ML200: Taking Action, Living Your Values & The Path to Human Progress
In this episode Nasos & Andrea discuss: closing the gap between knowing & doing, the challenge of living your values and the path to human progress.
Episodes
MetaLearn Podcast
The MetaLearn Podcast gives you the knowledge and skills needed to understand yourself and the world around you so you can thrive in the 21st century. Host Nasos Papadopoulos interviews the world's top experts in every field, extracting the principles needed learn faster, think smarter and live better.
Episodes
ML199: Questions, Curiosity & The Death of Expertise
In this episode Nasos & Andrea discuss: how to ask great questions, the role of curiosity in progress and the impact of modern media and technology on expertise, sensemaking and democracy.
ML198: Creativity, Genius and the Gift & Market Economies
In this episode Nasos & Andrea discuss: the importance of creativity for individuals and society, the process of discovering your genius and the difference between the gift and market economies.
ML197: Emotion, Human Nature & Mental Health Culture
In this episode Nasos & Andrea discuss: how to understand your emotions, the patterns driving human behaviour and why mental health culture isn't improving mental health.
ML196: Focus, ADHD & The Attention Economy
In this episode Nasos & Andrea discuss: how to focus in a world full of distractions, the challenges of ADHD and how to deal with it and why myths about attention are harming you.
ML195: Andrea Domenichini on the 48 Laws of Power in Practice & How To Defend Against Manipulation
Andrea Domenichini is a media producer and podcaster who runs his own show Voices in the Dark, and has been helping me with the latest episodes of the MetaLearn podcast. In this episode we discuss: - How to apply Robert Greene’s 48 Laws of Power in practice - Avoiding manipulation and how to defend against people using power plays - The true nature of power and how we misunderstand it in modern society So whether you want to become a modern Machiavelli, realise your true potential or stop being ...
ML194: Raoul Pal on Russia-Ukraine, Investing in Uncertain Times & The Tokenisation of Culture
Raoul Pal is the CEO of Real Vision, a cutting edge financial media company and also runs his own macro research business, Global Macro Investor. In this episode we discuss: - Raoul's 3 scenarios for how the war between Russia & Ukraine plays out - The outlook for different asset classes including stock & bonds, commodities & crypto - Why the tokenisation of culture through communities like Bored Ape Yacht Club are so significant We also talk about the practical implications of potential social ...
ML193: Visa Veerasamy on The Art of Introspection, Confronting Your Inner Tyrant and Becoming Your Own Best Friend
Visakan ‘Visa’ Veerasamy is a creator, marketer and the author of two books, Friendly Ambitious Nerd and Introspect. In this episode we discuss: - How to navigate the hero’s journey of developing self awareness - Confronting your inner tyrant so you can do the work you were built for - Becoming friends with yourself and earning your own self-respect and admiration This was a special conversation that will leave you with the mindsets and skillsets to better understand yourself, win your inner bat...
ML192: Iain McGilchrist on The Matter with Things, The 4 Paths to Understanding & Answering The Big Questions
Iain McGilchrist is a psychiatrist and author of The Master and His Emissary and The Matter with Things. In the episode we discuss: - The differences between the left and right brain hemispheres and how they shape your perspective - The 4 pathways to understanding - science, reason, intuition & imagination - How the big problems we face including the assault on Nature, destruction of Culture are all related We also talk about the significance of morality and the intersection of science and relig...
ML191: Andrew Warner on Insights from 2000+ Interviews, How To Stop Asking Questions & Learning Anything from Anyone
Andrew Warner is an entrepreneur, author and the founder of Mixergy, a platform for interviewing the world’s top founders. In this episode we discuss: - Andrew’s techniques for learning anything from anyone, based on 2000+ interviews - How to interrupt someone, ask tough questions and rescue bad conversations - Strategies for building a thriving content business around interviews We also discuss how Andrew improved his interviewing over time, what he learned from some of his interviewing heroes ...
ML190: Demetri Kofinas on The Rise of Financial Nihilism, Understanding Narrative Investing & Building a Modern Media Business
Demetri Kofinas is a media entrepreneur, financial analyst and the host of the Hidden Forces Podcast. In this episode we discuss: - The key events that shaped the modern world including 9/11 and the 2008 Financial Crisis - The rise of ‘financial nihilism’ and how it’s playing out in asset markets including crypto - How to build a profitable media business with integrity in a post truth world We also talk about Demetri’s recovery from a brain tumour that almost completely wiped his memory, the pr...
ML189: Oliver Burkeman on Using Your 4000 Weeks, Time Management for Mortals & Overcoming Convenience Culture
Oliver Burkeman is a journalist and author of the book 4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. In this episode we discuss: - The time management myths that are holding you back - Practical strategies that help you focus on what matters most - The true cost of convenience culture and what you lose We also talk about how writing the book changed Oliver’s relationship to time, the path to producing original creative work and the issues with self-help culture....
