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Michael Easter

Two Percent with Michael Easter

A Health & Fitness , Science and Life Sciences podcast

#58 in Health & Fitness · 🇳🇬 #94 in Health & Fitness · 🇺🇸
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About the show

Lessons from the frontiers of health, psychology, thought, and human experience. Hosted by Michael Easter—New York Times bestselling author of The Comfort Crisis and Scarcity Brain. New episodes are released twice each week.

Newest episodes

#63: Why Today’s Kids Are So Anxious | Ginny Yurich

1 hr 1 min

If you go on the internet, you'll find a lot of experts using the internet to tell us why the internet is destroying our kids' mental health. But Ginny Yurich, the founder of 1000 Hours Outside and author of Until the Streetlights Come On, says the decline in kid and teen mental health started in the sixties, and is more linked to kids having less autonomy and time outside, and too much structure with school and extracurriculars. Michael speaks with Ginny about where the 1,000-hour number comes from, how busy families fit it in, how to handle screens without banning them, why bad weather and a little discomfort are good for kids, and where any family, or any adult, can start. They discuss: (00:00) Cold open(00:47) Where 1,000 hours comes from(05:32) Her first good day as a mom(09:25) Minutes outside, hours on screens(11:21) When both parents work(14:56) It works for adults too(17:48) Getting screen-loving kids outside(23:29) Screen time without saying no(25:56) Why play takes 45 minutes(27:52) Going outside in any weather(32:16) Waiting on phones and social media(33:54) Overscheduled, anxious kids(38:19) It started before the iPhone(41:28) Starting sports at 13(46:56) Letting kids take risks(49:43) Where to start(53:59) What 1,000 episodes taught her(56:53) Kids and AI Get Ginny's book, Until the Streetlights Come On: https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/products/9781540903402_until-the-streetlights-come-on Sponsors:Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at https://vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply.MacroFactor: Download the MacroFactor app and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Lear...

#62: Life Is Awesome. We Just Need to Realize It | Robert Greene

1 hr 11 min

Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, Mastery, and The Laws of Human Nature, nearly died of a stroke in 2018. It left him unable to type, so he spent the next seven years writing his new book, The Law of the Sublime, by hand. Michael speaks with Robert about what coming close to death did to his mind, why he believes humans need transcendent experiences as much as food and shelter, how comfort and old grudges keep our world small, and the everyday rituals he uses to wake back up to it. They discuss: (00:00) Cold open(00:59) The stroke(04:56) What nearly dying does to you(07:12) The book he waited 20 years to write(12:16) What is the sublime?(15:31) Finding amazement in his backyard(24:26) A need as deep as food(28:26) The lost rites of passage(33:18) How to make your own rituals(36:49) 40 minutes of meditation a day(45:37) What boredom is good for(50:31) How adults can slow down(53:36) Why nature matters(58:58) Choose discomfort(1:02:48) Death and the afterlife(1:07:26) Seven years writing by hand Get Robert's book, The Law of the Sublime: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634294/the-law-of-the-sublime-by-robert-greene/ Sponsors:Base44: Get 30% off the Builder plan for your first year at https://base44.com/TWOPCT.MacroFactor: Download the MacroFactor app and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#61: Sixty Years of Strength Lessons | Dan John

43 min

Most of us were taught that getting in shape means more weight, more sweat, and more soreness. Strength coach Dan John has been lifting since 1965, and has coached everyone from first-time lifters to MVP professional athletes. He thinks most of us would do better with less. Michael speaks with Dan about being strong enough, simple tests he uses to check strength, why lifting three days a week is plenty for most people, what to buy for a home gym, and why every workout should end with a walk. They discuss: (00:00) What he got wrong about fitness at 30(03:55) Little and often over the long haul(06:10) How strong is strong enough?(10:45) What the simple tests reveal(13:35) Three numbers to check every day(16:02) Think in movements, not muscles(18:48) A workout anyone can start(23:26) How to make exercise a habit(25:43) Focus on simple health practices(27:42) 15 minutes a day, state records(30:34) Downsides of CrossFit and Orangetheory(32:39) A walk after every workout(34:58) What to buy for a home gym(39:12) The highest-return exercises(41:38) Where to start with his books Get Dan's books, including Easy Strength Omnibook: https://danjohnuniversity.com/bookstore Sponsors:Base44: Get 30% off the Builder plan for your first year at base44.com/TWOPCT.MacroFactor: Try MacroFactor free for 14 days in the Apple or Android app store with code TWOPCT.Vuori: Get 20% off your first purchase at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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All episodes

#63: Why Today’s Kids Are So Anxious | Ginny Yurich

1 hr 1 min

If you go on the internet, you'll find a lot of experts using the internet to tell us why the internet is destroying our kids' mental health. But Ginny Yurich, the founder of 1000 Hours Outside and author of Until the Streetlights Come On, says the decline in kid and teen mental health started in the sixties, and is more linked to kids having less autonomy and time outside, and too much structure with school and extracurriculars. Michael speaks with Ginny about where the 1,000-hour number comes from, how busy families fit it in, how to handle screens without banning them, why bad weather and a little discomfort are good for kids, and where any family, or any adult, can start. They discuss: (00:00) Cold open(00:47) Where 1,000 hours comes from(05:32) Her first good day as a mom(09:25) Minutes outside, hours on screens(11:21) When both parents work(14:56) It works for adults too(17:48) Getting screen-loving kids outside(23:29) Screen time without saying no(25:56) Why play takes 45 minutes(27:52) Going outside in any weather(32:16) Waiting on phones and social media(33:54) Overscheduled, anxious kids(38:19) It started before the iPhone(41:28) Starting sports at 13(46:56) Letting kids take risks(49:43) Where to start(53:59) What 1,000 episodes taught her(56:53) Kids and AI Get Ginny's book, Until the Streetlights Come On: https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/products/9781540903402_until-the-streetlights-come-on Sponsors:Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at https://vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply.MacroFactor: Download the MacroFactor app and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Lear...

