I find podcasts impossibly boring, and I’m quite incapable of listening to one for more than a couple of minutes without my mind drifting off. I’ve always been much more of a reader. But for whatever reason, when the podcast is videotaped and I can see the interview happening, a switch flips and I quite enjoy them! For this reason, and also because I enjoy Lewis’s congenial style, I have taken to watching Lewis Howes interviews on youtube whenever I’m commuting, eating takeout, etc. Here are a few I’ve particularly enjoyed.
The Science of Hunger, Optimal Health and Body Love with Celebrity Nutritionist Kelly LeVeque
P.C. Be Well by Kelly
Kelly LeVeque inspires me. She works for top stars like Jessica Alba as a certified nutritionist, and keeps her food philosophy refreshingly simple: eat greens, fiber, fat, and protein (what she calls ‘The Fab Four’) at every meal to turn off hunger hormones and keep calm and full.
Beyond her food philosophy, Kelly’s brand and business savvy resonates with anyone with significant interests outside of work. She cultivated her current nutrition business over many years as a side hustle alongside her regular job in cancer and genetics. After many years of working as a nutritionist on the side and building up a solid base of successful clientele, she finally converted her side-hustle into her full time job, and now works in food and nutrition full time.
I’m trying to apply lessons from Kelly’s journey to my own. I enjoy my job, and yet have time and energy after work to dedicate to ‘passion projects.’ This blog, as well as my efforts to learn about web development, blossomed from my attempt to develop ‘side hustles’ of passion that not only bring me present joy but have the potential to manifest some financial perks down the line. For example, I would love to take on freelance work as a web developer or a writer. (Update, May 2018: I now do this! Check out my portfolio here)
Books: Body Love and Body Love Every Day
Matthew Hussey on Dating, Attraction, and Creating Desire
I’ve followed Matthew Hussey for many years now. More than a dating coach, he generally opines on human relationships and self-improvement, and his advice is less targeted at ‘Getting the Guy’ (barf) than it is at developing a sense of self-worth and a life of which one can be proud — I once read a Mark Manson quote that the only real dating advice is self improvement, and Matthew Hussey embodies that understanding.
Esther Perel on Infidelity, Intimacy, and Love
Esther Perel is a well-respected relationship therapist, researcher, and polyglot. Aside from her compelling personal background (her parents survived the Holocaust and immigrated to Poland, which profoundly impacted her life philosophy), her compassion and lack of judgement inspire critical reflection on the assumptions that undergird our love lives.
We are fundamentally social animals, and hence all engage in relationships (romantic or not) — Esther’s empathetic approach allows for reflection on how to nurture these relationships in a way kind to both ourselves and others. Why didn’t we learn this stuff in school?!
Book(s): Mating in Captivity and The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity
Mihir Desai on Becoming a Master of Finance
Guilty confession: despite having majored in Economics, I have always found Finance to be insufferable. Mihir Desai changed that for me. A basic knowledge of markets and investing is critical for our lives and retirements, and Desai demystifies financial concepts to make them both accessible and interesting.
In an era where the perception of bankers is largely that of evil market crashers who steal from the poor and push money around, Desai helpfully contextualizes the many uses and benefits of finance to both the rich and the poor. For example, he explains that the ability to borrow money is in fact critical to social mobility, because it allows the poor to access capital and resources that would otherwise be unavailable to them. Forgiveness of bankruptcy also undergirds the functioning of our economy, because it empowers citizens to be entrepreneurial and de-risks failure.
Other highlights of the show include various anecdotes about his many successful students, his own personal story, and an introduction to his very famous article on optionality.
Book: The Wisdom of Finance
Novak Djokovic on Becoming #1 in the World and Overcoming the Odds
P.C. Tennis World USA
I’m lukewarm about tennis. I used to watch Wimbledon at home with my family during summer holidays in India, but only because Delhi summer means 100 degree weather and no ability to go outside. Still, I’d heard enough about Djokovic to watch this, and what an amazing episode it turned out to be!
Djokovic overcame incredible odds to reach his current level of success, and his story motivates and humbles in equal measure. His incredible positivity radiates through the screen. Having lived an incredibly privileged life, I’m always in awe of human resilience and those who have overcome significant challenges. Also, though I strive not to be a stereotypically unaware American, I know far less about global politics than I should. I’m grateful, then, for podcasts such as this one, which contextualize the powerful personal narrative of one of the world’s preeminent tennis stars within the larger geopolitical backdrop of Serbia’s bloody civil war.
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