Modern Wisdom
#776 - 2m Q&A - Private Life, Future Of Podcasting & Becoming Religious
Description
This episode covers a wide range of topics including audience engagement, personal experiences, lessons learned, future plans, adding video to the show, navigating personal growth, intellectualizing emotions, maintaining privacy, engagement and pressure of having private life scrutinized after getting engaged, workload challenges, self-belief, handling disagreements with guests, operational challenges of managing a podcast, merchandise setbacks, personal struggles, overcoming low mood, establishing routines, exploring psychology resources, neediness in forming friendships, decline in birth rates, challenges faced by men, empathy, video messaging in dating apps, video dating app concept, long-term planning and personal projects, quality male friendships and female role models, success in content creation, religious practices and traditions, balancing discipline and enjoyment, and balancing immediate gratification and long-term goals.
Insights
The host reached two million subscribers on YouTube and celebrated by answering questions from the community for nearly two hours.
Topics discussed include thoughts on Andrew Huberman's drama, the future of podcasting, religious beliefs, advice to the 18-year-old self, fear of running out of content, maintaining pace with three episodes a week, diversity in guests, privacy concerns, and growth during puberty.
The host shared personal experiences like increasing testosterone levels using specific supplements and promoting them with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Sponsorship mentions included Momentous supplements and Element electrolytes for hydration with special offers for listeners.
Results in any endeavor often come slowly at first but become quicker over time as skills improve.
Motivation is crucial to start, but habit is what keeps one going consistently in any routine.
The podcast host acknowledges the importance of having guests with diverse viewpoints to challenge his own worldview.
Efforts are being made to bring on guests with differing opinions, although it can be challenging to find individuals who disagree with the host's views.
Small wins can be just as satisfying as big wins, and celebrating milestones is important regardless of the scale of achievement.
The host has signed a book deal with Penguin Random House for a book expected to be submitted by the end of summer 2025.
The podcast host discusses the impact of adding video to the show, believing it enhances the guest experience without detracting from the conversation.
The host addresses criticisms of narcissism and ego in relation to changes in the show's format, emphasizing the substance and effort put into previous episodes.
Advice is given on navigating friendships during personal growth, highlighting potential outgrowing of old friends and challenges in finding new ones.
Reflecting on talking to his 18-year-old self, the host emphasizes not fearing others' opinions and prioritizing self-validation.
The host contemplates avoiding getting stuck in intellectualizing emotions, suggesting that overanalyzing emotions can act as a defense mechanism.
Intellectualizing emotions can be a defense mechanism to avoid truly feeling them.
Podcasters have the advantage of not needing to come up with new content themselves but can rely on interesting guests for insights.
Being imprecise in explaining feelings can help convey uncertainty and start the process of acknowledging emotions.
Maintaining privacy in one's personal life is important due to the potential consequences of sharing too much publicly.
Podcasters have the advantage of not needing to come up with new content themselves but can rely on interesting guests for insights.
Engagement and pressure of having private life scrutinized after getting engaged
Preference for privacy despite public engagement with audience
Reasons for not using YouTube premiere feature due to content volume and potential technical issues
Consideration of front loading pain and pleasure to drive behavior change
Front load the pain and pleasure to motivate change
Podcasters face scrutiny and criticism in the self-improvement space
Resilience may not fully protect against negative attention
Legacy media may target rising individuals to delegitimize them
Interest in exploring Latin right Catholics and their growth
Benefits of switching from coffee to Newtonic for mood improvement
Nighttime routine tips include 3-2-1 method, showering, cool sleep setting, nasal strips, fiction reading, and magnesium supplements
Front load the pain and pleasure to motivate change
The speaker uses intake nasal strips for better breathing due to a deviated septum.
The speaker reads fiction before bed to avoid worrying.
Self-belief in success was not innate for the speaker, who attributes any success to consistency and resilience.
The future of podcasting may involve a split between casual and high-quality production styles, with emphasis on quality conversations and guests.
Despite online cynicism, the speaker believes society is not 'cooked' and highlights human adaptability through historical stories.
The speaker uses intake nasal strips for better breathing due to a deviated septum.
The podcaster discusses the importance of citing other people's work and insights that have impacted him.
The podcaster explains the mission statement of the podcast as understanding oneself and the world around them.
The host shares his approach to handling strong disagreements with guests during interviews, aiming to maintain a respectful conversation.
