The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

Latest Episodes:

Buddhist Teacher: No One Is Talking About This Hidden Epidemic! The Western Lie Behind Depression and Anxiety Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

From 6 years in isolation to sounding the alarm, Buddhist Gelong Thubten reveals the hidden epidemic no one is talking about with Stress, Depression, Buddhism, Meditation, Mental Health and more.

Thubten is one of the UK’s most influential meditation teachers, who spent 6 years in isolated meditation retreats, including one which lasted 4 years. He is also the bestselling author of books such as, ‘Handbook for Hard Times: A Monk's Guide to Fearless Living’.

He explains:

The hidden mental health crisis that’s silently destroying your emotional well-being.
Why Western culture increases anxiety, depression, and disconnection
The biggest myths about meditation and how to meditate properly.
The real reason your meditation practice isn’t working.
How screen time and phone addiction are hijacking your brain and inner peace.
Why rejecting pleasure can lead to lasting connection and clarity.
How unresolved trauma controls your mind and how mindfulness can free you.
00:00 Intro
02:32 Why Is Thubten's Message More Important Now Than Ever Before?
03:02 Thubten's Concerns About Western Society
03:51 Where Does Life Purpose Come From?
05:15 Is Search for Purpose a Misplaced Pursuit?
06:28 Why Is Western Society Increasingly Unhappy?
08:55 Is It Wrong to Find Meaning in the Pursuit of Goals?
11:38 What Led Thubten to Become a Monk?
13:50 Gelong's Difficult Past and Its Impact on His Mind
18:06 Where Do Negative Internal Voices Originate From?
19:03 Who Influenced Thubten to Go to a Monastery?
19:53 Thubten's Heart Condition
20:49 Key Aspects of Living as a Monk
22:25 What Are the Advantages of Celibacy?
24:23 Is Abstinence Sufficient to Overcome Compulsive Behaviour?
27:06 What Is Buddhism?
29:43 Thubten's Journey of Healing
31:33 What Is Meditation?
36:38 Benefits of Buddhist Practices
41:12 Can a Buddhist Mindset Go Hand in Hand With Effectiveness at Work?
46:45 Ads
48:41 How Does Buddhism Think About Victimhood and Trauma?
51:51 Breaking Free From Suffering
58:16 Can We Run Away From Our Pain?
1:04:49 How to Love Yourself When You Feel Broken
1:05:56 Coping With Grief and Loss
1:10:21 Focusing on the Pain in a Loving Way
1:13:17 The Practice of Forgiveness
1:20:16 Ads
1:22:12 Are We Living in a Culture of Fear?
1:25:06 How to Protect Yourself From Fear
1:27:13 The Gap Between Impulse and Action
1:28:13 Incorporating Meditation Into Your Daily Life
1:31:21 Live Meditation
1:38:21 How Can Meditation Change Your Life
1:41:39 Why Did Thubten Take Vows for Life?
1:42:26 Does Working on Your Mind Ever End?
1:43:15 The Gap Between Knowing and Doing
1:45:17 Is Meditation Retreat a Good Idea to Get Started?
1:45:54 Is Buddhism a Solution to the Current World Problems?
1:47:54 Question From the Previous Guest

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You can purchase Thubten’s book, ‘A Monk's Guide to Happiness: Meditation in the 21st century’, here: https://bit.ly/45xFE9O

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Most Replayed Moment: Instantly Calm Your Anxiety - Dr. Martha Beck Jun 20, 2025

Show notes

Dr. Martha Beck explains how the right hemisphere of the brain, through creative thinking, can be a sanctuary for those struggling with anxiety. While today's fast-paced world often frames creative expression as unproductive, learning to embrace it is crucial for improving mental well-being. In this top moment, discover how creative tools can offer emotional relief, helping you feel more calm, grounded, and connected to your true self.

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THE FEMINISM DEBATE: Is Feminism Betraying Women? The Hidden Risk Of Casual Sex! Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

Has feminism betrayed the very women it promised to empower? Deborah France-White, Louise Perry, and Erica Komisar go head-to-head on the hidden costs of sexual freedom.

