The Human Flourishing Project

Alex Epstein discusses how he is able to work long hours while rarely feeling tired or fatigued. He identifies four ways others can have the same experience: 1. Develop deep nighttime empathy with “morning guy” 2. Discover and liberally utilize “inevitable rejuvenation practices” 3. Separate proactive and reactive time 4. Cultivate a love of working energized and a hatred of working while tired

Alex Epstein discusses Greg McKeown's new book Effortless, how Alex had benefited from the chapters on Rest and Pace, and how separating proactive and reactive time can make the principles of Effortless even more effortless.

Alex Epstein discusses how to appreciate the many great things that exist today that didn't exist even in the recent past.

Alex Epstein discusses his equation for "time security"--expected resources outstrip current commitments + expected threats--and how keeping this equation positive has an enormous impact on happiness.

On this best-of-HFP, Alex Epstein discusses the three ingredients of relaxed productivity—inevitably productive processes, high-altitude planning, and real rejuvenation—along with one poison: focus-destroyers. This version features a new introduction in which Alex talks more about his recent experience with inevitably productive processes.

Alex Epstein discusses how the handwriting experience of the modern iPad makes possible an unprecedented form of journaling that can make your reflections on life far more effective.

Alex Epstein discusses several ways to identify easy-to-implement best practices that will improve our lives, and easy-to-eliminate bad practices that are unnecessarily undercutting our lives.

Alex Epstein discusses, using Richard Hamming's allegory about a drunken sailor, why vision and persistence are the two most powerful elements of productivity within our direct control.

Alex brings on Brian Amerige, with whom he cofounded Thoughtful, to discuss the problems of social media today and how to overcome them. They discuss: - Is there any role for government in the content policies of social media platforms? - What content policy would make Facebook or Twitter a better "marketplace of ideas"--or is that even possible given the purpose of these platforms? - What it takes to create a real alternative to mainstream platforms, and where Parler and Gab have struggled. - The purpose and evolution of Thoughtful, Brian and Alex's platform that is "the one place on the Internet that's exclusively for thoughtful content." - How to get on the waiting list for Thoughtful.

Alex Epstein discusses two mindsets that can advance one's career even when one is starting from the most adverse circumstances: "customer obsession" and "100% responsibility."

Alex Epstein discusses several characteristics that unite his productive role models for 2021, including focus, optimizing for value creation over advertising, and having very little need for short-term feedback.

Alex Epstein discusses some lessons that his experimentation with "work fortnights"--11 days on, 3 days off--has reinforced.

Alex Epstein discusses 6 kinds of focus that make individuals more productive and fulfilled: 1) focusing on a high-value and meaningful market 2) focusing on an area of comparative advantage 3) focusing on the most valuable few projects 4) focusing on performing your core work 5) focusing on inevitably productive processes 6) focusing on your progress

Alex Epstein discusses one of his biggest productive breakthroughs to date: maximum separation of "performance time" and "feedback time."

Alex Epstein discusses one of life's basic questions--"How do I spend the very limited time I have on Earth?"--and shares three techniques for answering it: life-blocking, ranked lists, and calendar comprehensiveness.

Alex Epstein discusses the work and new podcast of Cal Newport, his favorite thinker on productivity.

Alex Epstein discusses why he is suspicious of any “morally safe” activity—any easy way to be seen by oneself or others as a good person. Doing the “morally safe” thing, he argues, often involves 1) a lack of critical thinking, 2) wasting time, and 3) acting on unhealthy motives.

Alex Epstein discusses the three ingredients of relaxed productivity—inevitably productive processes, high-altitude planning, and real rejuvenation—along with one poison: focus-destroyers.

Alex Epstein discusses why we should seek out the rare phenomenon of the master practitioner-teacher wherever we can find it, using Netflix CEO Reed Hastings' new business book as an example.

Alex Epstein discusses how to avoid overwhelm when one feels totally overcommitted for the upcoming week. The key is "calendar comprehensiveness," which Alex shares a quick process for achieving.

Alex Epstein discusses three interrelated ways to avoid the pervasive problem of “overwhelm”: time blocking, choosing projects carefully, and scoping projects carefully.

Alex Epstein discusses how thinking through best-case and worst-case scenarios can dramatically improve anything from the planning of your week to a hiring decision to a new project.

Alex Epstein discusses the main resolution he made upon turning 40: being more disciplined about setting the right conditions for work--so that the work itself is far easier, more relaxed, and more enjoyable.

Alex Epstein discusses what to do when you’re having trouble getting started on a valuable activity, from a workout to a challenging project.

Alex epstein discusses why the mainstream approach tends to be reactive, and how to take a more proactive approach to health--including nutrition, breathing, and stress management.

Alex Epstein discusses the value of focus and the “opportunity cost” of dividing focus by doing multiple projects at once.

Alex Epstein discusses how to think about the recent death of George Floyd and other public injustices. He shares four useful questions to ask: 1) What actually happened? 2) What, if any, mistakes in policy caused this to happen? 3) What changes in policy are being proposed? 4) What are the likely positive and negative consequences of the proposed policies?

Alex Epstein discusses how to mine the past for things we used that worked well—but that for some reason we stopped doing.

Alex Epstein interviews Katherine Epstein, MD, on how to understand the new Coronavirus and other infectious diseases from an “organism-based” perspective.

Alex Epstein shares concepts and tactics he has developed to avoid destructive distractions.

Alex Epstein shares a “playlist” of Human Flourishing Project episodes with helpful tactics for dealing with disruption. He also answers a listener question about how to productively deal with fear.

In the second Human Flourishing Project live workshop Alex Epstein guides participants through an updated version of the “Triumphing Over Disruption” exercise.

In the first ever Human Flourishing Project live workshop Alex Epstein guides participants through the “Triumphing Over Disruption” exercise.

Alex Epstein discusses a powerful question for coming up with creative ways to improve life during a massive disruption.

Alex Epstein discusses strategies for transforming the massive disruption of our lives into the basis for significant personal growth.

Alex Epstein discusses some tactics for overcoming the mental and emotional challenges of the current pandemic + recession.

Alex Epstein is joined again by nutrition expert Ray Cronise, who shares insights on Alex’s experiments with fasting and gives Alex a new fasting goal.

Alex discusses his new app, Thoughtful, with cocreator Brian Amerige, and shares an exclusive invitation for Human Flourishing Project listeners.

Alex Epstein discusses what he’s learned in the attempt to incorporate more fasting into his life.

Alex Epstein discusses the new insights about meditation he gained from the Flow Meditation online course by James Brown.

Alex Epstein discusses the wisdom and inspiration he gained from reading the thriller I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes.

Alex Epstein discusses some challenges he have faced in setting healthy expectations for his work, and asks listeners for ideas or recommended reading on the subject.

Alex Epstein discusses three exercises to make the most out of your time in 2020.

Alex Epstein interviews Ray Cronise, a nutrition researcher who optimizes for “healthspan,” about his new book “The Healthspan Solution.”

Alex Epstein discusses how choosing the right medium for different kinds of thinking tasks—editing, planning, brainstorming—can make an enormous positive difference.

Alex Epstein discusses his recent choice to work “too hard” for 20 days straight—and how to avoid making this level of intensity a habit.

Alex Epstein discusses what he has learned over the last year about how to guarantee progress on long, difficult project.

Alex Epstein discusses what he has learned about the “80% strategy” during a particularly intense two months of work.

Alex Epstein discusses how he has been applying the concepts of Flow to architect his own “flow zones” for different productive activities.

Alex Epstein discusses what he learned from a major achievement in the martial arts world about the value of having a clear “operating standard.”