Psychology

Angela Duckworth

Angela Duckworth, the psychologist behind the concept of grit, joins Ryan Holiday to discuss why effort alone doesn't determine success. Drawing from her new book Situated, she explores how environments, relationships, and specific situations shape our behavior more than we realize. The conversation covers how we unconsciously give away our attention, what she misunderstood about her own marriage, and why our worst moments shouldn't define our whole story.

Denise Huskins

In this episode, Alex sits down with kidnapping and assault survivor Denise Huskins. Huskins recounts being taken from her boyfriend’s home in 2015, held for days, drugged, and assaulted, only to be publicly branded a liar and hoaxster by police who dubbed her the real-life "Gone Girl." The conversation explores what it takes for women to be believed, the corrosive impact of victim blaming, and how Huskins fought to reclaim her name and her life. The episode contains descriptions of sexual violence and is intended for adult listeners.

Mariana van Zeller

Mariana van Zeller, the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning journalist behind "Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller" and "The OxyContin Express," joins Joe Rogan. She shares insights from her career exploring global underground networks—human smuggling, drug trafficking, and black-market economies. Her latest documentary special, "Super Scam Me," premieres October 17 on National Geographic and will be available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.

Shaan Puri

Shaan Puri joins Modern Wisdom to lay out several uncomfortable lessons about ambition, success, and personal agency. The conversation covers why insecurity drives much of the economy, why waiting for permission slows people down, and how environment shapes what is possible. They also discuss following obsessions, leaving one's hometown, the hidden costs of greatness, and a single test for successful relationships.

Gabor Maté

This bitesize episode revisits a conversation with physician and trauma expert Gabor Maté about the lessons we can learn from the regrets of the dying. Inspired by Bronnie Ware's book The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, Gabor explores how these deathbed insights can guide us to live more intentionally. He shares that living with 'no regrets' means learning from our mistakes without turning on our past selves. The conversation is full of compassion and practical wisdom for anyone carrying regret.

Malcolm Gladwell examines a known solution to violent crime that has existed for decades but remains underused. The episode questions why proven interventions fail to spread and what society loses by delaying adoption. Drawing on research from his book The American Way of Killing, Gladwell highlights the gap between knowledge and action in crime prevention.

Jay Shetty explores why modern dating often feels like a performance review rather than an opportunity for connection. He shares four practical shifts to make dating fun again: leading with curiosity instead of evaluation, turning dates into shared adventures, treating every encounter as a lesson in self-discovery, and intentionally bringing romance back into early-stage connection. The episode offers a framework for approaching dating with less pressure and more presence.

Esther Perel

Psychotherapist Esther Perel joins Rangan Chatterjee live at SXSW London to mark the 20th anniversary of her book Mating in Captivity. She explores why modern frictionless lives and perfectionism are starving intimacy, and why appreciation should replace criticism. She also discusses the pressure of expecting a partner to serve as an entire village, the concept of eroticism as vitality and curiosity, and shares a striking therapy session with an AI companion that offers a lesson on why human imperfection is essential for connection.

Peter Attia reviews how his clinical positions have shifted after 400 episodes of The Drive. He explains why changing his mind in response to new evidence is central to good medicine. He revisits nutrition, detailing how his views on ketogenic diets and extended fasting have evolved. He describes why he stopped taking metformin for longevity, shares growing uncertainty about rapamycin dosing in humans, and critiques the declining quality of whole‑body MRI combined with the still‑fuzzy results of liquid biopsies. On exercise, he acknowledges limitations of the 80/20 Zone 2 framework for time‑constrained people and describes a move away from heavy squats and deadlifts in favor of risk‑managed alternatives. Throughout, he emphasises focusing on durable principles and sustainable practices over marginal optimisations.

Dr. Nick Epley

Dr. Laurie Santos talks with psychologist Nick Epley about how the medium of communication—text, voice, or in-person—affects our ability to understand each other and feel connected. Epley shares research showing that we underestimate the benefits of voice and in-person interaction, often choosing the easiest option, and that small shifts like picking up the phone rather than texting can yield surprising boosts in happiness and social connection.

Nobody chooses most of the difficulties and troubles they face. The episode's central question is how to respond when those unwanted difficulties arrive anyway. It keeps the focus on reaction, not on whether hardship is fair or avoidable.

