Freedom Pact | Joseph and Lewis

Freedom Pact Podcast | Joseph and Lewis

Motivation. Insight. Independent Thought. Tune in to the Freedom Pact Podcast as Joseph and Lewis sit down with the world’s most original thinkers. From Nobel Laureates and Billion-Dollar CEOs to FBI Hostage Negotiators, Astronauts, Political Thought-Leaders, Elite Athletes and Bestselling Authors, to uncover the ideas that shape our world and the strategies that help us thrive in it. Past guests include; Neil deGrasse Tyson, Andrew Huberman, Robert Greene, Douglas Murray, Georges St-Pierre, Kendra Lust, Danny Trejo, Jefferson Fisher, 5 Nobel Prize Winners. & more.

  1. 2d ago

    #424: Angelo Somers - The Hidden Motivations Behind Everything We Do

    Angelo Somers is a writer, creator and thinker whose work explores psychology, meaning, self-development and the hidden forces that shape human behaviour. In this conversation, we explore a question that sits beneath many of life's biggest decisions: what is actually driving us? We discuss whether success can be built on the wrong motivations, why insecurity can be a powerful source of ambition, and what happens when the fears that once fuelled you begin to disappear. We touch on memetic desire, Jung's concept of the Self, authenticity, purpose, suffering, self-improvement and the search for meaning. We also examine why people become attached to their pain, whether modern society has confused suffering with virtue, and why self-awareness can sometimes become self-consciousness in disguise. 00:00 The Limits Of Self-Knowledge 02:57 Can A Good Life Be Built On The Wrong Reasons? 06:12 What If Your Insecurities Made You Successful? 08:40 When Truth Becomes A Tyrant 12:02 Are Your Desires Actually Yours? 15:12 Can You Ruin A Desire By Questioning It? 17:15 Are We Driven By Love Or Fear? 20:49 Can Purpose Be Self-Deception? 24:23 Have We Confused Suffering With Virtue? 28:17 Why Suffering Seems More Admirable Than Joy 30:57 Why People Become Attached To Their Pain 32:33 Has Modern Life Really Reduced Suffering? 34:41 When Self-Improvement Becomes Self-Obsession 38:08 Can Too Much Self-Awareness Hurt You? 42:41 Stop Chasing Destinations 45:08 What Makes Life Worth Living? 46:53 Where Curiosity Comes From 48:54 Where To Find Angelo Connect with us: https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter) https://www.Instagram.com/freedompact https://www.twitter.com/freedompactpod Email: freedompact@gmail.com (business enquiries, guest suggestions, appreciation, feedback, and anything else!) https://Tiktok.com/personaldevelopment

    50 min

  2. Jun 14

    #423: Shawn Achor (Positive Psychologist) - The Beliefs That Secretly Shape Your Life

