Two Percent with Michael Easter

#40: A Navy SEAL’s Case for Being Humble and Obsessed | Eric Frohardt

Michael speaks with Eric Frohardt about his twelve years on SEAL Team 6 as a sniper and assaulter—and what you can learn from it. They discuss: 0:00 Preview 0:39 How to stay calm under pressure 6:09 How farm work built resilience 9:17 The bet that started a SEAL career 17:02 How adults can train courage 19:45 Watching 9/11 from Guam 22:20 From the SEAL Teams to DEVGRU 26:13 Why preparation cannot guarantee the outcome 30:56 Rebuilding after losing your identity 43:21 Why adversity is a gift Read Misogi Guide: Updated: https://www.twopct.com/p/misogi-guide-updated 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 Will Mayo. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael: https://twitter.com/Michael_Easter https://instagram.com/michael_easter/ https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/ https://www.facebook.com/twopct https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#39: A Harvard Psychologist on Mindset and Not Following the Rules | Ellen Langer

Michael speaks with Ellen Langer, the first woman tenured in Harvard’s psychology department and author of The Mindful Body, about how our thoughts and expectations shape aging, health, and performance. They discuss: 0:00 Preview 0:45 The experiment that changed how we see aging 4:29 How beliefs change the body 10:52 Placebo, nocebo, and imagined exercise 12:16 Mindfulness without meditation 17:31 Why certainty makes us mindless 24:44 How context changes physical performance 33:21 How rules and labels shape health 43:15 Why chronic does not mean constant 51:14 A better way to make hard decisions Read The Brain Glitch That Makes Modern Life Feel Miserable: https://www.twopct.com/p/why-your-mind-is-hardwired-to-find 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 Will Mayo. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael: https://twitter.com/Michael_Easter https://instagram.com/michael_easter/ https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/ https://www.facebook.com/twopct https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#38: How to Use AI, Kill Complacency, Think About Health, and More | Tyler Cowen

Michael speaks with economist Tyler Cowen, author of The Complacent Class, about how AI is changing our lives and what still matters for health, happiness, and ambition. They discuss: 0:00 Preview 0:48 Should we panic about the future? 6:04 How AI makes you smarter or stupider 7:36 Mental health, antidepressants, and young men 16:26 Why America stopped taking risks 19:33 The case for free-range kids 21:47 What hard travel teaches about happiness 28:45 Why exercise is a great investment 36:29 Why initiative now beats intelligence 45:05 What Tyler Cowen will never hand off to AI Tyler Cowen is a professor of economics at George Mason University, the economist behind MarginalRevolution.com, and the author of nearly 20 books, including The Complacent Class. He also hosts Conversations with Tyler. 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 Joey Fischground. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael: https://twitter.com/Michael_Easter https://instagram.com/michael_easter/ https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/ https://www.facebook.com/twopct https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#37: How to Make Modern Work Less Miserable and What AI is Doing to the Workday | Cal Newport

Michael speaks with Cal Newport, a Georgetown computer scientist and author of Deep Work and Slow Productivity, about why modern work rewards busyness over valuable work and how to reclaim your focus. They discuss: 0:00 Preview 0:42 Why modern work keeps us stressed 3:23 How busyness replaced real productivity 11:41 Why email and meetings destroy focus 24:58 Do fewer things, finish them faster 30:23 The three rules of Slow Productivity 44:15 Productivity myths from Austen to Kerouac 52:25 How Cal Newport schedules his work 55:24 How to say no without burning a bridge 1:09:15 How to use AI without weakening your thinking Go deeper: https://www.twopct.com/p/the-real-reason-your-job-is-draining 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 Will Mayo. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael: https://twitter.com/Michael_Easter https://instagram.com/michael_easter/ https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/ https://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Easter/100063709885769/ https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#36: Lessons From The Most Dangerous Job: Hotshot Firefighting | River Selby