ML188: Armand D’Angour on How To Innovate, Lessons from the Ancient Greeks and The Philosophy of Change
Armand D’Angour is a professor of classics at the University of Oxford and the author of several books including Socrates in Love and his latest, How To Innovate. In this episode we discuss: - The 3 different types of innovation and how to use them to your advantage - How the Greeks thought about change and what we can learn from them - The relationship between innovation and ethics We also cover the true story behind Archimedes’ famous “Eureka!” moment and Aristotle’s thoughts on political inno...
ML187: Larry Grobel on The Art of the Interview, Lessons from Hollywood Stars and Writing Great Stories
Larry Grobel is a writer and interviewer who has interviewed every big name in Hollywood from Robert de Niro to Nicole Kidman, Al Pacino to Angelina Jolie. In this episode we discuss: - The art of a great interview informed by Larry’ work with the world’s biggest stars - Techniques for building rapport fast to make people feel comfortable and open up - Larry’s principles for great storytelling that he’s used in his writing & interviewing We also talk about Larry’s 10 days on Marlon Brando’s priv...
ML186: Gary Lachman on Lost Knowledge of the Imagination, Meme Magic in Politics and Life as a Rockstar
Gary Lachman is a writer and philosopher, whose work focuses on human imagination and the history of occult ideas. In this episode we discuss: - Moving between the rational and the imaginative modes of consciousness - The rise of meme magic in politics and how Trump, Putin others have used it - How to make sense of a world dominated by philosophies of nihilism We also discuss Gary’s experience in the rock band Blondie in the mid 70s, how the internet shapes reality and the history of some of the...
ML185: Andrea Domenichini on Weaponised Autism, Exploring Consciousness and Lessons from Dungeons & Dragons
Andrea Domenichini is a media producer and podcaster who runs his own show Voices in the Dark, and has been helping me with the latest episodes of the MetaLearn podcast. In this episode we discuss: - The role curiosity plays in learning and how to cultivate it in yourself and others - The nature of knowledge and the thread running between science and the arts - What Dungeons & Dragons has taught Andrea about storytelling, creativity and media We also talk about growing up in different cultures, ...
ML184: James Hollis on Creating The Life You Want, Lessons from Jung and Understanding Your Mind
James Hollis is Jungian analyst and author of 16 books, including his latest work Prisms and Living Between Worlds. In this episode we cover: - How to deal with competing desires and create the life you want to live - The meaning of Jung’s big ideas like the shadow and what they mean for you - How James has written a book every two years for the last 3 decades This was a wide ranging, deep conversation that will give you a fresh perspective on how to live a meaningful life....
ML183: Sergey Young on Living to 200, Investing in the Longevity Revolution and The Science & Technology of Growing Young
Sergey Young is the Founder of the Longevity Vision Fund and author of the book The Science and Technology of Growing Young. In this episode we discuss: - How using health data will eventually enable us to reverse aging - The current state of aging research and progress made in recent years - The simple things you can do to extend your lifes and stay healthy This episode will give you a broad overview of the longevity field and unique insights into what you can do to live a longer, healthier lif...
ML182: Tom Chatfield on Overcoming Cognitive Biases, Finding Trustworthy Sources and How To Think Better
Tom Chatfield is a philosopher and author of the books Critical Thinking and How To Think. In this episode we discuss: - How to avoid common thinking mistakes and deal with your biases to be less wrong - The three characteristics of valuable information sources - How to understand statistics and form an accurate picture of reality in a data driven world We also discuss Tom’s experience writing a book during the pandemic and the task of teaching people to think. This episode will help you overcom...
ML181: Visa Veerasamy on Reframing Your Ambition, Marketing Your Work and Becoming a Citizen of The Internet
Visakan ‘Visa’ Veerasamy is a creator, marketer and the author of two books, Friendly Ambitious Nerd and Introspect. In this episode we discuss: - How to reframe your ambition so you can succeed your way - How to create content that helps people, makes money and connects you to your tribe - How to market yourself and your work without selling out We also discuss Visa’s experience growing up as a child of multiple worlds, turning ADHD into a superpower, and the importance of creative scenes like ...
ML180: Michael Meade on Finding Your Genius, The Transformational Power of Storytelling and Life Lessons from World Mythology
Michael Meade is a mythologist, storyteller and author best known for books like The Water of Life, Fate and Destiny and The Genius Myth. In this episode we discuss: - How to find and tap into your inner genius - How to tell transformative stories that move people - The most valuable life lessons from world mythology We also cover Michael’s near fatal run-in with a gang aged 13 and his experience going on hunger strike after being drafted into the Vietnam War. This episode will fuel your imagina...