    Shawn Achor is a Harvard-trained positive psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and one of the world's leading researchers on happiness and human potential. In this conversation, we explore why beliefs may be far more powerful than we realise, how they shape perception before we are even aware of them, and why some people continue to find possibility when the odds seem stacked against them. Shawn explains why AI can calculate probabilities but can never believe you'll beat them, how social support literally changes the way we see challenges, and why the most dangerous belief a person can hold is that their behaviour doesn't matter. We also discuss the surprising science behind placebo effects, trauma, ageing, loneliness, meaning, religion, Michael Jordan's rituals, Roger Bannister's four-minute mile, fake surgery studies, why modern life can leave us untethered, and the profound role beliefs play in shaping the trajectory of our lives. This was one of the most thought-provoking conversations we've ever had, and I hope you enjoy it. Timestamps: 00:00 – Why Is Changing Ourselves So Difficult? 01:59 – AI Can Predict the Odds, But It Can't Believe You'll Beat Them 03:20 – Why Probability Masks Possibility 04:02 – Richard Wiseman's Luck Experiment 06:17 – Can Belief Really Change Reality? 07:15 – The Limits of Belief 08:45 – Roger Bannister and the Four-Minute Mile 09:55 – Stereotype Threat and Human Performance 11:03 – Michael Jordan's Shorts and Serena Williams' Socks 14:12 – What Is a Belief? 16:35 – How Are Beliefs Formed? 17:00 – The Hill Study: Why Support Changes Perception 18:20 – How Modern Life Teaches Us That Our Behaviour Doesn't Matter 19:00 – How Memories Shape Beliefs 20:42 – ADHD, Identity and Educational Outcomes 22:17 – Dangerous Beliefs and Sweeping Generalisations 23:02 – Yale's Remarkable Study on Ageing 26:12 – Do People Change Through Evidence or Experience? 28:00 – Trauma Doesn't Determine Your Future 31:00 – Why We Forget Our Strength 34:16 – The Five Candles Ritual 38:24 – Navy SEAL Training, Exposure Therapy and Perspective 40:46 – Placebos, Fake Surgery and the Power of Belief 45:57 – Why Beliefs Are Becoming More Powerful 46:49 – The Nocebo Effect 48:00 – Burnout, Anxiety, Loneliness and Depression 50:12 – The Great Drift: Why Modern Life Feels Meaningless 53:00 – Shared Texts and the Need for Collective Meaning 55:49 – "Don't Waste Your Money Applying to Harvard" 58:42 – Why Probability Should Never Eliminate Possibility 1:01:22 – The Most Dangerous Belief You Can Hold 1:03:45 – Is There Something Greater Than Us? 1:06:04 – The Message Shawn Achor Would Put on a Billboard 1:08:06 – Why We Should Read Books Together 1:09:19 – Final Thoughts Connect with Shawn: https://www.shawnachor.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnachor/ https://www.instagram.com/shawnachor/ Connect with us: https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter)https://www.Instagram.com/freedompacthttps://www.twitter.com/freedompactpod Email: freedompact@gmail.com (business enquiries, guest suggestions, appreciation, feedback, and anything else!)https://Tiktok.com/personaldevelopment

    1h 10m

  3. Jun 1

    #422: Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar - Harvard's Happiness Expert: The First Step to Happiness Is Unhappiness

    Tal Ben-Shahar is an internationally renowned scholar, teacher, and author specialising in positive psychology and the science of wellbeing. He is best known for teaching two of the most popular courses in the history of Harvard University, which attracted thousands of students and helped bring the science of happiness into the mainstream. Tal is the co-founder of the Happiness Studies Academy, where he works to bridge academic research and practical application, helping individuals, organisations, and educators cultivate greater wellbeing, resilience, and fulfilment. Today, we discuss a simple question. That is, what if the pursuit of happiness is the very thing making us unhappy? We explore one of the most misunderstood ideas in psychology: that a meaningful life is not free from sadness, anxiety, grief, or disappointment - but is shaped by how we relate to them. We discuss why resisting painful emotions often intensifies suffering, the psychology behind lasting change, the knowing-doing gap, the power of tiny habits, attention in the age of distraction, meaningful relationships, awe, gratitude, and what it truly means to live a well-lived life. This is a conversation about happiness, but even more fundamentally, it is a conversation about being fully human. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:47 - The Happiness Paradox 04:04 - The Two Levels of Suffering 06:44 - The Knowing–Doing Gap 09:24 - The Three Rs of Lasting Change 13:00 - The Myth of Radical Change 17:09 - Perfectionism and the All-or-Nothing Trap 18:29 - Psychological Compound Interest 23:07 - The Upward Spiral 26:23 - Horoscopes, Belief and Self-Fulfilling Prophecies 29:30 - Reality and Perception 31:28 - Mindset vs Circumstance 33:52 - The Attention Crisis 35:00 - How the Brain Changes Throughout Life 40:26 - The Relationship Advantage 44:51 - Why Relationships Are Built Slowly 45:48 - The Art of Listening 48:05 - Social Anxiety and Self-Focus 49:56 - The Power of Presence 51:25 - The Beginner's Mind 54:20 - The Ordinary Things That Matter 54:58 - What Does a Well-Lived Life Feel Like? 57:12 - Where to Find Tal Ben-Shahar 57:52 - Closing Remarks Connect with us: https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter) https://www.Instagram.com/freedompact https://www.twitter.com/freedompactpod Email: freedompact@gmail.com (business enquiries, guest suggestions, appreciation, feedback, and anything else!) https://Tiktok.com/personaldevelopment Connect with Tal:https://www.talbenshahar.com Tal's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvWvBong0cl-pJCUbsmfg0Ahappinessstudies.academy Buy Happy Habits (non-affiliate links): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-Habits-Happier-Healthier-Minute-ebook/dp/B0F3WN9YWT/ref=sr_1_4?crid=27D18LZNCM6HM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pDmiNeH2L8YLMXk8TzC41eNesZURfnCuVE6r8-dTj5ZnenKY9AyB2ZJ7BhXxR1fWs4yn36kICW_EwXzENKY5u0HuHBlhW5Dz1r0aB3GT1HygYg8F4iVn-_QRQkAzEV6q7zUFv-WjSc4rwXoYHlHQ54SfWrKKFjI8Lq7M-D17Qlr_qJn3wgiMqEvKVgV2CWMraqoQUPGR98j0blWHYLJuGETT_9ekYdmZgOFf4f-gmE0.SNaDnsm40KQ9zJ9mBkir70xpfbUnxc5_845hJoODQ7g&dib_tag=se&keywords=tal+ben+shahar&qid=1780227053&sprefix=tal+ben+shaha%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-4

