147 episodes

The weekly podcast about happiness, creativity, and the human condition. It's us, Ali and Taimur Abdaal, occasionally joined by guests, talking about things to help us think, do, and be better.
Things like social interaction, lifestyle design, mental models... Things that are hard to examine, but important to explore. And hopefully, things that make for a fun and interesting chat every week.
We'd love for you to join us.

Not Overthinking Ali & Taimur Abdaal

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.8 • 537 Ratings

The weekly podcast about happiness, creativity, and the human condition. It's us, Ali and Taimur Abdaal, occasionally joined by guests, talking about things to help us think, do, and be better.
Things like social interaction, lifestyle design, mental models... Things that are hard to examine, but important to explore. And hopefully, things that make for a fun and interesting chat every week.
We'd love for you to join us.

    Decoding Political Science and Ideology with Jason Blakely

    Decoding Political Science and Ideology with Jason Blakely

    In this episode, we chat with Jason Blakely, an associate professor of political science, discussing a range of topics related to political science, ideology, and the role of science in society. Jason critiques the approach of treating social sciences like natural sciences, highlighting the limitations and misinterpretations this can lead to. The discussion also delves into the concept of "Psi-ops" in social sciences, the influence of cultural and narrative elements in understanding social phenomena, and the distinction between natural and social sciences. The conversation critically examines the current ideological and cultural frameworks in society, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and interpretation in understanding human behaviour and social dynamics.
    Enjoy! x

    • 1 hr 34 min
    Navigating Work During Illness

    Navigating Work During Illness

    Summary
    In this episode, Ali and Taimur delve into a range of personal and professional topics. Taimur shares his recent experience with contracting COVID-19 for the first time, discussing the physical and mental effects of the illness. He talks about experiencing severe cold symptoms, fever, and an altered mental state that included persistent song lyrics in his head, particularly from the musical "Hamilton."
    Ali reflects on his own past experience with COVID-19, particularly focusing on the lack of motivation to work or be productive during the illness. They explore the idea of how illness affects one's desire to "grind" and the role of dopamine and testosterone in motivation.
    Further into the episode, Ali discusses his recent book launch, including making it onto the New York Times bestseller list, appearances on various TV shows, and his feelings of relief and validation following these achievements. The conversation also covers the concept of Productivity Club, an online community and platform Ali is developing, aimed at enhancing productivity through structured support and communal activities.
    Takeaways
    Experiencing illness like COVID-19 can significantly alter one's mental state and productivity levels.The importance of motivation in personal and professional life, and how it's affected by various factors including health.The satisfaction and validation that come from achieving major career milestones, like a bestseller book.The potential of online platforms and communities, like Productivity Club, to foster productivity and create a supportive environment.Chapters
    00:00 - Introduction and Taimur's COVID-19 Experience05:03 - The Mental Effects of Illness and Song Earworms10:33 - Ali's Reflection on Past COVID-19 Experience and Motivation15:06 - Ali's Book Launch and Achievements20:10 - Discussion on Future Projects and Direction25:01 - The Concept and Development of Productivity Club30:00 - Taimur's Thoughts on Online Platforms and User Experience35:13 - Ali Expands on Productivity Club's Structure and Goals40:00 - Further Discussion on Effective Productivity Strategies and Tools44:57 - Closing Thoughts and Future Plans

    • 51 min
    Taimur's New Startup Idea

    Taimur's New Startup Idea

    Summary
    In this episode, Ali and Taimur catch up and discuss various topics. They introduce a calendar widget that allows users to provide feedback on meetings. They also discuss the value of experience and the misconceptions around being an ideas person. They reflect on their past impressions of fundraising, sales and marketing, delegation and outsourcing, brand deals and gifting, and book writing. Overall, they highlight the importance of gaining experience and understanding the intangibles in various fields. In this conversation, Ali and Taimur discuss the discovery of Zotero and the gap in the market for business coaching content. They also explore the value of zoom screen shares and internal dashboards in learning about business processes. The conversation touches on the importance of hands-on experience and learning from founders, as well as the process of book promotion and dealing with negative reviews. They also discuss the upcoming book promotional activities and the financial aspect of book sales.
    Takeaways
    Experience brings valuable intangibles that are hard to explain but essential in various fields.Being an ideas person is not enough; having tangible skills and expertise is crucial for success.Misconceptions about fundraising, sales, and marketing can hinder progress and understanding.Delegation and outsourcing can free up time and allow individuals to focus on their core strengths.Impressions of brand deals and gifting can change as one gains experience and understanding.Learning from others and seeking guidance can provide valuable insights and improve outcomes. Discovering new tools and resources can fill gaps in knowledge and improve productivity.Learning from experienced entrepreneurs and observing their processes can provide valuable insights.Hands-on experience and exposure to real-world business situations can be more valuable than theoretical knowledge.Book promotion involves various activities, including interviews, podcasts, and media features.Chapters
    00:00 Introduction and Catching Up03:18 Introducing the Calendar Widget09:06 The Value of Experience13:50 The Role of an Ideas Guy18:20 The Importance of Experience and Intangibles23:21 Misconceptions about Fundraising24:49 Impressions of Sales and Marketing26:15 The Value of Delegation and Outsourcing27:39 Changing Perceptions of Brand Deals and Gifting29:27 Perceptions of Subscriber Count and Book Writing33:10 Discovering Zotero and the Gap in the Market34:48 The Rise of Alex Hormozi and the Business Coaching Market35:14 The Value of Zoom Screen Shares and Internal Dashboards36:20 Learning from Sales Calls and Emailing Processes38:25 The Importance of Experience and Learning from Post-Exit Founders39:44 Seeking Guidance from Those Who Have Achieved Your Goals40:20 The Fluidity of Starting Something New41:59 The Value of Hands-On Experience and Learning from Founders43:30 Bookshelf Themes and the Productivity Genre44:48 The Process of Book Promotion and Translations46:00 Dealing with Negative Reviews and Imposter Syndrome48:37 Preparing for Daytime TV Segments49:08 Rehearsing for TV Interviews and Being Concise52:00 Upcoming Book Promotional Activities54:32 Earning Royalties from Book Sales56:00 The Financial Aspect of Book Sales57:25 A Plug for Lucia's Work and Job Opportunities

    • 55 min
    Catching Up and Talking Podcasts

    Catching Up and Talking Podcasts

    In this episode, we talk about other podcasts and the future of the Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal podcast. Enjoy xx

    • 57 min
    Why did we stop posting?

    Why did we stop posting?

    In this episode, we talk about the last five-or-so months of not posting any podcast episodes. Enjoy xx

    • 1 hr 4 min
    What does Taimur actually do?

    What does Taimur actually do?

    In this episode, we catch up (and firmly put all the book highlight reading behind us). Merry Christmas! Enjoy xx

    • 47 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
537 Ratings

537 Ratings

Rileyx8 ,

Good Energy

Adore this podcast. There’s wisdom I take away from each episode, the conversations are always thought provoking and I love the self awareness both Ali and Taimur have. Lots of depth to their conversations but also plenty of laughs. It’s a good time. Highly recommend. I’m a nature loving, holistic nutritionist living in California, not a tech bro, but somehow this podcast lands.

jdhshajakowiquwbzbsns ,

When is the next podcast? Can’t wait.

I have been a regular listener of the podcast for over 2 years now. I started my journey working as an Engineer in Tech and have been focusing on improving my life and part of it was productivity, that is how I first came across Ali. Ali has been extremely influential ever since. Love the insights on extremely random topics at times but learn something new from every episode. Maybe work on the titles a bit? Sometimes I am hesitant before clicking on an episode, but the content is always worth it, regardless of what topic it is. Thank you for everything so far and looking forward to the next podcast :)

DestinyMiyo ,

Love this pod :)

Probably one of my favorite podcasts to listen to while on a walk or cleaning up. I love hearing you guys’ viewpoints on work and life, and I really like how you two aren’t afraid to challenge each other’s decisions, which makes for very enticing conversation. I especially like how you tend to keep it civil and respectful, which is a problem other podcasts that do the same thing seem to fail at.

Keep up the consistency, I’m excited for season 2!

Top Podcasts In Society & Culture

This American Life
This American Life
Stuff You Should Know
iHeartPodcasts
MeSsy with Christina Applegate & Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Wishbone Production
The Viall Files
Nick Viall
Shawn Ryan Show
Shawn Ryan | Cumulus Podcast Network
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

You Might Also Like

After Hours
TED Audio Collective / Youngme Moon, Mihir Desai, & Felix Oberholzer-Gee
Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
Stanford GSB
Women at Work
Harvard Business Review
Round Table China
China Plus
Modern Love
The New York Times
TED Talks Daily
TED