#837: How to Simplify Your Life in 2026 - New Tips from Derek Sivers, Seth Godin, and Martha Beck
Tim Ferriss departs from his usual long-form interview format to explore how a few key decisions can dramatically simplify life in the coming year. He frames the episode with the idea of finding single choices that eliminate hundreds of downstream decisions, drawing on lessons from past guests and management thinkers. Derek Sivers, Seth Godin, and Martha Beck each share specific philosophies and concrete personal rules they've used to reduce complexity, set boundaries, and orient their lives around simplicity, focus, and deep joy.
Will AI make humans useless? | Akram Awad
Host Elise Hu introduces AI futurist Akram Awad, who explores how artificial intelligence may not only displace jobs but also trigger a deeper crisis of identity and purpose. Awad argues that as AI automates more work, societies must decouple human worth from economic productivity and build new systems that value contribution, connection, and meaning. He proposes a framework of future human roles-guardians, adapters, and pioneers-and outlines changes needed in compensation, education, emotional infrastructure, and cultural norms to support purpose in the age of AI.
Our Common Nature: West Virginia Coal
Radiolab introduces a special episode from the series "Our Common Nature" in which host Ana Gonzalez and cellist Yo-Yo Ma explore West Virginia's coal country to understand how coal, music, race, and nature shape people's lives. Through stories from miners like Chris Saunders and his mother Zora, poet-activist Crystal Good, musician Kathy Matea, and others, the episode examines the pride, danger, and environmental harm tied to coal, as well as the resilience and community that persist in Appalachia. The journey weaves together mine history, the Upper Big Branch disaster, iconic songs, rafting on the New River, and intimate moments of grief and connection.
Most Replayed Moment: Anxiety Is Just A Prediction! Rewrite Old Stories and Build Emotional Safety
The host and guest discuss the concept of the predictive brain, explaining that the brain is not primarily a reactive organ but a prediction engine that prepares actions and experiences based on past learning. Using concrete examples such as language processing, thirst, coffee habits, exercise, trauma, and phobias, they show how prediction shapes perception, emotion, and bodily regulation. They also explore cultural inheritance, meaning-making, identity, and practical ways to change entrenched patterns by creating new experiences and dosing oneself with prediction error.
"Is My Marriage Worth Fighting For?" - Tony & Sage Robbins FULL Relationship Intervention
Laura from Miami shares that she has been with her husband for 18 years, married for 6, and feels they have grown apart, leaving her torn between staying with a man she considers great and not losing herself. Sage helps her voice her loneliness and rejection as clear, loving requests, while Tony introduces the six human needs framework to evaluate the relationship. Together they guide Laura toward a 60-90 day period of intentionally loving her husband in the way he best receives love, so she can make a clearer, regret-free decision about staying or leaving.
#625 - Matthew McConaughey
Theo Von talks with Matthew McConaughey about childhood memories, old-school wrestling, and the daredevil legacy of Evel Knievel before exploring how modern technology has shifted our relationship to moments, identity, and validation. They dig into ego versus confidence, redefining humility, courage in the face of fear, and the psychology of peak performance in college football and SEC culture. McConaughey also shares deeply about fatherhood, marriage, family rituals, faith, prayer, his writing process for "Poems and Prayers," and the importance of pursuing transformation rather than a purely transactional life.
#836: The 4-Hour Workweek Principles - 13 Mistakes to Avoid, The Art of Mini-Retirements, and Navigating the Dizziness of Freedom
Tim Ferriss presents an experimental episode featuring three full chapters from the audiobook of his book The 4-Hour Workweek, narrated by Ray Porter. The chapters explore the concept of mini-retirements and mobile living, how to handle the psychological and existential void that can appear once work is removed, and the 13 most common mistakes made by people adopting the New Rich lifestyle. The episode combines parables, case studies, detailed how-to checklists, and philosophical reflections on freedom, meaning, learning, and service.
How fortnite made me a millionaire
Sean walks through roughly a decade of business attempts-from a sushi restaurant and wristband dropshipping to a biotech venture and a series of social and messaging apps-before finally finding success with a high school Fortnite esports league that was acquired by Twitch. He then explains how his approach to project selection, learning, and risk changed, leading to a streak of more straightforward wins and a portfolio doing tens of millions in revenue. The conversation shifts into money, defining "enough," the idea of a second mountain focused on creative work and meaning rather than more wealth, and ends with a light segment about Halloween, parenting, and family traditions.
