The School of Greatness

4.8 (21K)
Mental Health
Updated Weekly

Lewis Howes is a New York Times best-selling author, 2x All-American athlete, keynote speaker, and entrepreneur. The School of Greatness shares inspiring interviews from the most successful people on the planet—world-renowned leaders in business, entertainment, sports, science, health, mental health and literature—to inspire YOU to unlock your inner greatness and live your best life.

23h ago

What Sociopaths Really Feel | Dr. Patric Gagne

People with psychopathy still feel, just differently from everyone around them. Dr. Patric Gagne, a diagnosed sociopath who went on to earn a doctorate and work as a therapist, sat down with Lewis and told the story she tells in Sociopath: A Memoir. As a kid she learned that saying “I don't care” out loud got her in trouble, so she lied, and lying made her feel safe. She talks about the pressure she called a vice, which she relieved by breaking into homes just to sit in the quiet, and the first grade day she stabbed a classmate with a pencil. Then she explains why secondary psychopathy, which may touch 5% of people, is treatable when kids get caught early. You will hear why a therapist who doesn't absorb your pain can be the best container for it, and why stopping someone from crying can stop the brain from healing. She also gets into the shame under people pleasing and narcissism, and the question she asks her own kids: how does it feel when you feel? You may come away a little gentler with the people you never understood, and with the kid you used to be. Sociopath: A Memoir Dr. Patric's Instagram Dr. Patric's Website The Society for the Prevention of Disorders of Aggression In this episode you will: Become a calm container for someone's pain without needing to empathizeRaise emotionally aware kids through boundaries, apologies and positive reinforcement instead of punishmentLearn why awareness is 80% of the work in changing destructive patternsDiscover why psychopaths can feel emotion and what actually separates them from everyone elseSpot the warning signs of sociopathy in dating, relationships and business partnershipsBreak free from people pleasing by choosing honesty over curated, falsified emotionsFor more information go to https://lewishowes.com/1995 More SOG episodes we think you’ll love! Get More From Lewis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
3d ago

Your Anxiety Is a Smoke Alarm, Not a Broken Brain | Dr. John Delony

What if your anxiety is a smoke alarm, and your body is working perfectly? Dr. John Delony, a mental health expert with two PhDs, sat down with Lewis and said the thing most of us dodge: if you are awake at 2:30 in the morning, something in your life is on fire. Numbing it with a drink or a screen is like duct taping a pillow over the alarm while the house burns around you. Then he got personal. While he was writing Building a Non-Anxious Life, his wife walked into his basement gym and told him, “I'm watching my husband die,” and then, “John, we have enough.” His little girl would not hug him, and in counseling he could not put a fist to his chest and say “I love this guy.” Back then he would have rated himself a zero out of ten on being enough. Now he says nine, and his daughter uses him as a jungle gym. He and Lewis also talk about why “me over us” hurts so many relationships and how paying off debt let him grieve a cousin without a single worry about money. You'll finish this one wanting to put your phone down and ask what your own alarm has been trying to tell you about your marriage and your kids. Building a Non-Anxious Life Own Your Past Change Your Future: A Not-So-Complicated Approach to Relationships, Mental Health & Wellness Redefining Anxiety: What It Is, What It Isn't, and How to Get Your Life Back John's Instagram John's YouTube John's Facebook In this episode you will: Hear how Dr. John Delony went from 0/10 to 9/10 on believing he is enoughUse neuroception to understand why your kids pull away when you stop feeling safe to themDiscover why anxiety is a smoke alarm proving your body works perfectly, not a flaw to silenceBreak the common male lie that your only value is your utilityBuild an antifragile life where hard seasons bring grief without spiraling into anxietyReplace rigid beliefs with shared values so your relationships choose us over meFor more information go to https://lewishowes.com/1994 More SOG episodes we think you’ll love! Get More From Lewis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
5d ago

