Two Percent with Michael Easter

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#11: Why Most Habit Change Fails (And How to Get Good at Feeling Bad) | Ryan Soave May 14, 2026

Show notes

Sobriety isn't just "not drinking"—it's learning how to live without needing relief on demand. In this episode, Michael Easter sits down with therapist Ryan Soave (18+ years sober) for a sweeping conversation on why addiction often acts like a solution to deeper pain, how fear and shame quietly run the show, and what it takes to break the compulsion loop for good.

They dig into habit change that actually sticks, how to rebuild identity and community, and practical ways to regulate your nervous system so you don't have to numb yourself.

Ryan Soave is a licensed mental health counselor, transformational coach, and person in long-term recovery. He has spent nearly twenty years and over ten thousand clinical hours working with people navigating trauma, addiction, and the survival patterns that quietly run their lives. His approach brings together modern neuroscience, body-based therapies, and ancient wisdom traditions, all built around one idea: most of us confuse discomfort with threat and spend our lives reacting to things that aren't actually dangerous. Learning to feel bad is the first real step toward living well. Ryan has sat on both sides of the therapeutic relationship, which shapes everything about how he works.

To go deeper with Ryan or learn more about his work:

Website: ryansoave.com

Free course: Sign up for "How to Feel Bad (and Love Your Life)" at ryansoave.com

Book a one-on-one consultation: ryansoave.com

Instagram: @Ryan.Soave

YouTube: @rjsoave

Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. This episode was edited by Ryan Mulhern. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager.

GET A FREE GUIDE TO EXAMPLES OF MISOGI. GO TO https://www.twopct.com AND ENTER YOUR EMAIL.

I share similar insights around health and wellness here:

https://substack.com/@michaeleaster

https://instagram.com/michael_easter/

https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/

https://facebook.com/easter.michael

https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6

https://x.com/Michael_Easter

Chapters:

00:00:00 Cold open

00:02:11 Sober at Phish / fun without substances

00:03:47 Relearning fun + giving up one thing for everything

00:06:04 The order water moment (social anxiety + self-obsession)

00:07:22 Sober wedding story + being a model for others

00:11:00 Walk us up to your sobriety + early roots

00:20:24 Addiction is not the problem, it's the solution

00:25:33 What people do when they decide to get sober

00:33:04 Defining addiction + signs it's out of control

00:36:55 Fear, shame, and emotion-driven behaviors

00:39:39 Fixed beliefs and the Michael Jordan analogy

00:49:56 Where Ryan starts with a new client

00:52:18 Nervous system regulation + the space between stimulus and response

01:03:09 When healthy behaviors become compulsion (exercise / triathlon)

01:14:17 Process addictions (food, sex, money, gambling)

01:23:33 Michael Singer / falling in love as distraction

01:26:55 Social media, Pascal, and the Yoga Sutras

01:39:22 Good at feeling bad + how antidepressants get prescribed

01:44:04 Addiction redirected as a superpower

01:46:30 Purpose vs. what you do

01:48:23 Community, 9/11, Tribe, and the bar

01:55:27 Power greater than yourself

01:59:38 Final two questions (30-day stop test + dream live show)

02:04:13 Michael's outro

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#10: Why Dogs Make Us Healthier & Happier | Sam Alaimo & Dr. Nancy Gee May 12, 2026

Show notes

Dogs don’t just make us happy—they change how we live. Michael Easter talks with former Navy SEAL and writer Sam Alaimo about why dogs pull us back into the present, create purpose, and help us rebuild after our toughest moments.

Then researcher Dr. Nancy Gee (director of a human–animal interaction center) breaks down what the science actually says about how and why pet ownership contributes to our health and wellbeing.

Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. This episode was edited by Joey Fischground. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager.

GET A FREE GUIDE TO EXAMPLES OF MISOGI. GO TO https://www.twopct.com AND ENTER YOUR EMAIL.

I share similar insights around health and wellness here:

https://substack.com/@michaeleaster

https://instagram.com/michael_easter/

https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/

https://facebook.com/easter.michael

https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6

https://x.com/Michael_Easter

Chapters:

00:00:00 Dogs, Sobriety, and Purpose

00:15:00 Presence, Minimalism, and Choice

00:35:00 Loneliness, Health, and the Data

01:00:05 Heat, Hydration, and Safety

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#9: The Power of Constraints & Why More Freedom Makes Us Miserable | David Epstein May 07, 2026