Wicked's costume designer on how to tell stories with clothes | Paul Tazewell
Host Elise Hu introduces Oscar-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell, who explains how clothing functions as a subconscious storytelling language that shapes our perceptions of heroes, villains, and marginalized people. Drawing on his work in Hamilton, West Side Story, and Wicked, he shows how design choices around color, silhouette, and texture can reinforce or challenge cultural narratives about power, identity, and "wickedness." A brief Q&A touches on how costumes will continue to evolve in the sequel Wicked for Good and hints at his future work on Broadway and film.
Jay & Radhi Talk About Why People Feel the Need to Overshare
Jay and Radhi discuss the modern phenomenon of oversharing, especially online, and explore how to decide what to share, with whom, and why. They examine the intentions behind vulnerability, how oversharing can drain energy or create confusion, and how selective, intentional sharing can foster genuine connection and protect personal wellbeing. They also talk about normalizing relationship struggles, the duality of people's lives, and why authenticity doesn't require exposing everything to the public.
The Exact Words You Need to Hear Today If It Feels Like Nothing's Working
Mel Robbins speaks with poet and spiritual teacher Mark Nepo, joined by her husband Chris Robbins, about reconnecting to life, opening the heart, and finding meaning through love, suffering, and everyday ritual. Mark shares stories behind his seminal book "The Book of Awakening," his cancer journey, and his new work on creativity in the second half of life. Together they explore practical ways to honor your gifts, practice self-love, cultivate resilience, and participate more fully in the present moment.
#2410 - Jeff Dye
Joe Rogan talks with comedian Jeff Dye about social media, stand-up comedy, MMA, politics, and the future of work. They discuss Ronda Rousey's legacy, how fame and distraction affect elite fighters, and why maintaining focus is critical for high performance. The conversation also covers culture-war polarization, media manipulation, assisted suicide policy in Canada, skepticism toward certain health practices, sports gambling scandals, AI-driven automation, and why doing work you genuinely love matters more than chasing status.
I Did Nothing For 2 Weeks. It Made Me Better At Everything.
Two co-hosts catch up after one has a new baby and the other returns from his grandfather's funeral, leading into honest reflections on paternity leave, men's emotional experience with newborns, and how much time off is actually useful. They explore Aristotle's concept of flourishing, the value of leisure and dedicated thinking time, and how engineered rest and movement can produce creative breakthroughs, tying into one host's project to write concise "one-hour" books and the discipline required for deep work. The conversation then shifts to Paul Graham's framework for procrastination, the transformative power of a parent or grandparent instilling belief in a child, immigrant family stories, the modern scarcity of belonging versus information abundance, and a fast-growing group travel company that builds community and reduces loneliness.
From Medal of Honor: Showing Up On Veterans Day
Host J.R. Martinez reflects on Veterans Day, encouraging listeners to move beyond a simple "thank you" by having real conversations with veterans and allowing them to share as much or as little as they wish. He recounts his own journey from enlisting after 9/11, surviving a devastating combat injury, and losing his identities as both soldier and young man, to rediscovering purpose through serving fellow patients, vulnerability, and storytelling. Martinez connects these experiences to the themes of the Medal of Honor podcast, emphasizing the power of simply showing up, the humanity behind acts of heroism, and the importance of veterans telling their stories in their own way.
My identity is a superpower - not an obstacle | America Ferrera (re-release)
In this re-released 2019 TED Talk, actor and activist America Ferreira recounts her journey from a nine-year-old dreaming of being an actress to confronting the systemic stereotypes and limitations placed on her as a brown, poor, fat Latina in Hollywood. She explains how her breakout roles in Real Women Have Curves and Ugly Betty revealed the power of authentic representation, both for audiences and for her own sense of worth. Ferreira argues that her identity is not an obstacle but a superpower, and calls for individuals and systems to stop resisting what the world actually looks like and to align their values and actions with genuine inclusion.
Selects: How Conversion Therapy Doesn't Work
The hosts examine the history, methods, and impact of conversion therapy, also known as reparative or ex-gay therapy, which claims to change a person's sexual orientation from gay to straight. They trace its roots from early pseudo-scientific psychological practices to its adoption by the Christian right as a major culture-war issue, and detail why the medical and psychological communities now condemn it as ineffective and harmful. The episode also covers specific abuse stories, research findings on mental health risks, legal efforts to ban conversion therapy for minors, and the movement's public unraveling through high-profile ex-gay leaders who later renounced it.
