Best Paul Millerd Podcasts (2025)

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What's After BigLaw & Consulting? - Allie Canton & Paul Millerd On Reinvention, Parenting on The Pathless Path & as Parent 1:00:27

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2d ago1:00:27

1:00:27

Allie and I discuss our shared experiences of leaving traditional career paths to explore more authentic lives. Allie, a former lawyer, talks about navigating parenthood, part-time work, and her numerous interests while stepping off the default path. We chat about how Allie was inspired by 'The Pathless Path,' the ship, quit, and learn framework, a…

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Eric Barker: The Science of Relationships and Why Playing Well with Others Matters More Than You Think 1:21:50

30m ago1:21:50

1:21:50

Eric Barker, bestselling author of Barking Up the Wrong Tree and Plays Well with Others, reveals what decades of social science research says about relationships, friendship, love, and meaning. From his journey through Hollywood screenwriting to the video game industry to running one of the most-read personal development blogs, Eric explains his ob…

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Why Training for Resilience Could Save Your Life 1:46:06

2d ago1:46:06

1:46:06

As soon as you think you have it all figured out, absolutely everything can change in an instant. What do you do when out of nowhere, life hands you a serious injury or diagnosis? In this episode, I'll be sharing hard‑won insights from recovery after being sidelined in a serious high speed hit‑and‑run wreck. We'll explore: Why it's best to train fo…

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Dylan Beynon: Building Mindbloom and the Science of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy 54:09

6m ago54:09

54:09

Dylan Beynon, founder of Mindbloom, shares the deeply personal story behind building the first at-home ketamine therapy platform. After losing his mother and sister to severe mental illness, Dylan became determined to bring psychedelic medicine into mainstream healthcare. He explains the neuroscience of how ketamine creates neuroplasticity—allowing…

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Brea Starmer: Redefining Work Around Highest and Best Use, Not Hours Logged 45:18

6m ago45:18

45:18

Brea Starmer, founder of Lions and Tigers, challenges the outdated workplace model that measures face time over impact. Drawing from her experience as a mother of three running a company during COVID-19, she introduces the concept of "highest and best use"—a real estate framework adapted to human potential that prioritizes outcomes over hours logge…

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Douglass Vigliotti: Wrestling with Conviction and Why Creative Work Demands Uncomfortable Honesty 57:05

2h ago57:05

57:05

Douglass Vigliotti, author and creative, explores the tension between doubt and conviction that defines the creative process. Drawing from his parents, his father relentless drive and his mother empathy, Douglass reflects on what it means to pursue creative work when society constantly asks if you want more. This conversation examines the uncomfort…

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Donny Jackson: The Internalized Stains of Slavery and Why Empathy Cannot Develop Without Interaction Across Racial Lines 51:58

5d ago51:58

51:58

Donny Jackson, poet and psychologist, reflects on growing up as a working-class black kid in Pittsburgh where his father was a postal worker for 35 years and his mother was a nurse's aide—parents who instilled work ethic, integrity, and honor while navigating a world not built for young black children. Jackson traces the roots of American racism to…

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Bjorn Ryan-Gorman: Coming Out as Gay in the Snowboarding World and Reclaiming Masculinity on Your Own Terms 45:23

7m ago45:23

45:23

Bjorn Ryan-Gorman, professional snowskater and LGBTQ+ advocate, shares his journey from hiding his sexuality behind aggressive board sports to building a life of authenticity in Portland. Growing up in Montana as a sponsored snow athlete, Ryan-Gorman used snowboarding and skateboarding as outlets for self-hatred and denial, pushing himself to dange…

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Commit A Career Ending Move - Steven Foster on Permissionless Paychecks, Communal Living & Battling Life's Challenges While Pathless 1:07:16

9d ago1:07:16

1:07:16

In this episode, I have a deep conversation with Steven Foster, who opens up about his career journey from Silicon Valley to embracing a pathless life. We dive into his essay 'Commit a Career Ending Move,' reflecting on how modernity has turned careers into a form of religion. Steven shares his personal challenges, including severe health issues an…