The Ancient 4-Step Method to Clear Your Mind | Shaolin Master Shi Heng Yi

You keep making the same mistake because you haven't failed enough yet. That sounds harsh until you hear the reasoning, and then it feels like relief. Shi Heng Yi, a 35th generation Shaolin master who has practiced kung fu since age four, sat down with Lewis and explained why manifestation stalls for most people. You can touch the hot plate five times and it still hurts, he says, and one day you simply stop. Lewis admits he touched it about 100 times across 15 to 20 years of relationships before he changed. Then he gets practical. He walks through RAIN, his four step method for a restless or doubting mind: recognize it, accept it, investigate it, and stop identifying with it. He also teaches you to build a skill in focused cycles, 7 days for skin and 30 days for muscle, with more time the deeper the change goes. The cup is the part that stays with you: you arrive empty, and then your parents and your teachers pour their ideas in until you are chasing a life that never came from you. His mindset advice is simple: learn to empty the cup. You will finish this one wanting to pick a single skill to practice and asking which of your goals are actually yours. And you might sit with gratitude a little longer tonight. Shaolin Spirit: The Way to Self-Mastery Shi Heng Yi's Website Shi Heng Yi's Instagram Shi Heng Yi's YouTube In this episode you will: Break the cycle of repeating the same painful mistakes before they cost you another decadeLearn Shi Heng Yi's RAIN method for moving through doubt, restlessness and other inner hindrancesEmpty your cup of borrowed expectations so you can pursue a vision that is truly yoursBuild lasting skills through focused cycles of practice matched to how deep the change goesCultivate gratefulness as a daily embodied practice instead of something you only talk aboutFor more information go to https://lewishowes.com/1993 More SOG episodes we think you’ll love! Get More From Lewis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Oct 12

How Stress Can Cause a Heart Attack (And How to Heal) | Dr. Tara Narula

Stress can give you a real heart attack even when your arteries are perfectly healthy. Doctors call it broken heart syndrome, and it can follow losing someone you love or even winning the lottery. Dr. Tara Narula, a board certified cardiologist and chief medical correspondent for ABC News, sat down with Lewis and shared what her patients say when she asks how they are. Almost nobody mentions blood pressure. They tell her they are overwhelmed, and many of them cry. She knows that fear from the inside. At 22, in medical school, she lost vision in part of her right eye and spent the first weeks reading every stumble as proof of something worse. A note card from her mom with the Serenity Prayer pulled her out of the spiral. In The Healing Power of Resilience she lays out eight tools, and she walks Lewis through acceptance and flexible thinking, then makes the case for purpose and real social connection. She also explains why burnout is the final phase of chronic stress, and why a study across 52 countries found chronically stressed people are twice as likely to have a heart attack. You will finish this one wanting to call a friend for coffee and start practicing resilience before you need it. The Healing Power of Resilience: A New Prescription for Health and Well-Being Dr. Tara's Instagram In this episode you will: Learn Dr. Tara Narula's eight resilience tools for turning a stress response into a resilient oneDiscover how stress alone can trigger a real heart attack, even in people with perfectly healthy arteriesRecognize when your fight or flight dial is stuck on high before burnout makes you sickReframe a frightening diagnosis as a trauma you can accept and build a meaningful new life afterBuild resilience before you need it, using the daily practices that help your body heal fasterFor more information go to https://lewishowes.com/1992 More SOG episodes we think you’ll love! Get More From Lewis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Oct 9

