“This Can Succeed”: Optimism, Story, and Antifragility with Angus Fletcher

In this energising episode of That Optimism Man Podcast, Victor Perton speaks with Professor Angus Fletcher, an expert in storytelling, narrative neuroscience, and the psychology of performance, and author of Primal Intelligence: You Are Smarter Than You Know.
Together, they explore how optimism and story shape the way we lead, adapt, and grow. Drawing on his work with the military, NASA, and creative institutions, Angus shares how reconnecting with your own moments of success can inspire action, belief, and confidence in what is possible.
Angus shares powerful insights, including:
“Optimism is not This will succeed. Optimism is much, much stronger. Optimism is This can succeed.”
“Optimism is the first step toward antifragility.”
“The most important story you will ever tell is the story you tell yourself about yourself.”
This episode is a call to ensure you are connected to your own story, to rediscover your strengths, and to lead with infectious optimism.
You can explore Angus Fletcher’s book Primal Intelligence.
Connect with your host, Victor Perton, on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Learn more about the global community of optimists at The Centre for Optimism.
Tune in, be inspired, and keep choosing optimism.