Eric Weinstein

Eric Weinstein shares provocative frameworks on why modern society is unprepared for looming risks. He describes an 80-year 'Great Sleep' of relative peace that distorts risk perception, and warns that self-replicating artificial life—not AI—is the true existential threat. The conversation also examines academic gatekeeping in physics, managed reality by global institutions, and a mitochondria-inspired model for coexisting with superintelligence.

Kyle MacLachlan

Kyle MacLachlan joins Conan to discuss his new memoir Fictional Selves and reflect on his career, from being cast as a stage actor in Dune to his long-standing collaboration with David Lynch and bringing eccentricity to Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks. Conan also responds to a listener voicemail about “where this world is going.”

John Kiriakou

Chris Williamson sits down with former CIA counterterrorism officer and whistleblower John Kiriakou to explore who truly controls the US government, the reality of psychological interrogation, domestic surveillance, leadership dynamics within intelligence, and legendary covert operations. The conversation spans coffee-fueled mornings, the ethics of espionage, and a surprising daily ritual.

John Maxwell

Ed Mylett and John Maxwell kick off season three of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership series with Law #15: The Law of Victory. John emphasizes that a leader's true test arises when the plan crumbles and the team looks to them for belief and a path forward. Ed shares his own experiences of losing confidence and explains why a winner's identity is revealed not in triumphs but in how they handle setbacks. Together they explore the contagious nature of a leader's demeanor, the critical shift from a victim mindset to an empowered one, and why genuine victory is measured by bringing the entire team across the finish line.

Sarah Gerhardt, David Spiegel

Professional surfer and chemistry professor Sarah Gerhardt shares how she uses cyclic sighing to manage everyday anxiety, and Stanford psychologist David Spiegel explains the science behind the technique. The practice involves a double inhale through the nose and a long, slow exhale through the mouth. Research shows that five minutes a day can improve mood and lower respiratory rate by shifting the body's stress response.

Kate Bowler, Lisa Miller

Historian Kate Bowler discusses how her stage IV cancer diagnosis forced her to confront the human tendency to impose order on uncontrollable tragedy. She explores what it means to live fully when life offers no satisfying explanations. Later, psychologist Lisa Miller returns to answer listener questions about the intersection of science and spirituality.

Paul Rosolie

Paul Rosolie, conservationist and founder of Jungle Keepers, shares the journey that took him deep into the Amazon in pursuit of rumors about an uncontacted tribe. The episode centers on the moment those rumors became real and the emotions of coming face-to-face with people living entirely separate from the modern world. Rosolie reflects on what the encounter taught him.

Jay Shetty shares four transformative mantras to shift your inner voice and build confidence. Through a decades-old journal entry from his grandmother, the surprising origin of Post-it Notes, and a classic parable about presence, he illustrates how simple repeated words can pull you out of hopelessness, spark trust in yourself, and ground you in the moment. The episode ends with a practical challenge to choose one mantra and use it for a week to reshape your internal narrative.

Rick Rubin

Legendary producer and author Rick Rubin shares his unconventional philosophy on creativity, arguing that the greatest artistic work arises from indefensible risks and a disregard for commercial incentives or audience expectations. He details strategies for freeing oneself from identity and past success, including the “Vacuum Strategy” of letting go of unserving commitments. Rubin offers behind-the-sceenes stories from his work with Jay-Z and Kanye West, illustrating how iconic artists operate with self-trust and total commitment. The conversation explores the nature of creativity in the age of AI and the personal cost of success, including Rubin's own depressive episode after losing creative control.

Professor Jiang Xueqin

Professor Jiang Xueqin maps today's geopolitical tensions onto the dynamics that brought down ancient civilizations like the Bronze Age. He argues that the global economy is built on a fragile foundation of US military hegemony and the petrodollar, and that a breakdown of global trade could stall innovation and trigger mass migration. His most striking warning is that the next catastrophic attack will be a cyber or physical strike on financial data servers, designed to wipe out people’s bank accounts — a 'Financial 9/11' — rather than another attack on physical symbols of power.

Taylor Tomlinson

Taylor Tomlinson returns to Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend to chat about her new book Actually, Nevermind, her high school marching band days, living with bipolar II disorder, losing a parent at a young age, and the oddities of American Girl dolls.