Show notes

What if everything you believe about freedom is wrong?
Author David Epstein joins Michael Easter to break down why constraints — not freedom — drive better work, better wellness, and better creativity. Epstein is the bestselling author of Range and The Sports Gene, and his new book Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better argues we have it backwards on freedom.
They discuss why General Magic collapsed under unlimited possibility while Pixar dominated, why your brain is literally built to prevent you from thinking, and the simple sleep hack that made David a morning person for two years without an alarm clock.
This is the playbook for thinking slow, acting fast, and finally figuring out what to stop doing.
Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. This episode was edited by Ryan Mulhern. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager.
GET A FREE GUIDE TO EXAMPLES OF MISOGI. GO TO https://www.twopct.com AND ENTER YOUR EMAIL.
I share similar insights around health and wellness here:
https://substack.com/@michaeleaster
https://instagram.com/michael_easter/
https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/
https://facebook.com/easter.michael
https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6
https://x.com/Michael_Easter
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Cold open
00:01:35 - The General Magic disaster: a $200M company that built nothing
00:06:32 - Tony Fadell, the iPod, and prototyping inside a literal box
00:08:40 - Why Dr. Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham on a 50-word bet
00:14:07 - What too many resources actually does to a team
00:17:51 - Stop adding, start subtracting (the genetics lab post-it system)
00:20:08 - The wellness mistake: foot on the brake, hammering the gas
00:21:25 - The sleep-in-workout-clothes hack that killed David's alarm clock
00:23:58 - Why managers matter (and Pixar's popsicle sticks)
00:31:37 - Think slow, act fast: the 0.5% rule from 16,000 projects
00:36:51 - Why "more freedom" is actually making people miserable
00:41:53 - The year 2000 and why medicine "stopped working"
00:46:55 - The Taylor Swift / Chiefs stat trap (and how to spot a fake fact)
00:49:10 - The Sports Gene origin story and the Kalenjin runners
00:54:08 - Roger vs. Tiger and the death of the 10,000-hour rule
00:58:26 - Why hiring for breadth beats hiring for the perfect resume
01:02:18 - The writer who blew David's mind (and inspired Inception)

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#8: Subtraction Mindset: Get More By Doing Less | Leidy Klotz May 05, 2026

Show notes

A 3-year old beat a PhD engineer at an engineering problem while playing legos—and that single moment kicked off a decade of research that exposed one of the strongest, most underrated biases in the human brain: we almost never subtract.
This week, Michael sits down with Dr. Leidy Klotz — University of Virginia engineering professor, former pro soccer player, and author of Subtract, which explored why your brain defaults to adding when removing is the better answer.
His new book In a Good Place, unpacks why open offices steal your focus, the science of the “home field advantage” and why the spaces you live in might be quietly running your life (and even affecting your lifespan).
Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. This episode was edited by Will Mayo. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager.
GET A FREE GUIDE TO EXAMPLES OF MISOGI. GO TO https://www.twopct.com AND ENTER YOUR EMAIL.
I share similar insights around health and wellness here:
https://substack.com/@michaeleaster
https://instagram.com/michael_easter/
https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/
https://facebook.com/easter.michael
https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6
https://x.com/Michael_Easter

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#7: Paths Out of Addiction: Fantanyl, Meth, Marching Band, & Hope | Sam Quinones Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

100,000 Americans die of drug overdose a year. One solution, today's guest discovered, is rather dorky...
Sam Quinones spent 12 years reporting on America’s drug crisis and how heroin, fentanyl, meth have reshaped the country. In this episode, he unpacks how Mexican cartels replaced poppy fields with chemicals, lowered the price of meth by 90%, and unintentionally created a schizophrenia crisis. Since then, Sam has been on a mission to find the antidote to modern day addiction. And he found it in an unlikely source: the tuba. Yes, the musical instrument. Sam explains why marching band may very well be the best anti-drug program in America and how we can help our children avoid a life of addiction and suffering.
Even if you don't want to play the tuba—and you don't—the lessons from marching band can help anyone build a better life. This episode is about the value of hard work without fanfare, the power of community, and how to find hope in a broken world.
Sam is the author of Dreamland, The Least of Us, and his new book The Perfect Tuba: Forging Fulfillment from the Bass Horn, Band, and Hard Work.
Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. This episode was edited by Joey Fischground. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager.
GET A FREE GUIDE TO EXAMPLES OF MISOGI. GO TO https://www.twopct.com AND ENTER YOUR EMAIL.
I share similar insights around health and wellness here:
https://substack.com/@michaeleaster
https://instagram.com/michael_easter/
https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/
https://facebook.com/easter.michael
https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6
https://x.com/Michael_Easter
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:29 - Who is Sam Quinones
00:03:37 - The shredding of community that fueled addiction
00:07:14 - How drugs became faster, stronger, cheaper
00:11:28 - The 2008 P2P shift and the rise of meth psychosis
00:15:13 - Why gambling, porn, weed and meth all changed at once
00:19:51 - Why Sam wrote a book about tubas
00:24:57 - Marching band as the opposite of addiction
00:30:42 - How to keep your kid away from drugs
00:31:17 - The Texas border town where band beat the cartels
00:36:18 - His next project: a Chalino Sanchez biography

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#6: Find Joy in Any Job | Dr. Mim Ari & Robin Greenfield Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Is work supposed to feel this miserable? In this episode, Michael Easter sits down with two people who answer the question from opposite ends of the spectrum: one who found deep fulfillment inside the system, and one who walked away from it entirely.
First, Dr. Mim Ari, an internist and associate professor at the University of Chicago, breaks down what it actually means to be a "deeply fulfilled workist." She explains why we anchor on the negatives, the 10:1 positive ratio that should reframe your day, how AI scribes are quietly changing medicine, and why intrinsic motivation beats external validation every time.
Then, Robin Greenfield, who once aimed to be a millionaire by 30, talks about why he gave it all up. He shares the moment he realized the American Dream was "the world's nightmare," his 100-change checklist for breaking free of consumerism, what it was like to walk NYC in a 135-pound trash suit, and the three months he spent owning literally nothing in Griffith Park.
Michael closes with the very first Two Percent AMA, including the one phone hack that has saved his work-life balance, the truth about exercise recovery, an update to The Comfort Crisis on autophagy, and the inaugural "Department of Dipshit Questions."
Robin’s 100-step guide to living happier: https://www.robingreenfield.org/100
(Note: We don't endorse all of these practices, but they're worth reading to understand Robin's thinking).
Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. This episode was edited by Will Mayo. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager.
GET A FREE GUIDE TO EXAMPLES OF MISOGI. GO TO https://www.twopct.com AND ENTER YOUR EMAIL.
I share similar insights around health and wellness here:
https://substack.com/@michaeleaster
https://instagram.com/michael_easter/
https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/
https://facebook.com/easter.michael
https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6
https://x.com/Michael_Easter

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#5: What Science Says About Alcohol & Social Media | Taylor Lorenz & Dean Stattmann Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

Everyone has a vice. Drinking, smoking, social media, diet soda. And the modern wellness internet will tell you that if you want to live a long, healthy life, you need to cut every single one of them out. But is that actually true?

In this episode of Two Percent, we take a nuanced look at vices and whether some of them might actually enhance your life when you use them the right way. We don't have to live like monks to live a good life.

First up is Dean Stattmann, a GQ reporter who spent three months sober and wrote a now-viral piece titled "Why My 2026 Resolution Is to Start Drinking Again." His Whoop scores got better, but his friendships, his marriage, and his mood got worse. Dean explains what alcohol actually does for human connection, what anthropologists call "costly signaling," and why moderate drinking might not be the villain the internet has made it out to be.

Then Taylor Lorenz, author of Extremely Online and host of the Power User podcast, joins to argue something that sounds heretical in 2026: social media is not addictive. We break down the real science on dopamine (spoiler: it's probably cortisol), the recent California Meta verdict, Section 230, KOSA, looksmaxing, Clavicular's overdose, and what's actually driving the teen mental health conversation.

Finally, Michael opens up about his own personal vice, a five-a-day habit, and explains why the science on aspartame, cancer, and the gut microbiome isn't nearly as scary as the internet would have you believe.

Substack Post from Dr. Vinay Prasad: https://www.drvinayprasad.com/p/alcohol-good-or-bad-why-reductionist

GET A FREE GUIDE TO EXAMPLES OF MISOGI. GO TO https://www.twopct.com AND ENTER YOUR EMAIL.

I share similar insights around health and wellness here:
https://substack.com/@michaeleaster
https://instagram.com/michael_easter/
https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/
https://facebook.com/easter.michael
https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6
https://x.com/Michael_Easter

Chapters:

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#4: The Science of Whole 30, Food Addiction, and Why Weight is the Wrong Metric | Melissa Urban Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

Melissa Urban — founder of Whole 30 and author of The Whole30 (updated 2024) and The Book of Boundaries — sits down with Michael Easter for one of the most honest conversations on this feed yet. Two sober people (Michael 10+ years, Melissa 24+ years) unpack the parallels between drug addiction and food behavior, why the first time Melissa went to rehab didn't stick, and the single question that rewired every habit in her life: "What would a healthy person with healthy habits do?"

They dig into the science of elimination diets, the 17 years of data behind Whole 30, why Melissa publicly reversed her position on seed oils in 2024 (and took the heat for it), how food becomes the fastest socially acceptable distraction from our feelings, and why you can white-knuckle any elimination program and end up exactly where you started. Plus: integrity over followers, mountains as church, and why "does this feel gross?" is the best business rubric Melissa's ever used.

Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. Our editor is Ryan Mulhern. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager.