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David Epstein: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World 51:45

15m ago51:45

51:45

David Epstein, author of Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, dismantles the myth that early specialization is the only path to excellence. Drawing from research on elite athletes, musicians, and scientists, David reveals how individual variability in learning means there is no one-size-fits-all approach to skill development. He r…

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Daniel Stillman: The Architecture of Conversations and Why Every Interface Shapes What We Say 1:18:27

23m ago1:18:27

1:18:27

Daniel Stillman, author of Good Talk: How to Design Conversations That Matter, reveals how conversations are designed—whether we realize it or not. Drawing from his background in design thinking and facilitation, Daniel breaks down the components of conversational architecture: openings, turns, power dynamics, and interfaces. He explains why physic…

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Ayelet Fishbach: The Science of Motivation, Why Fantasies Fail, and Balancing Abstract Goals with Concrete Plans 1:07:21

1d ago1:07:21

1:07:21

Ayelet Fishbach, motivation researcher at University of Chicago, dismantles the fantasy-driven approach to New Year's resolutions and goal-setting. Drawing from data spanning multiple years, she reveals that while temporal landmarks like New Year work for initiating goals, only 20% of people still pursue them by November—the difference comes down t…

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Dandapani: Mastering Your Mind as an Operating System, Sexual Energy Transmutation, and the Monastic Path to Unwavering Focus 1:07:07

38m ago1:07:07

1:07:07

Dandapani, former Hindu monk who lived monastically for 10 years, shares teachings from his guru on treating the mind as an operating system that must be understood before it can be mastered. He explains the critical distinction between a focused life (giving undivided attention to whoever/whatever you're engaged with) and a purpose-focused life (w…

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Cal Newport: Slow Productivity, Escaping Pseudo Productivity, and the Three Principles for Sustainable Knowledge Work 1:40:53

14m ago1:40:53

1:40:53

Cal Newport unpacks his framework for Slow Productivity, built on three core principles: doing fewer things, working at a natural pace, and obsessing over quality. He introduces "pseudo productivity"—the toxic heuristic that emerged in mid-20th century knowledge work when visible activity became a proxy for useful effort because traditional product…

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Alan Stein Jr: The Performance Gap Between Knowing and Doing, and What Elite Athletes Teach Us About Execution 1:05:31

15m ago1:05:31

1:05:31

Alan Stein Jr, former basketball performance coach to Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, and other NBA superstars, reveals why knowledge without execution is worthless and how the world's highest performers bridge the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it. Drawing from decades working with elite athletes, Stein explains that performance gaps…

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Josh Trent: How to Build Emotional Resilience in the Age of Distraction 1:32:21

16d ago1:32:21

1:32:21

How do you build agency and resilience in a world that profits from your distraction? How can we live with authenticity when everything feels fake? What if the hardest parts of being human are actually just a result of cultural conditioning, quietly shaping your life from the shadows of your subconscious mind? On today’s show, we go deep with my fr…

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Christy Tennery-Spalding: Building Political Homes and Redefining Self-Care Beyond Capitalism 48:12

12d ago48:12

48:12

Christy Tennery-Spalding, activist and organizer, shares how growing up near Washington D.C. shaped her oppositional stance to power structures and led her to find a “political home” in San Francisco’s activist community. She introduces the concept of informed consent in organizing—ensuring participants feel safe, informed, and empowered rather tha…

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Andrew Yang: Universal Basic Income and the Automation Crisis Remaking America 44:31

4d ago44:31

44:31

Andrew Yang traces his path from failed entrepreneur to 2020 presidential candidate driven by a single realization: automation has already destroyed millions of American jobs, and the next wave will be exponentially worse. Through his work with Venture for America, he witnessed firsthand the economic devastation in Detroit, Ohio, and the Midwest—wh…

