Good Life Project

Jonathan Fields / Acast
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Good Life Project is a podcast and video series for people navigating midlife with intention. Hosted by Jonathan Fields, each episode is a deep, honest conversation about what it actually takes to build a life that feels like yours, through the reinventions, reckonings, and reclamations that define your 40s, 50s, and beyond. Grounded in science, fueled by genuine curiosity, and always in service of the real work of living well. Often top-ranked, it’s been listened to and viewed more than 100 million times. New episodes weekly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 10 HR AGO ·  VIDEO

    Arthur Brooks: Meaning in Midlife & Beyond

    You’ve reached a point in life where you thought you’d feel different. You’ve checked a lot of the boxes of achievement, happiness, even success. And, still, something is missing. It is a quiet restlessness that age or achievement cannot seem to quiet. What you’re missing is meaning. Our guest today is Arthur Brooks. He is a Harvard professor and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness. In this conversation, we explore: The myths we tell about how to find meaning, and how they delude us. The neurological reason why your phone is blocking purposeThe 3 real keys to meaning and mattering, and finally feeling aliveThe arrival fallacy that explains why winning is not the same the meaningHow to use a specific morning protocol to program your brain for mystery and wonderThe counterintuitive reason you actually want suffering in your life If you are tired of the hustle and still feeling empty, it is time to look at the science of the soul, and learn how to bring more meaning into your life, starting with practical tools today. You can find Arthur at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript Next week, we're sharing a really meaningful conversation with Jenny Lawson. She's a #1 New York Times bestselling author who has made millions of people laugh with her writing, and she also lives with treatment-resistant depression and anxiety. This conversation is one of the most honest, funny, and unexpectedly hopeful we've ever had on the show. Check out our offerings & partners:  Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. 3 DAYS AGO ·  VIDEO

    Want Real, Lasting Change? It’s Time to Try a Different Approach. | Eric Zimmer

    Stop blaming willpower and start building the skill of making change stick for good. Pretty much every person wants to change something, about themselves, their lives, or situation. But, so few ever succeed at creating change, let alone sustaining it. In this conversation, we explore why real transformation is a learnable process rather than a test of grit. We look at the emotional hurdles that stop us and how to navigate the "alphabet" of success. Our guest today is Eric Zimmer, the host of the award-winning podcast The One You Feed and author of the new book, How a Little Becomes a Lot: The Art of Small Changes for a More Meaningful Life. Eric has spent decades studying behavior change, transforming his own life from addiction to becoming a leading voice in personal growth. Together, we explore: The Three-Part Direction Rule: A specific strategy that ensures your small efforts actually accumulate into big results over time.The Still Point Method: A practical tool to interrupt negative thought patterns before they ruin your day.The Truth About Value Clashes: Why your inner conflict between security and freedom is the secret culprit behind your procrastination.Neutral Thinking: A critical mindset shift that allows you to bypass the emotional drama that usually makes you quit.The 90 Percent Rule: Why most of the change process happens before you ever take a single action. If you are tired of the cycle of starting and stopping, it is time to change your approach. Play this episode to learn the practical, science-backed steps to finally becoming the person you want to be. You can find Eric at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript Next week, we're sharing our conversation with Arthur Brooks about The Meaning of Your Life and practical, science-backed ways to find purpose and discover your deepest calling. Check out our offerings & partners:  Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. 19 MAR ·  VIDEO

    How Toxic Positivity Wrecks Lives & Relationships (and What to Cultivate Instead) | Dr. Deepika Chopra

    Turns out, "good vibes only" might be making you feel worse. Today, we’re exploring why the "good vibes only, stay positive, look on the bright side," movement is often more harmful than helpful and how to build a deeper, more resilient form of optimism and hope that is truly capable of making your life better. Our guest, Dr. Deepika Chopra, is a clinical health psychologist known as The Optimism Doctor® and author of The Power of Real Optimism. With postdoctoral fellowships at UCLA and Cedars-Sinai, she specializes in the science of hope, resiliency, and visual imagery. We talk about: The 7/10 rule for affirmations - why the traditional approach to affirmations is broken, and a different way that ensures your brain actually believes what you’re telling it instead of rejecting it as bunk.How to schedule "worry time" to contain anxiety so it doesn't leak into and paralyze your entire day.A specific 12-second practice to "clock" joy and physically rewire your brain’s neural pathways for better problem-solving.The distinction between hope and false hope, and how to find the "crack of light" when you’re in your darkest hour. If you've ever felt the pressure to "just be happy" while struggling through a difficult season, this conversation offers a grounded, science-backed alternative. Click play to learn how to build the muscle of real optimism and navigate life's challenges with more curiosity and ease.  You can find Deepika at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript Next week, we're sharing a really meaningful conversation with Eric Zimmer about the 'Little by Little' method for making meaningful life changes that actually stick. Be sure to follow the GLP wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss it! Check out our offerings & partners:  Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. 16 MAR ·  VIDEO