ML179: Luke Burgis on The Power of Mimetic Desire, Choosing the Right Role Models and How To Want What You Need
Luke Burgis is an entrepreneur and author of the book Wanting, The Power of Mimetic Desire and How to Want What You Need. In this episode, we cover: - How to turn blind wanting that leaves you unfulfilled to intentional wanting that supports your values - The different kinds of role models and how they affect your desires and behaviour - How conflict often comes from similarities, not differences and the tactics to break the cycle in your life This conversation will help you better understand wh...
ML178: Rob Fitzpatrick on Writing Useful Books, The Secrets of Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Disrupting the Publishing Industry
Rob Fitzpatrick is an author and entrepreneur, best known for his book The Mom Test. His latest offering is Write Useful Books. In this episode, we discuss: - Rob’s 4-part system for writing useful books based on product testing principles - Common mistakes to avoid in getting feedback from readers - Business lessons Rob has learned from a decade and a half of entrepreneurial projects We also cover the publishing industry and Rob’s plans to disrupt it. This episode will give you a system for wri...
ML177: Thomas Moore on Therapy that Works, Myths for Getting Through Dark Times and How To Care for the People Around You
Thomas Moore is an author and psychotherapist, best known for the NYT bestseller Care of the Soul. His latest book, Soul Therapy is focused on therapy that actually makes a difference. In this episode we discuss: - What therapy or "soul care" is and how it works - The myths that to help you through dark times in life - The modern obsession with childhood trauma This conversation will give you a fresh perspective of therapy and help you separate the signal from the noise in a world of shallow con...
ML176: David Heinemeier Hansson on How To Learn Anything, Fighting Back Against Apple and Navigating the Culture Wars at Work
David Heinemeier Hansson is the creator of Ruby on Rails, Co-Founder and CTO at Basecamp and the best-selling co-author of Rework and Remote. In this episode we discuss: - David’s learning process and how he’s applied it to everything from photography to race car driving - Basecamp's recent battle against Apple and the implications of Big Tech monopolies for business and society - David’s take on a recent controversy at Basecamp around discussing political issues at work This conversation will g...
ML175: Raoul Pal on The Art of Investing, The Rise of Digital Assets and The Past, Present & Future of Global Macro
Raoul Pal is the Co-Founder & CEO of Real Vision Group, a disruptive financial media brand . He also runs his own macro research business the Global Macro Investor and was himself previously a highly successful portfolio manager at one of the world’s largest hedge funds GLG. The global economy is in a state of transition and with the march of technology accelerating and a new financial system and digital economy being created before our eyes, Raoul is the perfect guide to help you make sense of ...
ML174: Barbara Oakley on Learning Like a Pro, Uncommon Sense Teaching and The Value of Procedural Learning
Barbara Oakley is an educator and writer who’s empowering people all over the world to learn more effectively. She’s best known for her role as the lead instructor on Coursera’s Learning How To Learn and her bestselling book A Mind for Numbers but in the last few years she’s created an incredible body of work including multiple books and online courses. In this episode we discuss: - How and why Barb is releasing not one but two books in quick succession Learn like a Pro and Uncommon Sense Teachi...
ML173: Dean Nelson on Interviewing Like a Pro, Confronting Career Crisis and Talking to Your Heroes
Dean Nelson is the director of the journalism program at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego and author of the book Talk To Me. He has over 40 years of experience in journalism and has written stories from all over the world, which have been published the likes of the New York Times & Boston Globe. In this episode, we discuss: - How to navigate career crisis and the two questions that resolved Dean’s own struggles - How jazz is a useful analogy for understanding how to having better conv...
ML172: Eric Jorgenson on The Principles of Leverage, Curating the Best Online Courses and Lessons from Naval Ravikant
Eric Jorgenson is the author of the Navalmanack, a distillation of the best insights from Angel List Founder Naval Ravikant and the Founder of Course Correctly, a site that curates the best online courses for knowledge workers. Eric is in the process of creating a course about leverage and has learned from one of the best thinkers on the subject, Naval Ravikant, founder of Angel List and one of the world’s best-known technologists. In this episode we discuss: - The core principles of leverage & ...
ML171: Dhrupad Karwa on Finding Inspiration, The Power of Creative AI and Navigating Social Media
Dhrupad Karwa is the Founder and CEO of Inspo, an AI Inspiration Partner designed to enrich creative thinking at brands and agencies. He is also the co-founder and CEO of HaikuJAM, a social writing game that helps people write collaboratively online. In this episode we discuss: - The importance of inspiration and how AI can bring more of it to our lives- The challenges of building startups and what kept Dhru going along the way - The current state of the social media landscape and the challenge ...