Modern Wisdom &#8211; Chris Williamson

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

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Studio Launch Party - Indian Fetishes, Betting on Wars & Tom Cruise - Rabbit Hole #1 - #1078 Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the new Studio!

To celebrate, I put together a new episode style. In this launch episode, we explore:

The world’s worst phone call of all time
If the act of self-improvement is problematic
Tom Cruise stops by the new set
and much more…

Guests:

Michael Smoak is a podcast host, entrepreneur, and investor.
Shaan Puri is an entrepreneur, former CEO, podcaster and an angel investor.
George Mack is a writer, marketer and entrepreneur.

Sponsors:

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

Get up to $350 off the Pod 5 at ⁠https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom⁠

Function is now just $365, plus get $25 off at ⁠https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom⁠

Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at ⁠https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom⁠

Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at ⁠https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at https://chatgpt.com

Timestamps:

(0:00) How Nikocado Trolled the Internet (1:51) The Worst Phone Call of All Time (9:04) How Sylvester Stallone Brute Forced Success (11:57) Are GLP-1s Killing Romance? (18:56) Did Novak Djokovic Take Discipline Too Far? (22:23) The Self-Help Trap (25:31) We’re Just Betting On Everything Now (36:29) The World’s Best Tom Cruise Impersonator (42:50) India’s Biggest Fetish (46:36) Why Insecurity Is Actually An Advantage (49:45) Gossip Is More Useful Than You Think (52:47) The Most Important 2 Seconds of Your Life (01:06:16) Have Adults Forgotten How To Play? (01:10:38) When People Take Stoicism Too Far (01:16:48) The Most Uncomfortable Mukbang Ever (01:25:01) 2 Beers, 2 Cigs, 2 Rubik’s Cubes World Record (01:31:10) Florida Man Does It Again (01:35:02) Ice Packs In The Sauna

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: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠⁠

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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

How to Wake Up Excited About Your Goals - Chris Bailey - #1077 Mar 28, 2026

Show notes

Chris Bailey is a productivity expert, speaker, and author.

How do you make goals actually stick? We all want better for ourselves, but most goals fade. So how do you set goals that excite you—and actually follow through?

Expect to learn why some goals feel effortless and others feel like a chore, how the role of intentions plays into goal setting and how to stack them, what the practical differences are between default intentions and deliberate intentions, why SMART goals are overrated, what the big triggers of procrastination and aversion are and how to overcome them, how you can make your goals feel deeper and intention stickier and much more…

Timestamps:

(0:00) Why Do Your Goals Start to Feel Meaningless? (3:40) Goals vs Values: What Really Drives You? (9:06) How To Align Your Goals With What Matters (14:39) Why You Should Constantly Rewrite Your Goals (18:29) Default vs Deliberate Intentions: What’s the Difference? (20:35) Where Your Default Intentions Come From (28:14) Are “Realistic” Goals Holding You Back? (32:53) How Procrastination Destroys Your Goals (35:54) The Easiest Ways to Beat Procrastination (45:12) Are Ugly Goals Still Worth Pursuing? (48:55) Are Your Goals Actually Yours… Or Someone Else’s? (54:13) How to Build Deeper Goals (57:34) Designing Intentions That Actually Stick (01:04:50) The Biggest Thing You’re Overlooking (01:08:30) Where to Find Chris

Sponsors:

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

Get up to 20% off the leading longevity and cellular health supplement at https://timeline.com/modernwisdom

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

Get 15% off your first order of my favourite Non-Alcoholic Brew at https://athleticbrewing.com/modernwisdom

Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 and 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: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠⁠

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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

The Hotdog Effect: Secrets of the World’s #1 Restaurants - Will Guidara - #1076 Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

Will Guidara is a restaurateur, hospitality expert, and author.

What does it take to become the world’s best restaurant? In an era of extravagant dining and over-the-top experiences, the answer might be simpler than you think. So what actually separates the best from the rest?

Expect to learn the biggest differences between service and hospitality, how Will went from #50 in the world to #1, how to operationalise magic and why most companies forget the human they are supposed to serve, which tricks of hospitality from well known restaurants most people probably overlook or don’t notice, what the one thing I should get right if you want to run a successful restaurant is and much more…

Timestamps:

(0:00) Would Your Younger Self Be Proud of Who You’ve Become? (5:17) How Will’s Father Shaped His Career (10:54) Building the Best Restaurant in the World (14:30) Why Experience is Everything in Hospitality (17:15) The Hot Dog That Changed Everything (24:15) Going the Extra Mile For Every Guest (29:01) Why Businesses Forget the Human Touch (31:21) The Power of Mastering Your Touch Points (42:26) The Smartest Marketing Moves That Work (48:11) When Taking Life Too Seriously Backfires (52:33) Think Big But Be Patient in Pursuit (54:00) The Cost of Becoming #1 (01:03:25) Where to Find Will

Sponsors:

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

Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom

Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom

Get up to $50 off the RP Hypertrophy App at https://rpstrength.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: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠⁠

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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

Why Men Are at the Top of Society (and the bottom) - Roy Baumeister - #1075 Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

Roy Baumeister is a psychologist, professor, and researcher.

