What if the key to better decisions is a stronger relationship with your future self? Behavioral scientist Hal Hershfield explains how to leverage imagination and future-focused thinking to reduce the friction of choosing good things today for a better tomorrow.
Episodes
46. VIRGINIA POSTREL: Staying Hopeful in a Changing World
Progress isn’t just bigger paychecks and faster tech—it’s also dignity, beauty, and agency in everyday life. In this episode, Virginia Postrel explains why we forget our progress and how to build resilience for a rapidly changing future.
45. PAT FLYNN: Opting Out of Learning Overload
You don’t need more information. You need fewer open loops. In this episode, Pat Flynn—author of Lean Learning—shares how to achieve more by learning less.
44. MICHAEL BUNGAY STANIER: The Problem With Having the Answers
Advice is easy. Curiosity is rare. In this powerful conversation, Michael Bungay Stanier—author of The Coaching Habit and How to Work With (Almost) Anyone—redefines what real leadership looks like.
43. JOEL MILLER: Books Make Us Better
Why do some ideas spark movements while others fizzle? Joel—author of The Idea Machine, veteran publisher, and Chief Content Officer at Full Focus—explains how books transform vague thoughts into precise, shareable frameworks. You’ll hear the case for analog reading, how writing unlocks buy-in at work, and why AI and books actually belong together. Practical, contrarian, and deeply encouraging for any high achiever who wants clearer thinking and better communication.
42. ELIZABETH STANLEY: The Biology of Resilience
Stress is everywhere, but it doesn’t have to run your life. In this episode, discover how to rewire your nervous system, expand your resilience, and move from chronic anxiety into steadiness.
41. OLIVER BURKEMAN: Trading Control for Peace
The control you’re reaching for is probably ruining the life you’re really after. In this episode, author Oliver Burkeman unpacks the surprising freedom found in accepting our limitations—and what it means for how you live and work.
40. ELIZABETH OLDFIELD: Becoming Steady, Connected, and Fully Alive
What if the key to thriving isn’t managing your circumstances perfectly—but rooting yourself in the connections that matter most? In this heartfelt conversation, Michael and Megan talk with Elizabeth Oldfield, author of Fully Alive, about reclaiming depth, community, and soul-level steadiness in a culture addicted to speed and distraction. Elizabeth draws on ancient wisdom, modern insight, and her own experience living in intentional community to offer a hopeful path forward.
39. CHRIS DUCKER: Bouncing Back from Burnout
Don’t wait until life breaks you to take a break. In this episode, discover why slowing down, finding hobbies, and practicing real self-care may be the most strategic moves you can make for lasting leadership.