#62: Life Is Awesome. We Just Need to Realize It | Robert Greene

1 hr 11 min

Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, Mastery, and The Laws of Human Nature, nearly died of a stroke in 2018. It left him unable to type, so he spent the next seven years writing his new book, The Law of the Sublime, by hand. Michael speaks with Robert about what coming close to death did to his mind, why he believes humans need transcendent experiences as much as food and shelter, how comfort and old grudges keep our world small, and the everyday rituals he uses to wake back up to it. They discuss: (00:00) Cold open(00:59) The stroke(04:56) What nearly dying does to you(07:12) The book he waited 20 years to write(12:16) What is the sublime?(15:31) Finding amazement in his backyard(24:26) A need as deep as food(28:26) The lost rites of passage(33:18) How to make your own rituals(36:49) 40 minutes of meditation a day(45:37) What boredom is good for(50:31) How adults can slow down(53:36) Why nature matters(58:58) Choose discomfort(1:02:48) Death and the afterlife(1:07:26) Seven years writing by hand Get Robert's book, The Law of the Sublime: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634294/the-law-of-the-sublime-by-robert-greene/ Sponsors:Base44: Get 30% off the Builder plan for your first year at https://base44.com/TWOPCT.MacroFactor: Download the MacroFactor app and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#61: Sixty Years of Strength Lessons | Dan John

43 min

Most of us were taught that getting in shape means more weight, more sweat, and more soreness. Strength coach Dan John has been lifting since 1965, and has coached everyone from first-time lifters to MVP professional athletes. He thinks most of us would do better with less. Michael speaks with Dan about being strong enough, simple tests he uses to check strength, why lifting three days a week is plenty for most people, what to buy for a home gym, and why every workout should end with a walk. They discuss: (00:00) What he got wrong about fitness at 30(03:55) Little and often over the long haul(06:10) How strong is strong enough?(10:45) What the simple tests reveal(13:35) Three numbers to check every day(16:02) Think in movements, not muscles(18:48) A workout anyone can start(23:26) How to make exercise a habit(25:43) Focus on simple health practices(27:42) 15 minutes a day, state records(30:34) Downsides of CrossFit and Orangetheory(32:39) A walk after every workout(34:58) What to buy for a home gym(39:12) The highest-return exercises(41:38) Where to start with his books Get Dan's books, including Easy Strength Omnibook: https://danjohnuniversity.com/bookstore Sponsors:Base44: Get 30% off the Builder plan for your first year at base44.com/TWOPCT.MacroFactor: Try MacroFactor free for 14 days in the Apple or Android app store with code TWOPCT.Vuori: Get 20% off your first purchase at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#60: The Case for Going All In | Ravi Gupta

59 min

Almost everyone carries a list of things they want to do in life, and almost nobody gets to it. Michael speaks with Ravi Gupta, author of The Invisible List, who went all in on one passion a year: powerlifting, screenwriting, surfing, tennis, the MCAT, and Italian cooking. He explains the four steps to develop your "invisible list," how to find the time to tackle it, why your passions make you a better human, why passions protect your health and brain, and why sucking at something has benefits. They cover: (00:00) Cold open(00:56) The wedding that started a quest(03:06) What is the invisible list?(04:49) Why we never tackle our life list(06:32) Hobbies aren't selfish(10:48) What he learned about learning(14:18) Four steps of the invisible list(18:39) Why he started with powerlifting(21:51) All gear, no idea(24:47) Tracking and sticking with it(30:36) Staying focused as a beginner(35:16) Why you have to suck at first(39:55) The friends you make(44:10) The MCAT as a brain marathon(48:34) One passion a year, even with kids(54:11) His numbers, and what's next Get Ravi's book, The Invisible List: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/800645/the-invisible-list-by-ravi-gupta/ Sponsors:Lagoon: Go to lagoonsleep.com/TWOPCT and take the 60-second sleep quiz to find your perfect pillow.Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply.MacroFactor: Download the MacroFactor app and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#59: Why Being Scared Is Good for You | Coltan Scrivner

1 hr 10 min

We’ve made life so safe that most of us are out of practice at handling fear. Michael speaks with Coltan Scrivner about why being scared can be good for you. Scrivner, a psychologist at Arizona State University and author of Morbidly Curious, unpacks why humans are drawn to danger, the four kinds of morbid curiosity, why horror fans held up better in the pandemic, the sweet spot of fear, and when too much true crime starts to warp how dangerous the world feels. They discuss: (00:00) Cold open(01:03) Why we can't look away from crime and danger(06:59) The four kinds of morbid curiosity(12:44) Why everyone slows down for car wrecks(15:41) When true crime warps your world(20:53) Are horror fans less empathetic?(27:45) Why people root for killers(31:33) Why women love true crime(34:34) Michael's morbid curiosity score(37:04) The sweet spot of fear(40:04) Kids and scary movies(43:44) Is Dateline before bed bad?(46:07) Why clowns and creepy old women get us(50:37) Horror fans and the pandemic(53:08) The woman who can't feel fear(57:32) His scariest ghost hunt(1:02:33) Rapid fire: Best horror movies and villains Get Coltan's book, Morbidly Curious: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/705578/morbidly-curious-by-coltan-scrivner-phd/Take Coltan's Morbid Curiosity Test: https://www.coltanscrivner.com/morbid-curiosity-test Sponsors:MacroFactor: Download the MacroFactor app and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free.Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#58: Why You Should Hike Right Now | Robert Moor