Are men inherently more expendable from an evolutionary standpoint—and if so, has that dynamic helped drive innovation? If risk-taking outliers are often responsible for progress, what does that say about the role men play in shaping civilisation? And does this tradeoff come at the cost of higher failure, instability, and sacrifice along the way?

Expect to learn why cultures flourish when they exploit men and what that actually means, why men have ended up in higher positions in society and if civilisation runs on male competition, why men are so much more likely to take physical, financial, and social risks, if risk-taking men are necessary for progress, what people do not understand about self-destructive male behaviours and much more…

Timestamps:

(0:00) Why Men Are Seen as More Expendable (7:27) The Hidden Power of Intrasexual Competition (13:25) How Female Choice Drives Male Ambition (15:55) Why Men Vary More Than Women (22:12) The Real Driver of Differences Between the Sexes (29:21) Why Men Take More Risks Than Women (33:14) What is the Imaginary Feminist? (35:56) Is Modern Gender Discourse Broken? (45:36) Has Feminism Changed How We Protect Women? (51:55) What Happens When Male Sacrifice Isn’t Rewarded? (54:07) Why Ego Depletion is Under Attack (59:15) The Strongest Critiques of Willpower (01:05:47) How to Improve Willpower and Self-Control (01:10:53) Porn is Damaging Sexual Novelty (01:21:11) How Does Sexual Novelty Affect Female Desire? (01:29:00) Where to Find Roy

Sponsors:

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

New pricing since recording: Function is now just $365, plus get $25 off at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

Get up to $350 off the Pod 5 at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom

Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/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: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠⁠

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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

A Masterclass in Changing Your Limiting Beliefs - Nir Eyal - #1074 Mar 21, 2026

Show notes

Nir Eyal is an author, behavioural design expert, and investor. What does it mean to truly hold a belief you endorse? Maybe some of what we believe isn’t true. But more interesting is how beliefs are formed, and how they can be reshaped. So how do you update your beliefs in a way that actually serves you, rather than holds you back? Expect to learn why beliefs are so important and why they are just tools not truths, what’s wrong with the traditional view of behaviour change and motivation, why smart, disciplined people still quit when their beliefs weaken, how big of a problem limiting beliefs are, how to reframe rejection and failure, why rumination feels productive when it’s actually destructive, how to audit your beliefs and much more…

Timestamps:

(0:00) Why Belief Shapes Everything You Do (7:43) Are Spirituals Beliefs Weaker Than Religious Beliefs? (11:32) The Power of Choosing What You Believe (16:34) Why You Shouldn’t Treat Beliefs as Fact (20:17) Can Belief Be Engineered? (28:58) Rumination: Helpful or Harmful? (30:57) How to Rebuild Belief After Failure (38:28) Can You Really Create Your Own Luck? (41:19) You’ll Always Find Negativity If You Look For It (46:24) How Beliefs Can Physically Affect Your Body (52:29) How to Break Free From Limiting Beliefs (01:03:38) The Challenge Behind Changing Health Beliefs (01:08:18) You Have More Agency Than You Think (01:13:05) Why the Brain Defaults to Helplessness (01:15:37) You Need to Believe in Your Potential (01:21:46) The Placebo Prayer Protocol (01:26:34) Where to Find Nir

Sponsors:

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

Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 and your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom

Get 15% off your first order of my favourite Non-Alcoholic Brew at https://athleticbrewing.com/modernwisdom

Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom

New pricing since recording: Function is now just $365, plus get $25 off at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

Extra Stuff:

Check out Nir's new book: ⁠http://geni.us/beyondbelief

Free belief change guide Nir mentioned is here: http://nirandfar.com/belief-change

Bonus content and the 30-Day Belief Transformation Journal: http://nirandfar.com/beyond-belief

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:

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

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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

19 Uncomfortable Truths About Human Nature - Gurwinder Bhogal - #1073 Mar 19, 2026

Show notes

Gurwinder Bhogal is a programmer and a writer. Gurwinder is one of my favourite X follows. He’s written yet another megathread exploring human nature, cognitive biases, mental models, status games, crowd behaviour and social media. It’s fantastic, and today we go through some of my favourites. Expect to learn what the Oxytocin paradox is, why anxiety is now the most common mental health condition in the world and why the Rumpelstiltskin Effect might be to blame, the reason why 20% and 40% of undergraduates at many elite American universities are now registered as disabled, what AI will do and make to best steal our attention, why 1% of users generate 99% of the content you see online, whether you’re the person who doesn’t know how to improve their life or someone who doesn’t know when to stop and much more…

Timestamps:

(0:00) Can Empathy Make You Cruel? (8:19) Does Diagnoses Actually Solve Anything? (20:09) Why So Many People Now Identify As Disabled (23:09) The Harmful Power of Slopaganda (25:34) Can Truth Survive the Information Overload? (33:00) Why Social Media Isn’t Real Life (36:41) The Rise of Red Pill Content (42:04) Can Stress Actually Make You Happier? (58:21) Do Standards Outweigh Capacity? (01:02:23) Why We Focus On Our Weaknesses (01:10:16) Is Main Character Syndrome Warping Reality? (01:17:28) Why You Should Argue Like Your Opponent Will Win (01:22:01) Will Everything Eventually Become Illegal? (01:24:46) The Hype Cycle of New Technology (01:31:32) Nature vs Nurture: What Really Shapes Us? (01:34:41) What Your Worldview Reveals About You (01:38:04) Is Optimistic Pessimism the Best Mindset? (01:43:29) Where to Check Out Gurwinder

Sponsors:

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

Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

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

Get up to $50 off the RP Hypertrophy App at https://rpstrength.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: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠⁠

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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

Why Nobody is Having Sex Anymore (& why it matters) - Dr Debra Soh - #1072 Mar 16, 2026

Show notes

Dr Debra Soh is a neuroscientist, sex researcher, political commentator, and author.

Why are we more connected than ever—but having less sex? Technology promised endless connection, but many people feel more isolated than ever. With sexlessness increasing, what’s causing the modern “sex recession,” and what can be done about it?

Expect to learn if people having less sex is a big deal or not, what the current state of modern sexual activity is, when the sex recession started and if rising hypergamy was a factor, if the role of porn attributed to the sex recession and the shocking new neuroscience of porn use, why looksmaxxing and plastic surgery are on the rise, the role of social media and smartphones had in growing sexlessness, what can be done top-down to fix the sex recession and much more…

Timestamps:

(0:00) Is Sex Really Declining? (4:13) When Did the Sex Recession Start? (7:24) Why Hypergamy Is Changing (16:26) Is Hypergamy Reshaping the Dating Market? (22:39) How the Pill Changed Female Sexual Choice (32:01) Life As a Romance Novel Model (33:27) How Modern Environments Disrupt Our Hormones (37:05) Porn’s Devastating Impact on Men (46:42) How Porn is Impacting Women (51:38) Is Porn Making Sex More Aggressive? (01:08:25) How Social Media is Rewriting Sexual Norms (01:14:10) The Beauty Standards Porn is Creating (01:25:04) Is Looksmaxxing Backfiring? (01:29:11) Is Sexlessness Destroying Marriages? (01:38:25) Is the Sex Doll Revolution Coming? (01:45:52) Why Connection Feels Harder Than Ever (01:47:48) Are We Opting Out of Having Children? (02:01:50) Can the Sex Recession Be Reversed? (02:05:36) Where to Find Debra

Sponsors:

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

Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom

Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom

New pricing since recording: Function is now just $365, plus get $25 off 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:

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

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

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

Get In Touch:

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

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

If You Hate Your Job, This is How to Start Over - Bill Gurley - #1071 Mar 14, 2026

Show notes

Bill Gurley is a venture capitalist, general partner at Benchmark, and a former Wall Street analyst.

How do you find work you actually enjoy? So many people warn about the jobs they hate and the dreams they never chased. But turning passion into a career is harder than it sounds. So how do you reinvent yourself and build a life where work feels meaningful instead of miserable?

Expect to learn why most people end up having careers they regret, how to build a framework for regret minimisation, what people do that achieve success in their dream career, how to know when you’re plateauing versus when you’re just bored, what great mentors actually do that books and podcasts can’t, if someone can learn to love the grind or if it is something that’s innate, how you know if you’re in the wrong field versus just in the hard phase of the right field and much more…

Timestamps:

(0:00) What Career Regret Really Means (4:44) Why Uncertainty is So Uncomfortable (9:41) Why We Feel Obligated to Stick to One Career (15:05) Is Life Really “Use It or Lose It”? (23:04) How Some Of Us Successfully Pivot Careers (30:14) The Real Risk of Starting Over in Your 30s (38:42) Do Discipline, Motivation and Obsession Work Together? (41:54) Signs It’s Time to Change Your Career (48:30) Plateau or Boredom: How to Tell the Difference (50:12) Can You Upgrade Your Circle Without Losing Yourself? (54:49) Do Mentors Actually Make a Difference? (01:00:53) Can You Learn to Love the Grind? (01:07:37) The Pains and Pleasures of Reinventing Yourself (01:25:21) What Investors Look For in Founders (01:30:34) Founder vs Company: What Matters More? (01:42:01) Why You Should Lean into AI When Honing Your Craft (01:47:13) Which Careers Will AI Replace? (01:49:11) The Best Way to Start Your Career in Your 20s (01:50:56) Why Career Switchers Become Innovators (01:55:43) Where to Find Bill

Sponsors:

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

New pricing since recording: Function is now just $365, plus get $25 off at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

Get up to $350 off the Pod 5 at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom

Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

Get up to 20% off the leading longevity and cellular health supplement at https://timeline.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: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠⁠

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

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

Get In Touch:

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