What if engaging with great ideas could become one of your daily habits? What if some of the best tips for living... more
It's Friday. You made it. But before you get into weekend mode, check out these key insights from Elizabeth Earnshaw,... more
Today, some key insights from Total Garbage, a new book by Edward Humes about the waste embedded in our daily... more
Stefanos Geroulanos, an eminent historian, tells the story of how we came to obsess over the origins of humanity ―... more
Mithu Storoni isn't just an eye surgeon and neuroscience researcher; she's also an expert in how to get your brain working... more
Tyler Cowen, one of the world's most respected economists, shares how to spot, assess, woo, and retain highly talented people.
Today, we're straying a bit off our usual path to share some inspiring insights from Aaron Simmons's book "Camping with... more
Voting for president is no small thing. Gautum Mukunda, from the Harvard Kennedy School, reflects on its significance in his... more
Time correspondent Simon Shuster provides an intimate portrait of Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky. 📕 The Showman: Inside the Invasion That Shook the... more
Want to be sharper, healthier, and happier? Then you need to up your sleep game. Lynne Peeples, author of The... more
Megan Hellerer graduated from Stanford at the top of her class, landed a dream job at Google, and dutifully climbed... more
Kumar Murty illuminates the interconnectedness of mental acuity and spiritual enlightenment. 📩 Check out our daily Substack and our weekly LinkedIn... more
The federal government spends around $900 billion a year on programs that are supposed to help poor Americans. Why does... more
Horses revolutionized the way we hunted, traded, traveled, farmed, fought, worshipped, and interacted. They determined international borders, molded cultures, fueled... more
Debra Whitman, a globally recognized expert on aging, presents practical steps you can follow to make sure the second half... more
Jeremy Hurewitz on the tradecraft that can make you better at persuasion. 🎟️ Grab a ticket to our event with Daniel... more
Let's end the week on a positive note. Gabriel Reilich and Lucia Knell share a few much-needed life-affirming stories handpicked... more
Public schools are the most democratic institutions this country has ever created. So why are they under threat? And can... more
Museums, restaurants, grocery stores, and universities — in the era of AI and the metaverse, these real places will matter... more
Christian Madsbjerg explores how we can reclaim the lost art of paying attention.
Creativity isn't just for artists. You can — and should — embrace creativity no matter your line of work. Today,... more
From award-winning Washington Post columnist Steven Petrow, a guide to finding joy even during life’s most difficult times.
It's been seven years since #MeToo went viral. What has actually changed? Reah Bravo joins us to share answers from... more
Frederik Pferdt, Google’s first Chief Innovation Evangelist, inspires you to shape your future, navigate ambiguity and uncertainty with intention, and... more
Chris Bail offers a revealing look at how user behavior is powering deep social divisions online ― and how we... more
Today, Molly Fletcher, the "female Jerry Maguire,” shares her tips for engaging in meaningful professional and personal growth. 🎟️ Tickets to... more
Cynicism is making us sick. Stanford Psychologist Dr. Jamil Zaki has the cure. 🎟️ Join us in NYC on Sept. 11... more
Today, Nicholas Kristof, the legendary New York Times columnist, shares five big ideas from his new book "Chasing Hope."