James Altucher

James Altucher recounts a moment on a Wall Street corner where a man in a hard hat and safety vest was begging for money, revealing that not everyone is who they appear to be. He uses this as a metaphor for the disguises we all wear—the titles, personas, and performances we adopt to gain approval or status. Altucher reflects on his own masks and argues that the effort of staying disguised is a primary source of misery. True personal development, he suggests, begins with dropping the act and embracing authenticity.

Rick Springfield

Rick Springfield, the Grammy Award-winning musician, actor, and author, joins Joe Rogan. In addition to his solo career, Springfield fronts the rock supergroup The Locustz, whose latest album "Buzzkill" is available now.

David Gandelman

In this episode of The One You Feed, David Gandelman explores how to distinguish between intuition and anxiety, revealing that true intuition is a skill developed through practice, not a simple gut feeling. He discusses how fear, desire, and resistance can impersonate intuition, and how meditation helps reclaim energy lost to rumination and worry. Gandelman also addresses the tension between comfort and growth, emphasizing that acceptance is a gradual, layered process. The conversation offers practical tools for building inner resilience and experiencing the full spectrum of human emotions.

Bas Rutten

Former MMA fighter Bas Rutten explains how the ability to stay relaxed became his most powerful weapon. Before his first fight in Japan, he learned his opponent was 33 pounds heavier, the round was thirty minutes long, and there were no rules he recognised — so he wrote 'R' (for rustig, Dutch for 'relaxed') on each fist. Mid-fight he was calm enough to overhear spectators discussing a house move, and that moment revealed the two competing voices inside him. The conversation draws out Stoic lessons on separating what you can control from what you cannot, and on using the gap between stimulus and response to choose calm over panic under extreme pressure.

Ice Cube

Ice Cube joins Conan to share the serendipitous origins of his rap career in a typewriting class, his time with N.W.A. and the guiding vision of Eazy‑E that propelled the group to global fame, and his pivot into sports entrepreneurship with the creation of the BIG3 basketball league. The conversation reveals how foundational skills, bold leadership, and a willingness to reinvent a traditional sport shaped one of hip-hop’s most enduring icons.

Ryan Holiday reflects on two Stoic principles: the importance of deep engagement with Stoic teachings (as Marcus Aurelius demonstrated with Epictetus) and the practice of focusing on what you can control without blame. The episode encourages continuous self-improvement and practical application of Stoicism in daily life.

Max Krummel

Dr. Max Krummel, a UCSF immunologist, breaks down the surveillance, recognition, and response functions of the immune system. He explains how aging, sleep, stress, and even mindset influence immune competence. The conversation spans thymic decline, how cancers evade detection, and the foundations of modern immunotherapy. Listeners gain a framework for understanding why season and time of day matter for immunization and how basic research translates into cancer treatments.

Peter Santenello

Independent journalist Peter Santenello shares what he learned about America from traveling to 85 different countries, revealing the unseen struggles of forgotten rural communities. He explores the realities of the drug crisis, the overlooked lessons from Amish life, and the most misunderstood communities in the country. The conversation examines how physical and cultural distance fuels division, and what stories emerge when you actually spend time in these places.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Mel Robbins sits down with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the most decorated 100-meter sprinter in history. Fraser-Pryce shares the mindset behind her three Olympic golds and ten World Championship titles, including how she uses visualization and self-belief to perform under pressure. She opens up about bouncing back from failure and tuning out the comparison that distracts from personal excellence. She also discusses how becoming a mother strengthened her career rather than ending it, defying critics who said she had to choose. The conversation is both a masterclass in elite performance and a universally applicable guide to unlocking your best self.

Dr. David Perlmutter

In this episode, neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter shares the latest science on how the brain's immune cells—microglia—drive both health and disease. He explains how immunometabolism links metabolism and immune function, why Alzheimer's is increasingly viewed as a metabolic disorder, and how lifestyle factors like exercise, nutrition, and stress management can support brain immune resilience. The conversation covers the limited role of current Alzheimer's drugs, the surprising benefits of GLP-1 medications for neuroprotection, and the specific foods and supplements that defend the brain from degeneration.