Michael speaks with River Selby, author of Hotshot: A Life on Fire, about what seven years as a wildland firefighter taught them about grit, belonging, and why landscapes need fire. They discuss: 0:00 Preview 0:44 Becoming a hotshot firefighter 5:27 Proving they belonged on the crew 6:09 Why a hard childhood made a hard job easier 8:55 What 48-hour wildfire shifts are like 15:46 What fighting wildfires feels like 17:51 Why landscapes need fire 19:51 How fire suppression made wildfires worse 23:48 Leaving the fire crew 24:32 River Selby's life after firefighting This episode includes discussion of childhood abuse, addiction, and suicide. 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 Will Mayo. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael: https://twitter.com/Michael_Easter https://instagram.com/michael_easter/ https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/ https://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Easter/100063709885769/ https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#35: Why Meat Eaters Belong in the Animal Welfare Movement | Dan Shannon, Humane League CEO

Michael speaks with Dan Shannon, who runs The Humane League and has been vegan for almost 30 years, about why meat eaters belong in the animal welfare movement and what actually improves animals’ lives. They discuss: 0:00 Preview 0:51 Why meat eaters belong in animal welfare 4:26 What life inside a battery cage is like 13:03 Why personal guilt is the wrong strategy 15:49 How animal welfare campaigns change corporations 18:33 How to eat fewer animal products 25:38 Which food labels actually mean something 29:36 Why cage-free eggs cost more 36:19 What 30 years of veganism taught Dan Shannon 38:22 How consumers can pressure companies Read Protein Myths Part II: https://www.twopct.com/p/protein-myths-part-ii 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 Will Mayo. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager. GET A FREE GUIDE TO EXAMPLES OF MISOGI: https://www.twopct.com I share similar insights around health and wellness here: https://substack.com/@michaeleaster Follow Michael: https://twitter.com/Michael_Easter https://instagram.com/michael_easter/ https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/ https://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Easter/100063709885769/ https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#34: Why Our Medical System is Broken and How to Take Back Your Health | Dr. Lucy McBride

Michael speaks with Dr. Lucy McBride, a Harvard-trained physician and author of Beyond the Prescription, about why modern medicine overlooks the whole patient and how to become the CEO of your own health. They discuss: 0:00 Preview 0:52 Why patients feel dismissed 5:13 Why healthcare focuses on damage control 10:23 Why Dr. McBride left the system 15:58 The question she asks every patient 20:09 Where medicine ends and wellness begins 26:44 How to become the CEO of your health 38:46 What AI can and cannot do in the exam room 44:39 How to prepare for a doctor's appointment 48:19 Prenuvo scans, blood tests, and CGMs Read The Comfort Crisis in the Doctor’s Office: https://www.twopct.com/p/the-comfort-crisis-in-the-doctors 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 Will Mayo. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager. GET A FREE GUIDE TO EXAMPLES OF MISOGI: https://www.twopct.com I share similar insights around health and wellness here: https://substack.com/@michaeleaster Follow Michael: https://twitter.com/Michael_Easter https://instagram.com/michael_easter/ https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/ https://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Easter/100063709885769/ https://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#33: Are the Blue Zones Longevity Hotspots Fake? | Dr. Saul Newman

The Blue Zones built an empire on one promise: copy how the world's oldest people live, and you can join them past 100. Saul Newman, a demographer at the University of Oxford, went looking for those long-lived people in the records. Most of them were not there. Michael sits down with Newman, author of Morbid: Debunking Modern Longevity Science, to walk through what he found. When Japan audited its citizens listed as over 100, 82 percent were already dead: more than 230,000 people alive only on paper, including Tokyo's oldest man, dead in his room for 30 years while the family collected his pension. Greece's audit caught centenarians drawing pensions from the graveyard. And America's Blue Zone, Loma Linda, was picked after a magazine editor asked its founder to find one; by his own admission, it came from a freeway turnoff on the drive to Las Vegas. Newman explains why age records break down exactly where longevity legends grow, how bad centenarian data quietly sets your pension and insurance rates, why Silicon Valley keeps buying immortality pitches as old as the first emperor of China, and what actually works if you want a longer, healthier life. Learn more at twopct.com 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 00:00 Cold open 01:24 Where the Blue Zones began 03:00 A magazine article becomes an empire 04:22 The nine behaviors 07:59 Two bad papers drag Saul in 10:04 Why errors explode with age 11:28 Japan audits its centenarians 12:39 Dead 30 years, still on the pension 15:44 Greece checks the graveyard 17:03 Loma Linda, found on a freeway exit 19:02 Costa Rica's paid discovery 20:59 The uncomfortable longevity answer 23:34 Hate mail and the Kremlin 26:46 The Blue Zones founder pushes back 28:17 What bad data costs your pension 30:39 The UN's garbage numbers 32:42 The world's oldest man problem 35:34 Silicon Valley's longevity grift 39:28 The odds double every eight years 42:22 What actually works 45:30 Kick the charlatans out 48:21 Making peace with 80 years 50:22 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#32: Art is the Missing Pillar of Your Health | Daisy Fancourt & Jesse Albrecht

Most people can name four pillars of health: diet, exercise, sleep, and stress. Daisy Fancourt, the researcher behind a 146-page World Health Organization report on art and health and the author of Art Cure, argues there is a fifth: the arts. The evidence she lays out is striking. Regular arts engagement is linked to about half the risk of developing depression over ten years, slower biological aging as measured by epigenetic clocks (how fast your cells are aging), and a longer time free from dementia through what researchers call cognitive reserve (the brain's buffer against decline). In studies of surgery patients, recorded music reduced anxiety more effectively than anti-anxiety medication. And yet only 1 in 20 American adults did any art yesterday, compared to 57% who ate vegetables. Then ceramic artist Jesse Albrecht tests the thesis from the inside. An Army medic in Mosul in the early Iraq War, he came home to a reintegration briefing that amounted to one VHS tape, spent years making dark, angry work about war, and learned the hard way that, in his words, we become what we focus on. A 2020 inpatient PTSD program at a Montana VA hospital turned his life and his work toward recovery and beauty. The episode closes with where to begin, and both guests agree on the answer: you start by starting. *This episode contains descriptions of war violence and trauma and may not be suitable for children. 00:00 Cold open 00:41 Who is Daisy Fancourt? 02:01 Art is 40,000 years old, maybe older than language 03:34 The WHO report on art and health 05:54 The physical benefits: singing, dance, frailty 07:59 Reading and crafts slow biological aging 08:52 Art as the fifth pillar of health 10:57 Make it or consume it? 12:12 Kids, teens, and granny hobbies 16:35 Art in hospitals: music against medication 19:45 The HIV quilt and singing for lung health 21:34 Cognitive reserve and delaying dementia 22:57 Music and sleep 26:56 Only 1 in 20 adults did any art yesterday 29:34 What counts as art 31:35 The one pound to eleven pounds return 36:22 Who is Jesse Albrecht? 38:33 Mosul: this is bananas 43:59 Coming home to a VHS tape 46:03 Finding other veterans in the art world 50:43 Disillusionment and the dark decade 53:57 Two months at the VA: the 2020 turn 58:02 Is art healing? Jesse pushes back 61:57 How to start: start by starting 64:30 His one big quote about art 66:40 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#31: The Science of Muscle and Protein | Dr. Gabrielle Lyon

Most of us assume America's biggest health problem is obesity. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, a physician for 20 years and the founder of Muscle-Centric Medicine, argues we have spent 50 years fighting the wrong problem. We are not over fat, we are under-muscled, and obesity is a symptom of unhealthy skeletal muscle. Michael pushes on where the argument is strongest and where it might miss. They get into whether you can have too much muscle, and why she believes GLP-1s could trade the obesity epidemic for a sarcopenia epidemic (too little muscle). They also cover the new dietary guidelines for protein, why your first meal of the day matters most, and the visceral "why" that keeps her Navy SEAL husband working 100-hour weeks. Her whole prescription fits in one sentence: lift hard, prioritize your protein, and get your mind right. 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 Chapters: 00:00:00 - Cold open 00:01:36 - Not overweight, under-muscled 00:05:37 - How much muscle do you actually need? 00:10:39 - What end-of-life care taught her about muscle 00:15:12 - Never too late: building muscle after 60 00:19:47 - How often should you strength train? 00:19:56 - Get your mind right: friction and finding your real why 00:27:51 - The new protein rules and your first meal 00:36:17 - The protein-ification problem (and carb tolerance) 00:39:53 - Her professional take on GLP-1s 00:45:12 - The 30-second prescription Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#30: Life Lessons From the World’s Most Dangerous Places | Robert Young Pelton

