First Principles

Adrian Wells

First Principles isn't another business podcast recycling the same startup stories. Adrian Wells takes the fundamentals that actually matter and breaks them down like you're having coffee with the smartest professor you ever had. Wells spent twelve years teaching philosophy and critical thinking before ditching the lecture hall for the microphone. Turns out, the same principles that help you think clearly about ancient Greek ethics also work pretty well for modern business decisions. Who knew? Every episode strips away the latest trends and buzzwords to focus on the core ideas that don't change. How to actually evaluate evidence when everyone's throwing around statistics. Why most "revolutionary" business advice is just old wine in new bottles. The thinking patterns that separate smart decisions from lucky guesses. You won't get hyped-up success stories or flavor-of-the-month strategies. Instead, you'll learn how to think through problems the way philosophers have for centuries, applied to the stuff that matters in your work and life right now. Multiple new episodes drop daily, so there's always something fresh when you need it. Follow now if you're ready to think better, not just think faster. Multiple new episodes daily—follow now!

  1. 1 hr ago

    Dynamo Is Dead: The Crohn's Disease That Nearly Killed Britain's Most Famous Magician

    What if Britain's most beloved magician literally vanished from existence for three years? In this episode, Adrian Wells reveals the shocking truth behind Dynamo's disappearance and the life-threatening battle that nearly killed him at the height of his fame. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • How Crohn's disease reduced a world-famous performer to just 112 pounds and why he hid it for 15 years • The cruel irony of medication that saved his life but destroyed his ability to perform magic • Why fans didn't recognize their hero when steroids transformed his appearance completely • The mental strength it took to rebuild from rock bottom and stage one of entertainment's greatest comebacks 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth who wants to understand how people overcome seemingly impossible odds. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces Dynamo's shocking disappearance [01:45] The 15-year secret that almost killed Britain's favorite magician [04:15] When your life-saving medication becomes your career's worst enemy [06:30] The transformation so dramatic fans couldn't recognize him [08:45] Three years in hiding: what it takes to rebuild from nothing [11:00] Key lessons about resilience you can apply today This isn't just another celebrity health story. It's a masterclass in human resilience that'll change how you think about overcoming your own challenges. Dynamo's journey from death's door back to the stage proves that sometimes disappearing completely is the only way to come back stronger. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: Dynamo magician, Crohn's disease, celebrity health battles, career comebacks, personal resilience Find all episodes at First Principles ------- Keywords: productivity science, motivation psychology, first principles, success psychology, leadership psychology, celebrity interviews, ai dangers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. 2 hr ago

    Why 90% of Women Get Menopause Wrong (Doctor Reveals The Truth)

    The average woman gains 10-15 pounds during menopause, yet doctors still blame it on eating too much. Dr. Mary Claire Haver, one of the country's top menopause specialists, just dropped some truth bombs that'll make you question everything you've been told. In this episode, Adrian Wells digs into why 90% of women are getting completely wrong information about the most significant health transition they'll face. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why 80% of menopausal women suffer needlessly when evidence-based treatments exist • The real reason you gain weight during menopause (hint: it's not willpower) • How women lose 20% of bone density in just 5-7 years after menopause starts • Why hot flashes can last over a decade and what actually stops them 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth, especially if you want to understand one of the most misunderstood areas of women's health. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells breaks down the menopause misinformation crisis [01:45] Dr. Haver reveals why most doctors get menopause wrong [03:30] The metabolic changes nobody talks about [05:15] Bone density loss: the silent health crisis [07:00] Hot flashes decoded: duration, triggers, and real solutions [09:30] Evidence-based treatments that actually work [11:15] Key takeaways for better health outcomes 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: menopause, women's health, hormone replacement therapy, metabolic health, bone density Find all episodes at First Principles -------------- Keywords: depression stories, motivation psychology, performance optimization, mental health celebrities, celebrity interviews, personal development, career advice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. 3 hr ago