    58 min

  4. May 24

    #421: Johan Norberg - The Conditions That Create Golden Ages

    Johan Norberg is a historian of ideas, author, and Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute whose work explores the rise and fall of civilizations, the psychology of progress, and the cultural conditions that allow societies to flourish. In this conversation, we explore why great civilizations collapse, how fear changes cultures psychologically, why openness and intellectual risk-taking repeatedly produce golden ages, and what modern society can learn from Athens, Sparta, Renaissance Florence, Abbasid Baghdad, and the Dutch Republic. Johan explains why civilizations often “die from suicide rather than murder”, why fear drives societies toward conformity and orthodoxy, and how innovation emerges from cultures willing to tolerate disagreement, eccentricity, and experimentation. We also discuss: - Why societies stop believing in the future, - Whether the modern West is becoming more “Spartan” or "Athenian", - The psychology of decline and nostalgia, - Why too much comfort can weaken civilizations, - The importance of freedom of speech and intellectual openness,and the institutional conditions that repeatedly produced humanity’s greatest breakthroughs. This is a conversation about civilization, creativity, fear, innovation, and the fragile conditions required for human flourishing. Timestamps: 00:00 — Why civilizations lose belief in the future 02:09 — “Civilizations die from suicide, not murder” 03:16 — How fear psychologically changes societies 05:08 — Why openness creates flourishing civilizations 07:23 — Why societies persecute the people they need most 09:08 — Athens vs Sparta: two eternal archetypes 12:21 — Is the modern West becoming more Spartan? 14:49 — Do civilizations decline psychologically first? 16:44 — Are humans biased toward nostalgia and decline narratives? 20:28 — How do we distinguish real decline from pessimism? 22:00 — Why breakthrough thinkers cluster in certain places 25:47 — Creativity, bureaucracy, and cultural stagnation 28:10 — Does comfort weaken civilizations? 30:27 — The conditions that foster intellectual risk-taking 33:24 — Universities, truth, and psychological safety 35:16 — Which cultures are fostering innovation today? 37:49 — The institutions behind flourishing civilizations 40:34 — What future generations may judge us for 44:19 — Johan Norberg’s most important lesson from history 47:01 — Where to find Johan Norberg Connect with Johan: https://www.johannorberg.net BUY 'PEAK HUMAN' HERE (Not an affiliate link): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Peak-Human-What-Learn-Golden/dp/1838957294 https://x.com/johanknorberg Connect with us: https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter) https://www.Instagram.com/freedompact https://www.twitter.com/freedompactpod Email: freedompact@gmail.com - (Business enquiries, guest suggestions, feedback, appreciation and anything else) https://Tiktok.com/personaldevelopment

