What is a Good Life?

Mark McCartney
  • 5.0 (6)
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A project exploring the big questions around how we live, who we are and what actually matters. Over the past four years, I’ve sat with more than 300 people — artists, parents, executives, wanderers, therapists, and strangers and invited them into a simple but profound inquiry, "What is a good life for you?" The conversations explore presence, paradox, uncertainty, and the moments that shape a life - love and loss, trust and fear, clarity and not knowing. It’s an invitations to slow down, to listen deeply, and to bring you into conversation with your own life. There are new episodes every Tuesday.

  1. What is a Good Life? #163 - Listening To The Mighty Heart with Dr Scilla Elworthy

    20H AGO

    What is a Good Life? #163 - Listening To The Mighty Heart with Dr Scilla Elworthy

    Dr Scilla Elworthy is a three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee for her work with Oxford Research Group to develop effective dialogue between nuclear weapons policy-makers worldwide and their critics from 1983-2003. She founded Peace Direct in 2002 to fund, promote and learn from local peace-builders in conflict areas, was awarded the Niwano Peace Prize in 2003, the Luxembourg Peace Prize in 2020, the GOI Peace Award in 2023. Her TED talk on nonviolence has been viewed by over 1,500,000 people. She founded The Business Plan for Peace  to help prevent destructive conflict and build sustainable peace throughout the world, based on her latest books - The Business Plan for Peace: Building a World Without War (2017), The Mighty Heart: how to transform conflict (2020), and The Mighty Heart in Action (2022). In this wonderful conversation, Scilla and Mark explore why the heart is the one faculty that will always tell you the truth, how learning to listen to it transformed her work with diplomats and military leaders, and why she believes the world is entering an era of profound change led by those willing to lead from the inside out.  This is a conversation for people who sense there's a deeper way to live but haven't yet learned to trust it. For more from Dr Scilla Elworthy's work:Oxford Research Group: http://oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/Peace Direct: https://www.peacedirect.org/The Mighty Heart: https://mightyheart.co.uk/ For more from Mark McCartney:Newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/Website: https://www.mmcleadership.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markcmccartney 00:00 – Introduction02:06 – Why the Heart Doesn't Lie07:07 – The Rhythm of Your Heart10:46 – Learning to Meditate Deeply15:02 – Meditators Beneath the Diplomats21:04 – Inner Intelligence in Others27:51 – Who Am I, Really?33:45 – Nourishing a Hurting Heart42:52 – The Mighty Heart Program46:39 – What Is a Good Life?

    50 min
  2. What is a Good Life? #162 - What Comes After Optimising with Jasper Walshe

    FEB 17

    What is a Good Life? #162 - What Comes After Optimising with Jasper Walshe

    In this episode of What Is a Good Life?, Mark McCartney is joined by Jasper Walshe, coach, facilitator and founder of TRIPS Tank™, for an honest and wide-ranging conversation about identity, self-trust and what it really means to live well. Jasper traces his journey from fixating on high-performance coaching to a deeper, more grounded relationship with himself — touching on psychotherapy breakthroughs, psychedelic experiences, the trap of wrapping identity in achievement, and his present question: how can I live in wonder? This is a genuinely human conversation about accepting the full range of life, not just the optimised parts. Topics covered:- High performance identity & its hidden cost- Psychotherapy & the power of unfiltered honesty- Living in wonder vs chasing optimisation- Self-respect as a core value- Moments of unexpected clarity- What is a good life? This episode is for anyone who's hit the goals and found themselves asking — is this it? For more from Jasper Walshe:Company Website: https://tripstank.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasperwalshe/ For more from Mark McCartney:Newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/Website: https://www.mmcleadership.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markcmccartney 0:00 – Jasper's evolving life question02:30 – The high performance Kool-Aid06:00 – Curiosity beyond performance10:33 – Letting go of identity15:04 – "So, who are you?"19:30 – Dropping the filtered answers23:00 – The couch breakthrough moment28:30 – How "wonder" emerged36:30 – Visualising five years ahead45:44 – What self-respect looks like58:55 – What is a good life?

    1h 2m
  3. What is a Good Life? #161 - The Potential For Compassion with Rasmus Hougaard

