Modern Wisdom &#8211; Chris Williamson

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The Science Of Emotional Intelligence & Self-Understanding - Dr Julie Smith - #910 Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

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 understand your childhood, how to forgive your parents, why people keep saying yes when they want to say no, how to deal with passive-aggressive people better, how to get better at asking for help, why we compare ourselves to others so much, why its so hard to be with yourself, how to work out what really matters in your life and much more…

Timestamps:

(00:00) Why Emotions Are So Hard to Understand (03:27) Advice for People Who Overthink Everything (10:09) How to Better Deal With Fear (17:22) Learning to Tolerate Uncertainty (22:48) How to Understand Your Childhood (36:14) Parents Who Are Terrified of Doing Wrong (43:09) Where Does People-Pleasing Come From? (56:12) How to Deal With Passive-Aggressive People (01:02:43) Key Early Challenges in Intimate Relationships (01:11:17) Letting Go of the Need to Win an Argument (01:17:03) Advice for People With a Critical Inner-Voice (01:28:32) How to Sit With Your Emotions (01:33:35) Where to Find Julie

Sponsors:

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

Get a 20% discount on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

Get the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

Get a Free Sample Pack of all LMNT Flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom

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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:

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

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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The Secret Habits Of Supercommunicators - Charles Duhigg - #909 Mar 01, 2025

Show notes

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 communication, the biggest differences between communicators and supercommunicators, how introverts and extroverts communicate differently, the best and worst ways to communicate as a couple, how to be more charismatic, how to get better as making good decisions and much more…

Timestamps:

(00:00) What We Get Wrong About Communication (02:31) Differences Between Extroverts & Introverts (06:10) The Skill of Asking Questions (10:36) How to Listen Better (14:33) The Role of Vulnerability in Conversation (26:03) Categorising Conversations (33:13) People That Make You Feel Interesting (37:23) How to Improve Your Small Talk (42:07) Asking & Receiving Deep Questions (44:00) How NASA Discovered the Importance of Laughter (50:36) Best & Worst Ways That Couples Communicate (55:56) The Impact of Online Discourse on Communication (01:04:09) Communication as a Source of Identity (01:08:48) Where to Find Charles

Sponsors:

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

Get the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

Get 10% discount on all Gymshark’s products at https://gym.sh/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM10)

Get 5 Free Travel Packs, Free Liquid Vitamin D, and more from AG1 at https://drinkag1.com/modernwisdom

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:

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

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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

What Traits Should You Look For In A Partner? - Dr Shannon Curry - #908 Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

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 should look for, the most common reasons why relationships fail, how to see the beauty instead of the challenges in your partner, how you can unlearn the way you argue, how to create longevity in a relationship, the best advice for stopping intrusive thoughts or unwanted worries about your partner, how to move on from heartbreak, and much more…

Timestamps:

(0:00) Trade-Offs in Choosing a Partner (06:00) The Importance of Flexibility (10:43) Three Key Traits to Look For (18:53) Are There Clear Red Flag Traits? (21:51) Is it Bad to Be Very Different to Your Partner? (34:53) Can We Unlearn How We Argue & Disagree? (40:17) Why We’re Drawn to Partners We Want to Fix (43:34) The Best Way to Bring an Issue Up to Resolve (47:20) Why Friendship Is So Important in Relationships (51:54) Things That Predict Relationship Longevity (59:06) How to Let Go of Bad Patterns From Previous Relationships (01:05:25) How to Get Over a Breakup (01:17:22) Where to Find Shannon

Sponsors:

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

Get 20% off the cleanest bone broth on the market at https://www.kettleandfire.com/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM)

Get the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

Get the Whoop 4.0 for free and get your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom

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: https://tinyurl.com/43hv6y59

#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: https://tinyurl.com/2rtz7avf

#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: https://tinyurl.com/3ccn5vkp

Get In Touch:

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

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How Microplastics Are Ruining Your Health - Dr Rhonda Patrick - #907 Feb 24, 2025