Deborah Frances-White is a bestselling author and host of The Guilty Feminist podcast, Louise Perry is a journalist and author of The Case Against the Sexual Revolution, and Erica Komisar is a clinical social worker, psychoanalyst, and author of books such as, ‘Chicken Little the Sky Isn't Falling: Raising Resilient Adolescents in the New Age of Anxiety’.

In this heated debate, they discuss:

What casual sex is really doing to women.
Why relationships are declining.
The parenting crisis that no one’s talking about.
Why fewer people are having children.
How modern dating is affecting female self-worth.
00:00 Intro
02:29 Introducing the Panel
03:43 What Is the Sexual Revolution?
10:16 Autonomy, Freedom, and Agency as a Byproduct of the Sexual Revolution
15:03 Casual Sex and Hookup Culture
31:02 One Sexual Partner for Life
33:15 Age of Marriage Increasing Over Time
33:55 Emotional Consequences of Sex
39:51 Feminists Typically Have Had Trauma
43:28 Agency as a Personality Trait
47:42 Sex Education in Schools
49:34 Female Pleasure
51:27 Is Sexual Freedom Making Us Happy?
53:51 Feeling Bullied by the Narrative of Freedom
57:44 Ads
59:47 Manosphere and Tradwives
01:07:10 Do Women Want Men to Be Providers?
01:08:01 Children and Gender Roles
01:12:23 Poor Mothers Looking After Children
01:18:32 The Role Feminism Has Had on Motherhood
01:22:35 Would Steven Take 3 Years Off Work to Raise Children?
01:23:43 Men and Women's Nurturing Hormones
01:28:12 We Can't Be Neutral About Policies
01:30:39 The Narrative That Having Children Is Miserable
01:32:27 Female Guilt
01:33:35 Parenthood and Narcissism
01:41:42 Birth Rates Declining
01:43:06 Traditional Gender Roles
01:48:44 Demonizing Feminism
01:52:53 Link Between Political Stance and Number of Children
01:57:03 Ads
01:58:48 Pornography
02:06:17 Masculine Virtues
02:11:31 Do Boys and Girls Need to Be Parented Differently?
02:13:00 Chivalry
02:14:05 Evolutionary Differences
02:19:20 Quotas in Education
02:21:17 Final Thoughts

Deborah:

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CEO Diaries: The Lessons I Wish I Knew at the Start of My Career… Jun 18, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of CEO Diaries, LinkedIn's Jessica Jensen shares essential B2B marketing strategies every entrepreneur needs. From leveraging AI to mastering LinkedIn for customer acquisition, Jessica reveals how to scale your business and build a winning marketing plan. Don't miss these insights on transforming your B2B approach.

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Godfather of AI: I Tried to Warn Them, But We’ve Already Lost Control! Geoffrey Hinton Jun 16, 2025

Show notes

He pioneered AI, now he’s warning the world. Godfather of AI Geoffrey Hinton breaks his silence on the deadly dangers of AI no one is prepared for.

Geoffrey Hinton is a leading computer scientist and cognitive psychologist, widely recognised as the ‘Godfather of AI’ for his pioneering work on neural networks and deep learning. He received the 2018 Turing Award, often called the Nobel Prize of computing. In 2023, he left Google to warn people about the rising dangers of AI.

