The Next Big Idea Daily
889 episodes — Page 6 of 18
Ambition is a Trap. Here's How to Get Out.
Ambition. We celebrate it, chase it, and reward it. But for many of us, ambition has become a double-edged sword—fueling overwork, perfectionism, and self-neglect. What if the problem isn’t having ambition, but where it’s coming from? Executive coach Amina AlTai has worked with everyone from Olympians to entrepreneurs, and in her new book The Ambition Trap: How to Stop Chasing and Start Living, she argues that we don’t need to give up ambition; we just need to reclaim it on our own terms. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Magic Is Real—And It’s Living in Your Computer
How code became the most powerful spell humans have ever cast. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Your Life Plan Fell Apart. Now What?
Life changes can sneak up on all of us, and sometimes they hit pretty hard. Cassidy Krug spent 20 years training to be one of the best divers in the world. She made it to the Olympics. And then, in a single moment, her lifelong dream ended—with no medal, no encore, just the quiet shock of “What now?” Cassidy’s new book, Resurface, is a guide for anyone navigating life’s big transitions—grief, identity shifts, career changes, reinventions. In the book, she gathers wisdom from Olympians, veterans, new parents, and more. Below, she shares what she’s learned about letting go, asking for help, and redefining success.
Reclaiming the Lost Art of True Connection
Listening can be improved. Ximena Vengoechea is here to tell you how. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Lean Learning
We live in a golden age of learning. Want to learn Mandarin? There’s an app for that. Want to write some code? There’s an AI chatbot that can help. Want to start a business, write a novel, fix your posture, or master the didgeridoo? Go to YouTube and you could start today. And that’s the problem. When you can learn anything, the temptation is to try learning everything. Entrepreneur and podcaster Pat Flynn says that’s the fast track to burnout and stagnation. In his new book, Lean Learning: How to Achieve More by Learning Less, he lays out a better way. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Your Brain Is Broken. So Why Can't Anyone Fix It?
Antidepressants we don't understand. Cures that never arrive. One neuroscientist blows the whistle on a mental health system that's stuck—and she’s got a radical new plan to fix your brain. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Ideas Are Easy. Now Comes the Hard Part.
Let’s face it: ideas are a dime a dozen. Just about anyone can come up with a clever app, a market opportunity, or a product pitch over coffee. But building a real company? That’s the hard part. In her new book After the Idea: What It Really Takes to Create and Scale a Startup, Harvard Business School faculty member Julia Austin offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to turn inspiration into a functioning business—and stay sane along the way. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Your Brain on Revenge
Let’s talk about revenge. Not the juicy, action-movie kind with flaming cars and dramatic showdowns, but the kind that quietly simmers in your brain long after someone cuts you off in traffic or sends a snarky email. According to Yale psychiatry lecturer and lawyer James Kimmel, Jr., revenge isn’t just an emotion. It’s an addiction. A hit of dopamine here, a rumination there, and suddenly we’re hooked on the fantasy of payback. But what if we could quit cold turkey? In his new book, The Science of Revenge, James explains how to rewire our minds, embrace forgiveness, and break free from the cycles of grievance that keep us stuck. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
No One Succeeds Alone
Robert Reffkin, co-founder and CEO of the real estate company Compass, says his success story is really the story of his great relationships. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
You’re Not Too Old. You’re Just Getting Started.
A formula for reigniting your purpose at any age, from the founder of Moms Demand Action. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Your Brain Is Lying to You—And That's Actually Amazing
Pria Anand reveals how our minds create elaborate stories to fill the gaps we don't understand. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Ever Feel Like You Just Don’t Fit In?
