Modern Wisdom &#8211; Chris Williamson

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

Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/

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

10 Hacks To Improve Your Memory, Focus & Attention - Jim Kwik - #710 Nov 23, 2023

Show notes

Jim Kwik is a world renowned memory expert, a podcaster and an author.

Mastering a new skill, language, or instrument can be an intimidating task. However, Jim has found hacks which can dramatically elevate your learning process. This has the potential to transform an arduous learning approach into a simple journey toward peak brain performance.

Expect to learn if modern people's brains are actually broken, the biggest lies we are told about how to learn, how memory actually works, where people go wrong when trying to improve their recall, how you can increase your reading speed, ways you can get into a flow state more easily, the strategies you need to know to access a limitless brain and much more...

Sponsors:

Get 10% discount on all Gymshark’s products at https://bit.ly/sharkwisdom (use code: MW10)

Get 20% discount on Nomatic’s amazing luggage at https://nomatic.com/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM)

Get $150 discount on Plunge’s amazing sauna or cold plunge at https://plunge.com (use code MW150)

Timestamps:

(00:00) Are Modern Brains Broken? (09:10) Brain Performance During Stress (18:55) Seeing Heroes as Normal People (24:31) How to Help Someone Overcome Nihilism (29:11) How Does Memory Work? (39:23) Importance of Your Brain Diet (43:53) The Power of Spaced Repetition (47:52) Why Exercise Supports the Brain (49:44) Brain Nutrients & Supplements (58:36) How Your Social Group Impacts Brain Health (1:03:32) Your Brain Needs a Clean Environment (1:07:53) Optimising Sleep For Brain Function (1:14:11) Learning New Things & Meditating (1:19:49) Prioritise Information You Want to Keep (1:25:36) Strategies to Stay Focused (1:33:49) Expanded Edition of Limitless

Extra Stuff:

Buy 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-Huberman⁠⁠

Get in touch.

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

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

The Terrifying Link Between Diet & Mental Health - Max Lugavere - #709 Nov 20, 2023

Show notes

Max Lugavere is a health and science journalist, filmmaker, podcaster and New York Times bestselling author.

To maintain peak health, nurturing an healthy mind and body is key. Simple daily habits and foods can make a massive difference to limiting and even reversing cognitive decline as you age,.

Expect to learn why California is banning Skittles, how worried you should be about artificial sweeteners, tactics for how to kill your sweet tooth, why raising your baby vegan might be child abuse, the biggest issue with the demonisation of red meat, the specific ways you can prevent dementia from happening and much more...

Timestamps:

(00:00) California Has Banned Skittles (04:40) Should We Worry About Artificial Sweeteners? (11:52) The Problem with Ultra-Processed Foods (19:24) Why Do Humans Binge for Comfort? (25:53) Placebo Effect of Gluten Intolerance (32:05) The Sorcery of Low Net-Carb Products (35:36) Is it Good That Young Girls Are Avoiding Meat? (44:53) How Exercise Reduces Cancer Risk (50:43) Why Raising Kids as Vegans is Child Abuse (1:03:38) The Motivation Behind Max’s New Film (1:10:20) Daily Things We Do That Ruin Our Brains (1:18:27) Does Brain Training Actually Work? (1:22:39) What Max’s Mum Would Think of His Work (1:28:33) Where to Find Max

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-Huberman⁠⁠

Get In Touch:

Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/

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

Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact

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

Is Feminism Changing For The Worse? - Bryan Caplan - #708 Nov 18, 2023

Show notes

Bryan Caplan is an economist at George Mason University and author.

Bryan wrote a letter to his young daughter encouraging her to not become a feminist. Which begs the question, why would a father not want this? In what ways are women being taken advantage of by an ideology, and how might Bryan be wrong?

Expect to learn what trade offs feminism is making at the moment and why they're dangerous, why feminism does not like traditionally feminine roles, why there is so much of a lack of individual agency in the modern world, where the recent trend of demonising having children came from, why more people should not conform, how to think for yourself and much more...

Timestamps:

(00:00) Bryan’s Definition of Feminism (05:56) Why is Feminism So Popular Still? (13:48) Promoting Women’s Issues Without Feminism (18:02) Is Feminism Hurting Women? (22:22) Is Feminism Equal to the Manosphere? (30:45) Humiliating Sexual Harassment Training (34:50) Moving From Self-Pity to High Agency (45:30) Women Struggling to Find Mature Men (49:04) The Demonisation of Having Kids (57:25) Lying For Social Desirability (1:06:23) Be Careful of Which Experts You Trust (1:11:50) Where to Find Bryan

Extra Stuff:

Buy 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-Huberman⁠⁠

Get in touch.

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

Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/

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

9 Timeless Lessons About Human Psychology - Morgan Housel - #707 Nov 16, 2023

Show notes

Morgan Housel is a partner at The Collaborative Fund, an investor and an author.

The world continues to change, but the hairless apes that inhabit it stay the same. So there must be some laws of human psychology which remain true, no matter what time and place you're in, and today we get to go through some of the most fascinating ones.

