What is a Good Life?

On the 24th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am joined by Robbie Stamp, who is the is CEO of BIOSS International, a Senior Fellow at the Resilience and Sustainable Development Programme at Cambridge University, Chairman of HappenedHere, and was an Executive Producer on the Hitchhikers’s Guide to the Galaxy feature film.In this episode, we discuss the quality and significance of paying attention, cultivating compassion for ourselves and others, becoming ok with not knowing, appreciating all phenomenological and conscious experiences, the mirror AI holds up to us and the limitations AI will have in accounting for all human experience, and how there will always be a tension between creative and destructive behaviour, both internally and collectively.This episode will help you appreciate the messiness of being human and yourself, feel more comfortable with the uncertainty and paradoxes of life, exhibit more compassion for us all while striving to improve, and to cultivate some humility around the limitations of your own knowledge and perspective. Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and reflections.Contact me at [email protected] to book a free 30 minute consultation for one-on-one coaching programs or to hear about corporate workshops I am offering around this question.Running Order:01:31 Podcast begins02:06 Paying attention06:51 Compassion for the messiness of human beings10:14 The paradox of needing to be hard and kind to yourself17:29 Becoming ok with not knowing21:32 Getting comfortable with uncertainty28:19 AI and the mirror it holds up to us33:11 What AI cannot capture38:13 The significance of all conscious experiences44:31 Suspending our labels and perspectives48:08 How do we create better civil discourse51:21 Burdening ourselves with ideas of Utopia54:56 Paradox of humility57:36 What is a good life for Robbie?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Robbie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbie-stamp-70254/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the 23rd episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am joined by Robyn O’Brien, who is on the Forbes’ Impact 50 List for her work at the intersection of food and climate, the best-selling author of The Unhealthy Truth, the Founder at Sirona Ventures - providing impact capital, advisory and consulting services, and an Adjunct Professor at Rice Business. In this episode, Robyn shares moments of adversity from her journey of confronting the food industry in America over the use of chemicals in the food supply after her own child experienced an allergic reaction. She discuss the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people, not numbing ourselves to pain, paying attention to moments in our lives where our calling can be revealed, and then having the courage to follow it. This episode provides plenty of inspiration as to where this life can take us when we decide to act in the face of sizeable challenges, appreciate the lessons or clues that adversity provides, and how a life of service and collaboration can help us overcome many obstacles. Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and reflections.Contact me at [email protected] to book a free 30 minute consultation for one-on-one coaching programs or to hear about corporate workshops I am offering around this question.Running Order:01:30 Podcast begins03:45 Surrounding yourself with the right people06:30 Being in service and alignment10:40 Paying attention 12:30 Staying open to pain as a teacher15:20 Challenges in confronting the food industry21:05 The importance of having the right people around23:57 I’m grateful that I know my purpose30:00 Everything and everyone is either nourishing or extracting32:30 A movement with collaboration not ego36:30 Making a breakthrough with a TED talk41:52 Curiosity in finding solutions45:34 The significance of people having our backs48:18 Courage can be in the smallest steps50:37 What is a good life for Robyn?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Robyn's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyn-o-brien-a395b42/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the 22nd episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am joined by Craig Slee, who is a disabled writer, consultant, and theorist dealing with mythology, magic, culture, and exploring life through the lens of landscape, disability, and fugitive embodiments. He has contributed essays and poetry focusing on the numinous and disability to various anthologies and has also co-facilitated seminar series at the Dresden Academy for Fine Arts, including one on Ableism and the Arts in 2022.In this episode, Craig takes us on a journey from burning out from trying to be “normal,” living with a life-long disability, exploring other ways of being and existing, developing a deeper awareness regarding the subtleties of life, pain, and suffering, and ultimately to discovering vitality and aliveness in living his own good life.There is plenty to take from this episode in terms of guiding you to pay attention, developing a more subtle awareness, and the significance in our inquiries of sensing the world without labelling it, and what all this may lead to in terms of finding other ways of existing.