Modern Wisdom

Naval Ravikant is an entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of AngelList. What does it mean to win at the game of life? Is it tons of wealth, pure happiness, infinite time, or a loving family? Today we explore the timeless question of what it means to truly live well. Expect to learn the true price of success, whether sacrificing your happiness is worth it, what advice Naval would give to his youn...

Catherine Price is a journalist, science writer, and author of How to Break Up With Your Phone. How much are our phones affecting our brains? Our attention spans seem to be getting shorter, and many of us feel more forgetful. So how much of this can we blame on our phones and what can we do to fix it? Expect to learn how many hours a day people spend on their phone, what phones do to our attention...

Dr. John Delony is a mental health expert, author, YouTuber and speaker. What does it mean to be a good partner? We all want fulfilling relationships, but building one involves a careful balance of give and take. How do you show up as a supportive partner and not just for your significant other, but also for yourself? Expect to learn why we date people we feel we need to fix, why it’s so hard to l...

George Mack is a writer, marketer and an entrepreneur. If you found yourself trapped in a South American prison, who's the first person you'd call? The person you named is likely the highest-agency individual in your life. So, what exactly makes high-agency people so valuable, and what essential skills can you learn from them to apply to your own life? Expect to learn what high agency is and what...

Critical Drinker is a movie critic, an analyst of modern entertainment media and a YouTuber. What happened to Hollywood? Despite bigger budgets than ever, shows and films are struggling to thrive. Thankfully, Critical Drinker points to some pretty obvious and some not-so-obvious key reasons for why there is such a disconnect. Expect to learn all about what is happening with the new James Bond show...

Vanessa Van Edwards is a behavioral researcher, speaker, and author. How do you make a great first impression? How can I become more charismatic? How can I stop feeling awkward in social situations? We've all wondered about these things at some point. Luckily, Vanessa is an expert on human interaction and has the answers you're looking for. Expect to learn what we should do without hands in social...

Freya India is a writer and journalist focussed on female mental health and modern culture. Are modern women okay? With rising statistics on declining happiness, life satisfaction, and marriage rates, it’s clear that the younger generation is facing serious challenges. What are the biggest issues modern women are dealing with, and how can they start to overcome them? Expect to learn why so many gi...

Yung Pueblo is a writer, poet, author and speaker. What does it mean to achieve true inner peace? In a world that feels more chaotic than ever, finding stability within ourselves and navigating the unpredictability around us has become increasingly difficult. So how do we create lasting balance and discover genuine peace in our lives? Expect to learn why we have such a big problem of connecting wi...

Ethan Kross is a psychologist, professor, and author. Emotions are complex. We all feel them, but how often are they genuine? When should we express them, and when should we hold them back? And ultimately how do we gain mastery over them? Expect to learn what exactly emotions are and why we struggle to control them, why anxiety is the boogie man of modern times, how to actually get in control of y...

Andrew Schulz is an actor, comedian and a podcaster. Having children today’s world can be challenging. Parenthood, especially with fertility struggles, comes with obstacles, but is layered with moments of humour. As a new father, Andrew shares insights on IVF and a fresh take on the chaos of the world as a proud new father. Expect to learn how becoming a father has changed Andrew for the better, w...

Brigham Buhler is a healthcare entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Ways2Well, and co-founder of ReviveRx Pharmacy. American healthcare stands apart from any other system in the world. While some argue it has the potential to be the best, for many, it feels like the worst. Sky-high costs, an overreliance on prescriptions, and systemic inefficiencies suggest something is deeply broken. Why is this the...

Louise Perry is a writer, Press Officer for the campaign group We Can’t Consent To This and an author. For generations, traditional gender roles have shaped society. Today, however, quality of life, mood, relationships, marriage, and even careers feel increasingly out of sync. How much of this can be attributed to shifting gender roles? And could embracing more traditional roles lead to a happier,...

Dr. Julie Smith is a clinical psychologist, author, and content creator. Discovering who you are is a lifelong journey. Understanding your past, unpacking emotions, and gaining self-awareness are all part of the process. So how do we move beyond our past and emotions that hold us back, to create a fulfilling and happy life? Expect to learn why emotions are so hard to understand, how to better unde...

Charles Duhigg is a journalist, speaker, and author. Effective communication is the foundation of any strong relationship. While some excel at it naturally, others struggle to express themselves and often get misunderstood. So, what are the best tips to become a master communicator and elevate your communication skills? Expect to learn what most people get wrong when it comes to understanding comm...

Dr. Shannon Curry is a clinical psychologist, researcher, and speaker. Modern adult relationships are complicated. With endless talk of red flags, green flags, icks etc., it can be tough to know who’s truly worth your time. So how do you build a lasting, healthy relationship when you're ready for one? Expect to learn what the biggest red flags are to look out for in a partner, the green flags you...

Dr Rhonda Patrick is a biomedical scientist, researcher and a fitness podcaster. Every day, your body fends off harmful pathogens with ease. But what happens when environmental toxins like microplastics start to build up? What are they, and how can you protect yourself from their effects? Expect to learn why microplastics are so prevalent in our everyday lives, how to detoxify yourself from microp...

Erwin McManus is a pastor, author, and speaker. Fear is so ingrained in our minds that we forget it’s not our natural state. So how do we break free from it, understand ourselves better, and push past fear to become our best selves? Expect to learn why people find it so hard to know and show themselves, why so many people are negative at a default, how to not get paralysed by overthinking, how do...

William von Hippel is a psychologist, professor, and author. Modern life feels so complex that even basic emotions like happiness seem distant. Were we happier as hunter-gatherers, with more connection and autonomy? If so, how do these prehistoric needs shape our well-being today? Expect to learn if it would be helpful to return back to a simpler hunter & gather time of human evolution, why so man...

Rory Sutherland is one of the world’s leading consumer behaviour experts, the Vice Chairman of Ogilvy Advertising and an author. Every moment of the day, you're being marketed to. From the instant you check your phone in the morning to the subtle strategies behind political campaigns. So how can you decode the world around you and master the art of marketing? Expect to learn how effective companie...

Dr. Rick Hanson is a psychologist, author, and speaker. Our brains are more adaptable than we realise. With a bit of understanding, patience, and the right techniques, you can rewire your brain for greater happiness and well-being. So what are the best ways to make this happen? Expect to learn what positive and negative mental states are from a neurological perspective, if human brains are predisp...

Dr Tracy Vaillancourt is a professor at the University of Ottawa, a researcher and an author with a focus on the link between violence and mental health. A common feature of every generation’s schooling experience is the presence of bullying. Top psychologists over the years have wrestled with the issue and developed intervention after intervention, and yet it still persists. How can society eradi...

Tom Segura is a comedian, podcaster, and actor. These days, making sense of the world is harder than ever. From billionaires reshaping governments to debates over whether modern car chassis can support the average obese person. There’s no shortage of absurdities. Luckily, Tom has plenty to say about them. Expect to learn why Gen Z is more likely to skip the gym and use Ozempic instead, if Tom can...

To celebrate 900 episodes of Modern Wisdom, I broke down some of my favourite lessons, insights and quotes from the last hundred episodes. Expect to learn what unteachable lessons are, why we decide to learn lessons the hard way over and over again, why money won’t make you happy and fame won’t fix your self worth, why you might regret working too much, what it takes to choose a good partner, 5 qu...

Sahil Bloom is an investor, writer, and author. Focusing relentlessly on your goals can change your life. And if you work hard enough, one day your friends might call you ‘lucky’. But the truth is, luck is often just a byproduct of relentless effort. So, how do you create more opportunities for yourself and increase your chances of luck? Expect to learn why you’re one year of focus might change yo...

Alain de Botton is a philosopher, author, and founder of The School of Life Healing yourself is one of the most transformative journeys you can undertake. From nurturing your inner voice to improving relationships, how can we embrace healing to not only grow personally but also show up better for those around us? Expect to learn where bad inner voices come from and how to hear a negative voice, wh...