Jon Gordon

In this episode, host Shawn Stevenson interviews author and speaker Jon Gordon about building better habits. They discuss the power of a gratitude walk, how to silence negative inner thoughts, and strategies for making new habits easier to adopt. Gordon explains concepts like 'the Habit Before the Habit' and the importance of a personal highlight reel. The conversation covers practical techniques for improving health, mindset, and performance through small, consistent actions.

Ryan Holiday urges a Stoic approach to news consumption: recognize the repetitive, emotionally manipulative nature of media and focus your attention on what you can control. He recommends four books that dissect media manipulation and the degradation of public discourse.

In the third installment of 'The Staten Island Problem,' Malcolm Gladwell delves into the fierce local battle over Staten Island's possible secession from New York City, using newly discovered audio recordings of community debates. To understand the dynamics, he introduces the 'Tuvalu Effect,' a historical analogy drawn from a remote Polynesian island. The episode further explores the human side of the debate through the voices of Staten Island residents themselves.

Annie Jacobsen

Annie Jacobsen argues that while nuclear war has long been the ultimate existential threat, a biological attack could be far more insidious, spreading silently and causing chaos without a single explosion. Drawing on declassified intelligence, Soviet bioweapon history, and COVID-19 lessons, she maps the likely first 24 hours of a leak and the rapid descent into anarchy within six days. The conversation examines why bioweapons remain a blind spot for governments and what makes the perfect biological agent. Jacobsen also reveals the Soviet attempt to create a euphoric plague, underscoring the dark creativity of state-run programs.

Danae Smith

Danae Smith explores how wonder can be cultivated in everyday moments through intentional practices of stillness, presence, and gratitude. Rather than waiting for extraordinary events, she argues that slowing down and appreciating the familiar helps quiet comparison, deepen contentment, and rediscover the beauty already around us.

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer opens up about her journey from child star to finding authentic self-worth. She discusses how early fame, anxiety, and depression led to a midlife crisis at 17, and how motherhood, boundary-setting, and emotional honesty became tools for redefining success from the inside out. The conversation weaves through childhood trauma, the pressure to perform, and the courage required to choose yourself over others' expectations.

William O. Stephens

Ryan Holiday interviews Professor William O. Stephens about the profound intellectual lineage between Epictetus, a former slave philosopher, and Marcus Aurelius, the most powerful ruler of Rome. Stephens explores how Marcus Aurelius discovered Epictetus's teachings, why they resonated so deeply with the emperor, and how a slave's philosophy of freedom and self-mastery shaped one of history's greatest leaders. The episode illuminates how ideas about power, control, and inner resilience transcended the vast gulf between master and slave across centuries.

Arthur Brooks

Ryan Holiday explores whether happiness is achievable through a Stoic lens, drawing on insights from Arthur Brooks about the relationship between mastery, effort, and contentment. The episode challenges the modern pursuit of happiness as a destination and reframes it as a byproduct of virtuous living and proper effort allocation.

Ryan Holiday

Ryan Holiday explores twelve recurring principles from Marcus Aurelius's personal writings—the rules the most powerful man in the world returned to repeatedly when facing difficulty, disappointment, and overwhelming responsibility. These rules offer practical guidance for navigating modern life's challenges.

Seth Godin

Mel Robbins sits down with Seth Godin to explore two deceptively simple questions that reshape how you make decisions, allocate time, and build your future. Seth—author of 20+ bestselling books and one of Mel's most influential mentors—cuts through the noise of productivity theater and misaligned goals to reveal what actually matters. The episode dismantles common traps: chasing metrics that don't reflect your values, saying yes to everything, waiting for perfection or confidence before acting, and seeking approval from people who don't understand your vision.

Ed Mylett (host); Tom Papa, Lewis Howes, Dr. G, LeAnn Rimes (featured conversations)

Ed Mylett weaves together four conversations exploring the gap between ego and authenticity. Tom Papa discusses confidence versus ego and humility as strength. Lewis Howes shares a vulnerable breakthrough about hiding pain behind achievement. Dr. G explores how shame becomes trapped in the body and shapes our lives. LeAnn Rimes opens up about criticism, anxiety, and defining herself from within rather than through others' approval. The core theme: real peace and freedom come from dropping the masks and embracing who you truly are.