    FEB 10

    What is a Good Life? #161 - The Potential For Compassion with Rasmus Hougaard

    What does it take to be happy? And why does happiness so often slip away? In this episode of What Is a Good Life?, Mark McCartney is joined by Rasmus Hougaard for a conversation that moves from childhood questions about happiness, to monasteries in Nepal, to the boardrooms where he now works to transform leadership. Rasmus is the Founder and Chairman of Potential Project and was nominated by Thinkers 50 as one of the eight most important leadership thinkers in the world today. He's the author of The Mind of the Leader, Compassionate Leadership, and More Human: How the Power of AI Can Transform the Way You Lead. Together, they explore: Why an eight-year-old's question about happiness became a life's workThe cultural wisdom Rasmus found in Nepal that the West is missingHow his brother's death inspired his life's purposeA profound encounter with an unknown monk that transmitted unconditional loveThe difficulty of being human, even with deep practice and good intentionsThe innate goodness we all carry (and why many of us have forgotten it)What changes when leaders ask "how are you?" before "what do we need to do?"This conversation sits with both the challenge of being human and the incredible capacity we have for loving kindness. It's about the practice of returning to what matters again and again. This episode is for anyone wondering if there's more to leadership, happiness, and being human than what we've been taught. For more of Rasmus' work:Potential Project: https://www.potentialproject.com/Books: https://www.potentialproject.com/resources#01-books LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rasmushougaard/ For more from Mark McCartney:Newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/Website: https://www.mmcleadership.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markcmccartney 00:00  Why Aren't We Happy?05:30  Finding a Practice at Seventeen11:45  Wisdom in Himalayan Culture17:20  Life's Purpose from Tragedy24:30  Meeting Bodhisattva Charles31:15  Our Innate Human Goodness37:40  The Difficulty of Being Human43:10  Forced Surrender and Self-Compassion48:25  Transformation in Corporate Spaces52:15  Multiple Lives, Less Pressure54:30  What is a Good Life for Rasmus?

    53 min
  4. What is a Good Life? #160 - The Art Of Living With Coherence with João Sevilhano

    FEB 3

    What is a Good Life? #160 - The Art Of Living With Coherence with João Sevilhano

    What does it really mean to live a coherent life? In this episode of What Is a Good Life, Mark McCartney is joined by João Sevilhano for a deep, reflective conversation on coherence, something that goes beyond rigid moral ideals and is more a lived, imperfect practice. João is a psychologist and learning experience designer. Co-CEO of Way Beyond, where he works on human development and organisational transformation. His background is in clinical psychology and psychoanalysis. He collaborates with Porto Business School and NOVA Doctoral School, and he tends to think meaningful conversation is underrated as a tool for change. Together, they explore: What coherence feels like in everyday lifeThe tension between values, actions, and changing our mindsWhy coherence is different from authenticity or consistencyParenting, work, and small decisions as tests of alignment“Slow activism” and the impact of how we show up with othersRather than offering quick answers or formulas, this conversation sits with uncertainty, contradiction, and the discipline of paying attention - particularly when no one is watching. This episode is for anyone feeling the pull between who they are, how they live, and what the world is asking of them right now. For more of João's work:Newsletter: https://useful-uselessness.com/Way Beyond Website: https://www.waybeyond.pt/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joaosevilhano/ For more from Mark McCartney:Newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/Website: https://www.mmcleadership.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markcmccartney 00:00  Questions as Companions 07:00  Spirituality in Everyday Life 13:00  Coherence as Purpose 16:30  Flexibility and Awareness 22:30  Discipline and Practice30:00  Helping Without Imposing 36:00  Slow Activism and Stubbornness 42:00  Living With Contradiction 49:00  Reflection on Sacrifice 54:00  Not Knowing as a Practice

    56 min
  5. What is a Good Life? #159 - Cultivating Interconnected Harmony with Cindy Forde

    JAN 27

    What is a Good Life? #159 - Cultivating Interconnected Harmony with Cindy Forde

    How do we live in harmony with each other and the natural world? Cindy Forde is a thought leader and acclaimed author with over 25 years dedicated to systems change. In 2023, she won the Change Champion Award alongside leaders such as David Attenborough and Malala Yusafzai for her children's book 'Bright New World,' which was adopted by the Australian National Curriculum. She founded Planetari, pioneering Earth-led education, earning a Climate Positive Award at UN COP28. Previously MD of Blue Marine Foundation and CEO of Cambridge Science Centre, she is an Associate Fellow of University of Cambridge Homerton College where she is currently co-founding the Centre for Systemic Change. She is a trained yoga teacher and sound healing practitioner. In this profound conversation, we explore the role of spiritual practice in sustaining changemakers, the paradox of living in systems misaligned with our values, and why "cosmic time" might offer a more realistic perspective on transformation than human urgency. Cindy shares why we need the courage to build entirely new models rather than fixing broken systems, and how current education systems crush the natural interconnectedness that children understand. For more of Cindy's work:Website: https://cindyforde.world/Planetari: https://planetari.world/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-forde-10668911/ For more from Mark McCartney:Newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/Website: https://www.mmcleadership.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markcmccartney 00:00 - The Guiding Question of Harmony 05:45 - Growing Up Between Two Worlds 12:30 - Discovering Spiritual Practice 18:45 - Inner and Outer Coherence 25:15 - The Corporate Paradox 30:00 - Understanding Cosmic Time 35:30 - Urgency and Thinking Differently 40:30 - Single Issues to Systems 44:00 - Courage to Call Out 47:30 - Crushing Natural Interconnectedness 50:00 - What Is a Good Life

    51 min
  6. What is a Good Life? #158 - Finding Self-Love Beyond Achievement with Alan Wilson

    JAN 20

    What is a Good Life? #158 - Finding Self-Love Beyond Achievement with Alan Wilson

