Best Clint Watts Podcasts (2025)

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How to stop doomscrolling — and what to do instead? (w/ Katherine Cross) 39:36

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1d ago39:36

39:36

Is it effective to engage with politics on social media — and what does it take to make actual change? Katherine Cross is a researcher on online harassment and the author of Log Off: Why Posting and Politics (Almost) Never Mix. She shares why she believes social media is “anti-political” and how virtual engagement will not achieve the necessary pol…

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The future of finding love with Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd | ReThinking with Adam Grant 36:25

8d ago36:25

36:25

What will dating look like in the age of AI? Whitney Wolfe Herd is the founder and CEO of Bumble, the popular dating app that has helped millions of people meet their match. In this episode, Whitney chats with Adam about her vision for the future of dating online and offline, her decision to take a break from leading Bumble, and the importance of p…

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How to rest when life is overwhelming (w/ Katherine May) 40:14

15d ago40:14

40:14

When someone you love is going through a difficult time, what do you say? Despite your best intentions, author Katherine May argues offering help or shying away from tough conversations isn’t as effective as you think. Katherine is the author of the memoir, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times, and its latest companion piece,…

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How to love your complicated family (w/ Ashley C. Ford) 41:11

22d ago41:11

41:11

What parts of yourself did you lose as you grew up? This is one of the central questions asked in Ashley C. Ford’s memoir, Somebody’s Daughter. Ashley joins Chris to talk about growing up with an incarcerated father, grappling with a complicated relationship with her mother, and how writing can be a way of processing and understanding your life. Th…

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How to be more joyful (w/ Ingrid Fetell Lee) 37:37

29d ago37:37

37:37

What makes kids so joyful? Why do polka-dots and bright colors invoke feelings of joy? How do our senses shape our experience of joy? These are questions designer Ingrid Fetell Lee studies. Ingrid is the author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness and the blog, The Aesthetics of Joy. Chris and Ingrid …

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How to keep close friendships (w/ Aminatou Sow) 39:41

1M ago39:41

39:41

“People are expected to have good friendships, but nobody talks about how they happen,” says journalist Aminatou Sow. Aminatou is also the host of the podcast Call Your Girlfriend and the author of the book Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close. She joins Chris to discuss the communication efforts necessary to maintain meaningful friendships…

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How to find laughter anywhere (w/ Dan Harris and guests) 24:27

1M ago24:27

24:27

Humor is all around us— you only need to be intentional about seeking moments of laughter and joy in your life. In this special compilation episode on humor, Chris shares six short snippets from his conversation with thoughtful guests such as TikTok forager Alexis Nikole Nelson, meditation and happiness journalist Dan Harris, peace activist Aziz Ab…

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How to rethink your emotional attachment to clothes (w/ Diarra Bousso) 40:56

2M ago40:56

40:56

We often think donating clothes is a sustainable act, but when tons of garments are shipped to places like West Africa, it creates environmental waste and disrupts local artisans’ livelihoods. Diarra Bousso, a mathematician and sustainable fashion designer, joins Chris to unpack the hidden cost of global textiles waste and how she founded her lifes…

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How to stop devoting yourself to your job (w/ Sarah Jaffe) 40:36

2M ago40:36

40:36

Sarah Jaffe is the author of Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keep Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone. She and Chris discuss the emotional toll of modern work culture and the importance of community. They also dive into Sarah’s newest book, From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire, and explore the idea that between …

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Jon Batiste | from Design Matters 1:05:53

2M ago1:05:53

1:05:53

Widely recognized as a musical genius and once-in-a-generation talent, Jon Batiste is one of history’s most brilliant, prolific, and accomplished musicians. The Grammy, Emmy, and Oscar-winning star joins to discuss his legendary career, connecting people through a shared love of music. This episode originally aired on Design Matters March 31, 2025.…

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How your brain predicts your reality (w/ Anil Seth) 36:16

2M ago36:16

36:16

What is the aspect of being you that you cling to most tightly? Why are you you and not somebody else? How do you understand and make sense of your experiences? These are questions studied by Anil Seth, Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience and the University of Sussex. Anil and Chris reflect on the limitations in describing the bra…

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Why stealing other people’s ideas can be a good thing (w/ Austin Kleon) 39:27

3M ago39:27

39:27

Austin Kleon thinks stealing inspiration is a good thing — because it requires you to pay attention to the world. Austin is a self-proclaimed “creative kleptomaniac” and the author of five books, including Steal Like An Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative. In his conversation with Chris, they discuss “scenius,” or the creative ge…

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Why you don't need a personal brand (w/ Debbie Millman) 38:19

3M ago38:19

38:19

“If you’re a good designer in five or ten years, you’re gonna want to look back on your portfolio with horror and nostalgia and somewhat amusement… because you want to be growing,” says illustrator Debbie Millman. Debbie is the host of the longest running podcast, Design Matters, and the author of the book, Love Letter to a Garden. In this episode,…

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Information Inoculation: Defending Against Medical Myths: Why we need to fight misinformation about vaccines | from TED Health 45:03

3M ago45:03

45:03

Ethan Lindenberger never got vaccinated as a kid. So one day, he went on Reddit and asked a simple question: "Where do I go to get vaccinated?" The post went viral, landing Lindenberger in the middle of a heated debate about vaccination and, ultimately, in front of a US Senate committee. Less than a year later, the high school senior reports back o…

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How to love parts of yourself you may not like (w/ Heather Havrilesky) 38:51

3M ago38:51

38:51

Heather Havrilesky is the author of the book Foreverland: On the Divine Tedium of Marriage. She’s also the writer behind the advice columns “Ask Polly,” and “Ask Molly,” which is written by Polly’s mischievous alterego. In this episode, Heather and Chris navigate how to showcase your whole self – even if it means embracing the messy parts – and how…

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How to learn from your failures (w/ Dawn Burrell) 39:42

3M ago39:42

39:42

Dawn Burrell is a celebrated long jumper, an Olympic athlete, and a chef’s whose cooking made her a semifinalist for a James Beard Award — and these are just a sampling of her many accolades. In this episode, Dawn talks about how she navigated the career shift from athlete to chef, redefining success for herself, and finding joy and fulfillment in …

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Re-release: How peace can persevere (w/ Aziz Abu Sarah) 43:25

4M ago43:25

43:25

It’s extremely difficult to move past anger and hurt driving you towards revenge. War, violence, and suffering are driven by that cycle of emotions. Palestinian author, peacemaker, and entrepreneur Aziz Abu Sarah knows the feelings well, but from his own life experiences, he shares his belief that peace is achievable and another way forward is poss…

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How to be a better friend (w/ Rhaina Cohen) 38:12

4M ago38:12

38:12

What would it look like if we took friendship as seriously as we take romance? Rhaina Cohen, author of the book The Other Significant Others: Reimagine Life with Friendship at the Center, talks to Chris about the value of platonic relationships. They get into everything from offloading expectations from a romantic partner onto a friend can help imp…

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How to see the humanity in everyone — even people you don’t like (w/ Abigail Marsh) 43:15

4M ago43:15

43:15

Why is American culture so fascinated with psychopathic people and true crime stories? Why don’t billionaires give more? What makes some people so generous that they’d undergo surgery to donate an organ to a complete stranger? These are the kinds of questions that Abigail Marsh, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Georgetown University, s…

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How to navigate changes in a relationship without fear (w/ Stephanie Yates-Anyabwile) 39:07

4M ago39:07

39:07

What is a romantic relationship “supposed” to look like? How do you feel when your relationship doesn’t check all the boxes? In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Stephanie Yates-Anyabwile talks about everything from how to get into couples counseling to navigating hard conversations to understanding the difference between relatio…

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How you can be more creative by taking a long walk (w/ Craig Mod) 39:38

4M ago39:38

39:38

What do we gain from a long walk? Craig Mod is a photographer and writer who has done treks and pilgrimages around the world. From the Camino de Santiago to the Old Tōkaidō Road, Craig Mod transforms the simple act of walking into a meditative journey and creative practice. In his new book, Things Become Other Things, Craig chronicles a long distan…

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3 ways to fight climate change without getting overwhelmed (w/ Ayana Elizabeth Johnson) 36:08

5M ago36:08

36:08

The future could be amazing, if we get it right. That’s so rarely how we think about it though. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, marine biologist and author of the anthology What If We Get it Right?, is constantly collecting visions of the future and of climate solutions that are worth working towards together. Chris and Ayana talk about how to find your u…

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Re-release: How to enrich your everyday life with poetry (w/ Sarah Kay) 31:28

5M ago31:28

31:28

Roses are red, violets are blue, has poetry ever been intimidating for you? For many people, this art form can feel unapproachable, but poet and educator Sarah Kay, suggests that people who don’t like poetry just maybe haven’t found a poem that really speaks to them. Sarah proposes a fresh approach to this ancient art, talks about why playing with …

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How you can move forward and learn from the past (w/ Clint Smith) 39:20

5M ago39:20

39:20

How do you grapple with national history, legacy, and the stories you tell yourself? Clint Smith is the author of the narrative nonfiction, How the Word is Passed, and the poetry collection, Above Ground. Clint joins Chris to talk about the cognitive dissonances that shaped American history. From understanding the complexities of Thomas Jefferson, …

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How to gossip — the right way (w/ Rachelle Hampton) 34:53

5M ago34:53

34:53

What makes a story so good you HAVE to tell everyone you know? How do you hook listeners with juicy details and tantalizing conundrums? In this special live episode, recorded at On Air Fest in Brooklyn, Chris is joined by Rachelle Hampton, the new host of Normal Gossip. Chris and Rachelle talk about what she’s learned touring the country and hearin…

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How to raise emotionally resilient children (w/ Richard Weissbourd) 38:50

6M ago38:50

38:50

Happiness, high achievement, or kindness – which is most important to you in your kids? Which do you think your kids think you care about the most? Richard Weissbourd is a psychologist, the senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the director of the Making Caring Common Project. Richard joins Chris to discuss the challenges…

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How to enjoy poetry — without being a poet (w/ Naisha Randhar) 39:54

6M ago39:54

39:54

In honor of National Poetry Month, Chris is speaking with Naisha Randhar. Naisha is the Youth Poet Laureate of Dallas, the author of Roses of Arma, and the youngest guest Chris has ever interviewed — she’s a high school sophomore. Chris and Naisha talk about the inspiring work of teaching teenagers poetry and how to balance self-awareness with self…

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What to do when your beliefs are challenged (w/ Tenelle Porter) 34:09

6M ago34:09

34:09

Tenelle Porter’s job is to study humility. Specifically, intellectual humility, the idea that we might be wrong or mistaken about some of our beliefs. Tenelle talks with Chris about why she thinks intellectual humility is so important, how to cultivate it, and why it’s the missing piece in so many conversations these days. Whether it’s in politics,…

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How to trust in times of uncertainty (w/ Rachel Botsman) 37:47

6M ago37:47

37:47

Rachel Botsman studies trust. She’s a professor at Oxford University and the author of the books What's Mine is Yours, Who Can You Trust? and the new audiobook, How to Trust and Be Trusted. From asking AI medical questions, to understanding what’s real and what’s a lie online, Chris and Rachel discuss trust in many forms. What happens when trust is…

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How to get your sense of wonder back (w/ Nate DiMeo) 36:32

7M ago36:32

36:32

How do you make sense of the present? Nate DiMeo might suggest you look at the past. Nate is the host of the podcast and book, The Memory Palace. Nate joins Chris to discuss how the past can teach us to live life in a new, rich, and complex way. Nate shares how to exercise the muscle of curiosity, how to tap into your sense of wonder to escape algo…

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Power, purpose, and the American presidency with Jared Cohen | from ReThinking with Adam Grant 35:27

7M ago35:27

35:27

What do the most powerful people in the world do after they've achieved success? Jared Cohen is a history buff and a presidential historian. His latest book, “Life After Power,” is a fascinating exploration about what seven American presidents did after leaving the most influential job in the world. In this episode of ReThinking with Adam Grant, an…

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How to stop being weird about money (w/ Paco de Leon) 41:00

7M ago41:00

41:00

Talking about money can feel confusing and awkward, but it doesn’t have to be. Paco de Leon is a financial planner and author of the book Finance for the People: Getting a Grip on Your Finances. Paco joins Chris to discuss ways everyone – but particularly freelancers and artists – can reframe their conversations and shift their mindset from “money …

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How to make the most of a finite life (w/ Oliver Burkeman) 40:22

7M ago40:22

40:22

There’s only so much you can do in a week – or, according to Oliver Burkeman, in the roughly 4,000 weeks the average human lives. Oliver is a journalist and author of the books Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, Meditations for Mortals, and the newsletter “The Imperfectionist.” Chris and Oliver discuss the paradox of why change can o…

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How to believe in God even when the world sucks (w/ Nadia Bolz-Weber) 39:52

8M ago39:52

39:52

Nadia Bolz-Weber believes the good and bad in all of us is what makes us human. Nadia has built a career talking about personal failings, recovery, grace, faith, and really whatever the hell else she wants to. She’s a bestselling author, a former stand-up comic, and now an ordained Lutheran Pastor. Nadia joins Chris to discuss her journey with reli…

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How to turn climate anxiety into action (w/ Luisa Neubauer) (re-release) 31:29

8M ago31:29

31:29

Amidst the multiple devastating fires in Los Angeles, where Chris lives, extreme weather events and shifting climate patterns are occurring across the globe, making our everyday lives all the more unpredictable. Today we are re-airing this episode from the very first season of How to Be a Better Human. It's a conversation with Luisa Neubauer, a cli…

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Throwing good parties and building community (w/ Priya Parker) 38:16

8M ago38:16

38:16

Many of us are entering the new year with a similar goal — to build community and connect more with others. To kick off season five, Priya Parker shares ideas on how to be the host with the most. An expert on building connection, Priya is the author of “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters.” Whether it's a book club, wedding, birthd…

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How changing your story can change your life (w/ Lori Gottlieb) (re-release) 35:20

8M ago35:20

35:20

Lori Gottlieb believes we all have an inner narrator. In this episode, she explains why the story you tell yourself is key to your happiness (or lack thereof). She also discusses the stages of change, why relationships are a dance, and the steps to finding a good therapist that can help you edit the story of your life. Lori is a therapist, the best…

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How to set boundaries and find peace (w/ Nedra Glover Tawwab) (re-release) 33:52

8M ago33:52

33:52

Telling other people what you want – or need – can be a really difficult thing to do! Nedra Glover Tawwab is a therapist and New York Times bestselling author who helps people create healthy boundaries with themselves and others, both at work and in personal relationships. In this episode, she talks about why identifying your needs is so important,…

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How to cultivate resilience and get through tough times (with Lucy Hone) (re-release) 33:35

9M ago33:35

33:35

Life can throw curveballs that you feel wholly unprepared for-- just ask Dr. Lucy Hone, a resilience researcher, who tragically lost her 12-year-old daughter in a road accident. While all of us may experience tragedy in our lives, not everyone knows how to manage it. In this episode, Dr. Hone shares the strategies that got her through unimaginable …

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How to talk about your body without shame (w/ Anita Rao) 34:19

9M ago34:19

34:19

Why is having the sex talk, admitting you passed gas, or being open about your body hair so seemingly uncomfortable for all of us? Journalist and host of the podcast, Embodied, Anita Rao, joins Chris this week to discuss why having open conversations about taboo topics like sex, relationships, and our bodies can help us understand ourselves better …

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How Sikh wisdom can transform your life (w/ Simran Jeet Singh) 37:20

9M ago37:20

37:20

No matter how religious you may or may not be, or how much you do or do not know about the Sikh religion, there’s something we can all learn from their major philosophies. Simran Jeet Singh is the author of the book The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life. He joins Chris this week to talk about how to approach life with more opti…

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How to make dating not suck (w/ Logan Ury) 40:40

9M ago40:40

40:40

It’s natural to romanticize the random meet-cutes we’ve all seen in romantic comedies, but is hoping for a chance encounter with the next great love of your life the best way to find them? Behavioral scientist turned dating coach Logan Ury believes in dating with practicality and intention. Logan joins Chris to share actionable tips on where and ho…

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How to have curious conversations in dangerously divided times (w/ Mónica Guzmán) (re-release) 38:32

10M ago38:32

38:32

It's not a good feeling to be stuck in an argument with someone who doesn't seem to be listening to your point of view, especially when that someone is very important to you. So how can we strive to have deeper conversations with more respect, understanding, and open-mindedness with those who have different opinions? Journalist Mónica Guzmán is the…

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How to fix any problem (w/ Anne Morriss and Frances Frei) 40:50

10M ago40:50

40:50

Some problems seem impossible. But this week’s guests say any problem can be solved. Leadership coach Anne Morriss and Harvard Business Professor Frances Frei are the power couple behind the book, Move Fast and Fix Things, the TED podcast Fixable, and more. They join Chris to discuss why any problem can be solved — whether the issue is in your busi…

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How to make every job a good job (w/ Zeynep Ton) 34:31

10M ago34:31

34:31

Zeynep Ton believes that low-wage work (in childcare, customer service, assembly lines and other essential industries) is front-line work — and that pay should be adjusted accordingly. She makes the case that fair and competitive compensation for front-line workers is a better business model, with a nearly endless list of benefits for people and so…

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How to finally embrace your body (w/ Ronald Young Jr.) 39:32

10M ago39:32

39:32

Ronald Young Jr. is an award-winning podcaster, producer, and writer and the creator of Weight For It — a podcast about his own experience with body image. Ronald explores complex feelings and asks profound questions about how we think and talk about a sometimes taboo subject: our weight. In this episode, he joins Chris to dive into why body image …

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How to gain perspective in a climate crisis (w/ David Finnigan) 37:01

11M ago37:01

37:01

When it comes to a controversial topic like climate change represented in art, is the conversation its sparks more significant than the art itself? In this episode, Chris talks with David Finnigan, a playwright and climate activist who knew what he was doing when he titled his 2014 play “Kill Climate Deniers.” The result? Outrage from hundreds of c…

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How to reclaim your cringe 39:54

11M ago39:54

39:54

Have you ever laid awake at night, cringing at something your younger self did or said? So why is it that when we hear other peoples’ memories from their own awkward phases, we’re free of judgment? Dave Nadelberg and Neil Katcher are the co-founders of Mortified — a comedy podcast and live show where people read old diary entries from their childho…

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Why you should make a spectacle out of life (w/ Lear deBessonet) 36:34

11M ago36:34

36:34

When was the last time something you watched struck you? Award-winning theater director Lear deBessonet is deeply passionate about spectacle – and thinks you should be too. She shares the unexpected connections, wonder, and creativity that come from finding the unusual, notable, or entertaining; in common everyday experiences — and why you should l…

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How to let go of needing a plan (w/ Reggie Watts) 33:41

11M ago33:41

33:41

Reggie Watts has no plan when he walks out on the TED stage — he just lets go and tries to make himself laugh. In this episode, he shares with Chris why the audience member you should pay the most attention to is yourself and how you can find more ways to improvise, laugh and find ridiculousness in your everyday life to get to a happier one. For th…