Life as a nightclub promoter in New York City was an unending cycle of drinking, drugs, models, and fast cars. After ten years, Scott Harrison's vices caught up with him, and a health scare forced him to reflect on his life. Scott felt decadent, wasteful, and morally bankrupt. He decided to completely reverse course. Scott spent the next 2 years in West Africa on board a nonprofit hospital ship, where he saw a level of human suffering that led him to his true calling. Today, solving the global w...
Feb 27, 2024•42 min•Ep. 116
Great communicators aren't born that way. They're self-made. Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist whose new book, Supercommunicators , explores how some people have unlocked the secret language of connection. Charles and I discuss what makes these "supercommunicators" unique, why we need stories to convey ideas, and how being honest once saved a CIA recruiter his job. This...is A Bit of Optimism. To learn more about Charles's work, check out: his book Supercommunicators charlesd...
Feb 20, 2024•28 min•Ep. 115
In a divided society, idealists believe we can overcome our differences. Alexandra Hudson is one of those idealists. Disillusioned by the backstabbing she witnessed in federal government, she began to research how we can repair the divisions keeping us apart. We discuss what being civil means in a dog-eat-dog culture and why building a more connected community can start on the front porch. This...is A Bit of Optimism. To learn more about Alexandra and her work, check out: her book: The Soul of C...
Feb 13, 2024•21 min•Ep. 114
When life gets tough, true friends ask for help. Christina Tosi is that kind of friend. She's someone I can trust with anything and someone I can cry with. She also happens to be a world-class pastry chef, a genius dessert maker, and the founder and CEO of Milk Bar. We reflect on the art of asking for help and how sometimes all we need from a true friend is 8 minutes of their time. This...is A Bit of Optimism. For more on Christina and her work, check out: https://www.christinatosi.com/ https://...
Feb 06, 2024•40 min•Ep. 113
Awkwardness gets a bad rap, but the trait is often an indicator that someone is extraordinary. Psychologist and author Ty Tashiro has spent a great deal of time studying (and living!) social awkwardness. He's fascinated by how the same traits that cause us social embarrassment can also drive exceptional accomplishment. As a fellow awkward person myself, I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with Ty about the advantages of being awkward, what the socially fluent can learn from awkward people, an...
Jan 30, 2024•32 min•Ep. 112
What makes humanity unique? Dr. Michael Muthukrishna is fascinated by why our species behaves the way it does. In his book, A Theory of Everyone , Michael seeks to answer some of the deepest questions humans have about ourselves and how our cultures came to be. Why do humans create culture? What do all our societies have in common? And how can this knowledge help us build a better future? This...is A Bit of Optimism. In our conversation, Michael references a paper published in Science titled "Th...
Jan 23, 2024•35 min•Ep. 111
In the New Year, we all aspire to become better versions of ourselves. But how do we change our behavior so new habits actually stick? Well, James Clear is THE expert on habits. His book, Atomic Habits, is the #1 New York Times bestseller with over 15 million copies sold. Together, James and I break down his powerful approach to forming better habits, breaking the bad ones, and living the life we desire. This...is A Bit of Optimism. To learn more about James and his work, check out: jamesclear.c...
Jan 16, 2024•33 min•Ep. 110
Lasting success requires innovation. But how do we build teams that keep innovation in their DNA? Jackie Reses is Silicon Valley royalty precisely because she knows how to hire, build, and lead the best teams for the best companies. Jackie was a senior executive at Yahoo!, Alibaba, and Square and now she is the founder and CEO of a new bank disrupting retail finance. We talked about what it takes to empower people to invent new things and how grit, paranoia, and excellence breed success. This is...
Jan 09, 2024•35 min•Ep. 109
Great comedians have the ability to point out some of the madness, ridiculousness, and nuance that exists in the world. Alex Edelman is already one of the greats. His current show, "Just For Us," is a transformative experience for his audiences, as he regales them with his experience as an unwelcome interloper at a meeting for white supremacists. Our conversation was just as enlightening. We discussed how imperfections are beautiful, how seeing humanity in others is the first step to peace, and ...
Dec 19, 2023•34 min•Ep. 108
Drive can get you to peak performance. But what happens when you enter the next chapter of your life? Danica Patrick was one of the best drivers in the world, the only woman in a field perennially dominated by men. But that was years ago. Now, she is finding meaning beyond wins, races, and results. It turns out, the best part of drive is the journey. This is...A Bit of Optimism. For more on Danica and her work check out: https://danicapatrick.com/...
Dec 12, 2023•33 min•Ep. 107
All business leaders want to make a lasting impact, but very few have the scale and tools to change the entire planet. Doug McMillon has the scale and the tools. He is the CEO of Walmart and employs over 2 million people across the world. But it is Doug's commitment to leading Walmart based on its core values that makes him so important. So I sat down with him to talk about his 33-year career, in which he went from packing trucks in the loading bay to becoming the chief executive, to discuss the...
Dec 05, 2023•29 min•Ep. 106
Authenticity is exceedingly rare. Yet Brian Grazer embodies it with an unparalleled zest and refreshing innocence. Though Grazer might not be a household name, his tv shows and movies (like "A Beautiful Mind" and “Apollo 13”) have earned him 242 Emmy nominations and 47 Oscar nominations. He believes in the power of asking endless amounts of questions to shape stories that resonate on a deeply human level. Grazer is an unparalleled storyteller and offers a unique perspective on how to engage, que...
Nov 28, 2023•29 min•Ep. 105
When did we get so disconnected from the world around us? How can we find our way back? Aza Raskin thinks the answer might lie in humanity's greatest adversary - listening. As co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology and of the Earth Species Project, Aza and his team are using Artificial Intelligence to decode the language of animals, from whales to crows, while remaining dedicated to ensuring the accelerating rise of A.I. remains safe and responsibly handled. This is...A Bit of Optimism. ...
Nov 21, 2023•40 min•Ep. 104
We have lost trust in almost everything. Yat Siu has a clear vision for how we can solve our large-scale trust issues and enhance human coordination. For every problem technology creates, technology also has a solution. This is…A Bit of Optimism. For more on Yat Siu and his work check out: https://www.animocabrands.com/
Nov 14, 2023•31 min•Ep. 103
We used to care about beautiful architecture. Luckily, Thomas Heatherwick still does. He is on a quest to make the world less boring. You may not know Thomas yet, but you know his work. He's designed iconic buildings and experiences and he says our cities have become dreadfully unhuman and our lack of beauty is negatively impacting our physical and mental health. He's a truly original thinker with great insights into how to innovate, create, and humanize. This is...A Bit of Optimism. For more on...
Nov 07, 2023•39 min•Ep. 102
High-performing teams require more than just a leader. Great teams come from great teammates. Shane Battier won't be in the NBA Hall of Fame, but he was one of the greatest teammates to ever play professional basketball. He won back-to-back NBA Championships with the Miami Heat and was named the league's Teammate of the Year during their second championship run. His insights into trust, discomfort, and "teammateship" are essential for teams -- and teammates -- of all types. This is...A Bit of Op...
Oct 31, 2023•31 min•Ep. 101
When we want wisdom, we turn to people older than us. But there is a lot to be learned from younger generations too. Elizabeth English knows this. She’s the head of one of the most innovative schools in the country, The Archer School for Girls and has spent her career working with -- and learning from -- younger generations. We sat down to talk about: the problems facing parents today, why kids need and thrive from rules, boundary setting, phone addictions, and how her students make her hopeful ...
Oct 24, 2023•46 min•Ep. 100
We are told from a young age to pursue love—romantic love, self-love, divine love. But how do you actually define love? And once you do, how do you find it? Cleo Wade is the right person to ask. She's a poet whose latest book is called “Remember Love: Words for Tender Times.” Our conversation about love led down many paths: we talked about appreciating pain, staying present, and the resurgence of poetry. This is... A Bit of Optimism. For more on Cleo and her work check out: her new book: https:/...
Oct 17, 2023•30 min•Ep. 99
How do you run a thriving company that cares more about impact than about profit and margins? Karissa Bodnar is a genius CEO who dedicated herself to building a cause-based company. Thrive Causemetics started out of her one-bedroom apartment and now it’s a massively successful brand that has donated over $139 million of value to those in need. We sat down to talk about finding your purpose, leading younger generations, and so much more. This is… A Bit of Optimism. For more on Karissa and her wor...
Oct 10, 2023•32 min•Ep. 98
How are you? It’s a question we get asked everyday, but we hardly ever answer it honestly. When Diego Perez — also known under his penname, Yung Pueblo — started asking himself that question and answering honestly, his entire life changed. In this conversation, Diego opens up about his own struggles with addiction and shares hard-earned wisdom about conflict, spirituality, and so much more. This is...A Bit of Optimism. For more of Yung Pueblo's work check out: his new book out today The Way Forw...