He explains:

Why there’s a real 20% chance AI could lead to HUMAN EXTINCTION.
How speaking out about AI got him SILENCED.
The deep REGRET he feels for helping create AI.
The 6 DEADLY THREATS AI poses to humanity right now.
AI’s potential to advance healthcare, boost productivity, and transform education.
00:00 Intro
02:28 Why Do They Call You the Godfather of AI?
04:37 Warning About the Dangers of AI
07:23 Concerns We Should Have About AI
10:50 European AI Regulations
12:29 Cyber Attack Risk
14:42 How to Protect Yourself From Cyber Attacks
16:29 Using AI to Create Viruses
17:43 AI and Corrupt Elections
19:20 How AI Creates Echo Chambers
23:05 Regulating New Technologies
24:48 Are Regulations Holding Us Back From Competing With China?
26:14 The Threat of Lethal Autonomous Weapons
28:50 Can These AI Threats Combine?
30:32 Restricting AI From Taking Over
32:18 Reflecting on Your Life’s Work Amid AI Risks
34:02 Student Leaving OpenAI Over Safety Concerns
38:06 Are You Hopeful About the Future of AI?
40:08 The Threat of AI-Induced Joblessness
43:04 If Muscles and Intelligence Are Replaced, What’s Left?
44:55 Ads
46:59 Difference Between Current AI and Superintelligence
52:54 Coming to Terms With AI’s Capabilities
54:46 How AI May Widen the Wealth Inequality Gap
56:35 Why Is AI Superior to Humans?
59:18 AI’s Potential to Know More Than Humans
1:01:06 Can AI Replicate Human Uniqueness?
1:04:14 Will Machines Have Feelings?
1:11:29 Working at Google
1:15:12 Why Did You Leave Google?
1:16:37 Ads
1:18:32 What Should People Be Doing About AI?
1:19:53 Impressive Family Background
1:21:30 Advice You’d Give Looking Back
1:22:44 Final Message on AI Safety
1:26:05 What’s the Biggest Threat to Human Happiness?

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Most Replayed Moment: Would You Still Love Them If You Came Off The Pill...? Your Hormones Are Controlling You! Jun 13, 2025

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Dr. Sarah Hill - psychologist and leading researcher on women's hormones - reveals the ways hormonal birth control can shape attraction, emotion, and long-term relationships. She explains how women’s natural cycles influence who they’re drawn to, how birth control can blunt or shift those instincts, and why this matters for both women and the men they're with. If you've ever wondered why your feelings change - or if the pill could be influencing your type - this conversation is for you.

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The Sex Expert (Esther Perel): The Relationship Crisis No One Talks About That's Killing Your Sex Life! Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

Swipe left, feel empty, and wonder why? Esther Perel reveals the hidden truths behind the dating crisis, loneliness, and the shocking decline in sex and intimacy.

Esther Perel is a world-renowned psychotherapist and relationship expert, widely recognised as one of today’s most insightful and original voices on modern relationships. She is the bestselling author of books such as, ‘The State of Affairs’.

She explains:

Why MEN Over 30 Aren’t Having Sex Anymore.
The SEX GAME that could Save Your Relationship.
How CHILDHOOD TRAUMA is Secretly Sabotaging Your Marriage.
Why Investing in AUTHENTIC CONNECTION is the key to a Fulfilling Life.
The ONE RED FLAG that Predicts Divorce.
00:00 Intro
02:29 Esther’s Main Concern About Human Connection
03:22 What’s the Consequence of Losing Social Skills?
04:19 Is Online Dating the Only Choice Nowadays?
07:13 The Value of Rejection
07:52 Rejection from the Apps
08:48 What to Do If Dating Apps Don’t Work for You
11:26 Is Too Much Choice Making Dating Harder?
13:01 How to Cope with Online Dating Burnout
14:30 The Changing Role of Masculinity and Its Impact on Society
15:57 Loneliness Today
17:17 Why Do People Have Less Sex Nowadays?
20:17 Importance of Deep Connection in Relationships
21:51 How Phone Use Affects Connection and Sexual Attraction
28:07 Questions from Steven’s Friends
28:53 Is It Always a Good Idea to Admit to Infidelity?
31:17 Attraction with a Partner
33:36 Is Long-Term Faithfulness in a Relationship Possible?
37:06 Importance of Taking Accountability
39:21 How People Are Energizing Their Relationships
42:59 How to Revive Intimacy When Gone for So Long
44:52 Ads
45:55 Do People Enjoy Sex Less Than Before?
48:15 Do I Have to Work on Myself Before I Can Have a Good Relationship?
49:49 Has the Culture of Self-Love Gone Too Far?
51:19 Are Men Emasculated by the Success of Women?
59:08 What Is Social Confidence?
1:02:56 What Gives a Traumatic Experience Meaning?
1:14:10 Would You Delete Mobile Phones to Help Connection?
1:17:08 Can Social Connection Principles Apply to a Workplace?
1:22:06 How Are You Going to Adapt to a World of AI and Robots?

