Curated Questions: Conversations Celebrating the Power of Questions!

Ken Woodward
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Curated Questions: Conversations Celebrating the Power of Questions Hosted by Ken Woodward, Curated Questions is a thought-provoking podcast that celebrates the art and science of asking profound questions. This podcast is for curious minds who understand that the right question can unlock new perspectives and drive personal growth. What to Expect Insightful Conversations: Experts from diverse fields share their journey in mastering the craft of inquiry, revealing how it has transformed their lives and careers. Practical Techniques: Gain valuable skills to improve your questioning abilities, applicable in both personal and professional settings. Thought-Provoking Topics: Explore how questions shape leadership, personal transformation, and societal discourse. Why Listen? In an age of abundant information, Curated Questions reminds us that true wisdom lies in asking better questions. This podcast will help you: 1. Enhance critical thinking 2. Improve communication 3. Gain new perspectives on complex issues 4. Develop a nuanced understanding of the world Join Ken Woodward and his guests as they explore the transformative power of thoughtful inquiry. Curated Questions is more than just a podcast – it's an invitation to embrace curiosity, challenge assumptions, and unlock your full potential through the art of asking better questions. Subscribe now and embark on a journey to master the craft of inquiry, one question at a time. Website: CuratedQuestions.com IG/Threads/YouTube: @CuratedQuestions

  1. The Cost of Wonder | Ken Woodward #71

    4D AGO

    The Cost of Wonder | Ken Woodward #71

    "The only cost of liberation is the decision to pay attention." - Ken Woodward In this solo episode of Curated Questions, host Ken Woodward reflects on wonder, not as a luxury, but as a necessary practice for resilience. Drawing from his experience aboard a U.S. Navy submarine in the gray winters of Connecticut, Ken recounts how weeks without color prepared him to recognize wonder the moment it returned. This memory becomes a lens for the present day, where constant crisis, scrolling, and AI-generated spectacle quietly dull our capacity to be moved. Ken weaves research, poetry, and personal practice to argue that real wonder has a cost: attention, specificity, and presence. From nature journaling prompts to insights from trauma research, he shows how precise noticing can interrupt numbness and restore resilience. Wonder, he suggests, doesn’t require mountaintops or submarines. Only the decision to stop, look again, and lower the threshold. The invitation is simple and demanding: reclaim reverence by paying attention to what’s already here. Wonder is not gone. It’s waiting to be noticed. This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com. Be sure to subscribe to the weekly Curated Questions Dispatch newsletter for more fun with questions and curiosity! (https://substack.com/@curatedquestions) Keep questioning! Resources Mentioned Groton, Connecticut Cole Arthur Riley Lynn Borton Choose To Be Curious - John Muir Laws episode John Muir Laws Deleting Instagram Angus Fletcher John O'Donohue Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections On Our Yearning To Belong by John O'Donohue Romanesco Broccoli This Here Flesh by Cole Arthur Riley Producer Ben Ford Beauty Pill

    16 min
  2. Refined, Not Defined: Discipline of Relentless Resilience | Dr. John A. King #70

    FEB 12

    Refined, Not Defined: Discipline of Relentless Resilience | Dr. John A. King #70

    Episode Summary "They’re literally allowing their past to define them, not refine them. And refinement is an active process, and you have to be prepared to do the work if you’re gonna grow." - Dr. John A. King In this powerful and unflinching conversation, Ken Woodward is in conversation with Dr. John A. King, author, speaker, and PTSD recovery expert, whose life journey moves from profound trauma to purposeful advocacy. A survivor of childhood sexual abuse and trafficking, John transformed personal devastation into a mission to help others move from surviving to thriving through his foundation and mental wellness work. King reflects on how questions have guided his healing, challenging the tendency to live “from the outside in” and instead pursuing happiness through intentional inner work, and living "inside out." He shares the discipline behind lasting change, emphasizing the incremental progress of 1% shifts that compound over time, and the daily choice to let hardship refine rather than define us. Together, they explore resilience, identity, and the courage to rewrite one’s story. This episode is a candid reminder that recovery is not instantaneous but forged through persistence, self-honesty, and the relentless decision to keep moving forward. This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com. Be sure to subscribe to the weekly Curated Questions Dispatch newsletter for more fun with questions and curiosity! (https://substack.com/@curatedquestions) Keep questioning! Resources Mentioned Dr. John A. King's website Vilfredo Pareto Napoleonic War Civil War World War I World War II Five Whys Jesuit priest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5)  Los Alamos National Laboratories Till It's Done (pending release) by John King Stopping Traffic documentary Stopping Traffic Trailer Sisu (Finnish) Taken film John Wick Braveheart Gladiator 300 film Rats and Rain (book) by John King Sisu film Warumungu People The Phoenix Collective The Phoenix Collective Program Dr. John A. King on Instagram Dr. John A. King on LinkedIn Producer Ben Ford Beauty Pill