1 hr 2 min

Michael speaks with Robert Moor, author of On Trails and the new book In Trees, about what five months on the Appalachian Trail taught him about quitting and comfort, why going off trail sharpens your mind, how to get off what his tree climbing instructor calls the neurotic merry-go-round, and what old, wounded trees know about aging well. They discuss: (00:00) Cold open(00:42) Why he walked from Georgia to Maine(03:56) What a thru-hike does to your mind(08:53) Why most thru-hikers quit(12:39) Learning to love discomfort(17:51) What every trail has in common(24:00) Why go off trail(28:09) Getting outdoors in a city(30:14) His outdoor routine and thru-hike advice(35:55) The power of trees(42:07) A case for climbing trees(47:20) David Attenborough, bonsai and growing around wounds(56:33) What trees teach about aging Get Robert's book, In Trees: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/In-Trees/Robert-Moor/9781476739250 Sponsors:Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply.MacroFactor: Download the MacroFactor app and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#57: Stop Trying to Sleep Perfectly | David Samson

52 min

Up to half of Americans say their sleep is bad, and the rules for fixing it keep piling up. Michael speaks with David Samson, an evolutionary anthropologist at the University of Toronto and author of The Sleepless Ape, about why modern people sleep longer and better than hunter-gatherers yet worry about it far more, why our body clocks are the real mismatch, top sleep myths, and which sleep advice is worth following. They discuss: (00:00) Cold open(01:19) What is sleep?(08:30) Is there an epidemic of bad sleep?(15:50) Why study hunter-gatherer sleep(18:40) How the Hadza tribe sleeps(25:45) Bad sleep, happy sleepers(28:44) Evolutionary mismatch of sleep(32:40) Sleep is fine, the clock isn't(38:49) Does sleep anxiety matter?(43:02) Rapid fire: melatonin to curtains(47:08) What he does to sleep better Get David's book, The Sleepless Ape: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691259734/the-sleepless-ape Sponsors:Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply.MacroFactor: Download the MacroFactor app and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#56: Misogi Is a Challenge You're Supposed to Fail Half the Time | Marcus Elliott

1 hr 8 min

Most of us avoid anything we might fail at. Michael speaks with Dr. Marcus Elliott about Misogi, his yearly challenge with about a 50 percent chance of failure, and why we overestimate the cost of failing, the benefits of Misogi, and what the data on elite athletes still can't measure. In addition to creating the modern Misogi, Marcus founded P3, the world's top sports science lab. They discuss: (00:00) Cold open(00:41) The Comfort Crisis introduction(02:20) What a Misogi is(05:37) The 50/50 rule(17:08) No training required(21:14) One perfect stroke(23:23) Why Misogi should be kooky(34:33) A modern rite of passage(37:51) The Misogi with his son(45:00) What the data can't see(56:42) Hundreds of reader Misogis(60:01) Not an Instagram moment(64:18) Don't let your life shrink Sponsors:Base44: Get 30% off the Builder plan for your first year at base44.com/TWOPCT.Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply.MacroFactor: Download the MacroFactor app and use it free for two weeks with code TWOPCT. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#55: The Accidental FBI Director on Moral Courage | Brian Driscoll

1 hr 26 min

Brian Driscoll became acting director of the FBI through what he believes was a clerical error in 2025. He was then asked to hand over the names of thousands of FBI employees who worked the January 6 investigations, which would have placed their careers and safety in jeopardy. He resisted and became a legend in the bureau. Brian told Michael what pushing back cost him, and why he calls "it is what it is" the most accepted form of surrender. They discussed: (00:00) Cold open(00:51) Becoming accidental FBI director(04:37) The illegal vetting call he failed(09:43) The request for the names of thousands of agents(18:04) From 9/11 to investigating the mob in NYC(32:22) Inside the elite Hostage Rescue Team(39:48) Lessons from elite teams: Be brilliant at the basics(49:05) How he protected the FBI(55:35) Fired with no reason given(59:44) How he led the FBI through crisis(66:48) Why standing up was worth being fired(71:41) The motorcycle journey afterward(76:56) Starting over Sponsors:Vuori: Get 20% off your first purchase at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply.MacroFactor: Try MacroFactor free for 14 days in the Apple or Android app store with code TWOPCT.Lagoon: Go to lagoonsleep.com/TWOPCT and take the 60-second sleep quiz to find your perfect pillow. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#54: A Harvard Professor Tested Popular Diets on Himself | Dan Lieberman

1 hr 8 min

Michael speaks with Harvard evolutionary biologist Dan Lieberman, author of Fed Up. They talked about how humans didn't evolve to think about what to eat, the history of food and humans, what Dan learned trying popular diets for the book, biggest diet myths, and where Dan lands on exercise and weight loss. They covered: (00:00) Cold open(01:15) Humans never evolved to choose food(09:59) What the paleo diet gets wrong(14:32) Why we overeat(24:22) The hardest diet Dan tried(26:47) The case against the carnivore diet(33:40) How diets become like a religion(38:18) The protein craze: facts and myths(43:19) A sustainable approach to eating(50:03) Why nutrition headlines constantly change(54:44) Eat like a fox: A rule for nutrition(58:40) Does exercise help us lose weight? Get Dan's book, Fed Up: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/737466/fed-up-by-daniel-e-lieberman/ Sponsors:MacroFactor: Download the MacroFactor app and use it free for two weeks with code TWOPCT.Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#53: Your Mind Lies About How Much You Can Take | Lindsay Crouse