Robert Young Pelton spent his early career as an advertising executive with 50 employees, a Rolls Royce, and a half acre on the ocean. At 40, he walked away from it to become a journalist and report from the world's most dangerous places. In the 30 years since, a Liberian rebel has put a bullet two inches from his ear, a Colombian death squad held him at gunpoint for ten days, and he’s arranged secret dinners between American generals and Taliban leaders. His method has never changed: show up, sit down, ask about their kids, and understand why people do what they do. This conversation is packed with some of his wildest stories and lessons for a life well travelled. Robert shares why traveling is statistically safer than staying home. He also shares how the State Department uses their travel warnings for political reasons, rather than assessing how safe a region actually is. Plus, the rule he lives by at 70, happy and married for almost 50 years: the clock is ticking, so don't be afraid to reinvent yourself. *This episode is not suitable for children as it contains descriptions of violence. 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 - Intro (cold open) 00:01:55 - Who is Robert Young Pelton? 00:03:09 - The closest he ever came to death 00:04:45 - From living in a car at 16 to the Inc 500 00:07:30 - Why he left it all in his 40s 00:10:53 - Setting up interviews with the Taliban 00:12:36 - How to read people 00:14:50 - Working with Steve Jobs 00:16:21 - Context is everything in war 00:18:36 - Coming home from war zones 00:20:14 - Are government travel warnings accurate? 00:21:59 - What actually kills travelers 00:24:59 - The most dangerous country on Earth 00:28:06 - Trust your spidey senses 00:29:31 - How to talk to anyone 00:31:33 - The FBI and a lost passport 00:34:15 - Kidnapped in Colombia 00:42:58 - The decompression window 00:45:46 - Why take the risk at all? 00:49:54 - What he packs: cash, gifts, and a dummy phone 00:54:20 - Where you should actually go 00:57:06 - Do not wait to reinvent yourself 00:58:18 - Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#29: Summitting Everest and a Case for Adventure | Dr. John Kedrowski

Most people will never even think about climbing Mount Everest. Dr. Jon Kedrowski has been on seven Everest expeditions and reached the summit four times. Along the way he survived the 2015 earthquake that killed 20 people in front of him at base camp, a storm that killed seven climbers on the night of his first summit push, and a lightning strike that destroyed his tent on a Colorado peak while he slept on the summit. Jon sat down with Michael to explain his Everest Ready philosophy: build a body and a mindset that could take on the hardest thing imaginable at any moment. When you put yourself into hard challenges again and again, suddenly the everyday small stuff stops rattling you. They get into how he decides when to walk away from a mountain (including a deadly K2 winter expedition), why traffic jams have become Everest's real danger, and why a first ascent of an untouched peak felt better than reaching the top of the world. 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 Cold open 01:52 "Because it's there" is BS 02:51 The first ascent that beat Everest 04:46 Stop putting off your own projects 08:19 Seven expeditions, four summits 10:18 The Everest Ready mindset 13:39 Walks that make people open up 15:19 Patience and character on expeditions 17:59 Making 3,100 hard miles fun 21:31 Every Colorado 14er by 18 25:00 FKTs and the outdoor pissing contest 28:47 The earthquake that changed everything 30:53 Seven died on his first summit push 34:35 Walking away from K2 40:30 Why K2 is harder than Everest 42:45 Navigation is good for your brain 46:05 Lightning struck his tent 48:25 A meteorologist on Everest 50:46 Is Everest getting safer or deadlier? 53:09 Traffic jams in the death zone 57:18 Train mountains with mountains 58:53 The ideal mountaineer's build 01:00:56 Expedition eating 01:04:46 Always say yes

#28: What High-Stakes Poker Tells Us About Making Better Decisions | Maria Konnikova

