We’ve spent decades trying to reduce, manage, and protect ourselves from stress. But what if that entire strategy is backwards? In this episode, Michael and Megan sit down with Stanford health psychologist and bestselling author Kelly McGonigal to challenge the most common assumptions about what stress is and how we should respond. If you’re ready to stop chasing the fantasy of a stress-free life and start living with greater resilience and joy, this conversation will show you where to begin.
Episodes
52. BARRY SCHWARTZ: Stop Searching for the Best
What if having too many options is making us miserable? Psychologist Barry Schwartz joins Michael and Megan to explore why optimizing for maximum return costs us, what it really means to find a calling, and why AI might be making us more knowledgeable but less wise.
51. NICHOLAS CARR: The Case for Adding Friction
Are our most powerful tools quietly reshaping who we become? Author Nicholas Carr joins Michael and Megan to explore how digital technology—especially social media and AI—affects attention, learning, relationships, and human flourishing.
50. JACOB MCHANGAMA: Disagreeing Without Losing Each Other
Disagreement feels riskier than ever. Free speech expert Jacob Mchangama explains why fear-based silence breeds loneliness and how curiosity, humility, and wise boundaries can help you talk through hard topics without breaking trust.
49. CAROLINE WILLIAMS: Your Most Underrated Intelligence Center
What if the missing link in performance is more body awareness? Science journalist Caroline Williams unpacks the power of interoception and how simple, free practices can restore clarity, resilience, and connection.
48. HAL ELROD: Daily Essentials for Aging Well
What if the best morning routine isn’t the most impressive, but the most repeatable? Hal Elrod returns to adapt the “SAVERS” practices behind The Miracle Morning for aging—showing how simple, nature-aligned habits can boost health, focus, and purpose.
47. HAL HERSHFIELD: Making Better Choices Feel Easier
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.
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.