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and reflections.Contact me at [email protected] to book a free 30 minute consultation for one-on-one coaching programs or to hear about corporate workshops I am offering around this question.Running Order:02:00 What is going on that we don’t notice?03:34 Burning out striving for "normal"07:37 What we don’t notice outside of the “norm”12:58 Cultivating a deeper awareness of pain / Sensing not interpreting or labelling the world17:40 Subtleties in awareness alters relationship with pain21:19 When the general narrative of illness and recovery doesn’t apply26:57 Disability doesn’t have to be suffering32:59 Exploring other ways of existing and consciousness38:49 What is truly internal and external?41:09 The role of magic / “the occult” - the hidden experience of knowing47:55 There are multiple ways of knowing and experiencing the world50:20 Burning out with trying to be normal54:59 Shifting experiences and behaviours with self-investigation57:55 Vitality, aliveness, and not knowing1:01:22 What is a good life for Craig?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the 21st episode of the "What is a Good Life?" podcast, I am joined by Katrijn van Oudheusden, who is the author of "Selfless Leadership," a writer, coach, and guide. Her work focuses on helping you see through the illusion of the separate self.In this episode, Katrijn takes us on an exploration and investigation of the paradigm of the separate self. She references neuroscience, physics, and the traditions of Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta, etc., which have been saying for centuries that there is no separate self.Katrijn shares her own path in coming to this realisation and how this awareness leads to a life of freedom, where everything has meaning, and where one doesn't take things so personally or feel small and disconnected.I found this conversation to be captivating, challenging, and enlivening. Regardless of the beliefs you hold, this episode will be a valuable tool in your own investigation of reality and what a good life means to you.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and reflections.Contact me at [email protected] to book a free 30 minute consultation for one-on-one coaching programs or to hear about corporate workshops I am offering around this question.Running Order: 01:25 The podcast begins02:35 What is the separate self?09:37 Duality of experience while knowing there’s no separate self12:25 Free Will - where is the decider or the doer?17:33 The paradox of personal consciousness21:40 Everything has meaning27:16 Personal path to seeing though the separate illusion31:57 There is only this experience - you are everything36:13 Life is no longer so personal - it simply occurs41:57 Attachments to wonder, judgement, awe and labels45:39 The mind’s role in separateness51:07 Keep making plans but know we are pretending57:11 What is a good life for Katrijn?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Katrijn's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrijnvo/- Katrijn's website: https://selflessleadership.life/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the 20th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast I am joined by Pejman (PJ) Milani, who is the Content Creator at Milani Creative and the Media Arts Director, and a Teacher, at Episcopal High School.I follow PJ's daily content (@milanicreative) where he shares visual metaphors that simplify complex ideas, so I was intrigued to hear his thoughts on this question and the role creativity plays within that.In this episode we discuss the significance of creativity in terms of fulfilment, flow, connection, empathy, and self-expression. PJ also outlines how a daily creative practice enables us to handle ambiguity and develops greater problem solving capacities.While he takes us through his journey and motivation for all of his work - inspiring more people to a life of creativity, that leads to a more connected and creative world.If you don’t presently have a regular creative practice in your life, this episode will give you plenty to ponder, while for those that do, it will give you further inspiration to maintain and deepen that practice.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and reflections.Contact me at [email protected] to book a free 30 minute consultation for one-on-one coaching programs or to hear about corporate workshops I am offering around this question.Running Order: 01:27 Podcast Begins01:56 Navigating the tension between ambition and contentment05:26 Overcoming resistance11:20 Taking your vessel out to sea14:51 Finding Balance17:48 Avoiding an autopilot existence21:44 The importance of a daily creative practice 28:26 Life is not a journey31:26 If we could all just be a little more creative…35:26 Colouring outside of the lines39:09 Creativity and empathy43:56 Creativity is good for the soul47:11 Thought, action, and experimenting50:37 Top tip for more creativity in your life 55:11 The beauty of creating just for ourselves58:25 What is a good life for PJ?