The multi-billion-dollar beauty industry is built around a single mandate: be hot. Sable Yong tells us why that message is... more
Today on the show, journalist Elissa Strauss explores the powerful role caring for others plays in our individual and communal... more
Today, Michael Watkins delves into the essential practices that can prepare leaders and their teams for tomorrow's challenges. 🎟️ We're hosting... more
Adam Sandel, a philosopher and Guinness World Record holder in pull-ups, shares five key insights from "Happiness in Action," a... more
Today's model of masculinity is outdated. It's not giving boys and men the courage, strength, and resilience they need to... more
What if ancient wisdom could help you achieve prosperity today? Darius Foroux is here to explain. 📩 Check out our daily... more
Today, we hear from journalist Shefali Luthra about her new book, "Undue Burden," which the San Francisco Chronicle called "an... more
Ellen Marie Bennett turned a hunch into a multi-million dollar business. So can you. 🎟️ Grab a ticket to our event... more
Jeff Karp went from the back of the class to opening his own research lab at Harvard. In this episode,... more
For nearly 20 years, Wharton professor Zeke Hernandez has been studying immigration. Today, he makes an evidence-based argument for why... more
Today, Ashish Kothari shares nine proven practices to overcome stress and live your best life. 📩 Check out our daily Substack... more
"You heretics!" That's probably what you'd say if we told you that sexual pleasure gave birth to religion. Sex... more
Building on the lessons she learned as an award-winning TV news journalist, Jessica Chen introduces a new way of getting... more
Today, Gary John Bishop offers insightful (if unorthodox) parenting advice from his recent book "Grow Up." 📩 Check out our daily... more
What is toxic beauty culture ― from Botox to Instagram filters ― doing to women and girls? Ellen Atlanta reports. 📩... more
Celebrated computer scientist and unabased AI optimist Ray Kurzweil says a future where nanorobots inhabit our brains is closer than... more
Journalist Cody Delistraty reports on the scientists and technologists searching for better and new ways to cope with loss. From... more
Bonnie Hammer worked her way up from the mailroom to become the “the most powerful woman in entertainment," according to... more
To close out our Olympics-themed week, we're sharing one of our favorite book bites from our archive: Alex Hutchinson on... more
What does it really mean to be tough? Performance coach Steve Magness has a surprising answer. 📩 Check out our daily... more
Today, journalist Macaela MacKenzie gives us an inside look at how women athletes are leading the fight for equality —... more
Steven Kotler (“Gnar Country”) has been studying human performance for 30 years and teaching people from all walks of life... more
The Olympics are on! Have you been watching? We have. We can’t get enough. Which is why all this week... more
Trust is at the heart of all relationships, and when trust is broken, those relationships can be tremendously difficult to... more
We think that civil society is imposed by law. But what if that's not the case? What if it's something... more
Today, Pulitzer Prize winner Emily Nussbaum shares five big ideas from her new book "Cue the Sun!"
Today, we hear from Elias Dakwar, a psychiatrist addiction specialist, about his new book "The Captive Imagination: Addiction, Reality, and... more
Change is universal. How we deal with it is not. Guest: April Rinne ("Flux: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change") 📩... more
We all want to be happy, but happiness always seems out of reach. Lucky for us, Stephanie Harrison ("New Happy")... more
Today: Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, on what we lose when we constrain free speech.
What can the Yuppies of the 1980s tell us about American culture today?
Why do the most successful startups disregard best practices? 📩 Sign up for our brand new daily Substack 📫 And check out... more
Jodi Wellman shares five key insights from "You Only Die Once."
Richard Deming is an award-winning poet and critic and is the director of Creative Writing at Yale University. Today, he... more
Today, Emily Amick, lawyer and former counsel to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Betches Media cofounder Sami Sage share... more
American presidents have often pushed the boundaries established for them by the Constitution. Today, Corey Brettschneider shares the inspirational stories... more
Today, journalist Julia Hotz reports on a radical new trend in healthcare: social prescribing. 📩 Can't get enough of The Next... more
Michael McQueen has spent two decades teaching Fortune 500 leaders the skills they need to change people's minds. Now, he's... more
Let's close out the week by hearing from Sharon Brous, one of the country's leading rabbis, about her new book... more
R. Derek Black grew up with the founders of the American white nationalist movement but became an advocate for antiracism.... more
We are a nation of mythmakers. But in his new book, "A Great Disorder: National Myth and the Battle for... more
A decade ago, Alan Townsend's wife and daughter were both diagnosed with life-threatening forms of brain cancer. In the face... more
After extreme stress nearly killed Kandi Wiens, she dedicated herself to understanding why some people seem to be naturally “immune”... more
To close out the week, we hear from Adam Moss, the legendary editor of New York magazine, about the personal,... more
Today, Eric Weiner joins to discuss his new book, "Ben & Me: In Search of a Founder's Formula for a... more
Today, Keggie Carew shares a few key insights from her book "Beastly: The 40,000-Year Story of Animals and Us," which... more
Today, renowned sociologist Joanna Kempner, author of the new book "Psychedelic Outlaws: The Movement Revolutionizing Modern Medicine," introduces us to... more
As artificial intelligence gets more and more powerful, how do we protect human skills? Matt Beane, one of the world’s... more
Let's close out the week with a few big ideas from Sue Varma, author of "Practical Optimism: The Art, Science,... more
Tonight, there's a presidential debate. This morning, let's hear Bo Seo, two-time world champion debater and former coach of the... more
Khan Academy has helped more than 135 million students in 190 countries learn new things. Now its founder, Sal Khan,... more
Celebrated science writer David Robson joins us to reveal how social connections are far more important than we thought and... more
Today,a philosopher and an organizational psychologist walk into ... a soap opera?
