Modern Wisdom

George Mack is a writer, marketer and an entrepreneur.

Why does overthinking create more problems than it solves? If thinking helps us solve so much, why isn’t more thinking always the answer? So how can we build a calmer mind without falling into smart-person traps?

Expect to learn the price of overthinking and inaction, how music changes your personality, the largest gaps in British versus American cultures, why AI is getting really weird, why humans need stories, the traps that all smart people fall into, how to know if you're living in the decline of an empire, and much more...

Sponsors:

See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠

Gymshark's Summer Sale starts June 18th. Get up to 60% off sitewide at https://gym.sh/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM10)

Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

Get 160+ lab tests for just $365 and save an extra $25 at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

Get up to $50 off the RP Hypertrophy App at https://rpstrength.com/modernwisdom

Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com

Timestamps:

(0:00) Is Nickelback at 2x Speed the Optimal Workout?
(4:18) Do American Introverts Actually Exist?
(5:48) The Biggest Time-Waster For Single Men After 7pm
(9:14) What Does the World Really Think of Britain?
(17:48) Can You Sh*t Your Way to Savant Syndrome?
(23:50) Why Everyone Should Learn How To Frivolously Spend
(25:21) Why the Moon is the GOAT
(33:01) What Would Life Be Like 5,000 Years Ago?
(40:11) Why Can’t Cows Go Downstairs?
(43:50) Should We Be Retardmaxxing More?
(53:29) Is Chris An American Sports Fan?
(59:41) Was the British Empire the Most Powerful Ever?
(01:04:39) Why Do People Love Arguing Online?
(01:07:02) The Longest Traffic Jam Ever

Extra Stuff:

Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠⁠

Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠⁠

Episodes You Might Enjoy:

#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠

#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠

#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠

-

Get In Touch:

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠⁠

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Quinlan Walther is a writer and a relationship coach.

Why do we keep choosing the wrong partners? We meet someone new and think, “Maybe this is finally the one.” But then the pattern starts to feel familiar. Different face, same pain. Different relationship, same lesson. So why do we keep dating our trauma, and what does it actually take to break the cycle?

Expect to learn how to build self-worth and have a better relationship with your partner, why you often choose a “wound” other than a partner, how to stop mistaking anxiety for chemistry, how to set good standards versus unrealistic expectations, the internet's big problem when dolling out relationship advice and much more…

Sponsors:

See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠

Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom

Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 and your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom

Get 15% off your first order of my favourite Non-Alcoholic Brew at https://athleticbrewing.com/modernwisdom

Get 160+ lab tests for just $365 and save an extra $25 at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com

Timestamps:

(0:00) What Your Partner Says About Your Self-Worth
(2:31) Where Does Self-Trust Come From?
(5:18) Why Curiosity and Capacity Feel So Difficult
(8:53) Are Our ‘Types’ Just Unresolved Trauma?
(19:17) Who Do You Need to Be to Feel Loved?
(23:31) Are You Choosing a Partner Or a Wound?
(34:41) Are Avoidant People the Most Attractive?
(38:21) Why Healing the Past Changes Everything
(41:07) Is Too Much Empathy a Bad Thing?
(45:43) The Boundary Lessons Everyone Needs
(52:04) Is Ego Getting in the Way?
(56:43) The Most Common Misconceptions Between the Sexes
(01:00:39) The Mistake Many Women Make When Men Open Up
(01:02:01) Have Dating Standards Become Unrealistic?
(01:07:16) The Hardest Relationship Cycles to Break
(01:08:33) How to Repair Ruptures in Your Relationship
(01:15:01) Balancing Impulse and Overthinking
(01:18:03) Why You Need Self-Trust in a Relationship
(01:23:36) What AI Relationships Reveal About Modern Love
(01:32:40) Where to Find Quinlan

Extra Stuff:

Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠⁠

Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠⁠

Episodes You Might Enjoy:

#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠

#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠

#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠

-

Get In Touch:

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠⁠

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Arthur Brooks is a social scientist, professor at Harvard University, and an author.

Why do some people feel lost while others seem deeply fulfilled? When life feels empty, it's often not because you're missing success, money, or comfort; it's because you're missing meaning. So how do you find purpose? How do you create a life that feels worth living? And what does meaning look like in a world where so much feels fake?

Sponsors:

See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠

Get 160+ lab tests for just $365 and save an extra $25 at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

Get up to 20% off Timeline powered by Mitopure (now at a lower price) at https://timeline.com/modernwisdom

Get up to $350 off the Eight Sleep Pod 5 at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom

Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom

Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com

Timestamps:

(0:00) Are We Living in a Simulation?
(6:42) What Are We Mistaking For Real Meaning?
(11:00) Why Can’t Meaning Be Simulated?
(15:30) The Most Meaningless Day Imaginable
(19:29) Are Ambitious People Susceptible to Meaninglessness?
(22:00) Are We Just Pursuing Approval?
(30:24) The Big Questions Everyone Should Be Asking
(34:33) Why Life Feels So Random
(36:07) Why Are Directionless People So Fragile?
(37:50) Why We Confuse Fame With Significance
(41:12) How Your Weaknesses Become Strengths
(52:59) Stop Blaming Your Parents
(54:51) How Technology is Rewiring Our Brains
(01:03:47) How to Escape the Doom Loop
(01:10:19) Can You Recover From Meaninglessness?
(01:14:51) How Important is Love to Meaning?
(01:16:50) The Ladder of Love Explained
(01:21:04) Should We Be Thinking About Transcendence More?
(01:24:38) Why is Transcendence So Rare?
(01:27:27) The Truth About Finding Your Calling
(01:32:02) Why Changing Direction Feels So Scary
(01:34:35) The Surprising Role of Beauty in Meaning
(01:37:08) Is Suffering the Ultimate Meaning?
(01:39:01) The Modern Unhappiness Crisis
(01:47:09) How to Build a More Meaningful Life
(01:53:02) Where to Find Arthur

Extra Stuff:

Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠⁠

Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠⁠

Episodes You Might Enjoy:

#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠

#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠

#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠

-

Get In Touch:

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠⁠

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Joe Santagato is a comedian and podcaster.

What’s on the other side of self-belief? For Joe Santagato, it was raw authenticity. By betting on himself, he turned The Basement Yard into a podcast powerhouse and recently sold out Madison Square Garden. How did he do it, and what can we learn from his journey?

Expect to learn which state has the most sexually satisfied women, why Joe’s audience is mostly women, why trying hard suddenly became uncool, what allowed Joe to become more vulnerable, how to engineer more fun at work, advice for anyone who doesn’t believe in themselves and much more…

Sponsors:

See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠

Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom

Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom

Get 15% off your first order of my favourite Non-Alcoholic Brew at https://athleticbrewing.com/modernwisdom

Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com

Timestamps:

(0:00) How Joe Sold Out Madison Square Garden
(4:32) The Cult Following of The Basement Yard
(6:12) Who’s Having the Best Sex in the US?
(8:20) Does Bear Spray Actually Work?
(14:00) Why Self-Belief Changes Everything
(20:23) The Secret to Building Confidence
(25:49) Why Do Women Love The Basement Yard?
(26:52) Does Imposter Syndrome Slow Joe Down?
(31:33) Why Obsession Is a Superpower
(36:50) Does Lack of Direction Kill Ambition?
(44:04) When Did Trying Hard Become Lame?
(50:09) Is Authenticity Your Biggest Advantage?
(55:07) Turning Mistakes Into Momentum
(01:02:13) How Family Shapes Who You Become
(01:12:24) What Do Single Guys Do After 7pm?
(01:23:16) How to Protect Your Creativity
(01:28:08) Why You Shouldn’t Force Creativity
(01:33:30) The Importance of Keeping Work and Play Separate
(01:42:13) The Biggest Opportunities Joe Has Turned Down
(01:52:21) How to Be Authentic Without Being Impulsive
(02:02:02) What Matters Most in Life?
(02:15:46) You Need to Just Do It
(02:30:03) Why Fear Is Part of the Process
(02:32:10) The Power of Knowing Who You Are
(02:42:56) Where to Find Joe

Extra Stuff:

Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠⁠

Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠⁠

Episodes You Might Enjoy:

#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠

#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠

#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠

-

Get In Touch:

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠⁠

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Zach Braff is an actor and director.

How do you make it in Hollywood? Zach Braff might have the answer. From leading one of the biggest TV shows of the 2000s to directing iconic episodes and acclaimed films, he's spent decades mastering the industry. So how did he build a career that lasted decades in one of the toughest industries on earth, and what has he been up to since?

Expect to learn what it was like bringing back Scrubs's newest season, what it takes to make it in Hollywood, how to stay locked in and avoid distractions, why some great actors haven’t broken through to stardom, what it takes to stay ambitious, what reinvention looks like in a career that’s already peaked in the public eye, and much more…

Sponsors:

See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠

Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom

Get 160+ lab tests for just $365 and save an extra $25 at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

Get up to $50 off the RP Hypertrophy App at https://rpstrength.com/modernwisdom

Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com

Timestamps:

(0:00) What Makes Theatre So Special?
(2:08) The Doctor Career Zach Never Had
(6:45) The Unsung Heroes of Movie Sets
(11:18) Returning to Scrubs
(15:30) Why Reboots Shouldn’t Rely on Nostalgia
(18:25) What Scrubs Means to Zach Today
(21:04) Can One Great Role Become a Trap?
(29:00) Turning Your Biggest Weaknesses into Strengths
(35:39) The Hidden Costs of Success
(42:33) Why Going All In Changes Everything
(51:57) The Surprising Appeal of Being an Influencer
(56:54) What Are Detectives Like Behind Closed Doors?
(01:01:35) The Most Effective Detective Strategies
(01:05:09) Has Television Lost Its Edge?
(01:10:41) Why Game of Thrones Became a Phenomenon

Extra Stuff:

Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠⁠

Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠⁠

Episodes You Might Enjoy:

#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠

#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠

#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠

-

Get In Touch:

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠⁠

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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices