your focus to things within your control—practice an internal locus of control.
• Accept negative emotions but avoid dwelling—acknowledge, process, then redirect.
• Practice nightly gratitude—write down three good things each evening.
• Implement If-Then planning to solidify habits: “If X happens, then I will Y.”

Final Thoughts

Resilience isn’t about being bulletproof—it’s about learning, adapting, and growing stronger through adversity. Even small, intentional practices can help anyone reinforce their resilience muscle.

Book Mentioned:

• “7 Things Resilient People Do Differently” by Akash Karia

For more:
Find links to Akash’s work in the show notes.

Summary by AI; original ideas, quotes, and advice credited to Mike Carruthers and Akash Karia, “Something You Should Know,” episode aired April 7, 2026.