How to Be a Better Human

Latest Episodes:

How to handle uncertainty (w/ Simone Stolzoff) May 11, 2026

Show notes

I was looking for certainty when there was no certainty to be found. If Simone’s words resonate with you, then this episode is for YOU. Simone Stolzoff is a journalist who writes about the uncertainty of life. In his conversation with Chris, he observes why people are becoming less tolerant of uncertainty, the harm caused when we take AI output as definitive answers, and what you can do to expand your capacity to hold uncertainty in your life.

Featured guest

Follow Simone Stolzoff on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and at simonestolzoff.com/
Buy Simone's books How to Not Know and The Good Enough Job

Connect with the team

Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Best Advice & How To podcast!

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to mentally reset when you’re stressed out (w/ Dr Jenny Taitz) May 04, 2026

Show notes

It’s hard to not feel stress at the state of the world today, so how can you cope with stressors without letting them completely overwhelm you? Clinical psychologist Jenny Taitz spends most of her days helping clients navigate through their stress. She shares why she uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, in her therapy work, whether a cold plunge can help you snap out of your messy ruminations, and why doing a few tasks each day to practice for pleasure and mastery can help improve your mood.

Featured guest

Follow Dr. Jenny Taitz on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at https://www.drjennytaitz.com/
Buy Dr. Taitz's book Stress Resets

Connect with the team

Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Best Advice & How To podcast!

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you feeling emotionally stuck? Here’s how to get past it (w/ Yowei Shaw) Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

What if your hardest emotional challenges could be solved by talking to a stranger? A person who has gone through the exact same situation or something very similar. That’s the premise of Proxy, a podcast that investigates your niche emotional conundrums with host Yowei Shaw. In this episode, Yowei and Chris talk about the power of knowing you’re not the only person going through something, however specific. Whether it’s losing your job, a friend breakup, or an alternate version of your life that you can’t let go of, Yowei has a method to make it all make more sense.

Featured guest

Follow Yowei Shaw on Instagram, Patreon, and at yoweishaw.com/
Listen to Proxy with Yowei Shaw

Connect with the team

Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Best Advice & How To podcast!

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The right risks to take for a great career (w/ Molly Graham) Apr 20, 2026

Show notes

Molly Graham has had a high-powered career at a ton of extremely successful companies—and now she’s joining TED as the new host of the podcast WorkLife with Molly Graham. So what does it take to have a great career? And how do you know what job you should take, which you should quit, and which you should try to change? Chris and Molly discuss career transitions, the benefits of taking a meandering path, and how to take more risks for a fulfilling life.

Featured guest

Follow Molly Graham on Instagram, LinkedIn, and on Substack
Learn more about Molly's Glue Club!
Listen to WorkLife with Molly Graham
Watch Molly's TED Talk

Connect with the team

Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Best Advice & How To podcast!

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The right risks to take for a great career (w/ Molly Graham) (video) Apr 20, 2026

Show notes

Featured guest

Follow Molly Graham on Instagram, LinkedIn, and on Substack
Learn more about Molly's Glue Club!
Listen to WorkLife with Molly Graham
Watch Molly's TED Talk

Connect with the team

Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Best Advice & How To podcast!

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to have great sex (w/ Siphumeze Khundayi and Tiffany Mugo) (re-release) Apr 13, 2026

Show notes

Sex is a normal part of human life, but it can also get complicated–whether you’re having it or not! The way we approach, think, and engage with our sexuality varies widely our culture, community, identity, and more. But one thing we can all strive for is healthy and safe sex. Siphumeze Khundayi and Tiffany Mugo are two sex educators and the co-founders of HOLAAfrica (HOLAA!) a Pan-Africanist digital platform that focuses on creating spaces that deal with safe sex and pleasure. Today they share insights on the kinds of mental and emotional tools we can turn to in order to have great sex, why it’s ok to take small steps on your sexual journey, and why it’s important to take ownership of your pleasure.

(This episode originally aired in 2022)

Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Best Advice & How To podcast!

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Want to change your life? Start small! (w/ Eric Zimmer) Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

Eric Zimmer has learned the hard way that the path to big life changes starts with small everyday behaviors. Whether it’s kicking an addiction, building a business, or writing a book, Eric starts with habits and a clear focus on what he wants to do. The host of the podcast “The One You Feed” and the author of the new book “How a Little Becomes a Lot,” Eric joins Chris to discuss his recovery journey and why he values consistency over perfection.

Featured guest

Follow Eric Zimmer on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at oneyoufeed.net/
Buy How a Little Becomes a Lot by Eric Zimmer

Connect with the team

Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Best Advice & How To podcast!

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Duffy | from Design Matters Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

Chris Duffy—comedian, writer, and host of the TED podcast How to Be a Better Human—joins to discuss how humor shaped his path from teaching and improv to podcasting and television. Together, they explore why laughing more isn’t about being funny, but about attention, vulnerability, and connection, and how humor helps us stay human.

Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Best Advice & How To podcast!

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to add more exploration in your life (w/ Alex Hutchinson) Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

“When was the last time you did something you didn’t do yesterday?” asks journalist and explorer Alex Hutchinson. Alex joins Chris to examine whether the desire to explore is baked into our genes, how he intentionally tries to get lost in his neighborhood, and what he learns from following his curiosity.

Featured guest

Follow Alex Hutchinson on Instagram and at alexhutchinson.net/
Buy The Explorer’s Gene by Alex Hutchinson

Connect with the team

Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Best Advice & How To podcast!

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to understand your own consciousness (w/ Michael Pollan) Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

What is consciousness? Humans and animals have it, but do plants have sentience? These are the questions journalist Michael Pollan studies. Michael is the author of ten books on the relationship between food, consciousness, and psychedelics. Michael joins Chris to discuss why humans ruminate, how people should get comfortable with boredom, and whether we can really trust our own memories?

Featured guest