52 min

A lot of us think of quitting as a path to failure. Michael speaks with Lindsay Crouse, the former New York Times writer, editor and producer, lifelong distance runner and author of The Case for Quitting, about when perseverance backfires, how to tell meaningful suffering from the pointless kind, and the signs it's time to walk away. They discuss: (00:00) Cold open(00:54) Good sisu and bad sisu(06:30) The Olympic Trials goal she missed(13:12) When perseverance backfires(20:54) Where quitting pays off(24:22) Should you quit your job?(27:24) Type A minds and never enough(32:05) Where we quit too much(35:08) Who pays when you quit?(37:09) Bill Withers' golden toilet seat(42:23) Do we all need a rumspringa?(46:55) Why Lindsay left the Times(49:25) Signs it's time to quit Get Lindsay's book, The Case for Quitting: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-case-for-quitting-the-surprising-benefits-of-opting-out-lindsay-crouse/5d08b49f272f6816Find Lindsay: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaycrouse/ Sponsors:Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply.MacroFactor: Download MacroFactor in the app store and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#52: What Convenience and Your Phone Are Costing You | Tim Wu

1 hr 0 min

Michael speaks with Tim Wu, the Columbia law professor and author of The Age of Extraction, about how media and tech platforms learned to harvest our attention, why convenience is among the most powerful forces of our time, and what the easy option can take from us. They discuss: (00:00) Cold open(01:12) Selling attention, from 1833 to now(07:46) Why phones are changing human evolution(16:20) Why ads adapt to every backlash(18:00) Attention merchants vs. extractors(25:48) Easiest wins: the power of convenience(28:01) What convenience takes from us(34:17) Can tech serve more than profit?(39:45) What makes a good life(44:42) Is there an ethical way to fund media?(48:51) Social media, kids and age limits(53:51) Why reality TV casts difficult people(57:17) Tim's own media diet Get Tim's book, The Age of Extraction: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/691177/the-age-of-extraction-by-tim-wu/Find Tim: https://x.com/superwuster Sponsors:MacroFactor: Download MacroFactor in the app store and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free.Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#51: Creatine, Wearables, Carbs: What's Hype and What's Real | Brady Holmer

51 min

Michael speaks with Brady Holmer, the exercise scientist and 2:24 marathoner behind the Substack Physiologically Speaking, about which fitness trends hold up. Brady explains why he stopped taking creatine, which numbers on your wearable to ignore, and why endurance athletes now eat the carbs of three Cokes an hour. They discuss: (00:00) Preview(00:35) Why Brady stopped taking creatine(03:26) Creatine is oversold for the brain(09:14) The wearable numbers to ignore(12:47) The problem with HRV(16:14) What wearables get right(18:49) Carb maxing: three Cokes an hour(24:56) What Lance Armstrong said about carbs(28:11) Race weight and eating enough(32:57) Why carb timing matters(36:33) Why Brady is eating less protein(38:57) Mile record or two-hour marathon?(41:35) The second running boom(45:58) More strength or more cardio?(48:15) Training with a newborn Subscribe to Brady's Substack, Physiologically Speaking: https://www.physiologicallyspeaking.comFind Brady: https://www.instagram.com/brady.j.holmer/ Sponsors:Lagoon: Go to lagoonsleep.com/TWOPCT and take the 60-second sleep quiz to find your perfect pillow. Use code TWOPCT for 15% off any pillow.MacroFactor: Download MacroFactor in the app store and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free.Vuori: Get 20% off your first purchase at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#50: The Mormon Missionary Who Became a Real Housewife | Heather Gay

1 hr 0 min

Heather Gay, star of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and author of Bad Mormon, tells Michael why she left the Mormon faith, what that decision cost, and how she rebuilt a sense of self and community. They also discussed her role on the show, and: (00:00) Preview(00:46) Why Heather left her faith(03:01) The choice that changed her life(05:35) Why she stayed Mormon for so long(11:15) The cost of trying to be perfect(15:52) Finding belonging after leaving a faith(22:00) Why most people live a double life(24:30) When reinvention works and when it fails(30:20) The stages of leaving a high-demand group(33:41) Finding a new community(38:36) Sales lessons from her Mormon mission(43:48) Choosing to be on Real Housewives despite pushback(50:10) Writing fiction: Eternal Glow(52:28) A Housewives rapid fire: takes on Jen, Lisa, and Meredith(57:47) Why the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City resonates Get Heather's book, Bad Mormon: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Bad-Mormon/Heather-Gay/9781982199548 Sponsors:MacroFactor: Try MacroFactor free for 14 days in the Apple or Android app store with code TWOPCT. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#49: Why We Should Stop Eating Lettuce | Tamar Haspel

59 min

Michael speaks with Tamar Haspel, The Washington Post's Unearthed columnist and author of To Boldly Grow, about her case for why we should stop eating lettuce. Starting with the explosive diarrhea story behind her column, they examine lettuce's food-safety risks, the healthy reputation of salads, and how to eat well when nutrition advice conflicts. They discuss: (00:00) Preview(00:52) Lettuce and foodborne illness(05:11) Lettuce, water and food waste(09:07) The salad health halo(12:39) Lettuce backlash and staple crops(20:51) Potatoes, corn and other staples(26:34) What food policy can change(31:00) Restaurant portions and home cooking(33:46) Italy's meals versus American snacking(39:54) Dietary guidelines and protein(44:34) The case for diet soda(47:37) The blind egg taste test(51:20) Food dyes and food beliefs(55:42) Eating well with uncertain science Get Tamar's book, To Boldly Grow: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/688423/to-boldly-grow-by-tamar-haspel/Find Tamar: https://www.tamarhaspel.com Download MacroFactor in the Apple or Google app store. Get 14 days free with code TWOPCT. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#48: A Fox News Host’s Formula for Winning Arguments | Jessica Tarlov

