The Motivated Mind - podcast cover

The Motivated Mind

Scott Lynchwww.scottmlynch.com
I'm Scott Lynch, host of The Motivated Mind, a Spotify top 100 Health & Fitness podcast with over 6 million downloads. Each week, I bring you practical and tactical insights on how to master your mindset and optimize your happiness. No fluff, no BS, no filter, just a swift kick in the mind. If you like learning about things like philosophy, psychology, lifestyle hacks, entrepreneurship, or dodging existential dread, then you're in the right place.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

You Have No Excuse Not To Do This

It’s not a lack of information that’s holding you back. It’s not your schedule, or your inbox, or the algorithm. More often than not, it’s just you, caught in the endless loop of waiting for the perfect plan instead of showing up consistently. In this episode, I unpack why doing something small every day matters way more than going big once in a while. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclusive content every week and more badass offeri...

Jun 30, 20256 min

5 Reasons You Keep Procrastinating

We all do it. That task you’ve been avoiding? Still there. That thing you told yourself you’d start tomorrow? Welcome to tomorrow. We like to think procrastination is just laziness, but it’s usually something deeper. A hidden fear, a mental block, or maybe just a really well-organized form of avoidance. In this episode, I unpack five surprising reasons you keep putting things off and why willpower isn’t the solution. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon wh...

Jun 26, 202512 min

This Productivity System Helped Me Organize My Life

I used to scribble notes everywhere, Post-its, Google Docs, notes app, my hand, and then wonder why I couldn’t find anything when I actually needed it. Turns out, productivity isn't just about to-do lists and caffeine; it’s about getting your digital life in order to free up your mental space and make room for better ideas (and fewer forgotten passwords). In this episode, I break down the simple system I now use to capture ideas, organize my digital clutter, and actually follow through on projec...

Jun 23, 202513 min

How A Fresh Start Changed Our Life

Have you ever wanted to just start over, to hit control, alt, delete on your life and start from scratch? A few years ago, my wife Mel and I asked ourselves a terrifying question: What if we let it all go and started over? The answer sent us down an unexpected path, one that taught us a lot about freedom, burnout, and the science of change. In this episode, I unpack our story, explore the psychology behind the Fresh Start Effect, and reveal why the timing of change might matter more than the too...

Jun 19, 202510 min

The "Do Something" Principle Will Change Your Life

Motivation is often treated like this mysterious, elusive force, something you wait for, something that magically appears before you finally take action. But what if that’s exactly backward? What if action itself is the spark that fuels motivation? In this episode, I unpack the "Do Something" Principle. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclusive content every week and more badass offerings (rips t-shirt in half, Hulk Hogan style, and r...

Jun 16, 20255 min

5 Things I Wish I Knew At 20

Your twenties are supposed to be “the best years of your life,” right? But no one tells you how confusing, overwhelming, and straight-up weird they can be. There are things we only learn the hard way, sometimes after a few missteps, sometimes after a full-on identity crisis in a grocery store parking lot. In this episode, I reflect on five lessons that would've saved me a lot of time, a few black eyes (literally), and more than one painfully awkward date. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Leve...

Jun 12, 202510 min

Talking About Your Goals Is Destroying Your Success

We’ve all met that person, the one who’s two green smoothies deep into the new year and already telling everyone how their “new routine” is going to change their life. But the problem is that talking about your goals can feel almost as good as achieving them. And that’s exactly the trap. In this episode, I unpack why announcing your ambitions too early might be sabotaging your progress, how false dopamine rewards keep us stuck in the planning phase, and why the most disciplined people usually sa...

Jun 09, 20255 min

How To Cure Brain Fog

Have you ever sat down to get something done and felt like your brain forgot to show up to the meeting? Like there’s a thick haze between you and your thoughts, sluggish, scattered, stuck in neutral? Yeah… same. Brain fog isn’t just a quirky phrase, it’s a real, frustrating state that creeps in quietly and overstays its welcome. And in a world built to hijack your focus and drain your energy, it’s no surprise that so many of us are experiencing it. In this episode, I dig into three surprisingly ...

Jun 05, 202512 min

Tiny Habits That Will Improve Your Life

If you’re looking to completely transform your life, you don’t need to overhaul everything overnight. In fact, the most meaningful changes often come from the smallest shifts, the kind that take 10 seconds or less but pay dividends over time. In this episode, I break down the small habits I’ve added over the years that have led to major shifts in my health, mindset, and productivity. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclusive content e...