The host reflects on a past episode where they disagreed with the guest's ideas about gender and sex, highlighting the importance of sitting with discomfort and curiosity.
Curiosity can help in dealing with emotions like fear and anxiety by exploring why they arise and questioning their significance.
Despite the podcast's growth, securing top guests remains challenging due to limited availability and the need for introductions.
The host faces challenges in managing workload from producing three episodes weekly for four years independently, leading to exhaustion and the need for more support.
The host reflects on a personal pattern of feeling overly responsible for others' emotional states, which causes internal struggles.
The host discusses the operational challenges of managing a podcast, including handling emails, sponsors, and production.
The host expresses a desire to increase podcast frequency but is hindered by the heavy operational workload.
An attempt to create merchandise for the podcast faced setbacks due to disagreements with a design team.
The host contemplates starting a community platform but expresses concerns about potential low-quality engagement.
Starting a new podcast is encouraged for personal growth and enjoyment rather than aiming for high success and monetary gains.
The host reflects on a personal pattern of feeling overly responsible for others' emotional states, which causes internal struggles.
The speaker discusses their compulsion to please others and the self-castigation they experience when making friends uncomfortable.
There is a struggle between wanting to improve oneself and accepting one's humanity, with a focus on balancing being and becoming.
Tactical strategies like using post-it notes to reflect on daily successes and celebrating wins are suggested for personal growth.
The speaker shares personal experiences of working at a nightclub in Newcastle upon Tyne and reflects on low periods in life without any apparent external reasons.
Overcoming low mood starts with taking action, such as getting out of bed and going for a walk.
Establishing a routine including water, exercise, good sleep, and social interaction can help improve mood.
Reflecting on past patterns and adjusting inputs like work hours, sleep quality, and diet can prevent recurring low moods.
Exploration of psychology resources like SciPost, Psych Today, and sub-stacks can lead to valuable insights.
Explanation of 'red pill' as seeing the world realistically, 'black pill' as genetic determinism in dating context, and 'white pill' as hopeful perspective in culture.
Advice on making friends without being needy by avoiding over-enthusiastic demeanor.
Neediness can be a turn-off when trying to make friends, and having a shared hobby can help in forming friendships.
The responsibility for divorce, crime, single mothers, decline of births, and high body counts cannot solely be attributed to women.
Factors like female education and industrialization contribute to the decline in birth rates as women have more opportunities beyond motherhood.
Men who struggle with relationships should focus on self-improvement rather than blaming women or societal standards.
Men feel like the deck is stacked against them and struggle to improve themselves.
There is a double standard in preferences between men and women in dating.
Empathy should not be a zero-sum game between men and women.
Podcast host discusses the fluctuation of podcast listening based on busyness.
The idea of incorporating video messaging as a feature in dating apps is proposed.
The idea of incorporating video messaging as a feature in dating apps is proposed.
Proposed idea for a video dating app with profile information displayed while recording to speed up online dating
Personal reflection on long-term planning and goals, including desire for family and podcast continuation in 10 years
Excitement for upcoming projects like writing a book, Nutonic, traveling, and therapy
Discussion about potential new products related to Newtonic drink and team's approach to product development
Consideration of a round table style debate podcast with diverse guests but preference for one-on-one interviews
Consideration of a round table style debate podcast with diverse guests but preference for one-on-one interviews
Chapters
- Host Q&A and Personal Experiences
- Lessons Learned and Future Plans
- Adding Video and Navigating Personal Growth
- Intellectualizing Emotions and Maintaining Privacy
- Engagement, Privacy, and Behavior Change
- Podcaster Scrutiny and Personal Growth
- Self-Belief, Handling Disagreements, and Workload Challenges
- Citing Work, Mission Statement, and Dealing with Discomfort
- Sitting with Discomfort, Securing Guests, and Workload Management
- Operational Challenges, Merchandise Setbacks, and Personal Struggles
- Struggles with Self-Castigation, Balancing Being and Becoming, and Personal Growth Strategies
- Overcoming Low Mood, Establishing Routines, and Exploring Psychology Resources
- Neediness, Decline in Birth Rates, and Dating Perspectives
- Challenges Faced by Men, Empathy, and Video Messaging in Dating Apps
- Video Dating App, Long-Term Planning, and Personal Projects
- Quality Male Friendships, Female Role Models, and Content Creation Success
- Success in Content Creation, Religious Practices, and Balancing Discipline
- Balancing Immediate Gratification and Long-Term Goals
Host Q&A and Personal Experiences
00:00 - 07:39
- The host celebrated reaching two million subscribers on YouTube by answering questions from the community for nearly two hours.