45 min

Michael speaks with Jessica Tarlov, co-host of The Five on Fox News and author of I Disagree, about how to argue without losing friends. Outnumbered four to one on the most-watched show in cable news, Jessica explains how she makes the truth safe to hear, why she argues with averages instead of anecdotes, and how to decide whether a disagreement is worth having. They discuss: (00:00) Preview(00:40) Her biggest conversion on The Five(05:08) Are we really more divided?(09:06) When one person breaks with the group(12:31) Making the truth safe to hear(16:51) Argue with averages, not anecdotes(21:26) Sowing a little doubt(24:36) Framing numbers and keeping it simple(33:27) Be sharp, not cruel(37:32) When to engage and when to let it go(42:38) How Americans start talking again Get Jessica's book, I Disagree: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803493/i-disagree-by-jessica-tarlov/Find Jessica: https://www.instagram.com/jessicatarlov/ Download MacroFactor in the Apple or Google app store. Get 14 days free with code TWOPCT. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#47: Lessons from Singlehandedly Fighting Off a Terrorist Attack | Christian Craighead

55 min

Michael speaks with Christian Craighead, a former SAS soldier and author of One Man In, about the afternoon he singlehandedly fought off a major terror attack in Nairobi and what it teaches about acting while afraid, leading people, and being ready before anything happens. They discuss: (00:00) Preview(00:38) Entering a terror attack with no backup(07:11) How a hard childhood shaped Christian's resolve(12:34) Why the top Special Forces operators look like accountants(23:20) Christian's moves against the terror attack(27:53) Why danger brings intense focus(33:57) How to lead in a crisis(43:34) The importance of clear instructions(46:44) Adapting and maintaining momentum under pressure(53:41) Taking responsibility in ordinary life This episode includes descriptions of childhood abuse, terrorism, injury and death. Get Christian's book, One Man In: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/One-Man-In/Christian-Craighead/9781982177331 Find Christian: https://theministryofdefence.com/pages/about Download MacroFactor in the Apple or Google app store. Get 14 days free with code TWOPCT. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#46: How to Learn Faster and Remember More | Jim Kwik

1 hr 1 min

Michael speaks with Jim Kwik, brain coach and author of the new book Limitless Daily, about how to learn faster, remember more, and use AI to get smarter instead of dumber. They discuss: (00:00) Cold open(01:30) Jim's early learning struggles(05:32) The question that changed Jim's approach to learning(17:30) Problems with school systems and tech use(23:00) Using AI to get smarter, not dumber with the BUILD framework(29:56) Memory, boredom, and why you need room to think(32:44) Improving reading speed and comprehension(41:03) Choosing what is worth learning(47:51) Daily practice and morning habits(52:32) Rapid fire: brain supplements and cognitive performance(57:49) Books and Limitless Daily Get Jim's book, Limitless Daily: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761666/limitless-daily-by-jim-kwik/ Find Jim: https://jimkwik.com Download MacroFactor in the Apple or Google app store. Get 14 days free with code TWOPCT. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Host: Michael EasterExecutive Producer: Robbie HiserMusic: The Heater ManagerGraphics: Jackie Philips Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#45: Inside the North Tower on 9/11 | Chief Joseph Pfeifer

54 min

Michael speaks with FDNY Chief Joseph Pfeifer, who led the first fire units into the North Tower on 9/11 and later gave the order to evacuate the towers. Chief Pfeifer later served as the FDNY Chief of Counterterrorism and Emergency preparedness, is a Senior Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School, and wrote Ordinary Heroes, which examines what 9/11 taught him about crisis leadership, resilience, and the ordinary acts of heroism. They discuss: (00:00) Introduction(02:36) Racing to the North Tower(09:20) Seeing His Brother in the Lobby(12:10) The Second Plane Hits(14:40) The South Tower Falls and the Evacuation Order(19:20) Surviving the North Tower Collapse(23:19) What Makes an Ordinary Hero(32:54) Three Principles for Crisis Leadership(36:57) Four Stages of Resilience(46:48) The Threats Communities Face Next This episode includes detailed discussion of the September 11 attacks, death, and trauma. 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. Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com Follow Michael:https://twitter.com/Michael_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#44: How to Recover From Trauma and Come Back Stronger | Elizabeth Smart

56 min

Michael sits down with Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted at 14, survived nine months of captivity, and spent the decades after building her own path to recovery. She is the Founder of the Elizabeth Smart foundation and host of The Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart, a true-crime podcast where she speaks with survivors of violent crimes about healing. Michael and Elizabeth discuss: (00:00) Cold open(07:28) The Science of Downward Comparison That Helped Her Survive(12:23) The Emotional Whiplash of Being Found(16:13) The First Time She Felt Safe(19:18) Why Traditional Therapy Did Not Fit(21:54) Refusing to Pretend It Never Happened(28:04) Reclaiming Her Body Through Bodybuilding(39:30) Sharing a Hidden Part of Her Life(44:22) Putting Survivors at the Center(47:03) Finding Reasons to Keep Going This episode includes detailed discussion of child abduction, sexual violence, and trauma. Read How To Be More Resilient: https://www.twopct.com/p/how-to-be-more-resilient 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_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#43: Avoiding Anxiety Makes it Stronger & Relationship Rules | Dr. John Delony