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- PJ's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pejmanmilani/- PJ's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milanicreative/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the 19th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast I am joined by Dan Lawrence, who is Head of Consultancy at Dallington Associates, a Jungian Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, and a Social Dreaming Consultant.In this episode Dan takes us on a journey from questioning where thoughts come from as a child, to his investigations and work around dreams and social dreaming. While he also shares what he has learnt from his Zen practice, silent meditation retreats, mat surfing, and his recent intensive care unit experience in Malaysia. Dan’s life path to date includes being a Derivatives Trader for a decade, studying Theology, briefly considering priesthood, becoming a Jungian psychotherapist, offering Psychedelic integration therapy, all while practicing Zen for 25 years. His unique life experiences and perspectives make him one of the most insightful people I know. Through listening to this episode I am sure you’ll widen the scope of your investigation, and awareness, in contemplating what contributes to your own good life.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and reflections.Contact me at [email protected] to book a free 30 minute consultation for one-on-one coaching programs or to hear about corporate workshops I am offering around this question.Running Order: 01:40 Podcast begins02:00 where do thoughts come from?04:15 The nature of dreams09:10 Social Dreaming12:50 Waking and sleeping dreams16:37 Infant Observation21:40 A Social Unconscious25:20 Another language31:15 Facilitating mobility and spaciousness35:26 Importance of dreaming in understanding40:47 The trouble with dismissing dreams43:55 The compensatory nature of dream46:48 Not knowing is most intimate50:07 An intensive care unit experience56:32 Connection with aliveness1:01:25 Can you handle joy and awe1:06:15 What is a good life for Dan?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Dan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-lawrence-1537271b/- Dan's company website: https://www.theunthoughtknown.com/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the 18th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast I am joined by Hannah Genton, who is a Co-Founder at CGL LLP, a law firm she established, a speaker on Innovation in the Law and Work Models for Mental Health, and a Death Doula.I contacted Hannah for this conversation after reading an amazing viral post of hers that very authentically depicted the challenge of juggling the big law career and raising a baby. This experience proved to be the inspiration for setting up a law firm that accommodated other approaches to working in this industry (“I had the sense that work should adapt to life, not the other way around”- from the post).In this episode we discuss Hannah’s approach to developing authenticity and truly living her values, setting up the law firm, her self-reflection practices and how they have affected her approach to life, her experiences of working with the dying, and what she is learning from parenting with regards play, curiosity, and letting go of fixed plans and outcomes.Hannah provides a great example of someone consciously constructing their life around their values, so I took a lot from this conversation as I am sure you will too.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and reflections.Running Order:01:37 Podcast begins02:35 How can I be authentically me?05:52 Setting up her own law firm09:51 The feeling of aligning with values13:07 When your values are clear decisions are easy14:20 Journey of self-reflection18:51 Experiencing death early in life and working with the dying22:04 Common threads of conversations with the dying25:53 Finding meaning28:35 The importance of curiosity in relating to people32:25 Journey with Authenticity36:02 Fun and creativity42:02 Lessons from kids and curiosity46:30 What is a good life for Hannah?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Hannah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahgenton/- Hannah's company website: https://cgl-llp.com/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the 17th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast I am joined by Bayo Akomolafe, who is a widely celebrated international speaker, posthumanist thinker, poet, professor, public intellectual, essayist, and author. Bayo is the Founder of The Emergence Network, he currently lectures at Pacifica Graduate Institute, California, and the University of Vermont, and was appointed the inaugural Global Senior Fellow of the University of California’s (Berkeley) Othering and Belonging Institute. He has also been appointed Senior Fellow for The New Institute in Hamburg, Germany.In this episode, Bayo shares with us his journey of moving beyond the confines of final statements, final destinations, and boundaries, to an ongoing emergence, or flow. This conversation delves into the abstract, the philosophical, and the practical, as well as Bayo’s personal experiences of what his son with Autism is teaching him about wisdom.We discuss the importance of cultivating bewilderment, wonder and inquiry, and disrupting the logic of continuity, for new ideas and solutions to emerge - to break the cycle of problems and solutions feeding each other. This episode will challenge your thinking and perhaps inspire you to new ways of problem solving and understanding, while it may also require you to listen with more than your ears and your mind.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and reflections.Running Order: 01:44 Podcast begins02:42 Is there pain in Heaven?05:12 Is there another colour?08:02 A problem with a "perfect" city12:44 Creating the space for observing the emergent17:13 The role of the monster / questioning stability21:36 Holding fixed views when everything is in flux23:29 There isn’t an originary point to return to31:44 His son becomes his teacher and coach40:14 Shifting perspectives to navigate the world42:59 Communicating from a different dimension of thought45:39 Rejecting walls49:17 What’s more than a solution?55:04 What’s required beyond information?59:09 What is a good life for Bayo?