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You can purchase Esther’s new 100 question game, ‘Where Should We Begin? At Work’, here: https://bit.ly/4kF0F7h

You can purchase Esther’s book ‘The State of Affairs’, here: https://amzn.to/4l0KaSv

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CEO Diaries: The Mistake That Nearly Derailed MrBeast’s Entire Empire Jun 11, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of CEO Diaries, MrBeast dives into the real challenges of building a business from the ground up. He shares his journey of scaling from a small team to 500+ employees, offering valuable insights into why surrounding yourself with A-players is crucial to success. From navigating the complexities of leadership, to balancing innovation with structure, MrBeast opens up about the lessons learned, and how he’s shaping his company’s future. Whether you're an entrepreneur or just interested in how top businesses thrive, this moment is full of wisdom on scaling, team building, and leadership.

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Scooter Braun: The Lie I Chased Almost Broke Me... You’re Probably Chasing It Too! Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

What happens when you build a billion-dollar music empire, but lose yourself along the way? Music mogul Scooter Braun reveals the raw truth behind his mask.

Scooter Braun is a renowned music executive, entrepreneur, and manager behind the careers of global stars like Justin Bieber, amongst many others. He is CEO of HYBE America and founder of SB Projects, a dynamic entertainment and media company.

He discusses:

The mask he wore as “Scooter” and the journey back to being Scott
Why he carries guilt for every young artist he managed
How 20 years of running finally led him to confront his deepest fears
Why he felt like a complete fraud even at the top and how he overcame it
The reason why his divorce saved his life
00:00 Intro
02:46 What Drives You?
08:01 Your Dad
09:55 Your First Business
12:22 You're Very Good at Forming Relationships
14:31 What Did Everyone See in You at an Early Age?
16:06 People Trying to Stop Your Dreams
18:45 Signing Your First Acts
21:36 Discovering Justin Bieber
24:52 What's Your Relationship With Justin Bieber Now?
26:34 What Do Highly Successful Artists Have in Common?
28:09 Why Are There So Many Tragedies Around Famous People?
34:05 Did It Hurt Parting Ways With Justin Bieber?
34:30 The Artists You've Worked With
37:20 The Praise and Hate I Received Were Both Misunderstood
40:13 An Artist You Were Wrong About
44:47 Quitting Music Management
51:40 Ads
52:50 Selling Your Company for $1.1 Billion
54:53 How Pivotal Was the Incident With Taylor Swift?
57:56 Contending With an Unfair World
1:00:34 If I Had Seen You Then, What Would I Have Seen?
1:02:12 Your Divorce
1:07:27 Friends Being There for Me
1:11:32 Why My Marriage Fell Apart
1:22:23 The Work You Do on Yourself
1:26:12 The Power of Building Connections
1:27:48 Spotify Saving the Music Industry
1:31:38 What's Next for Scott?
1:33:56 What Is Steve Trying to Achieve?
1:39:30 What Should We Do if We're Always Chasing Something?
1:49:51 If You Could Do Anything Without Fear of Failure, What Would You Do?

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Most Replayed Moment: Chris Williamson Explains Why Finding Love Feels Harder Than Ever. Jun 06, 2025

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In todays moments episode, Chris Williamson dives into why real relationships seem harder to find in today’s world - and what you can do about it. With the challenges of modern dating, and the rise of disconnection, Chris offers a hopeful perspective on how to navigate these hurdles and create deeper, more meaningful connections in your life.

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