In a world where fitting in can seem critical to your survival, it’s worth asking: What if your power lies in not belonging? Psychiatrist Rami Kaminski thinks that sense of being an outsider isn’t a bug — it’s a feature. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
How to Raise Great Kids in a Messed-Up World
Science journalist Melinda Wenner Moyer, shares research-backed strategies for parenting with compassion, curiosity, and resilience from her new book, Hello, Cruel World!: Science-Based Strategies for Raising Terrific Kids in Terrifying Times. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Nobody's Normal
To close out the week, here are five key insights from Roy Richard Grinker's book Nobody's Normal: How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental Illness. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Work Less, Accomplish More
Juliet Schor shares the data behind a shorter workweek—and why it’s better for your health, your boss, and the bottom line. Her new book is Four Days a Week. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Six Minutes to End Civilization
In a world armed to the teeth and governed by split-second decisions, Six Minutes to Winter by Mark Lynas makes a chilling argument for total nuclear disarmament — before it’s too late. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Stop Being Bland. Start Being Memorable.
Want to be more persuasive, inspiring, or just less forgettable? Today's episode has the tools to help you stand out. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Sure, You're Smart — But What Kind of Smart?
Today, Travis Bradberry, author of The New Emotional Intelligence, argues that understanding and managing your emotions — and the emotions of others — is even more important than IQ when it comes to success at work and in life. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Let's Get Touchy-Feely
Think about the best relationships in your life, the ones where you can be completely yourself, speak honestly, and know the other person truly gets you. What if you could build more relationships like that — at home, at work, anywhere. That’s the promise of Connect, a book by Stanford professors Carole Robin and David Bradford, based on their legendary course in emotional intelligence. Turns out deeper connection isn’t some mysterious talent. It’s a learnable skill. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Where’d My Money Go?
In their new book, Inflation: A Guide for Users and Losers, Brown University economists Mark Blyth and Nicolò Fraccaroli explain who wins, who loses, and—most importantly—how you can land on the right side of that equation. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Unlock Your Inner Athlete
In his new book, Ballistic: The New Science of Injury-Free Athletic Performance, journalist Henry Abbott explores how cutting-edge sports science is rewriting what we know about movement, injury, and staying active — for life. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
The Ultimate Brain Hack? Talking.
Turns out that speaking isn’t just a way of communicating important information and ideas. Psycholinguist Maryellen MacDonald says it's also good for you. Her new book is More Than Words. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Where Were You During the AI Revolution?
If you want your organization to succeed in the future, you need to take advantage of AI now. Lucky for you, Adam Brotman and Andy Sack have written AI First, a playbook that can help you future-proof your business. 📱 To hear the rest of this week’s Next Big Idea Daily episodes, follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want to transform your day in just 10 minutes? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter, and you’ll get daily, bite‑sized insights from the best new nonfiction books — in audio or text — straight from the authors. Sign up today!
The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life
How do we decide what we want? By imitating other people, says Luke Burgis. His new book is Wanting. • If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us by subscribing to our daily newsletter. You'll get transcripts, quizzies, bonus features, and more. Learn more at bookoftheday.nextbigideaclub.com
No New Things
Want to save money, the planet, and your sanity? Sustainability expert Ashlee Piper says the answer is simple: stop buying things. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
How Noise Took Over the World — and How We Can Take It Back
Chris Berdik reports on how our increasingly noisy world affects our health, well-being, and the planet. His new book is Clamor.📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
How Women Revolutionized Modern Friendship
Cultural historian Tiffany Watt Smith shares five key insights from her new book, Bad Friend. • Support the show by subscribing to our daily newsletter. You'll get transcripts, quizzes, bonus features, and access to our archives
The Five Mindsets Every Leader Needs to Master
The old rules of management don't work anymore. Today, Paula Davis, founder of the Stress & Resilience Institute, shares what smart leaders are doing instead. Her new book is Lead Well. • Support the show by subscribing to our daily newsletter. You'll get access to transcripts, quizzes, bonus content, and our archive of book bites.
How to Get a Good Night's Sleep
Russell Foster, professor of circadian neuroscience at the University of Oxford, shares the new science of catching z's. • Support the show by subscribing to our daily newsletter
The One Leadership Skill That Matters Most
Zach Mercurio shares insights from his new book, The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance.