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Bayo's Website: https://www.emergencenetwork.org/- Bayo's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bayoakomolafe/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the 16th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast I am joined by Diane Button, who is the author of the bestselling book, Dear Death: Finding Meaning in Life, Peace in Death, and Joy in an Ordinary Day. She holds a Master's in Counselling Psychology, is a practicing end-of-life doula and a lead instructor at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine’s EOL Doula Certificate Program. In this episode Diane shares the 4 pillars of a meaningful life that she identified through interviewing people over the age of 75 who were fully content with how they lived. We discuss what she has learned about relationships, forgiveness, self-acceptance, and self-reflection, through working with people at the end of their lives.While the conversation further reinforces for me the importance of regularly contemplating life through the lens of death in building my own good life. As it is filled with heartfelt insights, wisdom, and practical tools for living a life of greater reflection, connection, less regret, and for finding meaning.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and weekly reflections.Running Order: 01:28 Podcast Begins04:48 Developing an acceptance of death08:58 The journey towards working with the dying11:18 Identifying 4 pillars of a meaningful life 15:48 Developing Self-acceptance 19:38 Seeing the beauty in yourself20:27 The power of authentic conversations 23:39 Relieving fear and bringing more ease to the dying27:42 Doing Life Reviews 30:03 There is life until the end32:18 Forgiveness 37:00 Not everyone wants to address death when dying39:38 How often do we give someone 100% of our attention?42:40 How can we embrace and not fear death so much?46:30 Beautiful experiences when people near death48:50 The journey inward at the end of life50:16 Observing the end of life53:33 What is a good life for Diane?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Diane's Website: https://www.dianebutton.com/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the 15th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast I am joined by Benjamin Western, who is the Founder at The Shining Light Project, a trustee at Hope & Aid Direct, and Head of Sustainability at LRQA.This episode is different from the others, as this is more a conversation than an interview, and we are focussing on the teachings of Anthony De Mello.Anthony De Mello was an Indian Jesuit priest and psychotherapist. A spiritual teacher and author of several spiritual books, two of which, Awareness and The Way to Love, have had a huge impact on both mine and Benjamin's lives.In this episode we explore and reflect on the core teachings of De Mello, essentially that our attachments in life are making us suffer. We explore where we as humans are most attached, to possessions, caring what people think of us, achievement, habits, our beliefs, and our proclivity to chase thrills and excitement rather than what brings us real happiness.I loved discussing these themes with Benjamin, who is a wise and thoughtful soul, and it will give you plenty to contemplate in terms of your present attachments in life.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and weekly reflections.Running Order: 01:34 Podcast begins02:09 Discovering the work of Anthony De Mello07:07 Attachments are the source of our misery10:04 Our happiness is contingent on so many things12:19 Do you realise what you are attached to?15:14 The hardest thing to accept in his teachings20:24 Exploring an attachment to life25:22 Unhealthy attachments that are normalised28:34 Awareness of attachments 31:34 Letting go doesn’t mean renunciation33:46 Do you accept yourself or others as they are?37:54 Being who you were meant to be41:04 What lens do you view the world through?44:34 Be wary of the labels you apply to others46:18 World feelings v Soul feelings52:14 Joy in difficult circumstances55:34 Explore your attachments playfully58:49 Humour in the human predicament1:02:04 What is a good life for Benjamin?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Benjamin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwestern/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the 14th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast I am joined by Charlotte Wiedemann, who is a Journalist and a Death Doula. Through her journalism work, she is creating greater awareness of death, funeral, and grief issues, and at Ahorn Gruppe, where she currently works, she has helped to amass a following of almost 200k people on TikTok through discussing these themes.In this episode we discuss our societal difficulties in talking about death, our repression of emotions, beautiful moments within suffering, how we can support people experiencing loss, the aliveness and gratitude for life Charlotte experiences through working with the dead, and how birth, life and death are so deeply intertwined. Charlotte also shares some profound exercises and thoughts with regards contemplating death to create a better life.Paradoxically, I found this discussion around death to be extremely enlivening, and it further enhances my perspective that the more we avoid acknowledging death, the more we fear fully living. This conversation left me with A LOT to contemplate, as I’m sure it will for you too.