There is a moment when the body becomes foreign, when the timeline of your life no longer extends indefinitely but narrows into an unpredictable horizon. In this episode, Tara sits down with Michael Nagel, a beloved member of the AOA community, to speak candidly about what it means to love and be loved in the face of his cancer diagnosis. They discuss: The “psychedelic of mortality” —how the nearness of death transforms personal and social dynamics Embracing the support of a community while wres...
Feb 28, 2025•29 min•Ep 129•Transcript available on Metacast Generosity is often relegated to a bit part in our lives, an incidental thing we appreciate when we notice it but not something we consider important to driving our happiness or success. What happens when we put generosity at the center? In this episode of The Art of Accomplishment , Brett Kistler and Joe Hudson unpack the ways in which giving—whether of time, resources, or presence—is a direct line to our collective humanity and changes the trajectory of our well-being and sense of wholeness. T...
Feb 14, 2025•27 min•Ep 128•Transcript available on Metacast Our society glorifies self-reliance. We tell ourselves that it is the only way to survive in a world where no one is coming to save us and armor our hearts and mask our faces to avoid appearing weak or being disappointed when we show that we are in need. In this episode, Joe and Brett deconstruct the mythology of self-reliance and ask: What does it mean to truly receive? How does our fear of vulnerability keep us from intimacy, from connection, from the radical act of trusting another? They expl...
Jan 31, 2025•26 min•Ep 127•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of The Art of Accomplishment , Brett and Joe provide a guide to productivity that challenges the notion of productivity itself. Drawing from personal anecdotes and experience, they explore: The distinction between working hard and working meaningfully. How dopamine and cultural norms fuel a false sense of accomplishment. Practical methods for aligning productivity with personal purpose and enjoyment. The role of reflection, rest, and pacing in sustainable achievement. Join Brett ...
Jan 17, 2025•36 min•Ep 126•Transcript available on Metacast Why do some teams thrive in harmony while others crumble under pressure? How can leaders align aspirations with action, transforming their workplaces—and themselves—into engines of meaningful success? Brett and Joe recorded a special episode of the podcast in front of a live audience to discuss the impact of workplace culture on decision-making, organizational growth, and personal fulfillment. The conversation dives deep into: - The challenges of fostering connection, accountability, and trust -...
Jan 03, 2025•34 min•Ep 125•Transcript available on Metacast Purpose is not defined by what we do, but by how we show up to life’s callings—whether in moments of fear, effort, or surrender. In this episode of The Art of Accomplishment , Joe and Brett lead us on a journey to uncover what it means to live with purpose. Not as something to be found, but as something to be recognized. Together, they unpack the myths surrounding purpose, challenging the notion that it is an external destination and reframing it as an inherent part of how we live. They examine:...
Dec 20, 2024•20 min•Ep 124•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of The Art of Accomplishment , Brett and Joe take us on a poignant journey through the inevitability of death and the profound ways it shapes the experience of life. At the center of their conversation is Brett’s brother, facing a terminal diagnosis, and the extraordinary lessons his life—and the process of his dying—have imparted. Through anecdotes of BASE jumping, near-death experiences, and profound loss, Brett and Joe explore the paradox of mortality: the closer you are to de...
Dec 06, 2024•28 min•Ep 123•Transcript available on Metacast “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future,” is a common expression that suggests who you surround yourself with will determine who you become and how you operate. Evidence suggests that there’s some truth to this. In this episode of The Art of Accomplishment podcast, Brett and Joe explore the makings of effective support networks. Through the lens of BASE jumping, self-discovery work, business, and parenting, they discuss: The importance of shared purpose Accountability The benefit of...
Nov 22, 2024•31 min•Ep 122•Transcript available on Metacast There’s an elephant in the room! Everyone KNOWS there’s an elephant in the room, and they keep glancing at it—except for one person who is highly committed to ignoring the elephant. The elephant is making a mess. It’s taking up all the air and space in the room, and it’s already crushed poor Bob. Yet instead of talking about the elephant in the room, people are afraid to mention that there’s an elephant. Some people get so uncomfortable that they leave the room, but still say nothing. Everyone i...
Nov 08, 2024•39 min•Ep 121•Transcript available on Metacast Most people never consider that fighting can be a useful and healthy practice for our relationships — and that “fighting well” is a skill that can be learned. We resist conflict until it builds up and we reach a breaking point, and then BAM! Our trauma runs the show and we risk re-traumatizing ourselves and others. In this episode, Joe and Brett talk about how to fight well. They explore how: • Healthy fighting can actually lead to healing, growth, and deeper connection • The importance of speak...