A Divorce Lawyer on the Small Things That End Marriages | James Sexton

A marriage can end over a bag of granola, a full year before anyone says the word divorce. James Sexton, a divorce lawyer for over two decades, sat down with Lewis and told the story of a client whose husband always quietly restocked her favorite granola. One day the bag ran out and he never noticed. She knew right then that it was over. He calls marriage a technology that fails about 53% of the time, and says most couples put more thought into the wedding cake than into what they are signing. In his book If You're in My Office, It's Already Too Late: A Divorce Lawyer's Guide to Staying Together, he shares what works: send the hard email while the hurt is still small, and get a prenup even when you feel certain. He also explains why infidelity usually starts with lost connection long before anyone cheats. The line I keep repeating to people: the opposite of love is indifference. And he still believes in marriage. He compares it to the lottery, where the prize is so good that it is worth buying a ticket. You will finish this one wanting to do some small, kind thing for your partner tonight without asking for credit. If you care about relationships and honest communication, you will probably start a conversation you have been putting off. How to Stay in Love If You're In My Office, It's Already Too Late: A Divorce Lawyer's Guide to Staying Together James on Instagram James on YouTube Better Call Sexton Podcast In this episode, you’ll: Rethink the prenup as a conversation about caring for each other, not a bet against your marriageUnderstand the Go Without or Go Elsewhere dynamic behind infidelity, and why sharing desires openly protects your connectionDiscover why James Sexton treats marriage as a technology, with trade-offs to understand before you sign upLearn the Hit Send Now habit for voicing what bothers you while it's still small enough to fixSee how small, unaddressed disconnections erode a relationship long before anyone calls a divorce lawyerGet the Yours, Mine and Ours approach to money, so financial stress stops turning into resentmentFor more information go to https://lewishowes.com/1991 More SOG episodes we think you’ll love! Get More From Lewis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Oct 7

Secret Service Agent: How to Get Anyone to Tell You the Truth | Brad Beeler

People tell you the truth when they feel safe, and one raised eyebrow can shut them down. Brad Beeler, who spent 25 years as a US Secret Service agent and polygraph examiner, sat down with Lewis and explained how he got a couple thousand people to open up about the worst things they had ever done. His rule is simple: never punish the disclosure. He once watched a suspect go silent the second a flash of contempt crossed his face. You will hear why a neutral face reads as a threat in first impressions and why lie detection is close to a coin flip, with people getting it right only 54% of the time. Brad watches your feet to see how comfortable you are, and he treats every cue as a check engine light to follow up on later. He also shares the cases he got wrong, including the day he fixated on a 6 foot 4 biker while the quiet man in front of him kept saying “that's not it.” His book, Tell Me Everything, grew out of those mistakes, and the lessons carry straight into your relationships and your parenting. Swap “why did you do that” for “help me understand” and give the other person an off ramp to save face. Lewis admits how hard that is when someone has hurt you, and Brad admits he lost his cool with his own son's coach. After this one, you will catch your own face in the next hard conversation. And you will probably ask one more question before you say “me too.” Tell Me Everything: A Secret Service Agent's Proven Strategies for Earning Trust, Revealing the Truth, and Communicating with Anyone Brad's Website Brad's Instagram In this episode you will: Discover why a Secret Service polygraph expert says spotting lies from body language barely beats a coin flipCreate the judgment free environment that makes people feel safe telling you the truthLearn the Buddy framework for giving someone an off-ramp to confess without excusing what they didBuild instant rapport with Brad Beeler's FEEL method: family, education, employment, leisureTreat first impressions as a hypothesis so horns and halos stop steering you wrongProtect your face from flashing contempt and shutting down a hard disclosureFor more information go to https://lewishowes.com/1990 More SOG episodes we think you’ll love! Get More From Lewis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Oct 5

I Was a Champion on the Field and Broken at Home | Terry Bradshaw

You can win four Super Bowls and still spend every game afraid of losing. Terry Bradshaw, a Pro Football Hall of Famer and longtime host of Fox NFL Sunday, sat down with Lewis and admitted he was never confident as an NFL quarterback. Fear cost him his throwing motion, and he completed just 51.9% of his passes. Underneath it all were his mother’s words when he was eight: you’ll never amount to anything. He talks openly about depression and ADHD, which he didn’t learn about until after football. He also talks about three divorces, and the moment it hit him that the common factor was him. Three years of counseling and a hard look in the mirror later, he married his best friend, a woman who makes him talk about what he’d rather bury. In his memoir Looking for Terry, and in this conversation, he explains why he sobbed over his dog but not his mother, and how his wife taught him to say no. He also shares how his faith held through cancer twice in one year, and why he cares more about kindness than greatness. You’ll come away gentler with your own fear, and maybe ready to ask for the help you’ve been putting off. Looking for Terry: A Memoir The Bradshaw Family Cookbook: Our Favorite Recipes for Game Days, Weekdays, and Any Day Keep It Simple It's Only a Game Terry on Instagram Terry on Facebook In this episode you will: Discover how Terry Bradshaw turned childhood criticism and harsh coaching into fuel instead of letting it define himBreak the relationship pattern that repeats when you finally admit the common factor is youPractice mirror evaluation, the self-honesty exercise Terry uses to see himself clearly without inflating or tearing himself downRecognize depression and ADD as manageable conditions by talking them out rather than hiding themBuild a marriage grounded in friendship, where saying no is allowed and hard conversations happenRedefine greatness around kindness and hope rather than trophies or moneyFor more information go to https://lewishowes.com/1989 More SOG episodes we think you’ll love! Get More From Lewis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Oct 2