Today, Bianca Bosker shares a few brilliant insights from her latest New York Times bestseller "Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey... more
We all have biases. Worse, they cause us to fall for misinformation. Here's what to do about it.
Today, Uche Blackstock shares five key insights from her instant New York Times bestseller "Legacy." *** 📦 Become a Next Big Idea... more
Today, we hear from Nicole Vignola, a neuroscientist and organizational psychologist who has written an exciting new book called "Rewire:... more
Organizational psychologist Richard Davis has spent decades advising the leaders of the world's biggest companies. What he's learned will help... more
Craig Foster, the South African filmmaker best known for his Oscar-winning documentary "My Octopus Teacher," joins Michael to share a... more
Our dependence on the big five tech companies threatens our civil rights, economy, and democracy. Tom Kemp has a plan... more
Today, linguist Valerie Fridland ("Like, Literally, Dude") takes us on a tour of the speech habits we love to hate... more
In her #1 New York Times bestseller, "Good Energy," Casey Means argues that improving your metabolic health is the key... more
Has our idolatry of innovation gone too far? Lee Vinsel and Andrew L. Russell think so. Their book is "The... more
Adventurer Caroline Paul shares key insights from her new book "Tough Broad."
Today, Georgetown's Abraham Newman shares a few key insights from his recent book "Underground Empire."
Harry Cliff offers an eye-opening account of the inexplicable phenomena that science has only recently glimpsed, and that could transform... more
Psychedelics are a buzzy new mental health treatment. Do they work, and are they safe? The New York Times' Ernesto... more
Tens of thousands of Google employees rely on Laura Mae Martin's strategies for how to make the most of their... more
Neuroscientist Christian Jarrett on how we can change ourselves for the better.
Marjorie Kelly, a distinguished senior fellow at The Democracy Collaborative, argues that a bias toward wealth has warped the economy.... more
The one and only George Stephanopoulos stops by to share five key insights from his No. 1 New York Times... more
Today, Jennifer L. Taitz, a clinical psychologist at UCLA, shares a few calming insights from her new book, "Stress Resets."
Do you struggle to connect with other people? It could be because you're not asking the right questions. In this... more
What if everything you think you know about capitalism is wrong? Guest: Grace Blakeley Book: Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes, Backdoor Bailouts, and... more
Today, Max Bennett explains how understanding the story of how our brains evolved can help shape the next generation of... more
Today, Adaira Landry and Resa Lewiss, a pair of Harvard-trained physicians, share actionable career advice from "MicroSkills: Small Actions, Big... more
Jim VandeHei co-founded two highly influential news outlets, Politico and Axios. But as he explains in today's episode, his path... more
Steven Johnson returns to share some key insights from his new book "The Infernal Machine: A True Story of Dynamite,... more
To end the week, we'll hear from Katherine Morgan Schafler, a former on-site therapist at Google, who challenges us to... more
In "Before It's Gone: Stories from the Front Lines of Climate Change in Small-Town America," Jonathan Vigliotti shares the stories... more
As chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Tom Wheeler advocated for stronger legislation of big tech companies. In his... more
Jacqueline Alnes was a DI runner in college, but her athletic career was cut short by a series of mysterious... more
Are all the little things getting you down? Rob Cross and Karen Dillon are here to help. Their new book... more
Harvard's Michael Norton says cultivating a "ritual" mindset can infuse our lives with meaning. His new book is "The Ritual... more
Longtime New York Times columnist Frank Bruni says fervent hostility has eroded the civility, common ground, and compromise necessary for... more
Ecologist David Scheel has been obsessed with octopuses for decades. What he's learned — and why it should matter to... more
Your twenties are the most challenging time of your life. Does it have to be that way?