Steven Pressfield

Ryan Holiday interviews bestselling author Steven Pressfield about the crisis of men abandoning fiction for non-fiction advice books. Pressfield argues that great fiction teaches courage, honor, sacrifice, and the human condition in ways that facts and self-help cannot replicate. Drawing from his own 27-year apprenticeship before publication and diverse work experiences, Pressfield explains why stories remain essential to understanding what it means to be human.

Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy argues that success isn't about working harder but about eliminating self-sabotaging behaviors. By replacing habits like procrastination, self-doubt, and blame with personal responsibility, persistence, and continuous learning, you become someone who naturally creates success. The episode covers ten specific habits that hold people back and how to replace them.

Nick Maggiulli

Scott Galloway and Nick Maggiulli, COO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, field listener questions on personal finance across life stages. They address practical strategies for building wealth on modest incomes, generating retirement income without fixating on dividends, and whether young families should continue investing or wait for inheritance. The episode balances actionable advice with psychological frameworks for long-term financial success.

Dr. Cindy Geyer, Dr. Eric Topol, Dr. Aseem Malhotra

A compilation episode featuring three cardiologists and metabolic health experts challenging the cholesterol-centric narrative around heart disease. The conversation explores inflammation, insulin resistance, metabolic dysfunction, and lifestyle as primary drivers of cardiovascular risk, emphasizing that heart disease develops over decades and that many risk factors are modifiable through prevention strategies.

Chloe Bailey

Chloe Bailey discusses her journey from YouTube covers to signing with Beyoncé's label, navigating industry pressure around appearance, and overcoming people-pleasing patterns. She shares lessons from heartbreak, her approach to dating dealbreakers, and the process of learning to value herself beyond external validation.

Atsuko Okatsuka

Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka joins Conan to discuss her stand-up special Father, her childhood experience being kidnapped by her grandmother to the United States, learning humor as a survival mechanism within her family, the lasting bonds formed through cheerleading, and the absurdity of internet reviews. Okatsuka brings sharp observational comedy rooted in her multicultural upbringing and family dynamics.

Ryan Holiday

Ryan Holiday examines the looksmaxxing trend through a Stoic lens, exploring where self-improvement becomes unhealthy obsession. The episode unpacks the Stoic critique of chasing external validation, distinguishes between genuine self-care and vanity-driven perfectionism, and explains what the ancient philosophers would say about modern appearance optimization culture.

Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge

Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, a professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia University, discusses the bidirectional relationship between nutrition and sleep. She explains how even moderate sleep loss increases appetite, alters hunger hormones, and can cause weight gain even without extra calories. St-Onge also covers how meal timing and specific foods—like fiber, ginger, and saturated fat—affect sleep quality and metabolism, and shares evidence-based dietary approaches like the Mediterranean and DASH diets to improve sleep and cardiometabolic health.

Ryan Holiday

Ryan Holiday reflects on the need for courageous, good people in society and discusses how he's pushing himself creatively. The episode touches on character, creative challenge, and the role individuals play in meeting society's deeper needs. Holiday connects personal creative work to broader questions of virtue and contribution.

Chris Reining

Chris Reining explores how childhood experiences shape the fears and anxieties we carry into adulthood, often invisibly limiting our careers and relationships. Through personal stories of overcoming public speaking anxiety, he demonstrates that confronting fear directly—rather than avoiding it—leads to genuine growth and resilience. The episode argues that successful people don't eliminate fear; they develop confidence to handle whatever comes.

Jay Shetty (host solo)

Jay Shetty challenges the myths we've inherited about purpose—that it's a single calling, that passion precedes action, or that clarity must come first. Instead, he reframes purpose as something built through curiosity, experimentation, and small consistent steps. He offers a practical framework: pay attention to what comes naturally, what moves or frustrates you, challenges you've lived through, and who you envy. The core message: stop waiting for certainty and trust that clarity emerges through action, not before it.

Jeremy Utley, Henrik Werdelin

Ryan Holiday discusses with Jeremy Utley and Henrik Werdelin how Stoic philosophy applies to the age of AI and advanced tools. The conversation explores which human skills remain irreplaceable as technology becomes more powerful, and why judgment—the ability to discern what matters—becomes increasingly critical when tools can handle execution.