    Relationship Agreements: A Powerful Way to Deepen Love & Lessen Conflict | Krista & Will Van Derveer

    Want a deeper, more secure, fiercely connected relationship? Then, you’ll want to check out the power of relationship agreements.  In this episode, we sit down with Krista and Dr. Will Van Derveer. Will is a psychiatrist and author of the book Psychedelic Therapy, and Krista is a Relational Leadership Educator who helps partnerships move from the "I Operating System" to a "We Operating System." We explore: How to craft your own sacred relationship agreements that keep bringing you back to love, no matter how much friction your find yourself in.The wildly surprising "Couch Time" technique that uses mammal-to-mammal co-regulation to stop a heated argument in 60 seconds.A simple shift in perspective that allows you to stop seeing your partner as a "fixed object" and start seeing them with fresh eyes.The "Abundant Repair" protocol for ensuring you never go to bed with tension still lingering in your body.Why most "implicit" agreements fail and how to write down the 24 sacred guardrails that protect your connection. If you are tired of the same old arguments and want a relationship that actually empowers your individual potential, this conversation is for you. Click play to learn how to transform your partnership into a powerhouse of growth. You can find Krista & Will at: The Art of We | Get the Top 10 Relationship Agreements | Episode Transcript Next week, we're sharing a really meaningful conversation with Dr. Deepika Chopra about toxic positivity and how to be optimistic without tipping into delusion, distraction, or even harm. Check out our offerings & partners:  Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  5. 12 MAR ·  VIDEO

    How to Connect With Anyone | Charles Duhigg

    Being a super-communicator isn’t a gift, it’s a skill anyone can learn. Ever wish you were the person who could talk to anyone with ease? Like anyone you came in contact with became instant friends, confidantes, or trusted allies and collaborators. Turns out, this superpower is not something you’re born with, it's something you can learn.  This episode shows you how. Our guest is Charles Duhigg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter for The New York Times and the best-selling author of The Power of Habit and his book, Supercommunicators. In this conversation, you’ll learn: The "Matching Principle" that determines if a conversation succeeds or fails3 distinct types of conversations and how to identify which one you’re actually inThe "Heard, Hugged, or Helped" framework for navigating emotional conflict with easeA secret CIA recruitment strategy for building instant trust with complete strangersThe power of "deep questions" to bypass small talk and reach the heart of any matter If you've ever walked away from a conversation feeling disconnected, it's time to learn the rules of the game. Listen to this episode to transform your relationships and become a supercommunicator today. You can find Charles at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript Next week, we're sharing a conversation with Krista and Will Vanderveer. We’ll be talking about how to make the 'invisible' rules in your relationship visible so you can stop walking on eggshells and start leading together. Check out our offerings & partners:  Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. 9 MAR

    When to Quit (Jobs or People): How “Jolts” Drive Big Changes | Anthony Klotz

    How do you know when to leave a job or relationship? Look for the jolts. Ready to quit your job but unsure if it’s right? A single comment, missed opportunity, or subtle slight can suddenly make everything feel different. But is it really time to leave, or is something deeper happening? We’ve all had that moment when work or even a relationship feels off. Maybe it’s a meeting that hits differently, a colleague who leaves, or a new role that doesn’t match what was promised. In this conversation, you’ll learn why these moments feel so powerful, and how to respond with clarity instead of impulse. Anthony Klotz is a professor of organizational behavior at the UCL School of Management and the researcher who predicted the Great Resignation. An award-winning scholar on the psychology of work and author of Jolted: Why We Quit, When to Stay, and Why It Matters, he studies why we leave jobs, why we stay, and how major career decisions shape our lives. In this episode, you’ll discover: The hidden psychological trigger that explains why a small workplace moment can suddenly feel career-alteringA simple diagnostic process to determine whether it’s truly time to quit, or time to recalibrateThe surprising reason the first year in a new job is the most likely time to leaveHow “quiet quitting” can be reframed as a strategic reset instead of disengagementThe overlooked cost of leaving, including the social capital and goodwill you may not realize you’re giving up If you’re questioning your job, wrestling with burnout, or navigating uncertainty about your career path, this conversation will help you slow down, think clearly, and make a wiser next move. You can find Anthony at: Website | LinkedIn | Episode Transcript Next week, we're sharing a really meaningful conversation with Charles Duhigg about the hidden science of why our best advice often backfires, and how to finally feel truly understood by the people you love. Check out our offerings & partners:  Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    52 min

