The Knowledge Project

#71 Esther Perel: Cultivating Desire

#70 Scott Adams: Avoiding Loserthink

This podcast episode covers a wide range of topics, including the success factors of the "Dilbert" cartoon strip, media training and interview techniques, dealing with criticism, the power of persuasion and hypnosis, the dangers of irrational thinking and confirmation bias, the importance of multi-disciplinary thinking...

#69 Stephen Schwarzman: What It Takes

Stephen Schwarzman, CEO of Blackstone, centers his investment philosophy on the principle of "doing no harm," prioritizing capital preservation as the primary objective. This approach relies on a rigorous, collaborative decision-making process where partners collectively scrutinize risks to mitigate individual bias and...

#68 Daniel Kahneman: Putting Your Intuition on Ice

The conversation with Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel laureate in Economics, centers on decision-making, intuition, cognitive biases, and behavior change. Kahneman shares insights on happiness versus life satisfaction, noting happiness is tied to social connections, while satisfaction links to conventional success markers lik...

#67 Jim Collins: Keeping the Flywheel in Motion

Great companies are built through the disciplined accumulation of momentum rather than instantaneous breakthroughs. Success hinges on the "flywheel effect," where a series of consistent, strategic decisions compound over time to drive enduring results. Level 5 leadership—a blend of personal humility and indomitable wil...

#66 Dr. Emily Nagoski: Pleasure is the Measure

#65 Shep Gordon: Trust, Compassion, and Shooting Friends from Cannons

#64 Greg Walton: The Big Impact of Small Interventions

#63 Hugh Howey: Winning at the Self-publishing Game

#62 Dr. Sue Johnson: Cracking the Code of Love

Human relationships are structured by an innate, biological need for secure attachment, where emotional responsiveness serves as the primary mechanism for building trust. Conflict in distressed relationships often stems not from specific issues, but from underlying emotional disconnection and the resulting "attachment ...

#61 Jonathan Haidt: When Good Intentions Go Bad

#60 Jim Dethmer: Leading Above the Line

#59 Following Intellectual Curiosity with Thomas Tull

#57 Sheila Heen: Decoding Difficult Conversations

Difficult conversations are defined by three distinct layers: the "what happened" story, the underlying emotional tangle, and the identity conversation. Rather than treating listening as a last resort, it serves as the most effective tool for persuasion and relationship management. Shifting from a blame-focused mindset...

Gabriel Weinberg: Practical Steps to Safeguard Your Data and Identity Online

#56 Daniel Gross: Catalyzing Success

Success often stems from small, accidental catalyzing moments that trigger positive feedback loops rather than long-term strategic planning. Daniel Gross, founder of Pioneer and former Y Combinator partner, argues that the most effective way to address global challenges is to build systems that identify and nurture pot...

#55 Scott Page: Becoming a Model Thinker

#54 Jason Fried: Doing the Enough Thing

#53 Howard Marks: Luck, Risk and Avoiding Losers

Market cycles are driven by human psychology and the tendency for investors to overreact to excesses, necessitating a contrarian, second-level thinking approach. Cycles emerge from human behavior—fluctuating between extreme optimism and pessimism—rather than predictable mechanical laws. Successful investing requires id...

#52 Dr. Laura Markham: Peaceful Parenting with