Show notes

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 microplastics, which everyday items expose us most to microplastics, where microplastics are stored in your body, the impact on your health being bombarded by microplastics, why your clothes might be one of the biggest offenders of toxic plastic exposure, the best exercises and routines that help you remove microplastics from your system, how to offset your exposure to toxins in your food and environments, and much more…

Timestamps:

(00:00) What You Need to Know About Microplastics (05:27) What Levels of Microplastics Are We Exposed To? (10:31) Where Do Plastics Go in the Body? (14:39) Different Types of Plastics (24:14) Sex Differences in Susceptibility (28:10) Most Common Places We’re Exposed to Microplastics (38:30) Are We Absorbing Microplastics From Our Clothes? (42:24) Is it Possible to Have Plastic-Free Food? (50:18) Best Tactics for Avoiding Microplastics (59:22) Is it Possible to Test & Remove Microplastics? (01:10:04) Advice to People Impacted By the LA Fires (01:15:54) Impact of the GRAS System on American Food (01:25:02) The Danger of Trans Fats (01:28:54) Nitrites & Nitrates (01:31:21) Should We Be Concerned About Added Sugar? (01:37:07) The Main Issues With Ultra-Processed Food (01:43:52) Do Sugar & Ultra-Processed Foods Cause Cancer? (01:47:21) How Sugar & Ultra-Processed Foods Impact Brain & Energy (01:53:57) How to Rebuild a Leaky Gut (01:56:57) Mitigating the Risks of Ultra-Processed Foods (02:08:03) What’s Next for Rhonda (02:11:40) Where to Find Rhonda

Sponsors:

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

Get the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

Get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM)

Get a 20% discount on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

Get a Free Sample Pack of all LMNT Flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom

Extra Stuff:

Listen to Rhonda's podcast - FoundMyFitness: https://tinyurl.com/bd36cfd3

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:

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

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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

What It Takes To Live A Courageous Life - Erwin McManus - #906 Feb 22, 2025

Show notes

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 you live a courageous life, how to overcome fear and how to stop being so afraid, the biggest differences between being lazy and tired, why we’re so mean to ourselves, the most common myths people should stop believing immediately, balancing the tension between humility and confidence, and much more…

Timestamps:

(00:00) The Danger of a Lack of Self-Belief (02:32) How to Know if You’re Ruled By Fear (09:11) Favourite Stories of Overcoming Fear (13:42) Why Negative Emotions Stick More Than Positivity (20:04) The Poor Mental States of People We Admire (24:04) How to Overcome Overthinking (27:18) Seeing Fear as a Trap (40:47) The Lived Experience of Reframing Fear (43:35) Difference Between Self-Love & Overcoming Fear (51:04) Balancing High Expectations With Being Kind to Yourself (01:00:08) Where to Find Erwin

Sponsors:

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

Get up to $50 off the RP Hypertrophy App at https://rpstrength.com/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM)

Get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM)

Get 5 Free Travel Packs, Free Liquid Vitamin D, and more from AG1 at https://drinkag1.com/modernwisdom

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:

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

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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

Why Modern Life Can Feel So Empty - William von Hippel - #905 Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

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 many people struggle to be happy, why having autonomy is so important, what happiness research says about how well off hunter-gather tribes were, which forces shape autonomy and connection, why we worship individualism so much, why anxiety is the emotion de jour of the modern world, how to rebalance your own life, and much more…

Timestamps:

(00:00) Why We Aren’t Happier When We Have Everything (11:01) Connection Through an Evolutionary Lens (20:36) What Drove Hunter-Gatherers to Connect? (25:16) How Materialistic Were Hunter-Gatherers? (29:58) How Hunter-Gatherers Maintained Networks (32:09) Tensions Between Competence & Warmth (40:47) Which Historical Periods Prioritised Connection? (49:22) The Forces That Shape Autonomy & Connection (57:23) Why We’re Off-Balance in Modern Society (01:06:14) Society’s Worship of Individualism (01:12:34) Does Marriage Fulfil Our Need for Connection? (01:16:46) Why Anxiety is So Prevalent Today (01:18:26) How to Find a Better Balance (01:29:45) Where to Find William

Sponsors:

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

Get a 20% discount & free shipping on Manscaped’s shavers at https://manscaped.com/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM20)