  7. 5 MAR

    Michael Pollan: Wake Up & Reclaim Your Attention

    Your mind is under siege. Every day, technology and noise fight to hijack your attention, leaving you feeling less present and more distracted than ever. In a word, unconscious. It’s time to stop the scroll and reclaim the most precious thing you own: your consciousness. Learn how to build "consciousness hygiene" and protect the privacy of your own mind.  Today we are joined by legendary author Michael Pollan. Michael is a ten-time New York Times bestseller and one of Time’s 100 most influential people, known for his deep dives into food and psychedelics. He joins us to discuss his latest journey into the mystery of awareness, featured in his new book, A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness. We explore: The "Four-Second Gap": A startling discovery about how your thoughts actually enter your awareness before you even "think" them. Lantern vs. Spotlight: Why your childhood way of seeing the world is the key to unlocking creativity in adulthood. The Chemical Genius of Plants: The surprising way roots and leaves make "intelligent" decisions without a single neuron. Bioelectric Body Maps: Why trauma and memory might be stored in your cells rather than just your brain. The "Thief in the House" Exercise: A simple mental framework to instantly quiet the critical voice of the ego.  We spend so much of our lives distracted, but you don't have to stay that way. Play this episode to learn how to be fully present for the life you’re actually living. You can find Michael at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript Next week, we're sharing a conversation with Anthony Klotz about why we quit, when to stay, and how to make wiser decisions when work just suddenly feels off, or relationships, or really just life. Check out our offerings & partners:  Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    42 min

  8. 2 MAR ·  VIDEO

    Thrive in an Empty Nest: The "Open Door" Strategy for Lasting Happiness | Gretchen Rubin

    Your kids leaving isn’t an ending; it’s an open door to a more intentional version of you. Many of us spend decades organizing our entire identities around our children, only to feel a staggering sense of loss when the house goes quiet. In this conversation, we explore why the term "empty nest" is so limiting and how to navigate the "forced reckoning" of midlife transitions without losing your sense of purpose. My guest is Gretchen Rubin, one of the world's most influential observers of happiness and human nature. She is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers including The Happiness Project and Life in Five Senses, and the host of the Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast. What you’ll discover in this episode: A simple linguistic shift that changes how you view your children’s independenceThe "Book vs. Tree" personality framework that explains why you and your partner might be clashing over the futureA 30-second "identity test" to see if you are at risk for a rocky life transitionThe "Minimum Acceptable Contact" rule for keeping a healthy bond with adult children without oversteppingHow to use "clutter clues" to rediscover a passion you abandoned years ago If you’ve ever felt like your world is shrinking as your children’s worlds expand, this conversation offers the roadmap to reclaim your space and your joy. Press play to start your next chapter. You can find Gretchen at: Website | Instagram | Happier with Gretchen Rubin - Podcast | Episode Transcript Next week, we're sharing a really meaningful conversation with Michael Pollan about the elusive nature of consciousness and why it is currently under siege. Michael shares why our awareness is the most precious thing we own and how we can reclaim our attention in an age of constant distraction. Check out our offerings & partners:  Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Hosts & Guests

About

Good Life Project is a podcast and video series for people navigating midlife with intention. Hosted by Jonathan Fields, each episode is a deep, honest conversation about what it actually takes to build a life that feels like yours, through the reinventions, reckonings, and reclamations that define your 40s, 50s, and beyond. Grounded in science, fueled by genuine curiosity, and always in service of the real work of living well. Often top-ranked, it’s been listened to and viewed more than 100 million times. New episodes weekly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Jonathan Fields / Acast
  • Years Active
    2013 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.1k
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Good Life Project 2016
  • Show Website
    Good Life Project

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