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and weekly reflections.Running Order: 01:23 Podcast Begins02:16 Inquiry with death begins04:46 Difficulties with talking about death08:14 Repression of emotions09:45 Picturing yourself on your own death bed11:38 It’s ok to have regrets with the dying16:21 Moments of beauty in sadness20:23 You can’t fix death or make it better, just be there for people22:55 There are many moments of loss in life25:43 Prolonging of life28:55 Magical moments in death34:00 How the experience of birth led to deathcare39:25 The effect of working with a dead body42:07 Bringing the conservation around death to a wider audience45:28 What is a good death?48:42 What is a good life for Charlotte?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Charlotte's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-wiedemann-71614b17/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the 13th episode of the “What is a Good Life?” podcast, I am joined by David McQueen. David is an Executive Coach, a Keynote Speaker, and an executive and non-executive director for several businesses.In this episode David takes us through the role compassion plays in his life - for himself, for others, in reconnecting with nature, in building community, and in contributing to others. While we also discuss anything from the supernatural, imposter syndrome, the importance of knowing when enough is enough materially and to ultimately following your own path.This conversation resonated with me a lot, and David provides a great example of someone who is consciously carving out his own version of a good life. The episode is filled with insights and reflections that will give you plenty to ponder in terms of experiencing more compassion for yourself and those around you.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and weekly reflections.Running Order: 01:15 Podcast begins02:18 What would it take for us to have more compassion?05:32 Convenience over compassion?12:20 Humans are selfish15:18 Community and self-connection18:45 We are all connected22:50 The void of religion26:58 Wrestling in my mind between the skeptic & the spiritual29:30 Reconnecting with Nature34:10 Switching off38:15 Moving from surviving to thriving40:15 Regrets of the dying42:38 Giving back45:45 What really brings us happiness49:00 Time alone & balance50:40 Seeing life as an adventure54:45 What is a good life for David?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- David's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrdavidmcqueen/- David's website: https://www.davidmcqueen.co.uk/ Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the 12th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am joined by Alison Taylor, who is a Clinical Professor at NYU Stern School of Business, Executive Director at Ethical Systems, and is writing a book for the Harvard Business Review Press on how business can do the right thing in a turbulent world.In this episode Alison describes how curiosity has been her main driving force in life, taking her on a journey from investigating corporate corruption on several continents to teaching at NYU. She talks about embracing adventure, playing to your strengths, loving your work, and the importance of contributing to what you care about to remain optimistic in the face of a tumultuous world.Given both our proclivities for jumping continents and careers at various points in life, I took a lot of inspiration from her story, and success, of backing herself and going her own way - as I’m sure you will too.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and weekly reflections.Running Order: 01:08 Podcast begins02:30 Stories versus Facts06:09 What does it take for society's values to shift?07:40 Optimism for humans?12:30 Playing to your strengths / contributing to what you care about15:10 Curiosity & Humility19:50 Not having a long term plan23:50 Trust and developing a sense of self26:07 I know who I am / what I want27:50 The power of humility & experimenting33:40 Loving your work37:20 Being yourself in a world telling you to be something else40:55 Summary of themes in the conversation43:22 What is a good life for Alison?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Alison's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/followalisont/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the eleventh episode of the “What is a Good Life?” podcast, I am joined by Darragh Power, who is researching and writing a book on wisdom.If you are feeling stuck, are being too hard on yourself, and are in need of some inspiration and tools to progress, this episode will be for you.In this conversation we talk about the importance of quests and curiosity in unlocking our potential and motivation, seeing wisdom in the everyday and ourselves, feeling alive in one’s life, how to presently see ourselves as being enough, as well as holding wider philosophical views to help us feel more ease with the constant chatter and reactions of the mind.While Darragh has a wonderfully grounded and practical wisdom to listen along to, where he is as likely to draw from Shakespeare or Socrates in one sentence, as he is from his Granny or a friend in the next. Darragh is a lifelong learner, having completed 3 Masters to date, he lectures part-time at DCU, and is a Senior Director at SAP, in learning design and coaching roles.