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. 1h ago

    Charlamagne's Shocking Childhood Secret That Changed Everything

    What if one of radio's biggest voices spent years hiding his deepest struggle in plain sight? Adrian Wells breaks down how Charlamagne tha God's raw honesty about depression is changing the conversation around mental health, especially in communities where talking about therapy was once taboo. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why only 1 in 3 Black adults get mental health care (despite being 20% more likely to need it) • How The Breakfast Club's 8 million listeners are hearing a different kind of vulnerability • The specific moment Charlamagne decided therapy wasn't weakness but strength • Why public figures sharing their struggles creates ripple effects you can't measure 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone who's ever wondered if successful people deal with the same internal battles you do. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells on why this story matters beyond celebrity gossip [01:45] The mental health crisis hiding in plain sight [04:15] How Charlamagne's therapy journey started (and almost didn't) [06:30] Breaking generational patterns of silence [08:45] The Breakfast Club effect: when vulnerability goes viral [10:30] What this means for your own mental health conversations Here's what strikes me most about this story: it's not just about one person getting help. It's about how one person's honesty can give millions of others permission to do the same. When someone with Charlamagne's platform says "I go to therapy and it changed my life," that's not just personal growth. That's cultural shift in real time. The statistics tell one story. The human impact tells another. Both matter. 🔔 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: mental health stigma, Black mental health, therapy benefits, celebrity influence, cultural change Find all episodes at First Principles -------- Keywords: anxiety management, celebrity interviews, success psychology, health myths, cognitive biases, personal development, decision making, behavioral economics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. 1h ago

    Dr Mike Exposes 10 Health Lies That Are Making You Sick

    Ever notice how your doctor's advice contradicts what you heard last year? There's a reason for that. Adrian Wells breaks down ten health "facts" that trusted experts have been getting wrong for decades, and why the truth is finally coming out. The food pyramid told us to eat 6-11 servings of grains daily. Millions of women were prescribed hormone therapy as the fountain of youth. Low-fat everything dominated grocery shelves for thirty years. Turns out, none of these recommendations had solid science backing them up. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why the food pyramid actually contributed to rising obesity rates (and what replaced it) • The 2002 study that shocked doctors and ended hormone therapy recommendations overnight • How the 8-glasses-of-water rule became gospel without any research to support it • The real story behind low-fat diets and why they never prevented heart disease 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone tired of conflicting health advice who wants to separate fact from fiction. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the health lies hiding in plain sight [01:30] The food pyramid disaster: when government guidelines made us sicker [04:15] Hormone therapy's dark turn: from miracle cure to major risk [06:45] The water myth that won't die (and how much you actually need) [08:30] Why low-fat became the biggest nutrition mistake of the 20th century [11:00] How to spot the next health lie before it fools you This isn't about conspiracy theories. It's about understanding how even well-meaning experts can get it spectacularly wrong when they're working with incomplete information. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: health myths, nutrition science, medical misinformation, evidence-based health, critical thinking Find all episodes at First Principles ---- Keywords: depression stories, relationship psychology, wealth mindset, personal development Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. 2h ago

    Fertility Doctor's Shocking Truth: Your Baby Chances Drop 50% Every Year After 32

    Your doctor tells you fertility is "fine" until your late 30s, but the numbers tell a different story. In this episode, Adrian Wells breaks down the harsh math behind fertility decline and why waiting might cost you the family you want. By age 32, your chances of getting pregnant each cycle start dropping fast. By 40? You're looking at a 5% chance per month compared to 20% at 30. The miscarriage rates paint an even starker picture: jumping from 10% in your early 30s to 34% by age 40. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • The exact age when fertility decline accelerates (it's earlier than most think) • Why egg freezing before 35 gives you the best shot at future success • How to calculate your real timeline if you want multiple kids • The fertility preservation options your doctor might not mention 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth, especially women making major life decisions based on incomplete information. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian introduces the fertility cliff nobody talks about [02:15] The 50% drop: what happens to your eggs after 32 [04:30] Miscarriage rates by age (prepare to be shocked) [07:00] Egg freezing: the insurance policy that works [09:30] Family planning math: timing your second and third child [11:15] What fertility doctors wish they could tell you This isn't about scaring anyone. It's about making informed choices with real data instead of wishful thinking. The earlier you know these numbers, the more options you have. 🔔 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: fertility decline, family planning, egg freezing, pregnancy rates, reproductive health Find all episodes at First Principles ----- Keywords: relationship psychology, philosophy business, fame psychology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. 2h ago

    What Secret Service Agents Know About Lies That You Don't

    Can you spot a liar? Most people think they can, but research shows we're only right about 54% of the time-barely better than flipping a coin. In this episode, Adrian Wells sits down with former Secret Service agent Evy Poumpouras to reveal the psychology-based techniques that actually work for detecting deception. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why focusing on body language is the wrong approach (and what to watch for instead) • The verbal patterns that expose lies every single time • How liars give themselves away with too much detail or too little-never just right • The specific questions that make deceptive people crack under pressure 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth who wants to read people more accurately in both professional and personal settings. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the myth of lie detection [01:30] Why we're terrible at spotting lies (the 54% problem) [04:00] Secret Service training: verbal cues over body language [07:00] The "too much, too little" detail pattern [10:00] Questions that expose deception instantly [12:00] How to apply these techniques in real life Poumpouras breaks down exactly how she was trained to read people during high-stakes security situations. This isn't about becoming paranoid or suspicious-it's about developing the same analytical skills that protect world leaders. The techniques she shares work because they're rooted in how our brains actually construct lies, not the Hollywood myths about crossed arms and avoiding eye contact. 🔔 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: lie detection, body language, psychology, Secret Service training, deception Find all episodes at First Principles ---- Keywords: philosophy business, motivation psychology, logical reasoning, billionaire mindset, wealth mindset, relationship psychology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. 3h ago

    Steve-O: Why I Nearly Died 47 Times for Attention (The Trauma Behind Jackass)

    What if the most dangerous stunts weren't the ones that nearly killed Steve-O 47 times, but the childhood trauma that made him crave death-defying attention in the first place? In this episode, Adrian Wells explores how moving schools 12 times before high school can create an adult willing to set himself on fire for applause. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why constant childhood relocations can hardwire dangerous attention-seeking behaviors • How Steve-O's daily cocktail of cocaine, nitrous oxide, and alcohol became his coping mechanism by age 25 • The specific therapy techniques and 12-step strategies that helped him achieve sobriety since 2008 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about understanding how early experiences shape extreme adult behaviors. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces Steve-O's trauma-to-recovery journey [01:30] 12 school changes: How constant moves create attention addiction [04:00] The daily drug routine that nearly killed a Jackass star [07:00] Rock bottom: Multiple hospitalizations and the wake-up call [10:00] Sobriety strategies that actually worked after rehab failed [12:00] Why addressing childhood wounds is the real stunt This isn't another celebrity redemption story. It's a masterclass in how unresolved trauma manifests as self-destruction, and how recovery requires going back to the source. Steve-O's journey from nearly dying for laughs to 15 years of sobriety offers real insights into breaking destructive patterns. 🔔 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: childhood trauma, addiction recovery, attention-seeking behavior, sobriety strategies, Steve-O Find all episodes at First Principles ----- Keywords: thinking skills, critical thinking podcast, ai dangers, personal development, social media addiction, decision making, business fundamentals, anxiety management Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. 3h ago