Expect to learn the problem with the way most people make predictions, who exactly are the reasonable optimists, whether anyone was able to predict the great depression, just how different median income for families differs from the 1950s to today, why trajectory is much more important than position, why stories are more powerful than statistics and much more...

Sponsors:

Get 15% discount on the best Colostrum from ARMRA at https://tryarmra.com/modernwisdom (use code: MODERNWISDOM)

Get 20% discount on Nomatic’s amazing luggage at https://nomatic.com/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM)

Get $150/£150 discount on the Eight Sleep Pod Cover at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied)

Timestamps:

(00:00) What People Get Wrong When Making Predictions (03:50) The Fragility of History (15:35) Having a Positive Relationship with Risk (20:50) The World is Driven By Envy (25:04) Why You Can’t Base Happiness Off Wealth (32:39) The Mental Difficulty of Maintaining Success (41:56) How to Feel More Content With Life (51:58) Why People Desire Certainty (1:00:43) How Successful People Made Huge Decisions (1:07:30) How Morgan Writes His Books (1:18:40) Our Own Logic Can Lead Us Astray (1:26:15) Calmness Precedes Craziness (1:35:09) Are We Competing Against Other Generations? (1:42:10) Life Lessons From the Tallest Man Ever (1:47:07) Where to Find Morgan

Extra Stuff:

Buy 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-Huberman⁠⁠

Get in touch.

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

Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/

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

We Need To Stop Listening To These People - Douglas Murray - #706 Nov 13, 2023

Show notes

Douglas Murray is a journalist, author and associate editor of The Spectator.

As the turmoil of global events dominates the media, it can feel as though the world is spiralling into chaos. If we can't agree on what's happening, how can we make sense of the world? What's the solution in a post-truth world?

Expect to learn how Victoria’s Secret betrayed the body positivity movement, why people are struggling to agree on what's true anymore, how the “Gays for Gaza” movement will get on, whether we are past peak wokeness, why there is such a huge increase in conspiratorial thinking, what the most recent South Park episode has to say about our culture and much more...

Sponsors:

Get a 20% discount on your first order from Maui Nui Venison by going to https://www.mauinuivenison.com/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM)

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

Get a Free Sample Pack of all LMNT Flavours with your first box at https://www.drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom (automatically applied at checkout)

Timestamps:

(00:00) Have Douglas’s Predictions Come True? (01:55) Victoria’s Secret Revert Back to Sexy (07:01) Society’s View of Having Children (12:03) Why Can’t We Agree on Truth? (17:24) Did New Atheism Actually Work? (24:31) How Celebrities Use Causes to Look Good (27:18) Why Women Support Body Positivity (30:13) The Negative Impacts of Low Self-Esteem (35:52) Who Actually Was George Orwell? (40:14) How K-Pop Is Causing Female Mental Health Issues (46:38) How Successful Will Gays For Gaza Be? (55:01) Is Douglas a Conspiracy Theorist? (1:03:10) The West’s Move Beyond Peak-Woke (1:12:40) People Who Have the Same Opinions on Everything (1:25:25) Humans Are Supposed to Be Resilient (1:37:23) HSBC’s Reimagined ‘Fairer’ Tales (1:45:33) Creating a Positive Vision For the Future (1:59:56) What’s Next For Douglas

Extra Stuff:

Buy 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-Huberman⁠⁠

Get in touch.

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

Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/

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

The 5 Most Effective Techniques To Hack Your Habits - Spencer Greenberg - #705 Nov 11, 2023

Show notes

Spencer Greenberg is a mathematician, a writer and the founder of ClearerThinking.org

First we make our habits, and then our habits make us. But what is the best way to step into this recursive loop and take charge of the most powerful force in our lives? Thankfully Spencer just completed a huge new study testing tons of different techniques.

Expect to learn how useful personality tests are, Spencer’s biggest insights from 450 people trying every habit strategy ever invented, how you can better integrate your subconscious into decision making, why becoming wise is genuinely important, how useful intuition really is, when you should trust your gut and when you should override it and much more...

Sponsors:

Get 10% discount on all Gymshark’s products at https://bit.ly/sharkwisdom (use code: MW10)

Get a free month's supply of macadamia milk from House Of Macadamias’ at https://houseofmacadamias.com/modernwisdom (use code MW20)

Timestamps:

(00:00) How Useful Are Personality Tests? (07:18) The HEXACO Model For Testing Personality (12:40) The 5 Best Techniques For Creating Habits (23:49) Techniques From the Survey Which Failed (27:13) Clarifying Your Personal Values (34:27) Can We Actually Choose Our Values? (45:57) How Useful is Intuition in Decision-Making? (57:04) The Importance of Becoming Wise (1:04:27) Is Goodness a Vital Part of Wisdom? (1:13:25) The Traditional View of Wisdom (1:17:09) Why Perspective is So Important (1:21:14) Where to Find Spencer

Extra Stuff:

To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.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-Huberman⁠⁠

Get in touch.