Is AI a Con?
Linguist Emily M. Bender and sociologist Alex Hanna aren't feeling the AGI. • Support the show by subscribing to our daily newsletter
The Neuroscience of Choice and Change
Emily Falk reveals the hidden calculations that shape our daily decisions ― and how to make more fulfilling, impactful choices in our work, relationships, and lives. Her new book is What We Value. • Support the show by subscribing to our daily newsletter • Comment on this episode!
Five Rules for Living a More Creative Life
Acclaimed poet Maggie Smith says everyone is creative — yes, even you. 📖 Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life 📱 Support the show by subscribing to our newsletter
The Power of Strangers
Joe Keohane on the benefits of connecting in a suspicious world. • Support the show by subscribing to our daily newsletter
What Cultures Around the World Can Teach You About Parenting
Marina Lopes's new book is Please Yell at My Kids. • Comment on this episode! • Support the show by subscribing to our newsletter
Taming the Molecule of More
Dopamine makes it easy to get stuck in a cycle of never being truly satisfied. It promises happiness, but can never deliver. A more fulfilling life begins with training your brain to overcome the dopamine chase. It’s easier than you think. • Comment on this episode! • Support the show and get transcripts, book lists, and more
Silicon Valley’s Crusade to Control the Fate of Humanity
In his new book, More Everything Forever, science journalist Adam Becker investigates the wildly implausible and often profoundly immoral visions of tomorrow — and shows why, in reality, there is no good evidence that they will, or should, come to pass. • Comment on this episode! • Support the show and get transcripts, polls, book lists, and more
The Psychology of Leadership
We're kicking off the week with a fresh take on leadership from Sébastien Page, chief investment officer at T. Rowe Price. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
A Conservative Case for Liberal Education
Not so long ago, conservative intellectuals believed universities were worth fighting for. Today, conservatives seem more inclined to burn them down. Today on the show, conservative political theorist and professor Jonathan Marks makes the case that liberal education is an antidote to this despair, because the true purpose of college is to encourage people to be reasonable. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
The Ideological Brain
📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
How to Live Forever. Well, Almost Forever.
Eric Topol is the executive vice president and a professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research, the largest nonprofit biomedical institute in the United States. He is also a practicing cardiologist and one of the ten most-cited medical researchers. His new book is Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
The Navy SEAL Way to Turn Stress into Success
Retired Navy SEAL commander and performance expert Rich Diviney reveals a revolutionary method for training individuals and teams to perform at their best, no matter what. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
A Playbook for Building the Future
Today, we hear from Jake Knapp, the guy who helped build Gmail, about his new book, Click. It's an innovative guide for starting big projects the smart way.
Raising Calm Kids in a World of Worry
Kids today are more susceptible than ever to anxiety and stress. Fortunately, there are ways to help. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift isn’t just a once-in-a-generation talent. She's also a brilliant businesswoman, says Harvard Business Review editor Kevin Evers, whose career is a masterclass in brand-building, audience engagement, and tactical reinvention. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
How to Fall in Love with Questions
A new way to thrive in times of uncertainty. 📕 How to Fall in Love with Questions by Elizabeth Weingarten 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
How to Be Unforgettable
Are you an ambitious hard worker and high achiever ― but feeling stuck, unseen, and struggling to advance in your career? Lorraine K. Lee can help you change that. 📕 Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Are You Mentally Fit?
Drew Ramsey wants us to approach mental fitness the way we approach physical fitness. Today, he shares his training regimen. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Bears!
Teddy bears. Paddington. Winnie-the-Pooh. Somewhere along the way, bears wandered out of the wilderness and straight into our imaginations — and our hearts. But outside of the storybooks, the remaining species of bear face a difficult reality: shrinking habitats, poaching, and deadly encounters with our species. Reuters journalist Gloria Dickie explores that reality in the book Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter
Economic Cheat Codes for Life
Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin, shares some big ideas from her new book, Hate the Game. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter