This week Scott speaks with author, entrepreneur, and world traveler Chris Guillebeau, best known for The Art of Non-Conformity and his latest book, Time Anxiety: The Illusion of Urgency and a Better Way to Live.

Chris unpacks the concept of time anxiety—the persistent feeling that we’re running out of time—and explains why it’s different from FOMO or ADHD. Together, he and Scott explore how cultural pressures toward constant efficiency can leave us feeling perpetually behind, and how to redefine “enough” in our own lives.

This conversation offers fresh perspectives on slowing down, finding meaning, and reclaiming your relationship with time. Whether you’re chasing big dreams or simply trying to savor the present, this episode will help you rethink how you spend your most precious resource.

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This week Scott speaks with journalist and Atlantic staff writer Olga Khazan about her latest book, Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change.

Olga shares her personal journey experimenting with ways to reshape her own personality—armed with insights from the latest psychological research. Together, she and Scott explore whether personality traits like introversion, neuroticism, and even antagonism can truly change over time, and what science says about how we can become better versions of ourselves.

This episode dives into the surprising plasticity of personality, why certain traits are harder to shift than others, and the real-life tools that can help spark meaningful, lasting transformation.

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This week, Scott sits down with acclaimed journalist and Atlantic staff writer Helen Lewis to explore her latest book, The Genius Myth: A Curious History of a Dangerous Idea.

Together, they examine how society defines—and often distorts—the concept of genius. Helen argues that there’s no universal, objective definition of genius, and that the people we anoint as such often reflect what a culture values, rather than any absolute measure of brilliance. This “genius” label, she suggests, grants select individuals undue latitude and props up misleading narratives about creativity, intelligence, and individual achievement.

Scott and Helen also dig into the misuse and limitations of IQ, shared myths about extraordinary minds, and the social consequences of genius worship.

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