    What is a Good Life? #158 | Finding Self-Love Beyond Achievement Where do you belong? How do you best use your gifts? These questions have followed Alan Wilson throughout his life—from childhood football pitches to corporate boardrooms. In this deeply honest conversation, Alan shares his journey from seeking external validation to cultivating self-love, exploring how grief, self-inquiry, and simple presence have reshaped his understanding of a good life. Alan Wilson is a Director of People & Operations and qualified coach with 17+ years in senior leadership roles. He supports leaders and organisations navigating change by combining commercial insight with a deeply human approach—focused on self-awareness, integrity, and sustainable performance. In this episode: The childhood patterns behind our adult strugglesWhy achievement never feels like enoughFinding centre in an increasingly distracted worldHow children guide us back to presenceWhy self-love transforms leadershipThe agency we have despite feeling disempoweredThis conversation is for anyone questioning whether they're enough, struggling with validation, or wondering if there's more to life than the next achievement. For more of Alan's work:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-wilson-084b3324/ For more from Mark McCartney:Newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/Website: https://www.mmcleadership.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markcmccartney 00:00 - Where Do I Belong? 05:23 - The Validation Trap 10:47 - Self-Inquiry and Grief 16:12 - Moments That Allow Breathing 21:35 - Toxicity and Modern Life 27:43 - Children as Our Compass 33:21 - Beyond Material Accumulation 38:45 - Dismantling the Armour 44:02 - Agency in a Disempowered World 49:18 - Transmitting Our Gifts Daily 54:31 - A Life That's Evolving

    59 min
  7. What is a Good Life? #157 - How to Build Real Connection with Matt Zeigler

    JAN 13

    What is a Good Life? #157 - How to Build Real Connection with Matt Zeigler

    On the 157th episode of What Is a Good Life?, I’m joined by Matt Zeigler. Matt is Managing Director at Sunpointe Investments, Senior Editor at Panoptica (a multimedia collaboration with Epsilon Theory), and co-owner and host of Excess Returns, a podcast and YouTube channel. Through his Cultish Creative brand, he transforms complex ideas into accessible insights, helping people make better connections and approach challenges with curiosity. Matt shares his journey from profound disconnection to finding an abundance of connection and meaning through family, work, and community. From a pivotal therapy session that changed everything to discovering the value of small, intentional experiences, he explores how building bridges instead of prisons transformed his life. This is a conversation about vulnerability, curiosity, and the courage to stop running from connection. This episode is for anyone who feels cut off from others and is looking to find their way back—and for anyone looking to feel more optimistic about humanity. For more of Matt's work:Cultish creative: https://cultishcreative.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-zeigler/ For more from Mark McCartney:Newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/Website: https://www.mmcleadership.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markcmccartney 00:00 — The Disconnection Question04:16 — Three Layers of Life06:50 — Leaving home, independence, and loneliness10:11 — Therapy Wake-Up Call18:02 — Learning to Share23:23 — Small openings that build real bonds31:38 — Rules, ladders, and inherited structures45:26 — Energy shift after choosing alignment50:09 — Community Comes Alive58:18 — What is a Good Life for Matt?

    1h 2m
  8. What is a Good Life #156 - Learning To Trust My Own Voice with Alejandra Guzmán González

    JAN 6

    What is a Good Life #156 - Learning To Trust My Own Voice with Alejandra Guzmán González

    On the 156th episode of What Is a Good Life?, I’m joined by Alejandra Guzmán González. Alejandra is a Nicaraguan educator, lifelong learner, and mother of two. She describes herself as an artist with a dancer’s feet, the soul of a theatre actress, and the writer’s force within (publishing under the pen name aimé). Her work is rooted in curiosity, reflection, and human connection, and she continues to devote her professional life to education and learning-centred projects. In this episode, Alejandra shares her journey of discovering how to trust her own voice. She reflects on personal experiences, family, and the process of making her own decisions with confidence while staying connected to the people she loves. This conversation is for anyone looking to build greater trust in themselves and their own decisions. For Alejandra's Newsletter: https://aimewrites.substack.com/ For more from Mark McCartney:Newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/Website: https://www.mmcleadership.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markcmccartney 00:00 - Living the Question03:18 - Seeking External Answers07:02 - Teaching and Questioning10:05 - Parenting and Frustration13:46 - Building Inner Trust17:53 - Cocooning and Withdrawal22:45 - Listening Beyond Answers30:31 - The Right to Listen38:10 - A Defining Moment48:03 - Health as Teacher56:46 - What Is a Good Life For Alejandra?

    1h 3m
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5
out of 5
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About

A project exploring the big questions around how we live, who we are and what actually matters. Over the past four years, I’ve sat with more than 300 people — artists, parents, executives, wanderers, therapists, and strangers and invited them into a simple but profound inquiry, "What is a good life for you?" The conversations explore presence, paradox, uncertainty, and the moments that shape a life - love and loss, trust and fear, clarity and not knowing. It’s an invitations to slow down, to listen deeply, and to bring you into conversation with your own life. There are new episodes every Tuesday.

Information

  • Creator
    Mark McCartney
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    163
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Mark McCartney
  • Show Website
    What is a Good Life?

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