    1h 30m
  3. Ask Three Questions — Then Go Play | Addy Graff #69

    FEB 5

    Ask Three Questions — Then Go Play | Addy Graff #69

    "Sometimes my parents say ask three questions and then you can play." - Addy Graff In this delightful episode of Curated Questions, Ken Woodward sits down with eight-year-old explorer Addy Graff to discover how curiosity takes root early in life. A seasoned traveler who has visited roughly 40 countries and every neighborhood in Washington, DC, Addy shares how asking questions helps her learn about people, cultures, and new experiences. From sampling adventurous foods like snails to practicing French in local shops, she demonstrates a fearless approach to discovery. Addy reflects on lessons from school about thoughtful versus superficial questions and explains why the best ones invite stories rather than one-word answers. Encouraged by her parents to ask meaningful questions at the dinner table, she is already developing the habits of a lifelong learner. Whether researching travel for the book she is writing or choosing the most interesting path while wandering a new city, Addy reminds us that curiosity is less about age and more about posture. One that keeps the world expansive, welcoming, and full of possibility. Follow along on her adventures through her Dad's Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/austinkgraff/ This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com. Be sure to subscribe to the weekly Curated Questions Dispatch newsletter for more fun with questions and curiosity! (https://substack.com/@curatedquestions) Keep questioning! Episode Notes 00:00 Introduction To Curated Questions 01:52 Meet Addy Graff: The Young Explorer 03:16 The Power of Asking Questions 05:13 Adventurous Travels and Tasting New Foods 08:44 Learning About Questions in School 11:37 Curiosity and Learning New Skills 13:52 Family Traditions and Encouraging Questions 16:17 Favorite Questions and Multilingual Curiosity 17:12 Discussing Language and Travel 17:51 Exploring Washington, DC 18:12 Neighborhoods and Landmarks 19:19 Wandering and Discovering 20:09 Culinary Adventures 23:11 Writing and Researching Travel 26:33 Travel Stories and Experiences 31:14 Reflections on Questions   Resources Mentioned Austin K Graff: Dad who chronicles Addy's adventures Austin K Graff on Instagram Ms. Watts Addy's Teacher S'mores N'more Santa Rosa Taqueria 50 Maps of the World Nutcracker Princess Jasmine outfit Producer Ben Ford Beauty Pill

    36 min
  4. Hope Is A Muscle | Ken Woodward #68

    JAN 29

    Hope Is A Muscle | Ken Woodward #68

    Episode Summary "I don’t want hope as a primary strategy for living well." - Ken Woodward In this solo episode of Curated Questions, Ken Woodward explores hope not as a feeling or slogan, but as a muscle, something built, weakened, and strengthened through use. Prompted by Alex Honnold’s free-solo climb and his own season of uncertainty, Ken reflects on the collapse of trust in institutions and the fragility of inherited forms of hope. Drawing on psychological and neuroscientific research, he reframes hope as a cognitive skill set rooted in agency and pathways, the belief that we can act and imagine multiple routes forward, even without certainty. Ken examines how rumination, paralysis, and outsourced responsibility erode hope, and how well-chosen questions can interrupt despair and reengage possibility. Moving from individual to collective hope, he invites listeners to consider where their own “hope muscles” have atrophied and what small, concrete actions might rebuild them. This episode is not a lesson on hope, but a vulnerable, out-loud search for it, grounded in questions, courage, and shared responsibility. This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com. Be sure to subscribe to the weekly Curated Questions Dispatch newsletter for more fun with questions and curiosity! (https://substack.com/@curatedquestions) Keep questioning! Episode Notes 00:00 A Taste Of What Is To Come 02:02 The Story of Alex Honnold 02:45 Personal Reflections on Hope 03:49 Current State of the World 05:34 The Concept of Hope 08:41 The Neuroscience of Hope 12:03 Practical Questions for Hope 15:55 Collective Hope and Action 19:09  Poem: Alex Jeffrey Pretti, Murdered by I.C.E, January 24th, 2026 by Amanda Gorman 20:58 Closing Remarks Resources Mentioned Alex Honnold Tiapei 101 Tower Amanda Gorman Poem: Alex Jeffrey Pretti, Murdered by I.C.E, January 24th, 2026 by Amanda Gorman Producer Ben Ford Beauty Pill