#2407 - Billy Bob Thornton
Joe Rogan talks with Billy Bob Thornton about aging, nostalgia, and growing up in the American South, along with the violence and roughness that shaped his early life. They dig into Southern stereotypes, Hollywood prejudice, and Thornton's philosophy of acting, music, and fame, including the creation of "Sling Blade" and his band The Boxmasters. The conversation also explores social media, critics, awards, the impact of technology on attention and culture, and how to stay grounded and sane while navigating fame and modern life.
I Ranked the Best & WORST Businesses to Start Before 2026 | Andrew Wilkinson
The host and Andrew Wilkinson play a "tier list" game ranking different business models by their median successful outcome, lifestyle impact, upside, and difficulty, drawing heavily on Andrew's two decades of experience running agencies, buying companies, and managing capital. They discuss models such as MLMs, freelancing, agencies, SaaS, marketplaces, restaurants, content creation, real estate, hedge funds, angel investing, and buying local "sweaty" businesses, while also unpacking how Tiny was built and why its stock chart can be misleading. In the second half, they shift to psychological themes like the courage to be disliked, identity boxes, contrarian thinking, and designing a career around work you enjoy doing thousands of times rather than chasing labels or external approval.
3 Questions to Ask Yourself to Figure Out What You Really Want
Mel Robbins guides listeners through a three-question framework called the Odyssey Plan, developed by Stanford professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, to rethink their current life trajectory. She uses examples, research, and personal stories to show how visualizing your current path, imagining a forced change, and dreaming without constraints can reveal "unfinished business" and new possibilities. The episode concludes with practical advice on turning these insights into small daily experiments that gradually redesign your life.
Sunday Pick: How to use your muscles - or risk losing them | How to Be a Better Human
Host Chris Duffy talks with journalist and author Bonnie Tsui about what muscles really are, why they matter, and how strength training can transform health and identity across a lifetime. They discuss age-related muscle loss, the importance of lifting "heavy" for everyone, and how muscle functions as both mechanical mover and endocrine tissue that communicates with the brain. The conversation also explores gendered body norms, strong women in sport, Bonnie's upbringing with a martial-artist father, surfing as a metaphor for presence, and how interoception and muscle memory help us navigate injury, aging, and joy in movement.
How to build your confidence - and spark it in others | Brittany Packnett Cunningham (re-release)
Host Elise Hu introduces a 2019 TED Talk by educator and activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham on the nature and power of confidence. Drawing on stories from her childhood, her classroom, women rangers in Kenya, and her own career, Brittany argues that confidence is a critical engine for turning ideas into action and pursuing justice. She outlines three elements that "crack the code" of what she calls revolutionary confidence: permission, community, and curiosity.
Jay & Radhi Talk About the Pressure and Expectations Around Parenthood
The hosts discuss the intense social, biological, financial, and emotional pressures surrounding the decision to have children, especially for women. They explore why the common question "When are you having kids?" can be insensitive given issues like miscarriage, infertility, financial strain, and differing life goals. The conversation emphasizes defining your own timeline, recognizing many valid ways to express maternal and paternal energy, and rejecting the idea that parenthood is the only path to a meaningful or successful life.
Kamala Harris: America Is At Breaking Point & I'm Deeply Concerned About The State Of The Country!
Kamala Harris discusses her upbringing in a civil-rights-oriented family, her legal career, and how those experiences shaped her commitment to justice and public service. She reflects in detail on serving as vice president, the 107‑day presidential campaign, internal tensions within the Biden White House, and her experiences debating Donald Trump. Harris also talks about media dynamics, disinformation, her regrets about not having more time to campaign, the emotional impact of losing the 2024 election, and how she is thinking about a potential future run for president.
The surprising science of adolescent brains | Jennifer Pfeifer
Neuroscientist Jennifer Pfeiffer argues that adolescence is not a period of dysfunction but a transformative stage of growth spanning roughly ages 10 to 25. She explains how puberty, brain development, and social context shape adolescent behavior, debunks common myths about smartphones and mental health, and highlights the far greater importance of relationships and caregiver well-being. The talk calls for changing the cultural narrative about young people from doom and blame to respect, support, and shared opportunity.