Matthew Hussey

Jay Shetty sits down with dating coach Matthew Hussey at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas to discuss why modern dating feels exhausting and how we confuse chemistry with emotional chaos. They explore how real connection is quieter and steadier than expected, challenge the "finding the one" narrative, and discuss how great relationships are built through trust, consistency, and emotional maturity. The conversation covers setting healthy standards, communicating needs without fear, maintaining self-worth, and recognizing when to walk away from relationships that don't serve you.

Jaron Lanier

Sam Harris and Jaron Lanier discuss recent geopolitical crises and emerging technologies. Topics include the Trump administration's failed Iran strategy, the information warfare surrounding Gaza and October 7, disputed reporting on Israeli prisoner treatment, the implications of AI-generated music, Claude's recent mathematical breakthrough, and ethical questions around GLP-1 use concealment. The episode balances current events analysis with longer-term technological and ethical concerns.

Manoush Zomorodi

Manoush Zomorodi discusses her new book The Body Electric, exploring how sedentary, screen-heavy lifestyles damage health and how simple interventions work. The core finding: five minutes of gentle movement every 30 minutes significantly improves blood sugar, blood pressure, mood, and focus. They explore workplace resistance to movement breaks, the body-brain connection, and practical strategies for building sustainable habits that make better health accessible within demanding modern work.

Dr Courtney Conley

Dr Courtney Conley, a movement specialist, joins host Rangan Chatterjee to explore walking as a foundational health practice. The episode deconstructs the 10,000-step target, reveals that even adding just 1,000 steps daily reduces dementia and all-cause mortality risk, and provides practical cues for efficient walking including rolling through feet, walking tall, and nasal breathing. The conversation covers foot health issues from plantar fasciitis to osteopenia, the importance of strength training alongside walking for aging, and how to transition safely from cushioned to minimal footwear.

Charlie Puth

Charlie Puth joins Conan to discuss his latest album Whatever's Clever! and his worldwide tour. They explore how musicians use sound to shift room energy, the dangers of self-centered artistry, and what it takes to sustain a creative career in music.

Shawn Achor

Dr. Laurie Santos sits down with positive psychology researcher Shawn Achor to explore how core beliefs about time, work, relationships, and self-worth shape happiness and success. Achor discusses his research on seven foundational beliefs and shares practical strategies for shifting beliefs that may be holding you back from wellbeing and achievement.

Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones explores how complaining becomes an automatic habit that shapes our mindset and relationships. She shares practical techniques to interrupt negative thinking patterns, establish healthier emotional boundaries, and cultivate genuine appreciation—leading to greater peace and well-being without toxic positivity.

Michelle Alexander, Lucas Johnson

Krista Tippett reflects on the 59th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Beyond Vietnam" speech at Riverside Church, exploring the moral and spiritual foundations of Dr. King's call for a "revolution of values" beyond civil rights. The episode examines how Dr. King's vision connected war, poverty, and national soul-searching—and what that demand for moral imagination means for us now. Guests Michelle Alexander and Lucas Johnson discuss the enduring work of addressing systemic injustice and the urgent call to broaden our moral imagination beyond the crises that transfix us moment to moment.

Tim Burchett

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) discusses his work in Congress, including his role as chairman of the DOGE Subcommittee and membership in the UAP Caucus. The conversation covers government accountability, oversight responsibilities, and legislative priorities across defense, foreign affairs, and infrastructure.

Jaron Lanier

Sam Harris and Jaron Lanier discuss current events including the launch of Making Sense Community, Sam's conversation with Ben Shapiro, the New York Times's coverage of Hasan Piker, Zohran Mamdani's approach to Islamism, misuse of the word 'genocide,' and AI-driven job displacement. The episode covers media dynamics, political discourse, and technological disruption.

Oz Pearlman

Oz Pearlman is a mentalist, magician, and endurance athlete who has spent 30 years making audiences believe he can read minds. This episode unpacks the psychology behind mentalism — how body language, storytelling, and subtle psychological principles create the illusion of mind-reading. Oz explains the core mechanics of his craft, how to build instant trust with strangers, techniques for detecting deception, and the mental toughness required to perform for the world's most powerful people.

Jeff Ross

Conan and executive producer Jeff Ross discuss the current state of the entertainment industry, its structural challenges, and why certain formats work for certain personalities. The conversation touches on what makes talk shows viable in the modern era and the mismatch between Conan's comedic sensibility and daytime television conventions.