    Why Your Belly Fat Won't Go Away: 7 Science-Backed Fixes That Actually Work

    You've been told belly fat is just about calories in, calories out. That's only half the story. In this episode, Adrian Wells breaks down the seven evidence-based strategies that actually target stubborn belly fat, backed by real research instead of Instagram fitness myths. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why intermittent fasting reduces belly fat by 4-7% in just 6 weeks (and the specific timing that works) • The HIIT workout formula that burns 30% more calories than regular cardio, plus keeps burning for hours after • How sleeping less than 6 hours literally programs your body to store belly fat (cortisol and ghrelin are not your friends) • The 25-gram protein breakfast trick that cuts cravings by 60% all day long 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone tired of belly fat advice that doesn't actually work 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells debunks the biggest belly fat myths [01:45] Intermittent fasting: what the studies actually show [04:20] HIIT vs steady cardio for fat burning [06:50] The sleep-belly fat connection nobody talks about [09:10] Protein timing that changes everything [11:30] Your action plan: where to start tomorrow You don't need another fad diet or miracle supplement. You need strategies that work with your biology, not against it. These seven fixes address the real reasons belly fat sticks around, from hormone disruption to metabolic confusion. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on your podcast app and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: belly fat reduction, intermittent fasting benefits, HIIT workouts, sleep and weight loss, protein for fat burning Find all episodes at First Principles ------- Keywords: behavioral economics, productivity science, depression stories, decision making, critical thinking podcast, personal development, billionaire mindset Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. 4 hr ago

    Why You're Sleeping Wrong (And The 6 Fixes That Actually Work)

    You think you know how to sleep? Think again. Matthew Walker, the world's leading sleep scientist, just dropped six evidence-based sleep hacks that could change everything about your energy, health, and mental clarity. In this episode, Adrian Wells breaks down Walker's research-backed strategies that don't require expensive gadgets or dramatic lifestyle overhauls. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why your bedroom temperature is probably sabotaging your sleep (and the exact degree that fixes it) • The caffeine math that explains why you're tossing and turning at midnight • How blue light exposure literally jet-lags your brain by 3 hours every single night • The shocking 200% heart attack risk increase tied to getting less than 6 hours of sleep 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth who wants to optimize their most fundamental biological process without falling for sleep industry marketing hype. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the sleep crisis hiding in plain sight [02:00] Core body temperature: the 2-degree rule that changes everything [04:30] Caffeine's 6-hour half-life and why your afternoon coffee matters at bedtime [06:45] Blue light's melatonin destruction (and the simple fixes that work) [09:00] Sleep debt myths vs. what the research actually shows [11:30] The six actionable hacks you can implement tonight 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: sleep science, Matthew Walker, circadian rhythm, sleep optimization, health hacks Find all episodes at First Principles ----------- Keywords: philosophy business, thinking skills, productivity science, fame psychology, billionaire mindset, social media addiction Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. 5 hr ago

    Why Swiss Philosopher Alain de Botton Says We're All Terrible at Love

    Here's the podcast description: What if everything you believe about love is actually making you lonelier? Swiss philosopher Alain de Botton drops a truth bomb: our romantic expectations, rooted in 18th-century Romanticism, are sabotaging modern relationships. In this eye-opening episode, Adrian Wells breaks down why we're failing at love and what actually works. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why Romanticism created impossible relationship standards (and how it's still hurting us today) • The real reason 70% of couples fight about the same issues over and over • How relationship education cuts divorce rates by 30% and what those couples know that others don't • De Botton's "good enough" partner theory that could save your relationship 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone who's ever wondered why modern dating feels so broken (spoiler: it's not just you). 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the love paradox [01:45] How Romanticism ruined realistic expectations [04:20] Why most relationship fights aren't about what you think [07:10] The psychology behind feeling unheard in relationships [09:30] De Botton's "good enough" partnership model [11:15] Practical steps to become a better partner today This isn't another "love yourself first" pep talk. It's a philosophical deep dive into why our culture set us up to fail at the thing we want most, plus actual tools to fix it. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: relationships, philosophy, Alain de Botton, modern love, psychology Find all episodes at First Principles ------------ Keywords: ai dangers, business fundamentals, entrepreneurship philosophy, philosophy business, behavioral economics, decision making, celebrity interviews Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. 6 hr ago

    Your Poop Is Telling You Something: Top Gut Doctor Reveals Warning Signs

    That brown mess in your toilet bowl? It's basically your gut's daily report card. Most people flush and forget, but gastroenterologist Dr. Will Bulsiewicz says you're missing critical health intel every single day. In this episode, Adrian Wells breaks down the science of what your poop is actually telling you about your body. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • The Bristol Stool Chart doctors use worldwide and why Types 1 and 7 are red flags • When red poop means "call your doctor now" vs. "you ate too many beets last night" • Why floating poop might signal pancreatic problems and what to do about it • Simple gut microbiome changes that can transform your digestion in weeks 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone who wants to decode their body's daily health signals without getting squeamish about it. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the science behind poop analysis [01:30] The Bristol Stool Chart breakdown every adult should know [04:00] Color coding your health: when to worry, when to relax [07:00] Your gut microbiome's 1,000+ bacterial species explained [10:00] Dr. Bulsiewicz's simple changes for better gut health [12:00] Red flag symptoms that need immediate medical attention Look, talking about poop isn't exactly dinner conversation, but your digestive health affects everything from your immune system to your mood. Dr. Bulsiewicz has spent years studying gut health, and his insights could literally save your life. This isn't just gross-out science for shock value. It's practical knowledge that helps you spot problems early and make changes that actually matter for your long-term health. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: gut health, digestive health, poop analysis, microbiome, gastroenterology Find all episodes at First Principles ------- Keywords: performance optimization, fame psychology, career advice, personal development Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. 7 hr ago

