How to Be a Better Human

TED Audio Collective
  • 5.0 (6)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
How to Be a Better Human

Join How to Be a Better Human as we take a look within and beyond ourselves. How to Be a Better Human isn’t your average self improvement podcast. Each week join comedian Chris Duffy in conversation with guests and past speakers as they uncover sharp insights and give clear takeaways on how YOU can be a better human. From your work to your home and your head to your heart, How to Be a Better Human looks in unexpected places for new ways to improve and show up for one another. Inspired by the popular series of the same name on TED’s Ideas blog, How to Be a Better Human will help you become a better person from the comfort of your own headphones.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    How to have curious conversations in dangerously divided times (w/ Mónica Guzmán) (re-release)

    It's not a good feeling to be stuck in an argument with someone who doesn't seem to be listening to your point of view, especially when that someone is very important to you. So how can we strive to have deeper conversations with more respect, understanding, and open-mindedness with those who have different opinions? Journalist Mónica Guzmán is the chief storyteller of "Braver Angels", an organization dedicated to political depolarization. She shares the tools you can use to find common ground with your loved ones this holiday season. She discusses why interacting with (and listening to) different points of view is critical work – and how through curiosity we can achieve the seemingly impossible task of understanding those we tend to think of as our enemy. This episode was previously released on 11/21/22.

    39 min

  2. 18 NOV

    How to fix any problem (w/ Anne Morriss and Frances Frei)

    Some problems seem impossible. But this week’s guests say any problem can be solved. Leadership coach Anne Morriss and Harvard Business Professor Frances Frei are the power couple behind the book, Move Fast and Fix Things, the TED podcast Fixable, and more. They join Chris to discuss why any problem can be solved — whether the issue is in your business, family, or community. Learn how simple, everyday logic, authenticity, and empathy can guide  you to the best solutions to your trickiest problems. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts.

    41 min

  3. 11 NOV

    How to make every job a good job (w/ Zeynep Ton)

    Zeynep Ton believes that low-wage work (in childcare, customer service, assembly lines and other essential industries) is front-line work — and that pay should be adjusted accordingly. She makes the case that fair and competitive compensation for front-line workers is a better business model, with a nearly endless list of benefits for people and society at large. Listen in to learn how higher pay leads to higher productivity, better services, and happier people everywhere.

    35 min

  4. 4 NOV

    How to finally embrace your body (w/ Ronald Young Jr.)

    Ronald Young Jr. is an award-winning podcaster, producer, and writer and the creator of Weight For It — a podcast about his own experience with body image. Ronald explores complex feelings and asks profound questions about how we think and talk about a sometimes taboo subject: our weight. In this episode, he joins Chris to dive into why body image culture affects us all – and shares his thoughts on how to break away from our unspoken insecurities and fears. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

    40 min

  5. 28 OCT

    How to gain perspective in a climate crisis (w/ David Finnigan)

    When it comes to a controversial topic like climate change represented in art, is the conversation its sparks more significant than the art itself? In this episode, Chris talks with David Finnigan, a playwright and climate activist who knew what he was doing when he titled his 2014 play “Kill Climate Deniers.” The result? Outrage from hundreds of climate skeptics — and new conversations sparked around the climate crisis. Listen as David shares how he used the power of theater to shift perspectives and what it really means to grasp the science behind climate change in everyday life.

    37 min

  6. 21 OCT

    How to reclaim your cringe

    Have you ever laid awake at night, cringing at something your younger self did or said? So why is it that when we hear other peoples’ memories from their own awkward phases, we’re free of judgment? Dave Nadelberg and Neil Katcher are the co-founders of Mortified — a comedy podcast and live show where people read old diary entries from their childhoods. They’re experts in turning embarrassing stories into hilarious, heartwarming ones. David and Neil tell Chris their own quirky/eccentric/teenage anecdotes, and share how you can also learn to find the irony, joy and hilariousness in your own cringe.

    40 min

  7. 14 OCT

    Why you should make a spectacle out of life (w/ Lear deBessonet)

    When was the last time something you watched struck you? Award-winning theater director Lear deBessonet is deeply passionate about spectacle – and thinks you should be too. She shares the unexpected connections, wonder, and creativity that come from finding the unusual, notable, or entertaining; in common everyday experiences — and why you should look for more ways to create spectacle in your own life. Plus, learn why Lear has been rejected by ‘the San Diego chicken’ multiple times.

    37 min

  8. 7 OCT

    How to let go of needing a plan (w/ Reggie Watts)

    Reggie Watts has no plan when he walks out on the TED stage — he just lets go and tries to make himself laugh. In this episode, he shares with Chris why the audience member you should pay the most attention to is yourself and how you can find more ways to improvise, laugh and find ridiculousness in your everyday life to get to a happier one.

    34 min
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6 Ratings

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Join How to Be a Better Human as we take a look within and beyond ourselves. How to Be a Better Human isn’t your average self improvement podcast. Each week join comedian Chris Duffy in conversation with guests and past speakers as they uncover sharp insights and give clear takeaways on how YOU can be a better human. From your work to your home and your head to your heart, How to Be a Better Human looks in unexpected places for new ways to improve and show up for one another. Inspired by the popular series of the same name on TED’s Ideas blog, How to Be a Better Human will help you become a better person from the comfort of your own headphones.

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