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

Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/

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

Are Relationships Supposed To Last For Life? - Mads Larsen - #704 Nov 09, 2023

Show notes

Mads Larsen is a Norwegian author and journalist whose research focuses on the history of human mating ideologies.

The narrative of human romance is an ancient story. But that story has not always remained the same, the last 10,000 years has been a crazy journey through different beliefs on why we should find and stay with a partner and today we get to hear about all the fascinating details.

Expect to learn why it's so illuminating to study the story of mating ideologies across time, how our modern beliefs about finding a partner are historically very unusual, why having a daughter as a farmer could be a useful addition to your farming strategy, why Incels are so unhappy, why old people are the happiest despite evidence to the contrary in the past and much more...

Sponsors:

Get $150/£150 discount on the Eight Sleep Pod Cover at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied)

Get 20% discount on Nomatic’s amazing luggage at https://nomatic.com/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM)

Get $150 discount on Plunge’s amazing sauna or cold plunge at https://plunge.com (use code MW150)

Timestamps:

(00:00) Why Does Mating Need an Ideology? (03:09) Our Ancestors’ Typical Mating Strategies (12:33) The Oldest Mating Ideology (18:52) Why Churches Imposed Monogamy (23:20) When Courtship Was Introduced (34:33) The Basis For Our Current Mating Ideology (42:39) The Post-1750 Sexual Revolutions (48:38) Did the Church Lose Control in 1750? (55:48) Impact of Introducing Contraception (1:01:30) What is Causing Today’s Mating Dysfunctions? (1:10:27) Are We On the Verge of a New Mating Era? (1:23:11) Why Are People So Unhappy? (1:34:27) How Comparison Can Impact Wellbeing (1:45:19) Where to Find Mads

Extra Stuff:

To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.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-Huberman⁠⁠

Get in touch.

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

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

Why Does No One Trust The Media Anymore? - Patrick Bet-David - #703 Nov 06, 2023

Show notes

Patrick Bet-David is an entrepreneur, founder of Valuetainment, podcaster and author.

Given that the world is in chaos, we would usually turn to our institutions and news organisations to make sense of what's happening. But trust in these institutions is at an all time low, so what can we do about it?

Expect to learn why it’s actually important to have enemies, Patrick's thoughts on Ben Shapiro's new Snow White movie, what he thinks about Dana White's life philosophy, what it takes to actually impress people, why immigrants have such a strong work ethic, who actually runs the world, whether Tucker Carlson is going to break the internet and much more...

Timestamps:

(00:00) Why You Need an Enemy (09:03) The Importance of Using Your Pain (17:13) The Difference Between Competitors & Enemies (32:57) Reacting to Ben Shapiro & Daily Wire (46:07) Why Current Dating Culture is a Mess (52:38) Is Society Focusing on the Wrong Things? (1:02:33) Patrick's Opinion on Dana White (1:09:32) How People Deceive Themselves (1:16:19) Is Chris Obliged to Have an Opinion on Everything? (1:27:50) Rising Scepticism of Institutions & Media (1:41:01) How to Grow Out of a Lazy Mentality (1:49:30) Giving Your Child the Best Opportunities for Success (1:59:10) Are the Benefits of Paranoia Worth it? (2:03:35) Who Really Runs the World? (2:13:30) Desire For More Vs Self-Love (2:21:47) Where to Find Patrick

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-Huberman⁠⁠

Get In Touch:

Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/

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

Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact

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

16 Lessons From 700 Episodes - #702 Nov 04, 2023

Show notes

To celebrate 700 episodes of Modern Wisdom, I broke down some of my favourite lessons, insights and quotes from the last hundred episodes.

Expect to learn how your expectations define your happiness more than your circumstances, what monothinking is, why the Abilene Paradox is my favourite new idea, the problem of taking advice from super successful people, how to actually achieve enlightenment, my favourite mindset hack for doing the right thing and much more...

Sponsors:

Get 10% discount on all Gymshark’s products at https://bit.ly/sharkwisdom (use code: MW10)

Get 10% discount on Marek Health’s comprehensive blood panels at https://marekhealth.com/modernwisdom (use code: MODERNWISDOM)

Get an exclusive discount from Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/MODERNWISDOM (use code MODERNWISDOM)

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro (00:53) Expectations Define Happiness (06:15) The Increase of Mono-Thinking (09:42) The Abilene Paradox (12:28) Stop Taking Advice From the Super-Successful (15:34) Realistic Path to Enlightenment (20:33) Make Decisions For Tomorrow’s You (24:44) Let Go of Fear & Ego (28:55) Why People Lack Empathy For Men (39:38) How to Measure When a Story Goes Truly Mainstream (40:52) Why More Women Support Body Positivity (46:10) Productivity Dysmorphia (51:11) The Problem with Monk Mode (58:35) Post-Content Clarity (1:03:48) Would You Consume Your Own Content? (1:08:13) Be Willing to Be Disliked (1:09:05) Choose Your Suck

Extra Stuff:

To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.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-Huberman⁠⁠

Get in touch.

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