

3854: Find What You Love and Let It Kill You by Mark Manson on Choosing Purpose
25/12/2025 | 11 min
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3854: Mark Manson reflects on the inevitability of death and the messy beauty of choosing a life worth dying for. He challenges the illusion that passion and purpose are painless pursuits, emphasizing that true meaning comes through sacrifice, hardship, and embracing the chaos of the journey. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://markmanson.net/find-what-you-love Quotes to ponder: “Finding the passion and purpose in your life is a trial-by-fire process.” “Try something, pay attention to how it feels, adjust and then try again.” “Doing what you love is not always loving what you do.” Episode references: Post Office by Charles Bukowski: https://www.amazon.com/Post-Office-Novel-Charles-Bukowski/dp/0061177571 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3853: If You Don’t Use It, You’ll Lose It by Benjamin Hardy on Continuous Growth Habits
24/12/2025 | 9 min
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3853: Benjamin Hardy challenges the myth of fixed personality by revealing how identity, creativity, and motivation are shaped through intentional action. By placing yourself in demanding situations and aligning with a powerful “why,” you create the momentum for deep transformation, internally and externally. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://medium.com/@benjaminhardy/if-you-dont-use-it-you-ll-lose-it-abe87a3bda94 Quotes to ponder: "Your behavior shapes your identity. You are responsible for who you become." "Action creates inspiration. Forward progress creates motivation." "Put yourself in a situation that demands your greatest behavior. Then watch as a seemingly endless supply of intrinsic motivation and extrinsic help aids you." Episode references: The Cult of Personality Testing: https://www.amazon.com/Cult-Personality-Testing-Miseducate-Mismanage/dp/0743280725 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3852: When You Become More Aware of Your Emotions, They Can’t Control You as Much by Saskia Macejova
23/12/2025 | 11 min
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3852: Saskia Macejova explores how emotional clarity can transform the way we respond to difficult situations, especially for highly sensitive people. By learning to name and understand our feelings with honesty and curiosity, we gain the power to act with intention instead of reacting from confusion or fear. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://introvertdear.com/news/emotions-hsps-aware/ Quotes to ponder: "The less aware we are of our emotions, the less likely we are to figure out how to best regulate them." "The fear is not you. It’s just you being afraid." "It may take some time to learn how to be honest with yourself and others, but it’s not impossible." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3851: I Am Not the Center of the Universe by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus with Exile Lifestyle
22/12/2025 | 11 min
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3851: Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus challenge our default self-centered worldview by exploring how cultural conditioning leads us to believe we’re the center of everything. By consciously stepping outside ourselves and embracing contribution over consumption, we can discover deeper freedom, purpose, and lasting happiness beyond material excess. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://exilelifestyle.com/center-universe/ Quotes to ponder: "Everything in my own immediate experience supports my deep belief that I am the absolute center of the universe, it’s pretty much the same for all of us." "It’s impossible to feel fulfilled or satisfied if we do not contribute beyond ourselves." "Minimalism is a tool that can help us regain our consciousness and show us that the real point of our lives is not consumption, but to contribute to other people in meaningful ways." Episode references: This Is Water by David Foster Wallace: https://fs.blog/david-foster-wallace-this-is-water/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3850: Sculpting Your Best Self: How Self-Improvement is Best Done Through Sculpting Others by Michael Mehlberg
21/12/2025 | 10 min
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3850: Michael Mehlberg challenges the traditional view of self-improvement by revealing a powerful truth: the best way to refine yourself is by helping shape others. Through small, intentional acts of kindness and awareness, you become both the sculptor and the sculpture, transforming lives while uncovering the best version of yourself. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://michaelmehlberg.com/blog/2019/9/7/sculpting-your-best-self-how-self-improvement-is-best-done-through-sculpting-others Quotes to ponder: "You are a block of stone, but you are also an artist etching change into each life you touch." "The words you use and the way you treat people forever alters their life, sometimes in big ways, most times in small, unknown ways." "You are a sculptor of lives, yourself and those around you." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices



Optimal Living Daily - Personal Development and Self-Improvement