- Topics discussed include thoughts on Andrew Huberman's drama, the future of podcasting, religious beliefs, advice to the 18-year-old self, fear of running out of content, maintaining pace with three episodes a week, diversity in guests, privacy concerns, and growth during puberty.
- The host shared personal experiences like increasing testosterone levels using specific supplements and promoting them with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Sponsorship mentions included Momentous supplements and Element electrolytes for hydration with special offers for listeners.
- Audience engagement has increased as the show grows in popularity.
Lessons Learned and Future Plans
07:14 - 14:20
- Results in any endeavor often come slowly at first but become quicker over time as skills improve.
- Motivation is crucial to start, but habit is what keeps one going consistently in any routine.
- The podcast host acknowledges the importance of having guests with diverse viewpoints to challenge his own worldview.
- Efforts are being made to bring on guests with differing opinions, although it can be challenging to find individuals who disagree with the host's views.
- Small wins can be just as satisfying as big wins, and celebrating milestones is important regardless of the scale of achievement.
- The host has signed a book deal with Penguin Random House for a book expected to be submitted by the end of summer 2025.
Intellectualizing Emotions and Maintaining Privacy
20:26 - 27:07
- Intellectualizing emotions can be a defense mechanism to avoid truly feeling them.
- Being imprecise in explaining feelings can help convey uncertainty and start the process of acknowledging emotions.
- Podcasters have the advantage of not needing to come up with new content themselves but can rely on interesting guests for insights.
- Maintaining privacy in one's personal life is important due to the potential consequences of sharing too much publicly.
Engagement, Privacy, and Behavior Change
26:49 - 33:16
- Engagement and pressure of having private life scrutinized after getting engaged
- Preference for privacy despite public engagement with audience
- Reasons for not using YouTube premiere feature due to content volume and potential technical issues
- Consideration of front loading pain and pleasure to drive behavior change
Podcaster Scrutiny and Personal Growth
32:46 - 39:50
- Front load the pain and pleasure to motivate change
- Podcasters face scrutiny and criticism in the self-improvement space
- Resilience may not fully protect against negative attention
- Legacy media may target rising individuals to delegitimize them
- Interest in exploring Latin right Catholics and their growth
- Benefits of switching from coffee to Newtonic for mood improvement
- Nighttime routine tips include 3-2-1 method, showering, cool sleep setting, nasal strips, fiction reading, and magnesium supplements
Self-Belief, Handling Disagreements, and Workload Challenges
39:20 - 46:52
- The speaker uses intake nasal strips for better breathing due to a deviated septum.
- The speaker reads fiction before bed to avoid worrying.
- Self-belief in success was not innate for the speaker, who attributes any success to consistency and resilience.
- The future of podcasting may involve a split between casual and high-quality production styles, with emphasis on quality conversations and guests.
- Despite online cynicism, the speaker believes society is not 'cooked' and highlights human adaptability through historical stories.
Citing Work, Mission Statement, and Dealing with Discomfort
46:29 - 53:12
- The podcaster discusses the importance of citing other people's work and insights that have impacted him.
- The podcaster explains the mission statement of the podcast as understanding oneself and the world around them.
- The host shares his approach to handling strong disagreements with guests during interviews, aiming to maintain a respectful conversation.
Sitting with Discomfort, Securing Guests, and Workload Management
52:46 - 59:31
- The host reflects on a past episode where they disagreed with the guest's ideas about gender and sex, highlighting the importance of sitting with discomfort and curiosity.
- Curiosity can help in dealing with emotions like fear and anxiety by exploring why they arise and questioning their significance.
- Despite the podcast's growth, securing top guests remains challenging due to limited availability and the need for introductions.
- The host faces challenges in managing workload from producing three episodes weekly for four years independently, leading to exhaustion and the need for more support.
Operational Challenges, Merchandise Setbacks, and Personal Struggles
59:11 - 1:06:01
- The host discusses the operational challenges of managing a podcast, including handling emails, sponsors, and production.
- The host expresses a desire to increase podcast frequency but is hindered by the heavy operational workload.
- An attempt to create merchandise for the podcast faced setbacks due to disagreements with a design team.
- The host contemplates starting a community platform but expresses concerns about potential low-quality engagement.
