The Cabrera Lab Podcast
Join Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera from Cornell University as they inspire you to approach life's challenges with a fresh perspective. Witness their use of GOAT-level thinking to enhance your problem-solving skills. Discover new possibilities, approaches, and solutions you never knew existed. Elevate your thinking and get better every day with their entertaining guidance.
Episodes
79 episodes
#86: Teach Your Kids to Think: The Most Important Parenting Skill
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University answer a simple but urgent question from a parent: “Can you teach systems thinking to kids?” Spoiler: not only can you, you should—and it may be the most important thing you ev...
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35:03
#85: Love, Marriage, and Mental Models: Systems Thinking in Relationships
How do two people work together, parent together, and live together every day without driving each other nuts?In this personal and powerful episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University share the six systems thinking princ...
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39:00
#84: Why Our Schools are Failing (And How to Fix Them with Systems Thinking)
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University confront a hard truth: our schools are failing because we're teaching information, not thinking.They expose the real problem behind education’s struggles—what they call...
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41:48
#83: The Science of Thinking Fast, Right, and On Purpose
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University challenge the binary of Kahneman’s System 1 (fast but often wrong) and System 2 (slow but usually right) thinking—and introduce a third way: System 3 Thinking.System 3 ...
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39:02
#82: Discipline, Ownership, and Doing It Right (Even When No One’s Watching)
In this final chapter of the Culture Code series, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University share the last 12 guiding principles that shape their team's character, cohesion, and capacity to adapt. These aren’t just nice ideas—they’re l...
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42:28
#81: Systems Thinking for Character, Capacity, and Culture
In this next installment of the Culture Code series, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University reveal the next 9 culture principles that guide their team, their leadership, and their lives. These aren’t corporate slogans—these are live...
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34:50
#80: The Culture Code Continued—Hard Truths That Build Strong People
In the follow-up to Episode #79, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University continue walking through their organization’s Culture Code—a set of shared values and mental models that drive everything from personal growth to organizational...
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26:03
#79: The Culture Code: What We Practice, Why It Works
In this new episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University unpack the first six principles in their organization’s Culture Code—a practical, modular set of mental models that shape character, guide behavior, and build real culture ...
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45:09
Episode #78: Systems Thinking IRL - Parenting in a Processed World
In this special “IRL” (in real life) episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University sit down with a parent struggling to navigate one of the most common and emotionally charged family issues: what kids eat.Their guest, "Joh...
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40:55
#77: Why the World Needs 8 Billion Systems Thinkers (Above the Standard)
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University break down their updated vision for global transformation: not just 8 billion systems thinkers—but 8 billion above the standard.They unpack the science behind mental fi...
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35:52
#76: Why You Keep Attracting the Same People, Jobs, and Problems
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University unpack a deceptively simple idea that has massive implications: never leave a place—only go to a place. What started as a personal insight turned into a powerful life rule that...
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22:30
#74: The 12 Gets: Simple, Scientific Rules for a Life That Works
In this inspiring episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University reveal the 12 Gets—a simple, science-backed system that helped Derek shed 130 pounds, reverse pre-diabetes, and reclaim his life.Born from a sabbatical of dee...
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40:57
#73: Earn Your Own Trust—The Real Power of Integrity
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University unpack one of the most misunderstood (and underrated) skills: integrity. It’s not just about being a “good person”—it’s about alignment between what you say and what you do.
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27:43
#72: How High Performers Really Manage Their Time, Energy & Minds
Feeling overwhelmed? You’re not alone. In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University take on the everyday challenge of self-management—breaking it down into 3 essential tools: structure, rules, and distributed intelligence...
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44:49
#71: Think Better, Live Better—Why Systems Thinking Isn’t Just for Work
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University unpack what they call the “arsenal”—a core set of mental moves that bridge the gap between your professional life and your personal growth.They explore how tools like t...
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32:48
#69: Overthinking, Adaptability, and the Fast-and-Right Mindset
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University unpack how systems thinking helps you handle life’s toughest changes—before they happen. They share a 4-step process for adapting in real time: build mental fitness, love reali...
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32:36
#68: The Grammar of Reality
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University explore the central thesis of their paper, The Grammar of Reality: that both nature and thought are governed by the same four structural patterns—Distinctions, Systems, Relatio...
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43:31
#67: The Beginner’s Guide to Systems Thinking (In Under 20 Minutes)
In this clear and beginner-friendly episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University break down the who, what, why, where, when, and how of systems thinking. Spoiler: the “who” is everyone—because if you’re human, you live and work i...
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19:34
#66: There's Nothing More Practical Than a Good Theory
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University break down one of the biggest misconceptions in both science and everyday life: the false divide between theory and practice. They explain what theory really means (hint: it’s ...
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37:37
#64: Stop Taking It Personally—Why Meaning Gets Lost in Translation
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University explore why so many of our arguments and misunderstandings come from mismatched mental models. They break down why we react emotionally to words, why assumptions fuel conflict,...
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36:38
#63: The Simple Formula Behind Every Thought
In this eye-opening episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University break down their powerful formula for meaning: M = IO (meaning equals information plus organization). Using playful examples—like coffee drinks, cocktails, a...
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27:04
#62: Echo Chambers, Fake News, and the Collapse of Credibility
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University break down how echo chambers form, why circular citation networks trick us into believing falsehoods, and how critical systems like science and media are losing public trust.
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39:43
#61: From Outward Bound to AI—Lessons in Raising Thinkers, Not Robots
In this powerful episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University reflect on parenting through the lens of DSRP, character development, and a world reshaped by AI. They unpack the difference between giving your kids answers and teach...
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44:07
#60: Beyond the Couch: DSRP Therapy for a New Mental Model
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University introduce DSRP Therapy, a systems-based approach that helps people understand, surface, and revise their mental models—at the root of emotion, behavior, and personal change.
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40:16
#58: Stop Solving Problems—Start Understanding Systems
In this episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University flip the script on one of the most accepted habits in work and life: problem-solving. They explain why jumping straight to solutions is actually a bias—one that blinds us to wh...
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24:14