The relentless pursuit of pleasure always leads to pain.
As the world evolves from one of scarcity to overabundance, we increasingly orient our lives around the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain—an instinct that has produced a myriad of unprecedented types of addiction, and consequently, the pain we so desperately seek to avoid.
To better understand ... Show More
Today
Malcolm Gladwell & Chris Chavez Think We're Selling Running All Wrong
Malcolm Gladwell is a staff writer at The New Yorker, bestselling author, and podcaster. Chris Chavez is a journalist, podcaster, and the founder of CITIUS MAG. I just passed a thousand episodes, which has me rethinking what I want this to feel like. So for this one, no agenda, n ... Show More
1h 15m
Jul 13
Episode 1,000: Rich & Julie Piatt Celebrate By Going Back To Where It All Began
This is the 1,000th episode of the podcast. Insane. To mark it, Julie and I take it back to the start. We recap the origin story of this show. A creative experiment, born in a yurt on a Kauai mango farm, our family was on the precipice of foreclosure. We get into the crucible tha ... Show More
1h 15m
Feb 2023
Dr. Anna Lembke: Between Pleasure and Pain
Are you scrolling on your phone constantly? How badly do you crave that morning cup of coffee? Are you compulsively gambling, drinking, shopping, or even reading romance novels just to fall asleep? The potential for addiction is everywhere in our society, and on this episode of T ... Show More
1h 8m
Jan 2025
The Dopamine Expert: Doing This Once A Day Fixes Your Dopamine! What Alcohol Is Really Doing To Your Brain! Your Childhood Shapes Future Addictions!
From smartphones, to sugar, to exercising, the modern world is plagued by dopamine addictions, and Dr Anna Lembke holds the key to breaking free
Dr Anna Lembke is Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dua ... Show More
2h 13m
Jul 2025
Most Replayed Moment: The Role of Dopamine in Addiction and Motivation - Anna Lembke
In today’s moment, renowned neuroscientist and author, Anna Lembke, explores the fascinating science of dopamine and its impact on our behaviour. Discover why dopamine is fundamental to survival, how it drives pleasure and motivation, and why we are more vulnerable to addiction t ... Show More
23m 8s
Aug 2021
Understanding & Treating Addiction | Dr. Anna Lembke
This episode I interview Dr. Anna Lembke, M.D., Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Lembke is a psychiatrist expert in treating addictions of all kinds: drugs, alcohol, food, sex, video games, gambling, foo ... Show More
1h 59m
Oct 2023
Dopamine Nation with Dr. Anna Lembke
Addiction is such a widespread issue in our society but many of us don’t realise it surpasses alcohol, drugs and gambling. Our brains are wired with reward systems controlled by dopamine, and dopamine hits are plentiful in the modern world. With social media, entertainment, our p ... Show More
47m 9s
Apr 2022
Too much pleasure can lead to addiction. How to break the cycle and find balance
Dr. Anna Lembke, psychiatrist and author, explains when too much pleasure-triggering dopamine upsets the delicate balance of pleasure and pain our brains need to feel "normal," which can lead to long-term pain and addiction. In today's dopamine-filled world, here's how keep that ... Show More
23m 33s