Life lessons from the creator of the popular finance podcast So Money.
Inside of you resides an intentional life without limits. The time has come to awaken it. • Subscribe to our newsletter •... more
Today, a few big ideas from Susan Liautaud, who teaches cutting-edge ethics courses at Stanford University.
"How Sex Changed the Internet and the Internet Changed Sex." The title says it all, doesn't it? Author Samantha Cole... more
"As a top athlete," says today's guest, Mark Tuitert, "you can easily be blinded by the goal: winning." Mark would... more
Today, Joe Davis, managing director and senior partner at the Boston Consulting Group, explains why gernosity is the key attribute... more
You didn't choose to live this life, but you can still make it beautiful.
If you're living in a city in America right now, there's a nuclear weapon pointed directly at you.
Life is full of moral dilemmas. How do you know you're making the right calls? • Subscribe to our newsletter • Download... more
Today, friend-of-the-pod Steven Johnson stops by to share a few big ideas from his recent book "Extra Life," which President... more
Have you ever been afraid to speak up? You're not alone, says Elaine Lin Hering, a lecturer at Harvard Law... more
To close out the week, let's hear from Reddit's Global Brand Ambassador, Will Cady, who has a few surprising tips... more
Robin Reames grew up in a fundamentalist Christian, white, and very conservative family in the Deep South. "Up until about... more
In this episode, CNN anchor and chief national security analyst Jim Sciutto warns that another world war could be looming. •... more
Keto, Atkins, paleo, and Whole30 — it seems like fad diets are everywhere these days. How did they get so... more
Today, indispensable financial advice from Jill Schlesinger, Emmy and Gracie Award winning business analyst for CBS News and author of... more
Can Joseph Campbell’s "hero’s journey" help you find fulfillment?
Is the design of the internet to blame for our current crises of disinformation, mental illness, and hyper-partisan division? • Subscribe... more
Why does living in the so-called Information Age only seem to make life more confusing? Amanda Montell has some surprising... more
Today, a few brainy insights from neuroscientist Chantel Prat, author of "The Neuroscience of You," which our pal Adam Grant... more
How smart leaders make the right things easier and the wrong things harder. • Subscribe to our newsletter • Download our app •... more
For the past few years, Scott Rick, a behavioral scientist at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, has... more
William Ury wrote the world’s best-selling book on negotiation. Now he's here to help us navigate conflict.
Linguist and professor Anne Curzan encourages us all to lighten up when it comes to grammar rules.
As a teenager, Andrew Leland started to lose his sight. One day, in all likelihood, he will be blind. In... more
Carol Dweck’s "Mindset" transformed our view of individual potential. Now her protégé, Mary Murphy, is here to explain how mindset can... more
Do you ever feel kind of ... meh? Corey Keyes is here to help. • Subscribe to our newsletter • Download our... more
Journalist Josie Cox stops by to share highlights from the story of women’s fight for financial freedom.
Could Generation Z's focus on ethics, climate change, and purpose change capitalism forever? • Subscribe to our newsletter • Download our app •... more
Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist Venki Ramakrishnan walks us through the ongoing revolution in biology that could allow us to live... more
Anxiety can be painful and embarrassing, even downright debilitating. But author and podcaster Morra Aarons-Mele says it's also a force... more
Guy Kawasaki has spent 40 years working with game-changing organizations like Apple, Google, Mercedes, and Canva. More recently, he's been... more
It's not enough to be inclusive. Denise Hamilton, a nationally recognized workplace culture and DEI expert, says we should strive... more
The ability to tell a good story is more than just a social skill. It’s a key element in good... more
Today, Joshua Fletcher (a.k.a. Anxiety Josh) takes us on a tour of the inner mind of a therapist. • Subscribe to... more
Do fewer things. Work at a natural pace. Obsess over quality. Those are Cal Newport's three strategies for achieving "Slow... more
Why do we assume romantic relationships are more important than friendships? Rhaina Cohen, award-winning producer and editor for NPR's Embedded, has... more
Today, we hear from Angelique Bellmer Krembs, global head of brand at BlackRock, about the micro-offenses women encounter in the... more
Today, join scientist Nicholas Humphrey on an epic quest to uncover the evolutionary history of consciousness.