Jun 02, 202512 min

How to Take Back Your Financial Freedom

We’ve normalized debt, student loans, car payments, credit cards, and convinced ourselves it’s just the cost of adulthood. But what if it’s actually the biggest barrier to the life you want? In this episode, I break down why most of us are drowning in consumer debt, how we got here, and what it really takes to climb out. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Episode resources: 100 books that have shaped my thinking the most Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclusive conten...

May 29, 202515 min

Rewiring Your Brain For Focus

There are moments when sitting down to do something meaningful feels physically uncomfortable, like your brain is actively protesting. You open your laptop with the best intentions, and five minutes later, you’re in a black hole of browser tabs, group chats, and a suspicious number of snack breaks. Why is it so hard to focus, especially on the stuff that actually matters? In this episode, I unpack the science behind that resistance, why our brains crave distraction, how dopamine has hijacked our...

May 26, 202511 min

What Happens When You Actually Try Daily Affirmations?

Most self-help advice makes me cringe. Vision boards, “manifesting,” and the whole daily affirmation thing? Yeah, I’ve always put that in the woo-woo category. But lately, I’ve been stuck in my head, wrestling with self-doubt, perfectionism, and the classic case of overthinking everything. So I decided to try something that made me deeply uncomfortable: staring at myself in the mirror and saying things like “I am enough.” And no, I didn’t spontaneously combust from secondhand embarrassment. In t...

May 22, 202512 min

The 5 Minute Rule

Ever stared at your to-do list and felt like it was staring back, daring you to make the first move? You’re not lazy. Your brain’s just doing what it was built to do: avoid discomfort, conserve energy, and protect you from anything that feels even slightly threatening, like starting that massive project you’ve been putting off for months. In this episode, I break down one of the simplest yet most effective ways to bypass your brain’s panic button and finally get started: The 5 Minute Rule. For m...

May 19, 20257 min

What Kept Me Going When No One Was Listening

When I launched this podcast six years ago, I imagined big things: millions of downloads, awards, and overnight success. But that’s not what happened. Instead, I got eight downloads. And no, that’s not a metaphor. In this episode, I share what actually kept me going when no one was listening. It wasn’t hustle. It wasn’t motivation. It was something much simpler, and much harder to stick with. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclusive ...

May 15, 202512 min

This One Thing Saved My Health While Traveling

I love to travel. And I also kind of hate it. On one hand, you’re soaking in new cultures, trying unfamiliar foods, and pushing your comfort zone in all the right ways. On the other hand, your routine gets kicked in the face, your healthy habits vanish, and you leave feeling like you need a vacation from your vacation. After years of getting it wrong, I finally figured out how to travel without torching my well-being, and it all came down to one surprisingly simple shift. In this episode, I shar...

May 12, 202510 min

The 30-Day Dopamine Detox

Imagine gaining back 2.5 months of your life, every single year. That’s how much time the average person spends on their phone. And if you're like most of us, that screen time is spent scrolling, tapping, and chasing tiny red dots. In this episode, I break down why social media is the addiction no one wants to admit they have, and challenge you to do something radical: a 30-day social media detox. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclu...

May 08, 202510 min

A Minimalist Approach to Business

We’re constantly told that to build a successful business, we need to scale. More revenue, more employees, more followers—more everything. But what if more isn't the goal? In this episode, I explore how minimalism can shape not just your personal life, but the way you build and sustain your business. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclusive content every week and more badass offerings (rips t-shirt in half, Hulk Hogan style, and runs...

May 05, 202512 min

What Is It All For?

I used to be the guy who wore a “HUSTLE” shirt unironically and believed burnout was just part of the process. Fourteen-hour days? Normal. Skipping meals? Efficient. Chasing the next milestone without stopping to ask why ? Standard practice. But at some point, the question hit me: What is it all for? In this episode, I reflect on the shift from chasing more to seeking meaning. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclusive content every we...

May 01, 20256 min

What I Learned From My Twenties

There’s a special kind of cringe that comes from looking at photos of yourself at twenty. The weird haircut. The questionable fashion choices. The unshakable belief that you’ve got life all figured out. In this episode, I unpack the most transformative decade of my life, my twenties. From communication breakdowns to chasing happiness through material things and social status, I reflect on the lessons that truly shaped who I am today. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by join...

Apr 28, 202512 min

6 Ways to Cut Screen Time

Technology has done a lot of good. It’s connected us, empowered creators, and even helped us dodge awkward high school reunions. But somewhere along the way, our devices became more of a distraction than a tool. In this episode, I share six practical (and slightly unconventional) ways I’ve cut down my screen time without moving to the woods or throwing my phone into the ocean. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com This episode is brought to you by: BetterHelp Level up your life by joining my Patre...