1 hr 3 min

Michael speaks with Dr. John Delony, host of The Dr. John Delony Show and author of Building a Non-Anxious Life. They discuss: 00:00 Preview00:54 Mental Health and Relationship Lessons from Thousands of Callers09:09 Why The Problem People Describe is Never the Real Problem 12:45 What People Are Really Calling About25:51 Lessons from a Homicide Detective28:28 Why Punk Rock Teaches Stewardship32:09 What Dave Ramsey Taught John37:43 The Most Common Marriage Problems50:21 Building a Non-Anxious Life56:32 Why Doing Hard Things Helps This episode includes discussion of suicidal thoughts and addiction. Read The 6 Rules of a Tougher Mindset: https://www.twopct.com/p/the-6-rules-of-a-tougher-mindset 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_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#42: A Trial Lawyer’s Rules for Hard Conversations | Jefferson Fisher

1 hr 0 min

Michael sits down with trial lawyer Jefferson Fisher, author of The Next Conversation, on why hard conversations are some of the most uncomfortable things we do and how to handle them with strength. They discuss: 00:00 Preview01:41 The hardest conversation he's ever had05:30 What to do before having a hard conversation 14:57 Don't win the argument, understand it17:02 Let your breath be the first word24:16 Stop over-apologizing26:31 Five second rule of silence31:02 Why brevity wins: say it in three sentences44:50 Boundaries: lead with the no51:24 When someone's grieving, just do the thing54:05 Rapid fire: no is a complete sentence Read Do Hard Things: https://www.twopct.com/p/do-hard-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. 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_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#41: Should You Take Peptides? A Doctor’s Evidence-Based Answer | Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum

55 min

Michael speaks with physician and competitive powerlifter Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum about what peptides are, why they suddenly seem to promise everything, and what the human evidence actually shows. They discuss: 0:00 Preview0:45 Michael FaceTimes Foster Kamer about peptides8:28 What is a peptide?13:00 BPC-157 and the evidence problem19:40 Why pain relief doesn't prove peptides work24:19 Promising peptides and unknown risks35:29 Where people buy peptides39:15 The FDA's peptide debate43:38 Why peptides are suddenly everywhere49:16 Would Dr. Feigenbaum prescribe peptides? Read The 5 Supplements I Take: https://www.twopct.com/p/the-5-supplements-i-take 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_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

45 min

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 Preview0:39 How to stay calm under pressure6:09 How farm work built resilience9:17 The bet that started a SEAL career17:02 How adults can train courage19:45 Watching 9/11 from Guam22:20 From the SEAL Teams to DEVGRU26:13 Why preparation cannot guarantee the outcome30:56 Rebuilding after losing your identity43:21 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_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://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

1 hr 0 min

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 Preview0:45 The experiment that changed how we see aging4:29 How beliefs change the body10:52 Placebo, nocebo, and imagined exercise12:16 Mindfulness without meditation17:31 Why certainty makes us mindless24:44 How context changes physical performance33:21 How rules and labels shape health43:15 Why chronic does not mean constant51:14 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_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://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

52 min

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 Preview0:48 Should we panic about the future?6:04 How AI makes you smarter or stupider7:36 Mental health, antidepressants, and young men16:26 Why America stopped taking risks19:33 The case for free-range kids21:47 What hard travel teaches about happiness28:45 Why exercise is a great investment36:29 Why initiative now beats intelligence45:05 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_Easterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://www.facebook.com/twopcthttps://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

1 hr 18 min

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 Preview0:42 Why modern work keeps us stressed3:23 How busyness replaced real productivity11:41 Why email and meetings destroy focus24:58 Do fewer things, finish them faster30:23 The three rules of Slow Productivity44:15 Productivity myths from Austen to Kerouac52:25 How Cal Newport schedules his work55:24 How to say no without burning a bridge1:09:15 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_Easterhttps://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

30 min

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 Preview0:44 Becoming a hotshot firefighter5:27 Proving they belonged on the crew6:09 Why a hard childhood made a hard job easier8:55 What 48-hour wildfire shifts are like15:46 What fighting wildfires feels like17:51 Why landscapes need fire19:51 How fire suppression made wildfires worse23:48 Leaving the fire crew24:32 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_Easterhttps://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

40 min

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 Preview0:51 Why meat eaters belong in animal welfare4:26 What life inside a battery cage is like13:03 Why personal guilt is the wrong strategy15:49 How animal welfare campaigns change corporations18:33 How to eat fewer animal products25:38 Which food labels actually mean something29:36 Why cage-free eggs cost more36:19 What 30 years of veganism taught Dan Shannon38:22 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_Easterhttps://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

53 min

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 Preview0:52 Why patients feel dismissed5:13 Why healthcare focuses on damage control10:23 Why Dr. McBride left the system15:58 The question she asks every patient20:09 Where medicine ends and wellness begins26:44 How to become the CEO of your health38:46 What AI can and cannot do in the exam room44:39 How to prepare for a doctor's appointment48:19 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_Easterhttps://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

51 min

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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter 00:00 Cold...

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

1 hr 7 min

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:...

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

46 min

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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters:00:00:00 - Cold open00:01:36 - Not overweight, under-muscled00:05:37 - How much muscle do you actually need?00:10:39 - What end-of-life care taught her about muscle00:15:12 - Never too late: building muscle after 6000:19:47 - How often should you strength train?00:19:56 - Get your mind right: friction and finding your real why00:27:51 - The new protein rules...