In his new book, "Tornado of Life: A Doctor's Journey through Constraints and Creativity in the ER," physician and writer... more
The average human lifespan is just over four thousand weeks. How will you spend your days? How should you spend... more
In the early days of the Covid lockdown, many of us found ourselves taking up new hobbies, like playing guitar... more
What is it about American political culture that has kept women from the presidency for so long? NBC News correspondent... more
You might have heard of Einstein and Newton and Galileo, but can you name the woman whose work led to... more
Neuroscientist and psychologist Charan Ranganath reframes how we think about remembering and shares the tools we can use to hold... more
Today, learn how to perform at your very best from the psychologist who has advised elite military operators, Olympic medalists,... more
Ad exec Bonnie Wan shares her playbook for navigating life’s decisions, crossroads, and curveballs. • Subscribe to our newsletter • Download our... more
Historian Deborah Plant takes us on a personal exploration of America’s obsession with continuing human bondage.
Charles Duhigg, the bestselling author of "Power of Habit," is on the show today to explain what marital spats, NASA... more
We’ve become mad for our devices. Our devices are driving us mad.
Today, MIT's Andrew McAfee stops by to share a few key insights from his recent book "The Geek Way: The... more
Happy Friday, friends! To close out the week, here are a few tips on how to have a great day,... more
Today, the true story of the Clotilda, the last slave ship to land on American soil — more than half... more
In an alarming new book "Countdown: The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons," journalist Sarah Scoles explores the current state of... more
Today, clinical psychologist and mind-body expert Scott Lyons turns the notion of the drama queen on its head.
Want to become the best at what you do? First, says Ron Friedman ("Decoding Greatness"), you must learn how to... more
Humans, it turns out, are pretty decent. That's according to Dutch historian Rutger Bregman, whose book "Humankind: A Hopeful History"... more
Nick Romeo, a writer for The New Yorker, has spent the last several years covering the most compelling economic policies... more
Today, we hear from Rick Hanson, senior fellow at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, about his latest book, "Making... more
In "Little Treatments, Big Effects," Harvard-trained psychologist Jessica Schleider explains how you can reboot your mental health in a single... more
Shellye Archambeau was an executive at IBM, Blockbuster's president, and then MetricStream's CEO. She currently serves on the boards of Verizon... more
Today, five lessons, "Learning to Love Midlife," a blueprint for aging gracefully by Chip Conley, CEO of the Modern Elder... more
For her first book, Antonia Hylton, a Peabody and Emmy award-winning journalist, unearthed the 93-year-old history of a segregated asylum... more
Rebecca Boyle stops by to discuss her new book, "Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution,... more
In "Rethinking Diabetes: What Science Reveals About Diet, Insulin, and Successful Treatments," science journalist Gary Taubes argues that when it... more
How did Apple overcome a culture of secrecy? How did Pixar out-innovate Disney? In their new book, "Brave Together," Chris... more
Stop trying to be perfect. Try this instead.
False narratives about post-racism and meritocracy have been used to condone egregious economic outcomes. What can we do to fix... more
Last week, Stanford neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky came on the show to make the case that free will does not exist.... more
Craig Smith has been a heart surgeon for more than 40 years, and in that time he's saved the lives... more
Charisma. Some people have it, some people don’t. Or so we’ve been led to believe. But speaker, researcher, and bestselling... more
Curiosity may not seem like a skill, but it is. You can cultivate it. Scott Shigeoka will teach you how. •... more
What does it take to open someone's mind? We asked David McRaney for his science-backed tips.