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Andrew Bustamante: Inside the Mind of a Spy — Tradecraft, Trust, and the Cost of Secrecy 1:10:20

1d ago1:10:20

1:10:20

Former CIA field operative Andrew Bustamante pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to recruit spies, run intelligence operations, and navigate a life built on secrecy, loyalty, and manipulation. In this riveting and wide-ranging conversation, Bustamante shares stories from his military training at the Air Force Academy, his time at “The Fa…

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Chris Fussell: Systems, Mindset, and Leading at the Edge 56:27

7d ago56:27

56:27

Former Navy SEAL and leadership strategist Chris Fussell reveals how elite teams operate under pressure—and how those principles can be applied far beyond the battlefield. Drawing from years of operational experience and his work with General Stanley McChrystal, Fussell explains how systems thinking, decentralized decision-making, and shared consci…

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Carlos Adell: From Drug Dealer to Industrial Engineer to Finding True Success Through Strategic Environment Design 52:37

2d ago52:37

52:37

Carlos Adell shares his unconventional path from growing up in a small Spanish town with limited resources to running a six-figure drug dealing business while simultaneously working as a DJ and industrial engineer. After nearly dying from a heart attack at 29 while working in corporate, Adell discovered that he had been living other people’s dreams…

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Decoding Human Behavior: The Science of How We Show Up with Shaun Dyke 56:35

19d ago56:35

56:35

What if there really was an owner’s manual for being human? In this episode, Chris sits down with one of the top executive coaches in the country Shaun Dyke, to reveal the models that billion-dollar leaders use to understand people, motivate change, and create results. They unpack the hidden psychology behind your reactions, relationships, and resu…

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Alison Shcraeger: The Economics of Risk and What a Las Vegas Brothel Taught Me About Uncertainty 45:46

6d ago45:46

45:46

Alison Shcraeger, economist and author of An Economist Walks Into a Brothel, explains how risk really works and why most people misunderstand it. From studying sex workers in Nevada to analyzing probability theory, Alison reveals that humans are not naturally wired to process probabilities—but we can learn. She introduces the concept of natural fre…

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John Epstein: Testing Acast Sync and Update Functionality 51:45

12d ago51:45

51:45

This is a test episode to verify that our Acast sync system works correctly. We will upload this episode with a far-future publish date, then update the midroll timestamp to confirm that the PATCH endpoint successfully syncs changes from our local index to Acast without re-uploading the audio file. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in…

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Akshay Nanavati: Finding Bliss Through Suffering, Silence, and the Edge of Human Endurance 49:36

24d ago49:36

49:36

Akshay Nanavati is not your typical adventurer — he’s a former Marine, a survivor of war-induced PTSD, and a seeker of what he calls the “crucible of suffering.” In this deeply introspective and intensely raw conversation, Akshay explores how pain, guilt, and darkness became vehicles for transcendence in his life. From confronting suicidal despair …

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Itamar Marani: How to Turn Setbacks into Secret Weapons 1:10:24

1M ago1:10:24

1:10:24

When everything is on the line, ever wonder why some otherwise incredible athletes choke spectacularly? Why did Michael Jordan consistently sink game-winning jump shots at the buzzer when everyone else was throwing up bricks? Today we’re here with a veteran coach who’s cracked the code on peak performance. Itamar Marani has lived through the kind o…

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David Brooks: Seeing People Deeply in a World of Shallow Interactions 56:45

16d ago56:45

56:45

New York Times columnist and bestselling author **David Brooks** joins Srini Rao to unpack what it really means to know and see another person — and how our ability to connect deeply has deteriorated in a world dominated by distraction, paradigmatic thinking, and judgment. Drawing from his latest book *How to Know a Person*, Brooks explores emotion…

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Damon Centola: Why Change Spreads from the Edges—Not the Influencers 56:51