"Oscar Isaac"
The hosts talk with Oscar Isaac about his winding path from playing in Florida ska and hardcore bands to training at Juilliard and becoming one of Hollywood's most versatile actors. He shares stories about nearly joining the Marines, his immigrant family background, his deep collaboration with Guillermo del Toro on Frankenstein, and how grief, family, and theater intertwined during his Hamlet run. The conversation also covers his sci‑fi work in Ex Machina, Dune, and Star Wars, his views on acting craft and decision-making, and his life as a husband and father who still makes music at home.
TED Talks Daily Book Club: You are not alone in your loneliness | Jonny Sun (re-release)
Host Elise introduces a re-release of Johnny Sun's 2019 TED talk, framing it within a current TED Talks Daily virtual read-along of Oliver Berkman's book about embracing limitations and the feelings of loneliness that can surface when we sit with ourselves. In his illustrated talk, writer and artist Johnny Sun uses the story of an alien named Jomny and his own experiences of feeling alienated to explore how vulnerability, online sharing, and small moments of connection can make us feel less alone in our loneliness. He reflects on both the harms and the redemptive potential of social media, emphasizing the power of micro-communities and brief human connections as tiny slivers of light in a chaotic world.
Give yourself permission to be creative | Ethan Hawke (re-release)
Host Elise Hu introduces an archive TED talk from 2020 in which actor, writer, and director Ethan Hawke explores why giving yourself permission to be creative is essential. Hawke argues that creativity is not a luxury but a vital way humans make sense of love, loss, and meaning, sharing stories from his own life and family to illustrate how following what you love reveals who you are and connects you to others. He encourages listeners to embrace feeling foolish, follow their genuine interests, and express themselves as a way to heal and help their communities.
Most Replayed Moment: Why Does Commitment Feel So Scary? How to Build a Strong, Lasting Relationship
The host and an unnamed relationship expert discuss whether traditional institutions like marriage and the nuclear family still make sense in modern society, examining both their social functions and personal trade-offs. They explore what actually predicts satisfaction in long-term partnerships, emphasizing individual well-being, resilience, and open-mindedness over rigid value alignment. The conversation also covers gendered dating preferences, evolutionary versus socialized drivers of attraction, and how self-esteem and societal narratives shape who we choose and how we evaluate potential partners.
#2399 - Daryl Davis & Jeff Schoep
Joe Rogan speaks with Daryl Davis, a Black musician known for befriending Ku Klux Klan members and neo-Nazis and helping hundreds leave extremist groups, and Jeff Schoep, the former longtime leader of the National Socialist Movement who has since renounced white supremacy. They discuss how Jeff was indoctrinated into neo-Nazism, his rise to leadership, the gradual process of his de-radicalization after meeting Daryl and others, and his current work helping people leave extremist movements. The conversation also explores the psychology of hate, white supremacist recruitment strategies, demographic fears driving modern extremism, and practical approaches to reducing racism and improving race relations.
TED Talks Daily Book Club: Why change is so scary - and how to unlock its potential | Maya Shankar (re-release)
Host Elise Hu introduces a live virtual book club around Oliver Berkman's book "Meditations for Mortals" and frames a replay of cognitive scientist Maya Shankar's 2023 TED talk about navigating unexpected change. In her talk, Shankar shares her own story of losing her dream of becoming a concert violinist, along with the experiences of others, to illustrate how change can be frightening because of uncertainty and loss but can also expand our capabilities, values, and identities. She offers three guiding questions to reframe disruptive events and describes how she is using them in her own current struggle with pregnancy losses and uncertainty about becoming a mother.
A Question-Asker Becomes a Question-Answerer
In this feed-drop conversation from Design Matters, Stephen J. Dubner talks with Debbie Millman about his life, from a turbulent religious upbringing and early encouragement from a beloved teacher to his time in a rock band and eventual career as a writer and podcaster. They explore how inhabiting two faith traditions shaped his views on identity and belief, the power of curiosity, the making and impact of Freakonomics, his struggles with hero worship and anonymity, and his evolving thinking on creativity, confidence, and the human side of economics.
What it's really like to win the lottery | Matt Pitcher
Former financial advisor Matt Pitcher shares stories from his work with UK National Lottery winners to explore how sudden wealth affects people's lives. Through three contrasting case studies, he shows how a lottery win can strain relationships, fuel fleeting consumerism, or be used to buy precious time and memories with loved ones. He concludes by urging listeners to reflect on how they already spend their limited budgets of time and money, arguing that those able to listen to this talk have effectively already "won the lottery of life."