GET A FREE GUIDE TO EXAMPLES OF MISOGI. GO TO https://www.twopct.com AND ENTER YOUR EMAIL.

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Cold open & intro
00:03:34 - Trauma, heroin & the first rehab
00:08:39 - "What would a healthy person do?"
00:12:22 - Origin of Whole 30 & food as a drug
00:22:00 - The science of elimination diets
00:33:10 - Behavior change & why willpower fails
00:39:52 - Seed oils reversal & integrity
00:48:43 - Community, partnerships & mountains as church
00:55:06 - Book rec & closer

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#3: Marathon Tactics and the Upsides of Ultraprocessed Foods | Brady Holmer & Dr. Mike Roussell Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

The 130th Boston Marathon is this Monday. To mark the occasion, Michael sits down with Brady Holmer — a science writer, runner, and 2:24 Boston finisher — to go deep on what the race actually feels like, why super shoes might be saving you 5-8 minutes, how to fuel a marathon without your gut exploding, and whether anyone can qualify for Boston.

Then Dr. Mike Roussell, a PhD nutritionist from Penn State who works with NBA players and busy execs, breaks down the ultraprocessed food debate that's tearing through the nutrition world. Are ultraprocessed foods actually evil? Or are they sometimes the healthiest option? He walks through a mind-blowing ultraprocessed food study, why fiber is the most underrated nutrient, and a practical framework for using UPF without letting it wreck your diet. Plus his surprisingly nuanced take on GLP-1 drugs.

After that, Michael heads to the Two Percent Kitchen with the most ridiculous endurance recipe you've ever seen.

Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. Our editor is Ryan Mulhern. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager.

GET A FREE GUIDE TO EXAMPLES OF MISOGI. GO TO https://www.twopct.com AND ENTER YOUR EMAIL.

I share similar insights around health and wellness here:

https://substack.com/@michaeleaster

https://instagram.com/michael_easter/

https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/

https://facebook.com/easter.michael

https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6

https://x.com/Michael_Easter

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Cold Open

00:00:52 - What's Coming in This Episode

00:03:04 - Brady Homer: Running Boston in 2:24

00:16:12 - Super Shoes: Do They Actually Work?

00:21:50 - Race Day at Boston (The TSA Process)

00:30:44 - Marathon Fueling Deep Dive

00:37:38 - Can Anyone Qualify for Boston?

00:44:30 - Ultra Processed Foods: The NYT Debate

01:05:31 - The 30-Day Minimally Processed Food Challenge

01:16:31 - GLP-1 Drugs & Death Row Meal

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#2: Hunting, Hard Things, and the Mindset That Gets You Through Storms | Donnie Vincent Apr 14, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Two Percent, Michael sits down with backcountry bow hunter and filmmaker Donnie Vincent to unpack what months in remote wilderness teach you about stress, calm, and competence. Donnie was featured heavily in Michael’s bestselling book, The Comfort Crisis, and now he joins Michael for the first time on mic since the book’s release.

They talk about the ethics and emotional reality of hunting, why sourcing your own food changes your relationship with life, and how modern convenience hijacks the ancient “search” that once made humans thrive. Donnie shares stories from Alaska—about storms, solitude, and the kind of discomfort that forces growth.

The two discuss the importance of building resilience when nothing's certain, staying present in wild places, and how you can get the same benefits of a hunt without ever picking up a bow – all it takes is choosing experiences that are hard and honest.

HOST

Michael Easter

PRODUCERS

Dana Brawer

Joey Fischground

Robbie Hiser

EDITOR

Nick Pomeroy

HEAD OF VIDEO

Maria Paz Mendez Hodes

KALEIDOSCOPE - EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

Julia Nutter

Kate Osborn

Mangesh Hattikudur

IHEARTMEDIA - EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

Katrina Norvell

Nikki Ettore

THEME MUSIC BY

Heat Manager

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:07:18 - The First Kill & What It Feels Like

00:12:30 - The Ethics of Hunting in a Modern World

00:16:54 - What Hunting Gives You Beyond Meat

00:20:00 - The Frozen Pond Duck Story

00:28:16 - 5 Months Alone Counting Salmon in Alaska

00:33:00 - The 1,000-lb Bear & "Don't Quit Until the Magic Happens"

00:46:17 - "Make Films Like No One Will Watch Them"

00:52:00 - How Authenticity Changed Hunting Culture

01:01:06 - Fantastic Places Are in Your Mind

GET A FREE GUIDE TO EXAMPLES OF MISOGI. GO TO https://www.twopct.com AND ENTER YOUR EMAIL.

I share similar insights around health and wellness here:

https://substack.com/@michaeleaster

https://instagram.com/michael_easter/

https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/

https://facebook.com/easter.michael

https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6

https://x.com/Michael_Easter

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