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

58 min

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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters:00:00:00 - Intro (cold open)00:01:55 - Who is Robert Young Pelton?00:03:09 - The...

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

1 hr 6 min

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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters:00:00 Cold open01:52 "Because it's there" is BS02:51 The first ascent that beat Everest04:46 Stop putting off your own projects08:19 Seven expeditions, four summits10:18 The Everest Ready mindset13:39 Walks that make people open up15:19 Patienc...

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

1 hr 9 min

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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

42 min

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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://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 Evoluti...

#26: Sports That Protect Your Brain From Dementia | Dr. Tommy Wood

30 min

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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters:00:00 - Intro: could a sport protect your brain?01:24 - Michael's high-school tennis career02:40 - Dr. Tommy Wood on movement and the brain04:57 - What "open-skill" sports actually are06:37 - How we inven...

#25: Why Numbers, Scores, and Metrics Make Life Worse | Thi Nguyen

1 hr 19 min

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. 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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters: 00:00 — Cold open 00:38 — The thinker who lives rent-free in Michael's head 02:24 — The weight-loss s...

#24: Why Our Brains Lie About How Bad Things Are (and How to Stop It) | Cara Lai & Roy Baumeister

1 hr 20 min

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. 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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters: 00:00 — Cold open 00:47 — Why your mind is built to focus on the negative 02:55 — Kara L...

#23: Daily Habits to Keep Your Brain Sharp as You Age | Dr. Tommy Wood

50 min

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. 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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters: 00:00 — Cold open 00:45 — Why Michael had to read this book 02:06 — Lab science vs. the real world 04:05 — What F1 driving teaches about performance 06:50 — The one thing: you get stronger when you sleep 09:34 — The traffic-light system for busy seasons 12:48 — Cognitive decline isn't inevitable 13:14 — Super agers & the Seattle Longitudinal Study 16:26 — Mich...

#22: Why Sports Fandom is Good for Us | Leander Schaerlaeckens & Dr. Daniel Wann

1 hr 5 min

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. 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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters:00:00 — Cold open01:39 — Why 2026 is the biggest World Cup ever03:55 — The case for Team USA06:49 — Team USA's real odds (and avoiding Argentina)07:44 — Why America took so long to get good at soccer10:36 — The players you need to know14:38 — Pay-to-play & Ricardo Pepi's backstory16:34 — How to fix U.S. soccer (Texas vs. Spain)19:2...

#21: Why Health Became the New Religion | Alan Levinovitz

1 hr 19 min

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. 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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters: 00:00 — Cold open 00:52 — Why we think about health like a religion 02:11 — The WIRED long-Covid piece and the backlash 03:57 — $2 billion, five years, and still no biomarker 09:07 — "Natural" is just a secular word for "holy" 10:31 — Why people really choose natural childbirth 14:44 — The man who mailed his...

#20: Why the Steroid Olympics Flopped and the Truth About Peptides | Chris Gayomali & Sam Eagan

1 hr 2 min

What if you juiced a roster of athletes to the gills with performance-enhancing drugs and let them compete for a million-dollar prize? That's the Enhanced Games — the billionaire-backed "Steroid Olympics" held in Las Vegas — and the results were not what investors expected. Michael Easter sits down with journalists Chris Gayomali and Sam Eagan, hosts of the Superhuman podcast, who were embedded with the founders, athletes, and scientists during the games. Despite being hyped as the future of human performance, almost no world records actually fell. In many cases, non-enhanced athletes beat the juiced ones. Within about a day, it became clear the event was really a marketing engine for selling testosterone and peptides to the public, and a glimpse of how we're increasingly being sold a frictionless, "enhanced" version of ourselves, all with the swipe of a credit card. 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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters:00:00:00 - Intro 00:04:29 - What the Enhanced Games actually are (the "steroid Olympics") 00:07:00 - "It took me a full day to realize this is an ad" 00:08:00 - The real business model: Hims with a WWE marketing layer 00:13:13 - Peter Thiel, transhumanism, and how it started 00:16:17 - The "44% of Olym...

#19: The Science of Rapid Weight Loss | Tyler Minton

59 min

UFC fighters routinely lose 10 to 20 pounds in the 5 days before a weigh-in — then put it all back on in the 24 hours before stepping into the Octagon. It is one of the most extreme metabolic feats in sports, and almost no one talks about what it actually teaches us about everyday fat loss. In this episode, Michael Easter sits down with Tyler Minton, the nutritionist behind some of the UFC's top fighters and current advisor to Naval Special Warfare. Tyler nearly died from his own weight cut years ago preparing for a fight, which sent him on a long quest for knowledge to rebuild how elite combat athletes prepare. He breaks down the exact protocol fighters follow and why the old "eat less, run more" model destroyed careers. Finally, they discuss the science behind UFC weight cutting and what it reveals about crash diets, GLP-1s, and why most diets cause rebound weight gain. 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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:00 - "I Nearly Died" — The Weight Cut That Started Everything 00:03:22 - How Tyler Got Into Fighting and Stumbled Into Nutrition 00:07:15 - "Eat Less, Run More" — The Old-School Playbook 00:11:50 - What 10% Over Really Means on Fight Week 00:13:30 - Where the Lost Weight Actually...