Oct 25, 2024•53 min•Ep 120•Transcript available on Metacast What’s all this fuss about experiments? What’s so great about them, and how does one even go about it? Join Joe and Brett for a deep dive on experiments! Hear about Joe’s early experiences that led him to place experimentation at the core of his self-exploration work and what makes them so important to the work we do at AOA. The characteristics of effective experiments Why it’s more effective to approach them from a playful perspective How to iterate effectively Pitfalls to watch out for Plus, l...
Oct 11, 2024•47 min•Ep 119•Transcript available on Metacast Joe’s favorite definition of pleasure is the noticing of sensations moving in the body—not just the good ones, but all of them. This week, Joe and Brett talk about pleasure and the role it plays in our lives. They discuss: The misconception that pleasure is separate from other emotions How allowing all emotions to be felt can lead to greater pleasure How embracing intensity plays an important role in pleasure How societal norms and conditioning can affect our relationship with pleasure The pitfa...
Sep 27, 2024•44 min•Ep 118•Transcript available on Metacast Whether we put authority figures on a pedestal or want to stick it to them, authority issues abound in our society. Joe and guest host Alexa Kistler connect over their shared history with authority issues. Together, they breakdown what the impacts can be for both the authority and the person with authority issues: How it distorts your world How it affects business The pitfalls of being an authority Ways to approach handling authority issues NOTE: This podcast was recorded prior to the announceme...
Sep 13, 2024•51 min•Ep 117•Transcript available on Metacast We heard you! So many of you loved Joe and Brett’s last coaching breakdown that we are back with another. This time, they review a rapid-fire coaching session that starts out exploring jealousy but evolves into a deep dive into setting boundaries and fear of rejection. Together, they explore: - Opening the heart to opposing viewpoints - Feeling through fear of rejection - Grieving lost love to find the love that is always present Send us your questions on Twitter, through our website, or in our ...
Aug 30, 2024•26 min•Ep 116•Transcript available on Metacast The desire to be seen is a primal human need, and under the guise of many names it drives our behaviors and shapes society. Tara Howley, co-founder of AOA, joins Brett for a conversation about the importance of being seen, why many of us fear it, and how shame colors our experience of it. They also explore the role of curiosity in resolving conflicts and deepening connections, and how our societal mores prevent people from being seen in important ways that have far-reaching consequences. They al...
Aug 16, 2024•35 min•Ep 115•Transcript available on Metacast What does it mean to be “enough” to have a relationship? In this episode, Joe coaches a woman grappling with feelings of inadequacy in relationships. Through their conversation, they uncover her underlying desire for control and fear of self-abandonment. Together, they examine her beliefs about love, worthiness, and connection. Topics discussed: the importance of self-love surrendering control embracing vulnerability in relationships Send us your questions on Twitter, through our website, or in ...
Aug 02, 2024•36 min•Ep 114•Transcript available on Metacast Our idea of failure and how we respond to it dramatically shapes our identity and, consequently, how we live our lives. When we fear failure as an end-all-be-all rather than viewing it as an opportunity to learn and iterate, it can significantly hinder our personal growth, creativity, and ability to reach our full potential. In this episode, Brett and Joe explore the transformative power of embracing failure as part of life's journey. They discuss: • How shifting focus from outcomes to effort ca...
Jul 19, 2024•42 min•Ep 113•Transcript available on Metacast We’ve all experienced passive aggression and can often spot it when it happens to us. Whether we’re on the receiving end or dishing it out, our unowned anger seeps out of us and gets displayed in sometimes unexpected ways. In this episode, Joe and Brett get into the nitty gritty of passive aggression—what it is, how it comes up, some of the myriad ways it can present itself, and the impact it has on our relationships and morale. They also examine what it looks like to be passive aggressive to on...
Jul 05, 2024•46 min•Ep 112•Transcript available on Metacast What do you do when you feel stuck? How do you get unstuck? Are you really stuck, or do you feel stuck? What’s the difference? This week, Joe and Brett unpack a rapid-fire coaching session with a woman who felt stuck in her life. They explore the feeling of stuckness and its underlying patterns, discussing what they notice in her real-time expression and the freedom she discovers through her self-inquiry. Watch the rapid-fire coaching episode on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgLW...
Jun 21, 2024•32 min•Ep 111•Transcript available on Metacast Joe sits down with his eldest daughter, Esme, to discuss what it was like to raise a teenager—and what it was like to be raised by Joe as a teenager. They talk about the difference between being a parent and truly knowing your child, teenage rebellion, the things you can see in teen behavior that sheds clues on what's happening at home, and share stories and memories along the way. Tune in for a touching and illuminating conversation! Send us your questions on Twitter, through our website, or in...