Love 2.0: Reimagining Our Relationships
The episode first traces how marriage has evolved from an economic and political alliance into a love-based, self-expressive partnership, and explores how rising expectations can either suffocate relationships or, when met, produce unprecedented fulfillment. Psychologist Eli Finkel discusses his "all-or-nothing" model of marriage and offers practical strategies to align expectations with the time and energy couples actually invest. In the second half, psychologist Jonathan Adler examines how the stories we tell about our lives-especially redemption and contamination narratives-shape our well-being, illustrated through powerful listener stories about trauma, illness, grief, and resilience.
TED Talks Daily Book Club: Essential questions to ask your future self | Meg Jay (re-release)
Elise Hu introduces a re-released TED Membership conversation featuring clinical psychologist Meg Jay on the concept of the empathy gap between our present and future selves. In her talk, Jay explains how difficulty imagining our future selves can lead us to neglect long-term well-being, and she offers practical questions and thought exercises to build a connection with who we will be at around age 35. She then speaks with Whitney Pennington-Rogers about how these ideas apply not only to people in their 20s but at any stage of life, and how to turn a one-time reflection into an ongoing practice.
Creation Story
Host Latif Nasser interviews paleoanthropologist and evolutionary biologist Alaa Alshamahi about her journey from an ultra-conservative, creationist Muslim upbringing and teenage missionary work to becoming an evolutionary scientist. She describes studying evolution at University College London as a "double agent" intent on disproving Darwin, the specific genetic evidence that shattered her creationist worldview, and the personal cost of leaving her religious community. Alaa then connects her own experience of crossing worlds to the story of human evolution, including interbreeding with Neanderthals and Denisovans, and explains how her crisis of faith now shapes a more empathetic approach to people who reject scientific findings.
Louis Tomlinson: "The Room Was Cold That Day". When The Police Knocked... I Just Knew
Louis Tomlinson discusses his journey from a working-class upbringing in Doncaster to global fame with One Direction, and the impact that sudden success and its end had on his identity and mental health. He opens up in detail about losing his mother and younger sister, how those tragedies reshaped his sense of purpose and responsibility toward his family, and his evolving relationship with former bandmate Liam Payne, including Liam's death. Louis also reflects on fatherhood, redefining success in his solo career, and how his current happiness, relationship, and outlook are shaping his new, more uplifting music.
It's Not Too Late: How to Transform Your Life at Any Moment
Mel Robbins interviews Rich Roll about how he has radically transformed his life multiple times, from a bullied, approval-seeking kid to an alcoholic lawyer, then to a sober, plant-based ultra-endurance athlete and podcaster. Rich details his descent into severe alcoholism, his recovery, his midlife health crisis at 40, and the sequence of small, contrary actions that allowed him to change course. The conversation focuses on addiction as a spectrum, listening to "knocks" from the universe, prioritizing health, and using tiny consistent actions to change at any age.
Going viral taught me the internet is broken - but fixable | Deja Foxx
Host Elise Hu introduces a TED 2025 talk by activist and content creator Deja Fox, who recounts how a viral confrontation with her senator over access to birth control thrust her into the public eye as a teenager. She describes both the opportunities and harms that came with online fame, including coordinated harassment and the absence of effective platform protections. Fox then highlights girl- and women-led digital collectives and platforms that prioritize safety, privacy, respect, and user ownership, calling for a "girl internet" and inviting listeners to help build a more equitable digital future.
Beyond the Talk: Deja Foxx on finding alternative online spaces
Host Elise Hu interviews activist and digital strategist Deja Fox about how teen girls and young women are using social media and alternative online platforms to build power and community. Fox reflects on her viral confrontation with a senator over birth control access, her work on Kamala Harris's 2024 campaign, and her decision to run for Congress. They also discuss the gendered harms of current tech architecture, including AI-enabled deepfakes and digital violence, and what safer, more inclusive women-led online spaces could look like.
Most Replayed Moment: Sadhguru on Why You Don't Need a Life Purpose!