Haemin Sunim

Zen Buddhist teacher and author Haemin Sunim discusses how we always have a choice in how we interpret and respond to life's challenges, even when things don't go our way. This bitesize episode, drawn from a longer conversation, explores the crucially important notion that difficult times offer opportunities for growth and unexpected joy.

Nilay Patel

Sony's TV partnership with TCL and the restructuring of the TV industry as hardware margins collapse and software/streaming become the primary revenue models.

Dr. Daniel Levitin

Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin on how music affects the brain: it activates more brain regions simultaneously than any other activity, reduces cortisol, increases dopamine, and can improve outcomes in pain management, dementia, and surgery recovery.

Bryan Stevenson

Civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson — founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, who has saved 140+ people from death row — on hope, mercy, and proximity to injustice. Core message: get close to suffering rather than avoiding it, no one is defined by their worst mistake, and hope is an orientation of the spirit, not a prediction of outcomes. One of the most powerful episodes in the catalog.

Dr. Anna Lembke

Stanford psychiatrist Anna Lembke explains the pleasure-pain seesaw: the brain maintains homeostasis, so every pleasure hit triggers a compensatory pain response. Modern life — scrolling, snacking, multitasking — creates chronic dopamine overstimulation that depletes motivation. The fix: self-binding strategies that create barriers between you and compulsive behaviors, plus deliberate 'dopamine fasting' to reset the balance. Highly research-backed.

David Bach

David Bach's 'automatic millionaire' plan: automate saving and investing so it happens without daily willpower decisions. Pay yourself first, set up automatic transfers, and let compound interest do the work. Practical, accessible financial advice for people who aren't finance experts.

Dr. Stacy Sims

Exercise physiologist Stacy Sims on why most fitness and nutrition advice fails women — it's based on male bodies. Covers why fasting doesn't work for women, how hormonal changes affect fat distribution, the protein gap (current RDA was set for sedentary men), benefits of creatine for women, cold plunging differences, and gut microbiome changes during perimenopause. Research-dense and highly practical.

Terry Real

Couples therapist Terry Real introduces Relational Life Therapy: relationships cycle through harmony, disharmony, and repair — but most couples only experience the first two because they lack repair skills. Your 'adaptive child' patterns (harshness, withdrawal, over-functioning) are survival strategies from childhood that sabotage adult relationships. Mel shares vulnerable moments from her own 29-year marriage.

James Clear

James Clear walks through the full Atomic Habits framework: 1% daily improvement compounds to 37.78x over a year. The four laws of behavior change, identity-based habits, why bad outcomes are lagging measures of bad systems, and how to make habits small enough for your worst day. The Robbins-Clear pairing makes this the most accessible version of the material.

Dr. Katy Milkman

Wharton behavioral scientist Katy Milkman reveals 7 hidden barriers to achieving goals. Key frameworks: the Fresh Start Effect (why January 1 actually works for habit change), temptation bundling (pair unpleasant tasks with enjoyable ones), and why willpower alone always fails. Research-backed strategies for making change stick.

Amishi Jha

Miami neuroscientist Amishi Jha on attention as a trainable skill. Her research: 12 minutes of daily mindfulness practice strengthens the brain's attention system measurably — improving focus, working memory, and emotional regulation.

Morgan Housel

Mel's compilation of the best financial wisdom from her expert guests — David Bach, Morgan Housel, and others. Core message: automate savings, avoid lifestyle inflation, and invest consistently.

Mel Robbins (solo)

The definitive 'Let Them' episode — Mel's most popular framework. Let them misunderstand you. Let them judge. Let them leave. Your only job is to control your response.

Cal Newport

Georgetown computer scientist Cal Newport on deep work, slow productivity, and why busyness is the enemy of meaningful output. The key: do fewer things, at a natural pace, with obsessive quality.

Emma Grede

Mel's most-shared episode of 2025. A comprehensive solo episode covering self-doubt, comparison, perfectionism, and the 'Let Them' theory. Designed as a one-episode life reset.

Prof. Tim Spector

Tim Spector explains the full metabolic picture of menopause: changing body composition, altered glucose responses, increased inflammation, cardiovascular risk shifts, and bone density loss — and evidence-based dietary and lifestyle interventions.