- Starting a new podcast is encouraged for personal growth and enjoyment rather than aiming for high success and monetary gains.
- The host reflects on a personal pattern of feeling overly responsible for others' emotional states, which causes internal struggles.
Struggles with Self-Castigation, Balancing Being and Becoming, and Personal Growth Strategies
1:05:36 - 1:12:30
- The speaker discusses their compulsion to please others and the self-castigation they experience when making friends uncomfortable.
- There is a struggle between wanting to improve oneself and accepting one's humanity, with a focus on balancing being and becoming.
- Tactical strategies like using post-it notes to reflect on daily successes and celebrating wins are suggested for personal growth.
- The speaker shares personal experiences of working at a nightclub in Newcastle upon Tyne and reflects on low periods in life without any apparent external reasons.
Overcoming Low Mood, Establishing Routines, and Exploring Psychology Resources
1:12:02 - 1:18:51
- Overcoming low mood starts with taking action, such as getting out of bed and going for a walk.
- Establishing a routine including water, exercise, good sleep, and social interaction can help improve mood.
- Reflecting on past patterns and adjusting inputs like work hours, sleep quality, and diet can prevent recurring low moods.
- Exploration of psychology resources like SciPost, Psych Today, and sub-stacks can lead to valuable insights.
- Explanation of 'red pill' as seeing the world realistically, 'black pill' as genetic determinism in dating context, and 'white pill' as hopeful perspective in culture.
- Advice on making friends without being needy by avoiding over-enthusiastic demeanor.
Neediness, Decline in Birth Rates, and Dating Perspectives
1:18:24 - 1:25:41
- Neediness can be a turn-off when trying to make friends, and having a shared hobby can help in forming friendships.
- The responsibility for divorce, crime, single mothers, decline of births, and high body counts cannot solely be attributed to women.
- Factors like female education and industrialization contribute to the decline in birth rates as women have more opportunities beyond motherhood.
- Men who struggle with relationships should focus on self-improvement rather than blaming women or societal standards.
Challenges Faced by Men, Empathy, and Video Messaging in Dating Apps
1:25:17 - 1:32:01
- Men feel like the deck is stacked against them and struggle to improve themselves.
- There is a double standard in preferences between men and women in dating.
- Empathy should not be a zero-sum game between men and women.
- Podcast host discusses the fluctuation of podcast listening based on busyness.
- The idea of incorporating video messaging as a feature in dating apps is proposed.
Video Dating App, Long-Term Planning, and Personal Projects
1:31:39 - 1:38:47
- Proposed idea for a video dating app with profile information displayed while recording to speed up online dating
- Personal reflection on long-term planning and goals, including desire for family and podcast continuation in 10 years
- Excitement for upcoming projects like writing a book, Nutonic, traveling, and therapy
- Discussion about potential new products related to Newtonic drink and team's approach to product development
- Consideration of a round table style debate podcast with diverse guests but preference for one-on-one interviews
Quality Male Friendships, Female Role Models, and Content Creation Success
1:38:25 - 1:45:33
- In order to make quality male friends in your early 30s, it's suggested to go to places where people with similar interests gather, like fitness clubs or cycling clubs.
- Endocrine differences are not believed to matter when it comes to role models; there is a need for more female role models.
- Improvements and optimizations in the past year that led to growth include better thumbnails, titles, removal of intros, and consistent high-quality guests.
- The host emphasizes the importance of creating content based on personal interest rather than solely focusing on growth or algorithms.
Success in Content Creation, Religious Practices, and Balancing Discipline
1:45:24 - 1:52:06
- Following your instincts and enjoying what you do is key to success in content creation.
- Considerations for posting videos on Spotify include technical challenges and operational complexities.
- Exploring religious practices and traditions can provide valuable wisdom and insights.
- Balancing discipline, healthy lifestyle, work, social life, and youth requires moderation and periodization.
- Over-optimization can be detrimental, and it's important to find a balance between hard work and enjoyment.
Balancing Immediate Gratification and Long-Term Goals
1:51:38 - 1:53:27
- One bad night of sleep or indulging in occasional events like a comedy show or party is not detrimental
- Making decisions based on personal goals and priorities can lead to positive outcomes, as seen in the example of leaving a party early for training
- The internal debate between immediate gratification and long-term goals is a recurring challenge that individuals face
- Prioritizing self-discipline and personal growth can result in fulfilling experiences