In this replayed conversation, Sadhguru challenges the common notion that humans must discover a singular life purpose, arguing instead that life has no inherent purpose and that inner joy and stability should be the focus. He emphasizes taking responsibility for one's inner experience, learning how the mind and body function, and cultivating inner balance through conscious practices rather than depending on external circumstances. The discussion touches on the impacts of social conditioning, trauma, the limits of intellect, and the importance of turning inward to manage one's own inner state.
Jay's Must-Listens: Are You Still Holding Onto Childhood Trauma? (Follow 3 Steps & FINALLY Heal) Ft. Gabor Mate & Oprah Winfrey
This episode is a curated collection of conversations about trauma, grief, and healing, featuring insights from Dr. Gabor Mate, John Legend, Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Bruce Perry, and Anita. Jay Shetty explores how trauma can be loud or subtle, why it often hides behind overachievement or people-pleasing, and how reframing the question from "What's wrong with me?" to "What happened to me?" opens the door to compassion and recovery. The guests share personal stories and frameworks on authenticity, grief, intergenerational wounds, and learning to live fully while carrying past pain.
How Dolly Parton led me to an epiphany | Jad Abumrad (re-release)
Host Elise Hume introduces a TED 2020 talk by Radiolab creator Jad Abumrad, in which he reflects on his evolution as a storyteller and journalist. Abumrad describes moving from science-driven stories that end in wonder, to conflict-driven narratives centered on struggle, and finally to seeking "revelation" by holding opposing truths together. Through his podcast series about Dolly Parton and a visit to her Tennessee mountain home, he discovers unexpected connections to his Lebanese immigrant heritage and embraces a new storytelling goal he calls finding "the third"-a shared space that emerges when differences are truly recognized.
This Shocking Truth About Other People Will Change Your Life
Mel Robbins interviews researcher and author Dr. Todd Rose about how our hardwired need to belong drives conformity and how this, combined with social media dynamics, creates "collective illusions"-situations where most people go along with things they privately don't agree with because they wrongly assume everyone else does. Rose explains data showing that people overwhelmingly value relationships, character, meaningful work, and contribution, not fame and status, and that self-silencing to fit in damages both physical and mental health. They explore how authenticity and the simple practices of "let them" and "let me" can dismantle illusions, rebuild social trust, and dramatically improve individual life satisfaction and societal cohesion.
DAVID SENRA: Daniel Ek, Spotify
Host David Senra speaks with Spotify founder Daniel Ek about optimizing life for impact rather than happiness, arguing that deep, sustained happiness is a trailing indicator of meaningful impact. Ek traces his journey from early financial success and subsequent depression to building Spotify as a long-term mission, emphasizing self-knowledge, founder archetypes, trust, creativity, and energy management. The conversation explores how he learns from other founders, delegates product decisions, focuses on problem-solving, and thinks about quality, longevity, and what it means to truly "live."
Forget the corporate ladder - winners take risks | Molly Graham (re-release)
Molly Graham challenges the traditional idea of a linear career "staircase" and argues that great careers are built by taking risks she calls "jumping off cliffs." She illustrates this with her own transition from a secure HR role at Facebook to a risky new project where she initially struggled, then grew into a far more capable version of herself. She outlines three skills needed for successful cliff jumps-learning to actually jump, surviving the emotional fall, and becoming a "professional idiot"-and urges people to question narrow definitions of success and dare to trade the known for the unknown.
How to Build the Life You Want (Even When You Feel Overloaded, Exhausted, & Uncertain)
Mel Robbins interviews astronaut and bioastronautics researcher Kelly Girardi about how she went from a coat check job at the Explorers Club to flying a science mission to space. Kelly explains her mindset around expanding what you believe is possible, intentionally designing your reputation, and balancing motherhood with a demanding and unconventional career. She also shares, in detail, her ongoing IVF journey, recurrent pregnancy loss, and why she chooses to be transparent about her struggles in real time to reduce stigma and help others feel less alone.
EMMA WATSON EXCLUSIVE: The Story She Has Not Shared Until Now
Emma Watson joins Jay Shetty to have a long-form, personal conversation about stepping back from acting, disentangling her public persona from her private self, and learning to live more truthfully. She talks about growing up between two households, using acting as an escape, the emotional costs of fame and Hollywood, and the health and nervous-system burnout that forced her to pause her career. Emma also explores love and relationships, creative writing as therapy, friendship and interdependence, and how she holds nuanced positions on activism, including disagreements with J.K. Rowling and speaking about Palestine and Israel.