Budgets Don't Work, Automation Makes You Rich | David Bach

Four out of ten people can't put their hands on $400 in an emergency, and almost none of them know why. David Bach, who spent nine years at Morgan Stanley and co-founded an advisory firm with more than $7 billion on its platform, sat down with Lewis and made the case that budgets fail everyone while automation quietly works. His book The Latte Factor tells the story through a broke travel editor in Brooklyn who works 70 hours a week and never goes anywhere. He also explains the Rule of 72, why a new car payment eats three months of your year, and how selling a home you live in can hand you a quarter million dollars the government never touches. The part that will stay with you has nothing to do with money. His grandmother was broke at 30, saved 50 cents a week in a coffee can, and helped him buy his first share of McDonald's stock when he was seven. On her deathbed at 86, he asked her about regrets. Every single one was a fork in the road where she chose the safe path. Then Lewis puts his own finances on the table and gets told what he's still missing. David talks about sitting in a hospital waiting room days before this conversation, sure his wife was having a stroke, and what that did to his sense of what actually matters. His last piece of advice is about forgiving someone you stopped speaking to. You will pull out your phone and look at your subscriptions. You may also call someone you've been avoiding for years. The Automatic Millionaire, 20th Anniversary Edition: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich The Latte Factor: Why You Don't Have to Be Rich to Live Rich Debt Free for Life: The Finish Rich Plan for Financial Freedom David's Website David's Instagram In this episode you will: Automate your wealth so money grows while you sleep, instead of relying on a budget you will abandon within a monthDiscover the Latte Factor with David Bach and see how small daily spending quietly costs you a million dollarsApply the Rule of 72 to know exactly how long your money takes to doubleEscape the paycheck to paycheck trap that traps seven out of ten Americans who cannot find four hundred dollars in an emergencyReject get rich quick thinking and build real wealth over decades by owning quality assets you never touchForgive the people you resent before that stored pain turns into the regret you carry to the endFor more information go to https://lewishowes.com/1988 More SOG episodes we think you’ll love! Get More From Lewis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Trailer

Welcome to the School of Greatness Podcast!

Welcome to the School of Greatness podcast! This is my introductory "trailer" episode if you are new to the show. Get More From Lewis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The stories you tell yourself on a daily basis determines the person you will become.The good, the bad, the negative, the positive, the uplifting, the draining – they’re all part of the equation. But YOU are the author of your life story – so, what story are you writing? Top Podcaster & Best-selling Author Lewis Howes brings you the The Daily Motivation Show, where you’ll hear from industry-leading experts, you’ll learn proven principles, and you’ll discover life-changing ideas that will help you get motivated and STAY motivated.

4.8 (904)

Self-Improvement
No matter how ambitious, talented or intelligent you are, you’ll only go as far as your habits will take you. And by prioritizing your happiness and emotional well-being in the habits you develop, you’ll equip yourself with the tools you need to thrive through anything. But how do we get there? With all the curveballs life throws at us, how can we create positive habits that will bring us peace in times of chaos? In Happy Habits, host Lewis Howes and top experts will show you how to do exactly that. The episodes from this curated feed can be found on The School of Greatness podcast feed or can be accessed ad-free here when you become a GREATNESS+ subscriber.