Get the Whoop 4.0 for free and get your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom

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:

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

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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

The Secret Weapons Of Marketing Psychology - Rory Sutherland - #904 Feb 17, 2025

Show notes

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 companies will be at getting their employees back in office, Rory’s thoughts on Jaguars rebrand, what Rory thinks of the current state of British culture at the moment, what causes Overton windows to shift, what the Myth of Collective Wisdom is, the assessment of Trumps successful marketing campaign for president, If people who pay more taxes should get special privileges, how to make a boring product interesting, what makes a brand cool and much more…

Timestamps:

(00:00) Are We Seeing the Death of Remote Work? (13:49) We Are Too Impatient to Be Intelligent (27:45) Was the Jaguar Rebrand a Disaster? (39:43) Why Posh Hotels Still Have Doormen (46:56) Solving Problems Through Addition & Subtraction (52:48) The Current State of British Culture (01:06:27) How to Market the UK to Be More Attractive (01:16:18) Where the Democrat Campaign Went Wrong (01:27:13) Should Higher Taxpayers Be Rewarded More? (01:39:49) Are Companies Trying Too Hard to Be Cool? (01:46:42) Why Airports Are Becoming Wellness Spaces (01:52:38) The European Burden of Internet Cookies (02:07:44) Where to Find Rory

Sponsors:

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

Get a Free Sample Pack of all LMNT Flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom

Get a 20% discount on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

Get the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

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:

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

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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

The Science Of Rewiring Your Brain To Be Less Miserable - Rick Hanson - #903 Feb 15, 2025

Show notes

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 predisposed to being happy or peaceful, how to convince someone that they actually can change their mind, what the process for making our brain more likely to be happy, how to stop ruminating on bad experiences, how to not focus on negative self-talk, and much more…

Timestamps:

(00:00) Neurobiology of Positivity & Negativity (08:42) How Negativity Bias Occurs (17:04) The Power to Change Your Mind (22:39) How to Make Your Brain More Happy (29:15) The HEAL Framework (46:16) Importance of Slowing Down & Being Present (55:12) Our Fear of Insufficiency (59:17) Scientific Evidence for Changing Your Brain (01:07:21) What Happens in the Brain When We Feel Fear? (01:15:52) Is It Possible to Reverse Negative Patterns? (01:23:10) Where to Find Rick

Sponsors:

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

Get the Whoop 4.0 for free and get your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom

Get a 20% discount on Nomatic’s amazing luggage at https://nomatic.com/modernwisdom

Get a 20% discount on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

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:

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

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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

The Science Of Childhood Bullying & Adult Mental Health - Dr Tracy Vaillancourt - #902 Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

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 eradicate bullying once and for all? Expect to learn why people bully and the different types of bullies, the common characteristics of victims of bullying, how bullies view their victims, why it happens so much in school particularly, how to overcome bullying as an adult and much more…

Timestamps:

(00:00) How Much Research is Being Done Into Bullying? (04:38) The Motivations for Bullying (07:57) Personality Profile of a Typical Bully (13:08) Are All Bullies From Broken Homes? (15:33) The Components of Bullying (20:17) The Types of People Who Get Bullied (23:07) Bullies & The Need to Belong (27:29) Ethnic Group Differences in Bullying (29:20) Are Obese Kids More Likely to Be Bullied? (33:02) How Boys & Girls Bully Differently (42:46) What We Learn From Our Parents (47:57) Bullying of LGBT Youth (52:30) How Do Bullies View Their Victims? (57:01) Why Bullying Is Especially Common in Schools (01:01:40) How Bullying Impacts an Individual (01:10:33) Overcoming Bullying as an Adult (01:15:34) Does Bullying Build Resilience? (01:18:29) How Effective Are The Interventions? (01:29:24) How Increased Supervision Reduces Bullying (01:34:38) Parents Who Were Bullied (01:36:57) Differences Between Childhood & Workplace Bullying (01:40:52) Where to Find Tracy

Sponsors:

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

Get 20% off the cleanest bone broth on the market at https://www.kettleandfire.com/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM)

Get the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

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:

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

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

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

Get In Touch:

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