Dr. K: Feeling Lost in Your 20s or 30s? (THIS Mindset Shift Will Help You Find Direction & Purpose)
The host and Dr. K discuss why so many people in their 20s and 30s feel lost, behind, and purposeless despite external appearances of doing fine. They explore the difference between identity and identification, how ego and constant self-thinking drive depression and anxiety, and how observation, meditation, and emotional regulation can quiet the mind and reveal inner direction. The conversation also covers masculinity, dating, pornography addiction, spiritual evolution, and a practical framework for building purpose and resilience in a rapidly changing world.
(#1) Elise's Top Ten: The psychology of your future self | Dan Gilbert
Host Elise Hu introduces TED Talks Daily's first curated playlist of her top 10 TED Talks and sets up a 2014 talk by Harvard psychologist Dan Gilbert. Gilbert explains the "end of history illusion," the tendency for people at any age to underestimate how much they will change in the future in their values, personalities, and preferences. He presents research evidence, illustrates how this illusion distorts long-term decisions, and concludes that change is the one constant in our lives.
(#2) Elise's Top Ten: You don't actually know what your future self wants | Shankar Vedantam
Host Elise Hu introduces a favorite TED Talk by journalist and podcast host Shankar Vandantam about how poorly we understand our future selves. Through personal anecdotes, a powerful medical case, and the Ship of Theseus thought experiment, Vandantam argues that our identities and preferences change far more than we expect, creating an "illusion of continuity." He closes with three recommendations-stay curious, practice humility, and be brave-to better relate to and care for our future selves.
(#3) Elise's Top Ten: If I should have a daughter ... | Sarah Kay
Host Elise Hu introduces a special rebroadcast of Sarah Kay's 2011 TED performance as part of her "Top 10 TED Talks" playlist, highlighting the spoken word poem "If I Should Have a Daughter." In the talk, Sarah performs two poems and reflects on how spoken word poetry helps her and her students make sense of the world, move from self-doubt to self-expression, and build genuine connection. She shares her own journey into spoken word, her teaching practice with Project Voice, and stories like that of her student Charlotte to illustrate the power of vulnerability and personal storytelling.
(#8) Elise's Top Ten: Change your story, change your life | Lori Gottlieb
Host Elise Hu introduces a favorite TED Talk by psychotherapist and author Lori Gottlieb, which explores how the stories people tell about their lives shape their experiences. Gottlieb explains that most problems reduce to themes of freedom and change, and she illustrates how reframing our narratives, considering other perspectives, and accepting responsibility can open up new possibilities for connection and growth.
(#9) Elise's Top Ten: Rethinking infidelity ... a talk for anyone who has ever loved | Esther Perel
Host Elise Hu introduces a replay of therapist and podcast host Esther Perel's TED talk, "Rethinking Infidelity, a talk for anyone who has ever loved." Perel examines why people cheat, including those in seemingly happy relationships, and how modern expectations of marriage intensify the impact of affairs. She explores the psychological meanings behind infidelity, the dual nature of betrayal and self-discovery, and offers ways couples can understand, heal from, and sometimes grow after an affair.
(#10) Elise's Top Ten: What almost dying taught me about living | Suleika Jaouad
Host Elise Hu introduces a talk by writer, teacher, and activist Suleika Jaouad, who recounts being diagnosed with leukemia at 22 and spending four years in treatment as "patient number 5624." She explains that surviving cancer did not end her struggle; instead, the hardest part was reentering life afterward, dealing with physical limitations, grief, PTSD, and the myth of the heroic, ever-grateful survivor. Jaouad describes a 15,000-mile road trip to visit readers who had written to her, and shares what she learned about meaning, hope, and living in the in‑between space between sickness and health.
How do you rethink how the world works? An entrepreneur and an engineer answer | Yancey Strickler and Jenny Du
Host Elise Hu introduces a conversation between writer and former Kickstarter CEO Yancey Strickler and engineer-chemist Jenny Du about how feeling like an outsider can shape unconventional careers and systems-level innovations. Strickler reflects on lifelong feelings of not belonging, how that pushed him to question institutions, and how his thinking about punk labels and the Royal Society led to his artist corporation idea. Du describes how a shocking statistic about global food waste set her on a mission to extend the life of healthy foods, and together they discuss resilience, working within entrenched systems, and staying optimistic and truth-focused in a world that often feels "doomy."