Increasing longevity and the explosion of technology are reshaping the world. What will it mean for your education, career, and... more
"The art of losing isn't hard to master," Elizabeth Bishop wrote in her poem "One Art." Psychotherapist Gina Moffa agrees.... more
With the rise of hybrid work, intergeneration offices, and flexible schedules, it has never been harder to build a successful... more
To close out the week, let's hear from two philosophers about what it means to be happy, good, and to... more
Every day, in offices around the world, there are an estimated 200 million one-on-one meetings. In "Glad We Met," Steven... more
Does free will exist? Stanford professor Robert Sapolsky says, "Hell no!" Which sounds scary, we know, but he's here today... more
We don't just want to live for a long time — we want to thrive as we age. Today, science... more
It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which has us thinking about the state of our nation — specifically, the state... more
Madeleine Dore went in search of the secret to productivity, only to find that there isn't one. Instead, we're being... more
How innovative are our times really? Not very, according to Thomas Ramge and Rafael Laguna de la Vera. And they've... more
You may know David Leonhardt from his wildly popular New York Times newsletter, "The Morning." What you may not know... more
Today, Dr. Jeremy Nobel unpacks our personal and national experiences of loneliness to discover its roots and to show how... more
Do you have what it takes to be a great leader? Find out by listening to Kirstin Ferguson, who joins... more
Today, author Maggie Jackson offers a guide to flourishing in times of flux and angst by harnessing the overlooked power... more
Have you ever met an airborne cryptologic linguist? No? Well, today's your lucky day. We're joined by Ian Fritz who... more
A structural engineer examines the basic building blocks of engineering that have shaped the modern world.
Exercise isn't just our modern obsession: the ancients were keen on it, too. That's according to award-winning journalist Bill Hayes,... more
Change is not the exception, it’s the rule. Today, Brad Stulberg ("Master of Change") tells us how to deal with... more
You can get happier. And getting there will be the adventure of your lifetime. Harvard professor Arthur C. Brooks shares... more
Actor, producer, and writer Rainn Wilson ("The Office") explores the problem-solving benefits that spirituality gives us to create solutions for... more
Today, Shankar Vedantam, host of "Hidden Brain," walks us through the surprising role of self-deception in human flourishing.
Today, Dr. Anna Lembke, psychiatrist and author, explores the exciting new scientific discoveries that explain why the relentless pursuit of... more
This week, we're looking back at some of our favorite episodes from the last year. Today, we'll hear from award-winning... more
To close out the week, we called up Mara Glatzel to share her unique approach to identifying, honoring, and advocating... more
“It’s the year 2050… and racism has ended.” Could this really be our future?
Today, we're joined by Morgan Housel, author of the mega-bestseller The Psychology of Money, who'll discuss his new book, Same... more
In this episode, the New York Times–bestselling author of Wintering invites us to rediscover the feelings of awe and wonder available to... more
We are living in a strange world. Felix Salmon calls it “the New Not Normal.” Today, he explores the economic ramifications... more
Can the ancient wisdom of the Stoics help you live a better life today?
Technology is rapidly reshaping our lives. And not always for the better. In this episode, three Stanford professors argue that... more
Egyptian-American astrophysicist Sarafina El-Badry Nance shares how she boldly carved out a place in the field of astrophysics, grounding herself... more
Today, physician and New York Times bestselling author Michael Greger shares simple hacks you can use to stay healthy as... more
Over the past two decades, Rich Horwath has helped more than a quarter million leaders develop their strategic thinking and... more
Today, journalist and podcaster Liel Leibovitz explores how the Talmud — an ancient work of Jewish ethics, law, and tradition... more
Today, Wendy Wong, a political scientist at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan, stops by to tell us why we... more
The fear of playing the fool is a universal psychological phenomenon and an underappreciated driver of human behavior, says Tess... more
CW: This episode contains references to suicide. In his 20s, Andy Dunn launched a DTC men’s fashion brand called Bonobos.... more
Today, Ozan Varol, the acclaimed author of "Think Like a Rocket Scientist" shares five tools you can use to unlock your originality... more
Today, to close out the week, we'll hear psychologist Michael Gervais's groundbreaking guide for overcoming what may be the single... more
College isn’t for everyone. Could high-value apprenticeships provide an alternative pathway to economic opportunity?
Today, one of the world’s most creative mathematicians offers a new way to look at math.
"There are little things that we can do daily that lower our risk of dementia and Alzheimer's by anywhere from... more
In her two decades researching organizations, Michelle King has discovered that people who succeed possess a particularly unique skill: They... more
The fear of playing the fool is a universal psychological phenomenon and an underappreciated driver of human behavior, says Tess Wilkinson-Ryan. She's... more