#18: How to Recover When Life Punches You in the Face | Miesha Tate

1 hr 17 min

Miesha Tate became UFC women's bantamweight champion by choking out Holly Holm in the fifth round at the MGM Grand. Two weeks after the highest moment of her life, she realized the title hadn't fixed anything. The next loss almost ended her. She packed her dog into a Kia, drove up the coast, and rebuilt herself layer by layer. She came back to fighting on her own terms, synced to her hormonal cycle for the first time in 15 years, and called the comeback the best fight of her life. In this episode, Michael Easter sits down with Miesha and they go deep on what she learned walking onto an all-boys high school wrestling team. They unpack her first MMA fight where she fell in love with fighting, despite a broken nose. Then they get into why winning a world title left her contemplating suicide. They explore what Gabor Maté's books changed for her. And they name the single biggest mistake she made for 15 years of her career: training from a male model of fighting instead of from a women’s biological reality, hormonal cycle and all. 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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters: 00:00 — Cold open: ready to die, prepared as a man, hit in the face 02:33 — The choke-Robby joke 03:00 — Why she joined the all-boys wrestling team...

#17: The Power of the Heat and Sauna | Ashley Paulson & Bill Gifford

1 hr 2 min

When it gets hot, most of us hide indoors with the AC cranked, the workouts moved inside, and the thermostat parked at 72°F all summer long. But humans evolved in the heat, and the new science says we can still use it to get stronger, healthier, and (maybe most surprisingly) happier. In this episode, Michael Easter sits down with two of the best people in the world on the subject of heat. Ashley Paulson, the Badwater 135 course record holder (a 135 mile race through Death Valley), finished in 21 hours and 44 minutes, beating the old record by 2.5 hours. She shares what 120°F at 11 p.m. actually feels like and the mindset that lets her thrive in it. Then Bill Gifford, author of Hot Wired: How the Hidden Power of Heat Makes Us Stronger, talks about how your body adapts in 4 to 5 sessions of sauna treatment. Michael closes with a hydration playbook and the 1960s WHO research that nailed the perfect summer drink. 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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters:00:00 — Cold open: 11 p.m., 120°F, and the 40% depression stat00:54 — Welcome to 2% and what this episode is02:28 — Ashley Paulson and the Badwater 13504:41 — Starting a 135 mile race at 11 p.m. in 120°F05:13 — Breaking the course record by 2.5 hours06:34 — What r...

#16: Thinking Patterns of CEOs, Tech Founders, and the Top 0.01% | Dr. Julie Gurner

58 min

Dr. Julie Gurner has a two-year waiting list. The Wall Street Journal calls her the real-life Wendy Rhoades (the psychologist from the show Billions). Though her clients are CEOs, founders, billionaires, and elite operators, she actually started her career inside a supermax prison. In this episode, Michael Easter sits down with Dr. Julie Gurner to unpack what actually separates the top 0.01% from everyone else: audacity, what-if-it-goes-right thinking, and using anger as fuel. She also explains why "be humble" might be the worst career advice you have ever received. 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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter — CHAPTERS — 00:00:00 - Cold open & intro 00:01:47 - From Supermax Prison to billionaires: Julie's origin 00:08:49 - Audacity, imaginary rules, the side path 00:11:10 - What if it goes right? 00:14:11 - The repetitive reflex 00:19:06 - Haunting agitation: the whisper that becomes a scream 00:25:18 - Why money does buy happiness 00:27:57 - Survival mode and the J.K. Rowling story 00:30:59 - Helping people get out of their own way 00:33:28 - In defense of billionaires 00:35:49 - Stoicism's blind spot: anger as fuel 00:38:14 - Bezos got laughed at for wanting to go to space 00:40:13 - Losing a dog, loving fleeting thi...

#15: Dr. Andy Galpin Made Me His Lab Rat During an 850-Mile Hike | Dr. Andy Galpin

52 min

A year ago, Michael Easter walked 850 miles across southern Utah in 45 days — about a marathon every day. Dr. Andy Galpin turned him into a lab rat, studying his body before, during, and after his 45 days in the desert. What he found surprised both of them. In this episode, Michael sits down with Dr. Andy Galpin — the world’s top performance scientist and co-founder of Absolute Rest. He is the guy MVPs, Cy Young winners, and Hall of Famers call when something isn't working. They go deep on what 850 miles in 45 days actually does to a human body, what wearables get right and where they fail, and the 5-pillar exercise protocol that makes a body ready for anything. 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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Chapters: 00:00:00 - Cold open 00:02:13 - Why Andy turned Michael into a lab rat 00:04:44 - What blood, urine, saliva, and stool tell you about a body 00:07:30 - The results: red blood cells up, metabolism down 00:12:10 - The testosterone crash: 750 to 650, free test cut in half 00:16:12 - Why hormones didn't recover even 45 days later 00:19:30 - The 80/20 of elite performance 00:25:15 - What wearables are actually good for 00:32:25 - Pro athletes vs. you 00:35:30 - The sleep apnea crisis nobody is talking about 00:...

#14: The Psychology of Adventure | Jay Carson & Sinhue Xavier

1 hr 24 min

Adventure has been engineered out of modern life, and we're paying for it in ways we don't even realize. In this episode of Two Percent, Michael Easter sits down with two guests who have decentered optimization. First up: Jay Carson, a former Clinton communications director and Hollywood writer (House of Cards, The Morning Show). Jay signed up for a 14-day Boulder Outdoor Survival School course in the Utah desert after a Covid power outage made him realize he had no idea how to take care of himself. He's now an instructor at the school. He shares what happened when his house burned down in the January 2025 LA fires, and why the BOSS course is the reason he survived the hardest year of his life. Then: Sinhue Xavier an ex-North Face ski mountaineer mentored by Conrad Anker and Alex Lowe who recently sold his house to travel the American West out of a truck. He explains why the best journeys aren't on Instagram, why "the most efficient route" is almost always the wrong one, and how to find real adventure in your own backyard. 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/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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