Oct 03, 2023•44 min•Ep. 97
How do people become powerful? Can understanding power protect us from those who wield it too strongly? When Robert Greene first set out to write about power, he didn’t have much of it. He worked odd jobs and was largely at the mercy of other people’s power. Now, his book “The 48 Laws of Power” has given him the power he wrote about. He sat down with me to share what he’s learned on both sides of that spectrum. This… is a Bit of Optimism. For more on Robert and his work, check out: https://power...
Sep 26, 2023•38 min•Ep. 96
Failure is the secret to success. Our failures are agents of inspiration, iteration, and innovation. Dr. Amy Edmondson is the Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School and her newest book "Right Kind of Wrong" is all about how we can change our relationship with failures and start “failing well.” This is…A Bit of Optimism. For more on Dr. Amy Edmondson and her work check out: https://www.amazon.com/Right-Kind-Wrong-Science-Failing/dp/1982195061 https://amycedmondson.com/ ...
Sep 19, 2023•32 min•Ep. 95
You’ll never achieve perfect happiness. This might sound like bad news, but it’s actually a good thing. Because being happy is not a final destination, it’s an ongoing practice. In short, it’s happier-ness. That’s a term Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey coined in their new book “Build the Life You Want” where together they lay out a blueprint for a better life. And they would know: Arthur has studied the science of happiness for over 25 years, and I have never had a conversation with him that I h...
Sep 12, 2023•43 min•Ep. 94
When should we trust our gut and when should we depend on logic? Liv Boeree can actually answer that question. She won the World Series of Poker before retiring from the game to explore big questions about game theory, competition, and how we can all find more win-wins. This is…a Bit of Optimism. For more on Liv and her work check out: https://livboeree.com/
Sep 05, 2023•50 min•Ep. 93
When should you quit a project and when should you persevere? As one of the world’s leading entrepreneurs, Steven Bartlett has thought deeply about this problem. Steven is used to getting people to open up on his podcast, but it turns out he’s just as insightful when the focus is on him. This is…a Bit of Optimism. For more on Steven and his work check out: His new book: https://smarturl.it/DOACbook His website: https://stevenbartlett.com/...
Aug 29, 2023•34 min•Ep. 92
How you do anything is how you do everything. Steven Bartlett embodies this old adage. His high standards and focus on the finest details launched him from a broke university dropout to one of the world’s most influential entrepreneurs. At 30-years-old he has already founded multiple companies, starred on Britain’s hit tv show Dragon’s Den, and he is now the host of one of the planet’s most popular podcasts, Diary of a CEO. He is a leader for the new era. It was a joy to turn the tables on him a...
Aug 22, 2023•46 min•Ep. 91
Great businesses often look a lot like social movements. Sharmadean Reid knows this from experience—she has combined technology and culture to create multiple businesses around strong communities. She started her first business at 24, creating a nail salon that changed the beauty industry. Now she runs a media network for the next generation of women in power. This is…A Bit of Optimism. For more on Sharmadean and her work, check out: https://thestack.world https://sharmadeanreid.com...
Aug 15, 2023•35 min•Ep. 90
What does it mean to live a long and happy life? David Von Drehle has spent 40 years covering big stories and important figures as an award-winning journalist. But the best lessons turned out to be right next door. David’s latest book, “The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109 Year-Old Man,” is a best-seller about resilience, American history, and what it means to live well. This is… A Bit of Optimism. For more on David and his work check out: https://www.simonandsc...
Aug 08, 2023•29 min•Ep. 89
For this 4th of July, I wanted to do something special to celebrate the birth of our nation. So I invited Air Force Chief of Staff General CQ Brown, Jr. to join me on the podcast. General Brown is the head of the Air Force and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is also the current nominee to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. If he is confirmed as Chairman later this year, it would make him the most senior-ranked member of the United States military. General Brown is humble, approa...
Jul 04, 2023•43 min•Ep. 88
Change is inevitable. And yet fear, anger, and confusion are often our first reactions to changes. Cassandra Worthy experienced the negative emotions that stem from change so many times that she now sees them for what they really are: signals for opportunity. Now, she helps companies and individuals thrive during times of major change. This is… A Bit of Optimism. For more on Cassandra and her work check out: Her book Change Enthusiasm https://a.co/d/jlB2Xnk https://cassandraworthy.com/...
Jun 27, 2023•31 min•Ep. 87