Gabby Reece

Former professional volleyball player Gabby Reece and Dr. Federica Amati discuss maintaining mobility, strength, and flexibility through aging. Why mobility loss accelerates disease risk and practical daily movements that preserve joint health.

Chamath Palihapitiya

Markets crash as Trump imposes sweeping tariffs. The besties debate whether tariffs are strategic negotiation (Sacks) or economic self-harm (Friedberg). Chamath analyzes the market selloff. Discussion of whether global trade is being permanently reorganized.

Chamath Palihapitiya

The besties discuss DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) and its aggressive federal spending cuts. Sacks defends the initiative as overdue reform. Chamath worries about implementation chaos. Friedberg analyzes the economic impact of federal job losses.

Mel Robbins

Mel Robbins discusses her #1 NYT bestseller The Let Them Theory — a framework for releasing the need to control others' behavior. The 'Let Them' approach reduces stress by focusing only on what you can control.

Dan Buettner

Dan Buettner returns to distill his blue zones research into five daily habits anyone can adopt: natural movement throughout the day, plant-forward eating, purpose rituals, social connection at meals, and stress-shedding practices like napping or prayer.

Peter Attia

Attia's foundational framework: Medicine 3.0 (proactive, not reactive). The four horsemen of death (CVD, cancer, neurodegeneration, metabolic disease). The 'centenarian decathlon' — training now for the physical tasks you want to perform at 90. Five pillars: exercise, nutrition, sleep, emotional health, drugs/supplements.

Chamath Palihapitiya

The besties react to the first Biden-Trump debate, Biden's visible decline, and the Supreme Court overturning Chevron deference. Sacks advocates for a new Democratic candidate. Major discussion on regulatory power shifting from agencies to courts.

Chamath Palihapitiya

NVIDIA reports revenue up 262% year-over-year. The besties debate whether AI spending is a bubble or the beginning of a genuine platform shift. Chamath compares AI capex to 1990s telecom spending — which produced the internet despite the bust.

Dr. Gabor Maté

Gabor Maté's fourth appearance on the show. Five lessons people learn too late: authenticity over approval, curiosity over judgment, presence over productivity, compassion over control, and connection over achievement. Why longevity without quality is meaningless.

Chamath Palihapitiya

Three major stories: the EU's AI Act, the US TikTok ban legislation, and the DOJ's antitrust suit against Apple. The besties debate whether regulation helps or hurts innovation, whether TikTok is a national security threat, and whether Apple's App Store is a monopoly.

Shi Heng Yi

35th-generation Shaolin Master Shi Heng Yi on the five hindrances to self-mastery: sensual desire, ill will, dullness, restlessness, and doubt. How physical discipline creates mental clarity, and why the body is the gateway to the mind.

Dr. Federica Amati

ZOE's head nutritionist Dr. Federica Amati and James Clear discuss strategies for building lasting dietary habits. Why willpower fails, how environment design trumps motivation, and the compound effect of small daily food choices.

Dr. Chris van Tulleken

Dr. Chris van Tulleken explains the UPF crisis: 50-60% of calories in the UK and US now come from ultra-processed food. His self-experiment showed measurable brain changes from 4 weeks of UPF-heavy eating. Why the food industry designs food to override satiety.

Chamath Palihapitiya

The annual predictions episode. Each bestie makes bold calls for 2024: Chamath predicts interest rate cuts, Sacks predicts AI regulation battles, Friedberg predicts breakthroughs in protein engineering, Calacanis predicts a startup funding recovery.

Chamath Palihapitiya

Two major stories: the besties interview Tucker Carlson on media and politics, then break down the OpenAI boardroom coup where Sam Altman was fired and rehired within 5 days. Sacks provides insider perspective on the governance crisis.

Jared Kushner

Jared Kushner joins the besties to discuss the Abraham Accords, the Israel-Hamas war, and paths toward Middle East peace. Kushner argues that economic incentives — not ideology — are the path to stability. The besties push back on the role of US involvement.

Chamath Palihapitiya

The besties react to the October 7th Hamas attack and Israel's response. Sacks argues for restraint, Chamath focuses on market implications, Friedberg examines energy markets, and Calacanis discusses the startup funding crunch. Heated disagreements on proportionality and US involvement.