3.8 (33)

Mental Health
Your mindset can be a shield against negativity, or it can be the door that lets it in. And with so much negativity out in the world, if we don’t actively shift our focus toward optimism, we run the risk of letting it consume us. So where and how do you start? How can you develop an abundance mindset that will help you attract the life of your dreams? What steps can you take today to begin manifesting a more fulfilled life? In Manifestation & The Law of Attraction, host Lewis Howes and top experts will show you how to do exactly that. The episodes from this curated feed can be found on The School of Greatness podcast feed or can be accessed ad-free here when you become a GREATNESS+ subscriber.

4.5 (29)

Self-Improvement
When you learn to master your mindset, your entire life starts to change. Your relationships, your career, your health & wellness all begin with taking control of your mind – and not letting your mind control you. But how do you get there? With all of the content and endless tips out in the world, how can you determine what works and what doesn’t? How can you continue to try new mindset strategies without getting overwhelmed? In Unlock The Power of Your Mind, host Lewis Howes and top experts will show you how to do exactly that. The episodes from this curated feed can be found on The School of Greatness podcast feed or can be accessed ad-free here when you become a GREATNESS+ subscriber.

3.8 (13)

Mental Health
When you decide to learn the language of money, you begin to unlock abundance in all the areas of your life. Most of us have been taught to approach money from a place of fear – fear of losing it, fear of making too much, fear that we won’t ever make enough. So how do we turn things around? How can we begin to shift our scarcity mindset to one of abundance? How can we stop being afraid to approach our finances head on instead of avoiding them? In Money Mindset, host Lewis Howes and top experts will show you how to do exactly that. The episodes from this curated feed can be found on The School of Greatness podcast feed or can be accessed ad-free here when you become a GREATNESS+ subscriber.

3.3 (24)

Investing
The quality of your relationships determine the quality of your life. You could have everything in the world, but if you have no one to share it with, then what’s the point? But we can’t just snap our fingers and create high-quality, meaningful relationships. It takes consistent, intentional, and dedicated work. It takes us developing valuable skills that will help us become more vulnerable and love deeper. In Lasting Love: Intimacy & Relationships, host Lewis Howes and top experts will show you how to do exactly that. The episodes from this curated feed can be found on The School of Greatness podcast feed or can be accessed ad-free here when you become a GREATNESS+ subscriber.

4.3 (19)

Self-Improvement

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Lewis Howes

Host
Patric Gagne

Guest
Dr. John Delony

Guest
Dr. Tara Narula

Guest
Bradley Beeler

Guest
Terry Bradshaw

Guest
David Bach

Guest
Vanessa Van Edwards

Guest
Jonathan Fields

Guest
Cal Newport

Guest

4.8

out of 5

20,620 Ratings

Love this show

1d ago

Can-Am Girl

There isn’t a week that goes by that I do not listen to at least one episode. Lewis brings the humility and heart that bring forward the stories of inspiration that keep entrepreneurs like myself going.
Matthew McConaughey 7/17/26

Oct 9

MovingPictures1981

Good show, but wow Matthew McConaughey sounds terminally self-involved. There is barely any content in the interview besides repeated attempts at self-mythologizing. Overly detailed and at times quite repetitive. Some things come down to tone and implication, many of his remarks are mildly smug and self-congratulatory. Sort of reminded me of the 60 Minutes segment with Jamie Lee Curtis. Aside from the criticism, he gave great performances in Dazed and Confused (1993), Contact (1997), and smaller role in The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). Skip the rom-coms lol.
Hope

Oct 2

Augie@GamelliLandscapes

This podcast has been instrumental on my path to entrepreneurship definitely provides serious insight and inspiration. I’m continuously learning little things about myself and in return those things are compounding in my life in a positive supportive way.
Most amazing podcast

Sep 4

chandageorge

Absolutely love your podcast. Mindset is everything and I’m reminded of it when listen to you. You ask great questions and I cannot get enough. Thank you for bringing amazing content

Lewis Howes is a New York Times best-selling author, 2x All-American athlete, keynote speaker, and entrepreneur. The School of Greatness shares inspiring interviews from the most successful people on the planet—world-renowned leaders in business, entertainment, sports, science, health, mental health and literature—to inspire YOU to unlock your inner greatness and live your best life.