17d ago56:51

56:51

Damon Centola, sociologist and author of *Change: How to Make Big Things Happen*, dismantles the myth of the influencer and introduces a radically different model of how ideas and behaviors actually spread. In this thought-provoking conversation, Centola explains why change doesn’t come from social media stars with massive followings—but from dense…

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Jennifer Wallace: Raising Resilient Kids in a Culture That Says They're Never Enough 51:53

20d ago51:53

51:53

Jennifer Wallace is a journalist, researcher, and mother of three who set out to answer one of the most pressing questions in modern parenting: *Why do our kids feel like they're never enough — and what can we do about it?* Drawing on insights from her book *Never Enough* and years of reporting, Wallace explains how achievement culture, status anxi…

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Laura Huang: Creating an Edge in a World That Won’t Hand You One 1:05:42

1M ago1:05:42

1:05:42

In this powerful and perspective-shifting episode, Harvard Business School professor and author **Laura Huang** shares a deeply human and practical roadmap for transforming disadvantage into advantage. Drawing from her book *Edge*, she breaks down the four-part EDGE framework—Enrich, Delight, Guide, and Effort—showing how each of us can flip bias, …

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Emily Fletcher: The Science and Simplicity of Unlocking Human Potential Through Meditation 46:52

25d ago46:52

46:52

Emily Fletcher, founder of Ziva Meditation and a former Broadway performer, shares how her journey from the stage to spiritual leadership reshaped her understanding of success, fulfillment, and mental resilience. In this candid and practical conversation, Emily explains the science behind stress, its impact on performance, and how meditation can tr…

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Feeling Guilty for Hating Your Job? Here’s the Real Problem with Malissa Clark 53:13

1M ago53:13

53:13

If you’ve ever felt guilty for resenting your job—even one you worked hard to get—you’re not alone. In this episode, psychologist and author Dr. Malissa Clark breaks down why burnout and dissatisfaction aren’t always about hours worked, and why our relationship with work is more complicated than we think. We explore the hidden forces that keep us “…

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Dr. Ann Shippy: Fertility, Longevity and Mold Detoxification 1:00:31

1M ago1:00:31

1:00:31

Have you considered how the choices you make today shape the health and destiny of your children before they’re ever born? What if the most important gift you could ever give your future child is the health and resilience you build in yourself today? As rates of chronic health conditions in children—including autism, anxiety, diabetes, obesity, and…

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Courtney Harding: Building the Future of Human Connection Through XR, Education, and Digital Agency 50:29

1M ago50:29

50:29

Courtney Harding, founder of Friends with Holograms and a leading voice in spatial computing, joins Srini to discuss the real-world applications and philosophical implications of immersive technologies like VR and AR. Drawing from her background in music journalism, activism, and public policy, she unpacks how virtual experiences are reshaping educ…

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Daniel Lieberman: Dopamine, Desire, and Why Enough is Never Enough 51:43

2M ago51:43

51:43

In this mind-expanding conversation, psychiatrist and author Daniel Lieberman unpacks the role of dopamine — the brain's molecule of motivation — and how it shapes nearly every aspect of our lives, from love and ambition to addiction and impulsive behavior. Drawing from his bestselling book *The Molecule of More*, Lieberman explains why we’re wired…

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Annie Duke: Why Knowing When to Quit Is a Superpower 1:10:48

1M ago1:10:48

1:10:48

In this powerful third appearance, bestselling author and decision strategist Annie Duke dismantles the myth that grit is always good — and makes the case for why strategic quitting is essential for success. Drawing from cognitive science, personal experience, and examples like Muhammad Ali, Dave Chappelle, and Stuart Butterfield (Slack), Duke illu…

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The Science of Mastery: Anders Ericsson on Deliberate Practice 45:52

1M ago45:52

45:52

Psychologist Anders Ericsson, the originator of the concept of deliberate practice, shares the foundational principles behind how experts are made—not born. Drawing on decades of empirical research, he explains how world-class performance emerges through structured effort, targeted feedback, and the development of mental models over time.Ericsson c…