Jun 07, 2024•41 min•Ep 110•Transcript available on Metacast You’ve got questions, we’ve got reflections on your questions! Join Brett and Joe as they address topics that have been asked of the podcast since the last Q&A. In this episode, they respond to questions about ambition, relating to narcissistic parents, addiction to stress and dysfunction, supporting children through their emotional experiences, and emotional fluidity. Send us your questions on Twitter, through our website, or in our Circle community! Joe on X: @FU_JoeHudson AOA on X: @artofacco...
May 24, 2024•48 min•Ep 109•Transcript available on Metacast When Stephanie Harrison’s perfect-on-paper life resulted in physical and emotional breakdown, she got curious and went in search of answers to what was causing it and what needed to change. It led her straight to the heart of happiness and flipped the achievement script on its head—much like happened with Joe. In this episode, Joe sits down with Stephanie to talk about her new book, The New Happy , the life experiences that brought them to the work of self-inquiry, and what it means to be happy....
May 17, 2024•50 min•Ep 108•Transcript available on Metacast What is the power of gratitude? How does it impact productivity and growth? In this episode, Joe and Brett talk all about gratitude—how it is often overlooked as a path to solve problems, speeds up transformation, and changes self-perception. They explore gratitude as a practice, the challenges of gratitude, using gratitude as a strategy, and allowing versus forcing it. Send us your questions on Twitter, through our website, or in our Circle community! Joe on X: @FU_JoeHudson AOA on X: @artofacc...
May 10, 2024•53 min•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast What brings someone to Master Class? What’s the impact that the course has? Joe sits down with 3 people—one from each year that course has run—to learn about their experiences and what Master Class meant to each of them before, during, and after their journeys. Tune in for a surprising conversation on what happened when they dove head-first into AOA’s Master Class. Send us your questions on Twitter, through our website, or in our Circle community! Joe on X: @FU_JoeHudson AOA on X: @artofaccomp B...
May 03, 2024•56 min•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast What’s hidden in plain sight? Our assumptions belie our worldview. In this episode, Brett and Joe explore what it means to question the assumptions you have, what happens when you do it, and how it can change, well, everything. Send us your questions on Twitter, through our website, or in our Circle community! Joe on X: @FU_JoeHudson AOA on X: @artofaccomp Brett on X: @airkistler Visit Us: www.artofaccomplishment.com We invite you to experience our work. Reserve your spot at www.view.life/explor...
Apr 26, 2024•37 min•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast When it comes to being understood, whose responsibility is it? What do you do when you feel misunderstood? In this episode, Joe coaches Savannah, who is grappling with feeling wilfully misunderstood by people in all areas of her life. Together with Joe, Savannah explores how state of mind, emotional content, and the desire to control an outcome—even just trying to control whether you’re being understood—impact how we are listened to and understood. She experiments with and discovers the differen...
Apr 12, 2024•41 min•Ep 104•Transcript available on Metacast What do public speaking and self-discovery have in common? Tristan de Montebello, founder of Ultraspeaking, and Joe sit down for a conversation. They discover they share similar philosophies and approaches that fuel their respective teachings and compare notes on the power of allowing the present to unfold before you, the importance of listening and silence, and the wisdom that becomes available when you learn to trust that everything you need to know already exists within you. Check out Ultrasp...
Apr 06, 2024•44 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast Listening! What is it? How do you do it? What’s so important about it, and how does it feel? In this episode, Brett and Joe talk about listening, which is a fundamental component of the VIEW mindset and core to living a fully aligned life. They explore what it means to really listen, how it can change your reality, relationships, and business, and share thoughts on what it is as well as what it isn’t. Send us your questions on Twitter, through our website, or in our Circle community! Joe on X: @...
Mar 29, 2024•35 min•Ep 102•Transcript available on Metacast Why the f$%& don’t we just feel joy all the time!? So much of what we do in life is in pursuit of joy. In this episode, Brett and Joe talk about what joy is, what allows us to feel joy, and what gets in the way of our full experience of it. They also explore how joy is related to feeling safe, some practical tips on experiencing joy, and how joy impacts business and leadership. Send us your questions on Twitter, through our website, or in our Circle community. @FU_JoeHudson @artofaccomp @airkist...
Mar 15, 2024•37 min•Ep 101•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ali Abdaal explores with Joe Hudson what comes next after publishing his best-selling book, Feel Good Productivity . They discover what lies behind Ali’s drive to always be doing, the magic of connection, and how being in connection creates more meaning, creativity, and satisfaction in life. Ali is a doctor turned entrepreneur and the world’s most-followed productivity expert. He is the host of the podcast, “ Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal ,” the YouTube Channels, “ Ali Abdaal ” and ...
Mar 07, 2024•54 min•Ep 100•Transcript available on Metacast 