Apr 24, 20259 min

The Most Underrated Time Hack I’ve Found

Ever feel like your day is just a series of interruptions disguised as productivity? Yeah, I’ve been there. But I stumbled across one small change that helped me actually get ahead and enjoy the work I was doing again. In this episode, I unpack the underrated time strategy that’s helped me simplify my schedule, protect my focus, and get more done with less stress. No hacks. No hustle culture. Just something surprisingly obvious that most of us overlook. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level ...

Apr 21, 20259 min

You Probably Don’t Need That

In a world obsessed with upgrades, it’s easy to convince yourself that you need the latest phone, laptop, or wireless noise-canceling, soul-soothing, AI-optimized headphones. But let’s be honest, you probably don’t need that. In this episode, I break down how I think about upgrades, when I actually buy into the hype, and how minimalism isn’t about refusing modern tech or living in a cave. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclusive cont...

Apr 17, 202512 min

Unlocking Peak Performance

You don’t need to scale a mountain or surf a 100-foot wave to hit your peak. In fact, unlocking your full potential might be a lot simpler, and a lot more boring, than you think. In this episode, I unpack the science behind “flow,” that elusive state where time vanishes, focus sharpens, and we perform at our absolute best. Inspired by the work of author and journalist Steven Kotler, I dive into how elite athletes, creatives, and everyday people are using flow to redefine what’s possible. For mor...

Apr 14, 20259 min

How To Handle Uncertainty

Uncertainty is that invisible weight we all carry, quietly dictating our decisions, our stress levels, and, occasionally, how many iPhones we think we need to survive a trade war. In this episode, I break down how to stop letting uncertainty run the show, how to identify your response style, why panic rarely helps, and how overpreparing can be just as useless as not preparing at all. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclusive content e...

Apr 10, 20259 min

Why You Only Have Two Choices

Putting yourself out there is terrifying. The fear of judgment, criticism, or complete indifference can make you second-guess everything. But at some point, you have to decide—will you let it break you, or will you use it? In this episode, I share my journey from publishing content with my eyes shut to learning how to handle feedback (the good, the bad, and the wildly unproductive). For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclusive content ev...

Apr 07, 20257 min

Building a Productive Life That Feels Good

We all want to be more productive, right? But what does true productivity look like today? In this episode, I dive into how the definition of productivity has evolved—from the Industrial Revolution’s quest to do more with less, to today’s goal of creating space for what actually matters. I share the systems I rely on to keep my days running smoothly, and how productivity doesn’t have to mean sacrificing well-being. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon wher...

Apr 03, 202510 min

I Thought Journaling Was BS

I used to think journaling was a complete waste of time. You’ve probably heard the endless claims about how it can improve focus, clarity, and help you achieve your goals. But did I buy into it? Not at first. In this episode, I share my personal journey with journaling, why I thought it was nonsense, and how it slowly started to make sense—just not in the way I expected. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com This episode is brought to you by: House of Atlas Level up your life by joining my Patreon...

Mar 31, 20259 min

The Moment I Knew I Had to Slow Down

We all know the feeling—the hustle, the grind, the constant push to achieve more. But what happens when the grind you thought you wanted starts to take its toll? In this episode, I reflect on the last few years of my life, sharing some personal realizations about the pursuit of success, balance, and the unexpected lessons that come with slowing down. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com This episode is brought to you by: AWE Tiles Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclusiv...

Mar 27, 20257 min

You Don't Need This

We’ve all fallen for it—those catchy titles promising life-changing results if we just buy one more thing. But do we actually need it? In this episode, I take a closer look at how these tactics influence us and why true progress comes from honing your craft, not upgrading your gear. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclusive content every week and more badass offerings (rips t-shirt in half, Hulk Hogan style, and runs around the room)....

Mar 24, 20258 min

The Most Overlooked Way to Be More Productive

We’re all pretty good at cramming more into our days—stretching our to-do lists until they resemble CVS receipts. But what if the real cheat code to sustained productivity has nothing to do with doing more? In this episode, I dive into an often-ignored strategy that could save you from running on fumes. And yes, I may or may not reference 90s R&B to drive the point home. For more go to: www.scottmlynch.com Level up your life by joining my Patreon where you’ll get exclusive content every week...

Mar 20, 202510 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android
Open in Metacast