    48 min

  5. May 20

    #420: Dale Comstock: 'CIA's Grim Reaper' Reveals All About Chaotic Missions, Delta Selection & More

    Dale Comstock is a former U.S. Army Special Operations veteran, having served over two decades as a paratrooper, Green Beret, and ultimately a member of 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta (Delta Force), the Army’s premier counterterrorism unit. In this episode, we discuss: 00:00 What It Takes To Be An Elite Operator 12:00 Delta Force Selection 16:00 Chris Ryan, Bravo Two-Zero & Special Forces Toughness 33:00 "We Are Not All Equal" - Delta Mindset 40:00 Panama Jail Mission: "It Was Chaos" 59:00 Performing Under The Ultimate Pressure 1:06:00 Do Special Forces Feel Fear? 1:26:30 Becoming A Mercenary 1:39:20 More From Dale Links: https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise) https://instagram.com/freedompact​ More from Dale: https://www.dalecomstockamericanbadass.com/

    1h 40m

  6. May 13

    #419: Alison Armstong - The Hidden Reasons Why Men Pull Away

    Alison Armstrong ( @AlisonArmstrongVideos  ) has spent more than 35 years studying the dynamics between men and women.In this conversation, we explore one of the most emotionally charged questions in modern relationships. That is, why do so many men and women struggle to truly understand each other?Alison argues that many of the behaviours people interpret as indifference, withdrawal, or incompatibility are often misunderstood emotional responses shaped by criticism, appreciation, polarity, and the way couples unintentionally condition each other over time.We discuss why men withdraw in relationships, the psychology of admiration and criticism, what keeps attraction alive long-term, and why modern dating can feel increasingly confusing and disconnected despite people wanting love more than ever.Timestamps:00:00 – Why modern relationships are struggling05:48 – What women fundamentally misunderstand about men14:39 – Are men more emotionally sensitive than people realise?23:16 – Do women create the men they complain about?33:04 – Why men withdraw in relationships40:55 – Why appreciation changes everything 48:50 – The biggest mistakes men and women make with each other56:22 – What keeps attraction alive long-term?1:04:35 – Why modern dating feels broken1:06:58 – Why intense chemistry can be dangerous1:13:49 – How to know if you’re with the right person1:23:33 – What gives relationships lasting hopeLinks:https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter)https://www.Instagram.com/freedompacthttps://www.twitter.com/freedompactpod Email: freedompact@gmail.com https://Tiktok.com/personaldevelopment The Appreciation Equation https://www.alisonarmstrong.com/products/appreciationequation.html Feels Like Love, Looks Like Math https://www.alisonarmstrong.com/products/love-math.html Alison's Online Curriculum Free Samples https://www.alisonarmstrong.com/samples/ In addition, viewers can receive the following products for FREE using the promo codes and instructions below: Thrive Your Life webinar Go to: https://www.alisonarmstrong.com/products/thrive-life.html Click on "FOR ME" At check out, enter promo code AlisonThrive2025 (promo code expires 6/30/2026) Making Sense of Men: A Woman's Guide to a Lifetime of Love, Care & Attention from All Men eBook, available on the Alison Armstrong Mobile App Go to: https://www.alisonarmstrong.com/products/makingsense.html Click on "FOR ME" At check out, enter promo code AlisonGift2025 (promo code expires 6/30/2026)