Maria Konnikova earned a PhD in psychology at Columbia studying human decision-making. She then took her research into the most unforgiving laboratory there is: the poker table. From playing her first hand of poker in 2017, to training under the legendary Erik Seidel, and becoming a poker champion, Maria sits down with Michael the day before playing in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, to share the secrets to making winning decisions. They break down why the best hand wins only 12% of the time and what that means for skill and luck in your own life. Maria explains the illusion of control, winner's tilt, and how to actually read tells (watch the hands, not the face). She also covers why a 1% edge matters more than you think, how to avoid the risk of ruin, and when to walk away from a bad investment, a bad job, or a bad friendship. Maria is the author of “The Biggest Bluff: How I learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win.” Her other books include The Confidence Game and Mastermind. She also writes The Leap, a weekly Substack about decision making. 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

#27: The Best No B.S. Self-Improvement Books | Alex Wieckowski (Alex & Books)

Summer is peak reading season, so it only made sense for Michael, author of “The Comfort Crisis” & “Scarcity Brain,” to sit down with Alex Wieckowski of Alex & Books, the man who has read two books a week for the past decade. Together they build a list of some of their favorite books, including one hidden gem from Tolstoy, “A Calendar of Wisdom.” Alex tells the true survival story that made complaining impossible for him. He also reveals the classic novel that scared him into cleaning up his habits. Then they play overrated or underrated with the biggest self-improvement books ever written: Atomic Habits, Man's Search for Meaning, 12 Rules for Life, The 4-Hour Workweek and more. Alex then reveals the skill that helps him remember every book he reads, turning its lessons into actions. They also get into lifting weights with Alex Hormozi, the trap of "next book syndrome," and whether AI will ever replace real writing. 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 Cold Open 00:50 Welcome to Two Percent + Meet Alex (Alex & Books) 01:32 How to Pick Your Next Book 02:08 Hidden-Gem Self-Improvement Books (Tolstoy & The Power of Myth) 05:56 The Forgotten Highlander: The Wildest True Survival Story 08:26 Why Evolution Kept Anxiety & Depression 10:47 The Picture of Dorian Gray: The Novel That Fixes Habits 13:35 East of Eden & Having Agency 14:39 Pure-Entertainment Picks (Disappointing Affirmations & A Confederacy of Dunces) 18:42 Overrated or Underrated: Atomic Habits, Man's Search for Meaning & More 24:52 The Cult Question: The Elephant in the Brain & The True Believer 28:11 Books for Athletes: Mindset & Zen Shooting 31:18 How to Actually Remember What You Read 34:28 A Day With Alex Hormozi (and Getting Called Weak) 36:49 What Self-Improvement Gets Wrong: "Next Book Syndrome" 39:52 The Comfort Crisis Lessons Alex Uses Daily 40:54 Will AI Replace Books? 42:23 Wrap-Up

These Sports Protect Your Brain Against Dementia

It turns out that tennis might be one of the best things you can do to protect your brain from dementia as you age. For this episode of Two Percent, Michael Easter sits down with neuroscientist Dr. Tommy Wood, author of The Stimulated Mind, to explain why sports that make you think while you move are amazing for your brain. The list includes tennis, pickleball, martial arts, and even strongman competitions. They get into why the world's most physically active elders in an Amazonian tribe have some of the lowest dementia rates ever measured. They also cover what "open-skill" sports actually do to your brain on an MRI scan, and how modern exercise got so boring the moment we split the body from the mind. Then Michael opens the mailbag for an AMA. He shares how to stay fit while traveling and names the single best exercise if you could only pick one. Finally, he settles a debate that has haunted him since college: what is the actual difference between a sport and a game? 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 - Intro: could a sport protect your brain? 01:24 - Michael's high-school tennis career 02:40 - Dr. Tommy Wood on movement and the brain 04:57 - What "open-skill" sports actually are 06:37 - How we invented exercise and made it boring 08:52 - Hunter-gatherer elders and the world's lowest dementia rates 11:54 - Tommy's own sport (strongman) and the social factor 13:59 - The first-ever Two Percent AMA begins 14:18 - AMA: staying fit while traveling 16:40 - AMA: the one exercise you'd do forever 19:09 - AMA: the revamped Two Percent shop 20:30 - AMA: how often to train your VO2 max 23:30 - AMA: if humans evolved to run, why the injuries? 28:00 - Dept. of Ridiculous Questions: sport vs. game 29:27 - Outro