    Why Simon Cowell Blames Himself for What Happened to Liam Payne

    What if the music industry's biggest success story was actually its most tragic failure? Adrian Wells breaks down Simon Cowell's shocking confession about One Direction and why he's taking responsibility for Liam Payne's death. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • How One Direction generated over $1 billion while the band members suffered in silence • The specific management decisions Cowell now regrets (and why they seemed logical at the time) • What the entertainment industry can learn from this tragedy about protecting young talent • The hidden psychological cost of overnight fame that nobody talks about 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone who wants to understand the dark side of success stories we celebrate. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces Cowell's heartbreaking admission [01:30] The $1 billion machine: How One Direction became too big to stop [04:00] The schedule that broke them: Zero breaks from 2011-2016 [07:00] Cowell's biggest regret about mental health support [10:00] What three band members revealed about their struggles [12:00] Lessons for any industry that burns through young talent This isn't just celebrity gossip. It's a case study in how we build systems that create success but destroy the people inside them. Cowell's honesty reveals something uncomfortable about how we measure achievement and what we're willing to sacrifice for 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: Simon Cowell, One Direction, Liam Payne, music industry, mental health, celebrity culture, business ethics Find all episodes at First Principles ---- Keywords: health myths, personal development, evidence evaluation, decision making, behavioral economics, logical reasoning, thinking skills Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. 4h ago

    Why Tony Hawk's $1.4B Success Formula Backfired

    What if the same obsession that made Tony Hawk legendary also nearly destroyed everything he built? Adrian Wells breaks down how the skateboarding icon turned a childhood fixation into a $1.4 billion empire, then faced the brutal reality of perfectionism's hidden costs. Most success stories skip the dark parts. This one doesn't. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • How Tony became the first person to land a 900-degree spin at age 31 and why it took 12 years of failure • The business strategy that turned skateboarding tricks into a billion-dollar video game franchise • Why earning six figures at 14 led to burnout by his 20s and how he rebuilt differently • The counterintuitive approach Tony uses to fund 600+ skateparks while staying profitable 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth who wants to understand how obsession can be both your greatest asset and biggest weakness. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces Tony's billion-dollar paradox [01:45] The 12-year journey to land an "impossible" trick [03:30] From teenage millionaire to industry burnout [05:15] How video games saved a declining sport [07:00] The foundation strategy that changed everything [09:30] What perfectionism really costs (and when it's worth it) [11:00] Key takeaways for managing your own obsessions Tony's story isn't just about skateboarding. It's about what happens when you push the limits of human potential and have to live with the consequences. The lessons here apply whether you're building a business, mastering a skill, or trying to figure out when "good enough" actually isn't. 🔔 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: Tony Hawk, perfectionism, burnout, obsession, skateboarding business, video game industry, success psychology Find all episodes at First Principles --------- Keywords: depression stories, thinking skills, cognitive biases, logical reasoning, evidence evaluation, decision making Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  8. 4h ago

    Your Brain Is Shrinking: What Menopause Does to Your Memory

    Your brain shrinks by 5% during menopause. That's not a typo, and it's not something most doctors will tell you upfront. But Dr. Lisa Mosconi has spent years studying exactly what happens to women's brains during this transition, and what she's discovered could change how you think about aging entirely. Adrian Wells sits down with this leading neuroscientist to unpack the science behind menopause and memory. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why the Mediterranean diet can delay menopause by 2.3 years (and which specific foods matter most) • How your brain loses up to 30% of its glucose metabolism during menopause and what that means for your memory • The surprising connection between soy consumption and hormonal health that most women don't know about • Practical steps to protect your brain during hormonal changes, backed by actual research 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth, especially if you're curious about the real science behind women's health and aging. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the brain-menopause connection nobody talks about [02:15] Dr. Mosconi explains why women's brains shrink during menopause [04:30] The Mediterranean diet discovery that could delay menopause by years [06:45] Soy foods and genistein: separating fact from fiction [08:30] What happens to glucose metabolism in the female brain [10:15] Practical strategies to protect your memory and cognitive function [11:45] Key takeaways you can implement starting today 🔔 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 brain health, Mediterranean diet benefits, women's cognitive health, hormonal changes memory, Dr Lisa Mosconi neuroscience Find all episodes at First Principles --------- Keywords: depression stories, performance optimization, anxiety management, business strategy, cognitive biases, decision making, wealth mindset Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See All (447)

1.3
out of 5
15 Ratings

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
    447
  • Rating
    Explicit

You Might Also Like