    1h 25m

  7. May 9

    #418: Steven Pressfield - The Painful Reason You Haven’t Become Who You Could Be

    Steven Pressfield is a bestselling author best known for The War of Art, Turning Pro and more. His books have influenced writers, entrepreneurs, athletes, creatives, and performers around the world. In this episode, we cover: Why talent is overrated and consistency matters more than most people thinkHow Steven defines “Resistance” and why it shows up strongest around meaningful workThe habits and mindset shifts that helped him survive years of failure and self-doubtWhy fear can often point directly toward your true calling and purposeSteven’s philosophy on creativity, discipline, the muse, and building a meaningful life Timestamps: 00:00 — Why Talent Is Overrated & The Power of Grinding02:24 — The Danger of Blind Persistence Without Growth05:04 — Resistance in the Age of Smartphones & Distraction07:08 — How Resistance Still Shows Up Every Morning10:39 — Resistance as a Compass Toward Your Calling13:33 — Steven’s Lowest Point: Defeat, Divorce & Living in a Van17:26 — “Put Your Ass Where Your Heart Wants To Be”26:17 — Why Self-Doubt Never Fully Disappears for Creators33:18 — Writer’s Block, Creativity & Serving the Muse48:25 — What To Do When You’re Working Hard But Seeing No Results Links:https://stevenpressfield.com/Connect with us:https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter)https://www.Instagram.com/freedompacthttps://www.twitter.com/freedompactpod Email: freedompact@gmail.com https://Tiktok.com/personaldevelopment

    53 min

  8. May 5

    #417: Professor Paul Eastwick - You’re Overthinking Attraction (It's Simpler Than You Think)

    Professor Paul Eastwick is one of the leading researchers in the science of attraction, relationships, and human mating psychology, leading the Attraction and Relationships Lab at UC Davis. In this conversation, we explore a deceptively simple question: do we actually know what we want in a partner? Drawing on decades of research, Paul challenges some of the most deeply held assumptions about dating, suggesting that many of the preferences we believe define our “type” do not meaningfully predict who we are attracted to in real life. We also discuss why attraction often fails to follow our stated ideals, how compatibility emerges in ways that cannot be easily predicted, and why even advanced models struggle to explain who will click with whom. Along the way, we examine the role of conversation, proximity, and repeated interaction in shaping romantic outcomes, factors that are often overlooked in modern, app-based approaches to dating. Timestamps:00:00 – Do we actually have a “type”?02:42 – Why your ideal partner list doesn’t hold up05:30 – “But I’m different” — do preferences ever work?07:46 – If attraction isn’t preference… what is it?08:00 – Why compatibility can’t be predicted (even with AI)10:30 – Attraction as “random conversations”15:45 – Should you trust what you think you want?17:58 – Why dating apps and filters can backfire21:02 – Attractiveness is more subjective than you think24:44 – Why this should give people hope27:19 – The truth about looks, status, and “optimising”32:00 – The hidden cost of self-improvement culture35:16 – Why vulnerability beats performance39:29 – Should you date lots of people—or focus on one?41:55 – Why relationships naturally progress (and stick)44:23 – Why people don’t “trade up” the way we think46:24 – Proximity: the most powerful force in attraction47:50 – What this means for long-distance relationships49:21 – Is hypergamy real? (what the data actually says)52:59 – Why people end up with similar partners54:28 – Are dating apps distorting reality?55:33 – Do we fall for the person—or how they make us feel?56:53 – How much of attraction is shaped by culture?59:36 – What should you actually do differently? Links: http://pauleastwick.comhttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/723049/bonded-by-evolution-by-paul-eastwick/ - Bonded by Evolution (Paul's Book) http://pauleastwick.com/publications-by-year - Academic Publications Love Factually Podcast ( @LoveFactuallyPod⁩ ) Connect with us: https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter) https://www.Instagram.com/freedompact https://www.twitter.com/freedompactpod Email: freedompact@gmail.com https://Tiktok.com/personaldevelopment

    1h 4m
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4.4
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Motivation. Insight. Independent Thought. Tune in to the Freedom Pact Podcast as Joseph and Lewis sit down with the world’s most original thinkers. From Nobel Laureates and Billion-Dollar CEOs to FBI Hostage Negotiators, Astronauts, Political Thought-Leaders, Elite Athletes and Bestselling Authors, to uncover the ideas that shape our world and the strategies that help us thrive in it. Past guests include; Neil deGrasse Tyson, Andrew Huberman, Robert Greene, Douglas Murray, Georges St-Pierre, Kendra Lust, Danny Trejo, Jefferson Fisher, 5 Nobel Prize Winners. & more.

Information

  • Creator
    Freedom Pact Podcast | Joseph and Lewis
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    368
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Freedom Pact Podcast | Joseph and Lewis
  • Show Website
    Freedom Pact | Joseph and Lewis

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