How to Stop Playing Somebody Else’s Game and Finally Feel Happy

Ever feel like you're winning at life on paper, hitting your steps, your salary goals, your sleep score, and somehow still feel worse? This episode explains why. Host Michael Easter sits down with the thinker who's lived rent-free in his head for five years: C. Thi Nguyen, a philosophy professor at the University of Utah and author of The Score: How to Stop Playing Somebody Else's Game. They dig into a phenomenon Nguyen calls "value capture." The moment you start chasing a number, the metric quietly takes over the goal you actually cared about. He walks through vivid examples like how his weight tracker made him eat worse, and why a friend quit rock climbing because it lowered his step count. From there, they zoom out to how this applies to playing video and board games, and how you can in fact use metrics and 'games' to make your life happier, so long as you don't get obsessed. They also discuss longevity culture, and the single question a student wrote on her phone that pulled her out of five years of depression: “Is this the game you really want to be playing?” 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Why Our Brains Lie About How Bad Things Are - And How to Stop It

If you turn on the news right now, you'll be hit with a sea of negativity, and it can convince you the world is falling apart. It isn't. Host Michael Easter sits down with two guests to explain why our minds are literally built to outweigh the bad, and how you can bias yourself back toward the positive. First, meditation teacher Cara Lai offers a tip to instantly disarm anxiety: ask yourself "what if what's happening right now is exactly what's supposed to be happening?" She also shares what a year alone in the woods battling Lyme disease taught her about suffering. Then Roy Baumeister, one of the most cited psychologists alive and author of the landmark paper "Bad Is Stronger Than Good." joins to discuss the negativity bias. Why does one critique drown out a sea of compliments? Why do bad days carry over while good days don't? He explains the 5-to-1 ratio of positive experiences to negative experiences that predicts whether a relationship lasts, plus the evolutionary reason we're wired this way. And finally, the Boston Marathon study that will change how you watch the news for good. 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Daily Habits To Keep Your Brain Sharp As You Age | Neuroscientist Tommy Wood

Cognitive decline as you age is not inevitable — but whether you keep your edge depends almost entirely on what you do right now. Host Michael Easter sits down with Dr. Tommy Wood, a neuroscientist and performance consultant who works with Formula 1 teams. His book, The Stimulated Mind, changed how Michael thinks about staying mentally sharp. They get into why sleep may be the most important factor in preventing cognitive decline, why retirement may be the most dangerous thing you can do to your brain, and the science behind "super agers" who keep their 50s brains into their 80s. Then they confront the question of A.I.: is it quietly making us dumber? They also cover the surprising exercise that beats the gym for your mind: dancing. And finally, they explain why you should be willing to suck when trying new things. 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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USMNT’s Quarter Finals Odds + Why Being a Sports Fan is Good For You

Every four years, Americans suddenly remember soccer exists. The World Cup is here and it may be the single biggest sporting event in human history: 48 teams, 104 games over 39 days, and a final that draws north of a billion viewers. Host Michael Easter sits down with two guests to make the case. First, soccer writer Leander Schaerlaeckens, author of The Long Game, on why this World Cup is bigger than ever. He also shares his take on if the USMNT can actually make a deep run, the players you need to know, and why America took so long to get good at the world's game. Then psychologist Dr. Daniel Wann, who has studied sports fans for 40 years, explains why caring about sports is one of the most underrated things you can do for your mental health. The World Cup and fandom might be exactly what a lonely, divided country (and world) needs right now. 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Why We Argue About Health Like It’s Religion: Long Covid, Seed Oils & Diets

Why do people lose their minds over seed oils, raw milk, carnivore diets, and long Covid? Alan Levinovitz isn't a doctor or a health journalist — he's a religion scholar. And from that vantage point he noticed something you can't un-see: the way most of us think about health functions exactly like a religion, complete with ideas of purity, contamination, salvation, and tribes that turn on you the moment you question the doctrine. Michael Easter sits down with Alan to unpack his explosive WIRED piece on long Covid and the vicious backlash it triggered. They get into why so many of our fiercest health arguments aren't really about data at all — they're about identity. Alan shares more points to illustrate his thesis, like the “guru” who mailed strangers his own feces to prove a health theory, and how the term "natural" in wellness circles became a stand-in for "holy." 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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