    Thierry Henry: Why I Cried Before Every Game & The Depression That Almost Ended Me

    What if crying before every game was actually the sign of greatness, not weakness? Thierry Henry scored 228 goals for Arsenal and won the 1998 World Cup, but behind the glory, he was battling depression so severe he'd lock himself in hotel rooms and cry. Adrian Wells breaks down how elite performance and mental health create a paradox most people never see. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why 35% of elite athletes struggle with depression (double the general population rate) • How Henry's 1998 World Cup triumph at age 20 became a psychological burden that lasted decades • The specific triggers that made him cry in private during his most successful moments • Why our culture celebrates the achievement but ignores the human cost 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners who want to understand the real price of excellence and anyone who's ever wondered what success actually feels like from the inside. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces Henry's hidden struggle [01:45] The crying ritual: what happened before every match [03:30] France '98: when winning felt like losing [05:15] The spotlight trap: fame at 20 and its consequences [07:00] Depression in elite sports: the data nobody talks about [09:30] What Henry's story teaches us about mental health [11:15] Key insights you can apply to your own challenges Henry's story isn't just about football. It's about what happens when external success doesn't match internal reality. About the gap between what we achieve and how we actually feel about it. This episode shows how even our heroes are more fragile than we think, and why that's actually the most human thing about them. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: Thierry Henry, mental health, elite athletes, depression, sports psychology Find all episodes at First Principles -------------- Keywords: evidence evaluation, decision making, philosophy business, success psychology, thinking skills, personal development, motivation psychology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  8. 8 hr ago

    Yuval Harari: The War Pattern Big Tech Hopes You Never See

    What if the technology you use every day is rewiring society for conflict? Historian Yuval Noah Harari reveals the disturbing pattern hiding in plain sight, and Adrian Wells breaks down why this matters for how we think about our future. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why false news spreads 6x faster than truth on social media (and what this means for society) • The historical pattern that connects rapid tech change to social upheaval • How your brain's ancient trust mechanisms are being hijacked by algorithms designed for engagement • The specific warning signs Harari sees that mirror pre-conflict periods in history 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth who wants to understand the forces shaping our world beyond the headlines. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces Harari's urgent warning about tech and conflict [02:15] The 30-year shift: from human-speed to algorithm-speed information [04:45] Why your brain trusts the wrong sources in the digital age [07:30] The historical pattern: tech disruption leads to social fractures [09:00] False news vs. truth: the 6x speed difference that's changing everything [11:15] What we can learn from past conflicts to navigate what's coming This isn't doom and gloom. It's pattern recognition. Harari spent decades studying how societies break down and rebuild. The signs he's pointing to aren't speculation, they're historical precedent playing out in real time. The question isn't whether technology will continue reshaping society. It's whether we'll recognize the patterns early enough to think our way through them clearly. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: Yuval Harari, social media psychology, historical patterns, critical thinking, technology impact Find all episodes at First Principles ------------- Keywords: mental health celebrities, success psychology, business fundamentals, career advice, critical thinking podcast, first principles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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About

First Principles isn't another business podcast recycling the same startup stories. Adrian Wells takes the fundamentals that actually matter and breaks them down like you're having coffee with the smartest professor you ever had. Wells spent twelve years teaching philosophy and critical thinking before ditching the lecture hall for the microphone. Turns out, the same principles that help you think clearly about ancient Greek ethics also work pretty well for modern business decisions. Who knew? Every episode strips away the latest trends and buzzwords to focus on the core ideas that don't change. How to actually evaluate evidence when everyone's throwing around statistics. Why most "revolutionary" business advice is just old wine in new bottles. The thinking patterns that separate smart decisions from lucky guesses. You won't get hyped-up success stories or flavor-of-the-month strategies. Instead, you'll learn how to think through problems the way philosophers have for centuries, applied to the stuff that matters in your work and life right now. Multiple new episodes drop daily, so there's always something fresh when you need it. Follow now if you're ready to think better, not just think faster. Multiple new episodes daily—follow now!

Information

  • Creator
    Adrian Wells
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    311
  • Rating
    Clean

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