    22 min
  5. When Cognitive Dissonance Breaks Open | Matthew Pridgen #67

    JAN 22

    When Cognitive Dissonance Breaks Open | Matthew Pridgen #67

    "You can only live with so much cognitive dissonance in your life." - Matthew Pridgen Matthew Pridgen joins Ken Woodward for a raw, wide-ranging conversation about how questions can crack open denial and move us toward truth, repentance, and reconciliation. Matthew shares his dramatic journey from addiction and a near-fatal suicide attempt to a decades-long pursuit of faith, justice, and historical honesty. His pivotal moment was when an eight-year-old girl asked, “Why did you take my church down?” after a tent revival in Charleston’s historically Black East Side, which became the question that launched his racial awakening. Together, they explore how American “mythology” hides the realities of slavery, Jim Crow, and modern dog whistles, and how the Black church has sustained a prophetic witness against oppression. The episode highlights the personal cost of cognitive dissonance, the freedom of living without lies, and a central challenge for today: are Christians willing to abandon Christian nationalism and follow Jesus’ actual teachings? Check out Matthew's documentary The Sins of Our Fathers: Race, Religion, and the Rise of Trump on Amazon Prime, and his new Sins of Our Fathers podcast wherever you find your favorite podcasts. (https://www.amazon.com/Sins-our-Fathers-Religion-Trump/dp/B0G1XD7TQT) This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com. Be sure to subscribe to the weekly Curated Questions Dispatch newsletter for more fun with questions and curiosity! (https://substack.com/@curatedquestions) Keep questioning! Episode Notes 00:00 Introduction to Curated Questions 02:05 Meet Matthew Pridgen: A Story of Redemption 03:38 Matthew's Tent Revival and Racial Awakening 05:02 Confronting Myths and Realities of American History 05:57 The Impact of Systemic Racism 07:19 The Power of Film in Social Change 08:41 Charleston's Unique Racial History 09:13 The Great Migration and Segregation 11:01 The Role of White Supremacy in American History 11:37 Theological Justifications for Racism 17:16 Matthew's Higher Call to Christians 21:37 Matthew's Personal Journey to Faith 25:06 Homeless Ministry and Community Engagement 27:12 Understanding Institutional Poverty 30:29 The Prophetic Witness of the Black Church 34:28 Cognitive Dissonance and Historical Awareness 37:20 The Need for National Reconciliation 42:28 The Uncomfortable Work of Facing Truth 48:56 The Role of Motivation in National Policy 50:23 Soft Power and Global Influence 50:55 The Motivation Behind Our Actions 52:25 Impact of USAID and Trump's Policies 53:13 The Harm of White Supremacy 53:46 Christianity and Political Disillusionment 54:58 The Hypocrisy in Evangelical Christianity 56:25 The Existential Crisis of Faith 57:07 False Prophets and Historical Atrocities 58:12 Embracing the Black Church Tradition 59:18 The Prophetic Witness of Black Women 01:02:12 The Legacy of Slavery and Black Women's Burden 01:04:21 The George Floyd Protests and Aftermath 01:05:50 The Need for National Conversation on Race 01:08:38 The Role of Individual Awakening 01:09:32 The Importance of Historical Awareness 01:12:56 Taking Action and Refusing to Be Complicit 01:16:37 The Influence of Barbara 01:22:34 The Freedom of Honesty and Repentance 01:28:25 Increased Sensitivity of Raised Defenses 01:31:28 The Challenge of National Pride 01:32:32 The Role of Humility in Overcoming Bias 01:33:41 Final Thoughts and Call to Action Resources Mentioned Sins of Our Fathers From Folly by Matthew Pridgen America Street by Matthew Pridgen South of Broad neighborhood in Charleston, South Carolina Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove George Floyd Emancipation Reconstruction Jim Crow Laws Civil Rights Era Tower of Babel Day of Pentecost Martin Luther King, Jr. Tulsa Race Massacre Donald Trump DEI CRT Antifa The Great Party Switch Southern Strategy Dr. Bernard Powers College of Charleston Center for the Study of Slavery at the College of Charleston Jemar Tisby Duke University Rev. Dr. Dallas Wilson, Jr. Emancipation Proclamation Reverent William Barber II Poor People's Campaign The Naked Truth Art Project by Ephraim Urevbu The Indigenous People's History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz Sister Citizen by Melissa Harris-Perry Ann Caldwell Gospel singer The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone Caste by Isabel Wilkerson The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby (https://jemartisby.com/the-color-of-compromise/) How to Fight Racism by Jemar Tisby Resmaa Menakem The New Deal Joe Biden Jeffrey Epstein Files Instagram Facebook TikTok YouTube The Sins of Our Fathers on Amazon Prime Producer Ben Ford Beauty Pill

    1h 40m
  6. What Happens When A Question Is Asked? | Ken Woodward #66

    JAN 15

    What Happens When A Question Is Asked? | Ken Woodward #66

    "Questions are not neutral; they're interventions." - Ken Woodward What actually happens inside us when a question is asked? In this solo episode of Curated Questions, Ken Woodward explores the neurological, emotional, and psychological impact of being asked a question. Moving beyond techniques or tactics, Ken examines how questions hijack attention, trigger chemical responses in the brain, open unresolved mental loops, and sometimes activate fear or defensiveness. Drawing from neuroscience and a powerful encounter during his Washington, D.C. walking project, he reflects on a question that has remained open for years: What real difference are you making? This episode reveals why some questions feel like relief before they’re answered, why others linger long after they’re asked, and how certain questions don’t just reveal who we are, but actively shape who we become. Questions, Ken argues, are not neutral requests for information. They are interventions. And understanding their power changes how we ask, how we answer, and how we live with them. This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com. Be sure to check out the weekly Curated Questions Dispatch newsletter for more fun with questions and curiosity! (https://substack.com/@curatedquestions) Keep questioning! Episode Notes 00:00 Introduction: The Power of Smell and Memory 01:09 Welcome to Curated Questions 02:21 Part One: The Hijack 04:07 Questions in Everyday Life 06:39 Part Two: The Chemical Cascade 11:13 Part Three: The Open Loop 14:57 Part Four: The Threat Response 17:15 Part Five: The Self In Question 18:52 Part Six: Putting It Together 20:43 Conclusion Resources Mentioned Brain Rules: We Are Not Wired For True Multitasking by John Medina Neuromodulatory Systems UC Davis Bluma Zeigarnik Washington Post Article about Ken's walk through Washington D.C. by Teresa Vargas Default Mode Network Rainer Maria Rilke Producer Ben Ford Beauty Pill

    21 min
  7. Everything Is Hard - Choose Your Hard | Mitchell Osmond #65

    JAN 8

    Everything Is Hard - Choose Your Hard | Mitchell Osmond #65

    "Literally everything in life is hard. The question is, what cost are you willing to pay? And you pay that willingly and happily because you value it." - Mitchell Osmond In this episode of Curated Questions, Ken Woodward sits down with Mitchell Osmond, founder of Dad Nation Co., and host of the Dad Nation Podcast (Top 5% globally), to explore a hard but liberating truth: everything in life is difficult; the question is which difficulty we choose. Mitchell shares the moment a single question at a funeral, “Are you living a life worthy of imitation?” forced him to confront his health, marriage, finances, and legacy. From that reckoning emerged a framework for growth rooted in discomfort, integrity, and honest self-inquiry. Together, Ken and Mitchell examine why confidence is built through keeping promises, how avoiding hard questions quietly shapes our futures, and why legacy is forged at home as much as at work. The conversation challenges the myth of ease, reframes struggle as a signal of alignment, and invites listeners to define success on their own terms. Ultimately, this episode is a call to stop outsourcing meaning, and to choose the hard that leads to a life worth living. Mitchell is launching a new group coaching program, the High Performance Husband Accelerator! All the details can be found at https://www.dadnationco.com/accelerator Mitchell is offering The Connection Code as a gift. 50 questions to spark the fun and get the fire back is available at https://www.dadnationco.com/code  Sign up for the weekly Curated Questions Dispatch newsletter at https://curatedquestions.substack.com/ This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com. Keep questioning! Resources Mentioned Dad Nation Co website The Dad Nation Podcast Dad Nation Co Instagram Mitchell Osmond on LinkedIn Josh Waitzkin Tim Ferriss Albert Einstein Seth Godin Virginia Satir The Gap in the Gain by Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan Ed Mylett John Gray author of Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus The High Performance Husband Raymond Coates Spark Starter Kit Producer Ben Ford Beauty Pill

    1h 23m
  8. What Questions Are You Carrying Forward? Reflections on 2025 | Ken Woodward #64

    JAN 1

    What Questions Are You Carrying Forward? Reflections on 2025 | Ken Woodward #64

    "What are the questions you will be carrying into the year, such that it will be a celebration of your becoming?" - Ken Woodward This year-end Curated Questions episode is a reflective curation of the questions that shaped several conversations throughout 2025. Rather than offering a rapid recap of every episode, Ken highlights a handful of moments that reveal how intentional questioning can clarify purpose, interrupt unhelpful patterns, and guide meaningful becoming. Across stories from entrepreneurs, scientists, artists, and personal reflection, the episode explores questions that ask us to define the change we seek to make, consider who we are becoming, and choose where to place our attention. Along the way, listeners are reminded that good questions often emerge only after many imperfect ones, that perspective shapes dignity and connection, and that small mental reframes can act as powerful resets. As the year closes, the episode becomes an invitation: to name the questions that mattered most in 2025, to carry one forward with intention into 2026, and to trust that a better world is built by those willing to keep questioning. Sign up for the weekly Curated Questions Dispatch newsletter at https://curatedquestions.substack.com/ This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com. Ensure to subscribe to the Curated Questions Dispatch weekly newsletter on Substack. Keep questioning! Episode Notes 00:00 Highlight 01:56 Introduction and Welcome 02:51 Overview of 2025 Episodes 04:09 Curated Questions Dispatch Newsletter 05:10 Highlighting Seth Godin's Insights 07:31 A Helpful Practice 08:46 Lisa Wimberger on Neurosculpting 09:25 Tim Molnar's Strategic Dating Guide 10:14 Kevin Kelly on Questioning and AI 11:30 Robert Sturman's Unique Perspective 12:23 Conclusion and Call to Action Resources Mentioned Flightcast Steven Bartlett, host of Diary of a CEO Curated Questions Dispatch on Substack Seth Godin Ask the Dust by John Fante Hannah Fry Lisa Wimberger Neurosculpting Tim Molnar Date Smarter: A Strategic Guide for Navigating Modern Romance by Tim Molnar Kevin Kelly Robert Sturman San Quentin Producer Ben Ford Beauty Pill

    14 min
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About

Curated Questions: Conversations Celebrating the Power of Questions Hosted by Ken Woodward, Curated Questions is a thought-provoking podcast that celebrates the art and science of asking profound questions. This podcast is for curious minds who understand that the right question can unlock new perspectives and drive personal growth. What to Expect Insightful Conversations: Experts from diverse fields share their journey in mastering the craft of inquiry, revealing how it has transformed their lives and careers. Practical Techniques: Gain valuable skills to improve your questioning abilities, applicable in both personal and professional settings. Thought-Provoking Topics: Explore how questions shape leadership, personal transformation, and societal discourse. Why Listen? In an age of abundant information, Curated Questions reminds us that true wisdom lies in asking better questions. This podcast will help you: 1. Enhance critical thinking 2. Improve communication 3. Gain new perspectives on complex issues 4. Develop a nuanced understanding of the world Join Ken Woodward and his guests as they explore the transformative power of thoughtful inquiry. Curated Questions is more than just a podcast – it's an invitation to embrace curiosity, challenge assumptions, and unlock your full potential through the art of asking better questions. Subscribe now and embark on a journey to master the craft of inquiry, one question at a time. Website: CuratedQuestions.com IG/Threads/YouTube: @CuratedQuestions

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