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Dr. Sabine Hazan: How Microbes Shape Memory, Mood, and the Mind 58:35

2M ago58:35

58:35

What if the secret to unlocking the mysteries of our minds, our health, and even our happiness is hiding in the most unexpected place—our own gut? Could the answers to our most stubborn health mysteries—and maybe even the secret to a longer, happier life—be found in the microbes we’ve spent a lifetime trying to avoid? How does our microbiome affect…

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The Operating System of Transformation: Salim Ismail on Exponential Thinking, Leadership, and Inner Engineering 57:33

2M ago57:33

57:33

In this episode, Salim Ismail — founding executive director of Singularity University and author of *Exponential Organizations* — maps out what it takes to adapt, lead, and build in a world defined by accelerating change.He unpacks the frameworks behind exponential growth, the future of learning, and the architecture of modern organizations. But th…

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Dennis Xu: Designing Tools That Think Like We Do 47:01

2M ago47:01

47:01

Dennis Xu, co-founder of Mem, unpacks the future of personal knowledge and how it’s being reshaped by networked thinking, cognitive design, and human-centered AI. Drawing on his Stanford background, founder journey, and product philosophy, Dennis challenges the folder-based paradigms of information management — replacing them with malleable, graph-…

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Why You’re Not As Creative As You Think and How to Actually Change That with Zorana Pringle 58:00

2M ago58:00

58:00

Think you’re a creative person? Think again. In this episode, psychologist and author Dr. Zorana Pringle explains why most of us are far less creative than we believe—and what to do about it. We explore why great ideas often die before they ever get started, how fear disguises itself as perfectionism, and why creativity has more to do with action t…

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The Science of Focus: Gloria Mark on Attention Rhythms, Flow Myths, and Digital Control 52:12

2M ago52:12

52:12

Cognitive scientist Gloria Mark explains why modern knowledge work sabotages attention — and how to fight back. Drawing from her decades of research, she breaks down internal vs. external distraction, meta-awareness, cognitive rhythms, and the misunderstood nature of flow states. This episode delivers practical insights for reclaiming agency over y…

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Sonkhe Ahrens: Building a Thinking System That Generates Insight, Not Noise 46:13

2M ago46:13

46:13

Sonkhe Ahrens shares how traditional approaches to knowledge — highlighting, tagging, collecting — fail to support actual thinking. Drawing from Niklas Luhmann’s Zettelkasten method, Ahrens explains why insight isn’t something you plan for, but something you engineer into existence by connecting information deliberately over time. The conversation …

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David Page of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on Eating Nose-To-Tail 55:18

2M ago55:18

55:18

What’s the secret to shedding fat as a foodie who refuses to sacrifice joy or flavor? This week’s guest changed the way we think about food and mom and pop businesses in America. He’s a legend in journalism and beloved in the food world, saving countless independent restaurants from certain destruction. As the creator of the beloved TV series Diner…

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The Yoga Of Work - Andrew Taggart 1:37:57

2M ago1:37:57

1:37:57

Click here to watch a video of this episode. Mentioned in the episode Andrew Taggart’s website Pathways to the Dao (Andrew’s Substack) Leisure: The Basis of Culture by Josef Pieper Secular Monks (article by Andrew Taggart) Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright Pierre Hadot (Philosophy as a Way of Life) The Pathless Path by Paul Millerd (00:00) - In…

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AMA Episode 200 - I answer questions on parenting, courage, being a prophet, taking risks, and money 30:14

3M ago30:14

30:14

I took questions from people for episode 200. Enjoy! Click here to watch a video of this episode. (00:00) - Introduction and Podcast Background (03:28) - Future of Education and Teaching (05:49) - Thoughts on Being a Prophet (06:29) - Current Pulling Forces and Changes (08:50) - Special Hardcover Edition Plans (10:25) - Managing Financial Anxiety (…