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and weekly reflections.Running Order: 01:36 What is a wise being?07:21 Observing wisdom in the everyday 09:09 Asking questions to unlock your motivation/potential/future12:51 Engaging with the unknown16:11 Finding balance between your soul and your responsibility21:11 Deficiency in our senses and education26:11 Feeling alive29:11 The Universal nature of aliveness and wisdom30:41 Grounded wisdom35:21 Seeing the opportunity in adversity39:16 Seeing ourselves as enough43:11 Being ok with your thinking and its fluctuations47:41 The peace of the present moment49:41 Getting ok with the mind’s fluctuations52:31 Compassion for ourselves and others54:51 Everyone is wise1:01:31 What is a good life for Darragh?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Darragh's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darraghpower/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the tenth episode of the “What is a Good Life?” podcast, I am joined by Baiba Rubesa.Baiba is a business executive across several industries, from natural resources, banking, automotive, telecoms, and most recently transport / railways – in which she served as the Chairperson & CEO at RB Rail.In this episode, Baiba takes us through her fascinating journey from her youth in Canada and Germany, born to Latvian parents with a dream of supporting her homeland, to ultimately being part of a shaping a post revolutionary society in Latvia later in life. From being the only woman on many boards to focussing on women’s economic empowerment (currently Co-founder at Novatore), while sharing her thoughts on the Golden Rule, seizing the day, intuition, pivoting, and focussing on one’s strengths.I wanted to interview Baiba as I believe she lives a truly unique life, and one I learned a lot from listening to her reflect on – as I am sure you will too.Running Order: 01:16 Podcast begins02:46 A call to supporting Latvia05:16 Life being shaped by personality, enjoyment, values07:36 Hold your plans lightly10:31 Intuition in decision making11:59 Supporting women in business17:16 Being the only woman in the boardroom23:36 The importance of listening, understanding, and communicating27:56 Seize the day29:56 Facing an early midlife crisis31:46 The importance of pivoting35:46 Learning to go with the flow / Intuition40:26 Dreams for Latvia45:21 “I was part of a revolution”48:46 Focussing on my strengths53:16 Knowing who you are57:46 What is a good life for Baiba?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Novatore's Website: https://www.novatore.eu/- Baiba's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baibarubesa/Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel for daily clips and weekly reflections.Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the ninth episode of the “What is a Good Life?” podcast, I am joined by Jonny Camara.In this episode Jonny takes us through his journey of growing up in Belfast to an Irish mother and a Senegalese father, from repressing parts of himself to reclaiming them, from pain and suffering to creativity and connection, and ultimately to finding the trust and courage to being himself and understanding what he wants, and what matters, in life.Jonny is a Leadership Development Strategist and Coach, who’s path of suffering, self-inquiry, and alignment, is also serving as inspiration to his burgeoning screenwriting and acting endeavours.Having interviewed 150+ people around this question to date, if I had to name one thing that leads people to being more themselves, or to figuring out what they want in life, then suffering, or periods of struggle, would be it. This conversation with Jonny provides an inspiring example of this observation.Running Order: 01:40 How do I use all of my talents?05:25 Suffering leading to play & creativity08:20 Allowing our complexity to emerge10:10 Journaling13:05 The need for self-expression15:40 Growing up in a predominantly white environment19:45 Seeking belonging26:10 What stories do we attach to our difference?30:10 Deconstructing the lens through which we view life33:10 Turning pain into expression37:25 The pain of facing racism41:02 Stories to connect our humanity45:42 Reclaiming oneself48:30 Letting go & self-compassion50:32 “I hope you never find out who you are”53:38 What is a good life for Jonny?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Jonny's Website: https://www.jonnycamara.com/- Jonny's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny--camara/Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel for daily clips and weekly reflections.Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the eighth episode of the “What is a Good Life?” podcast, I am joined by Dr. Daria Chrobok, an artist, a scientist (PhD in plant physiology), and an entrepreneur.In this episode Daria takes us through her journey of cultivating more inner peace (via ice baths, meditation, and the grounding influence of nature), redefining relationships, releasing her creativity, stepping away from academia, setting up her own company (DC SciArt), and residing in her purpose.If you are still looking to identify what you want to do with your life, if you pay attention to Daria’s whole process, I believe you’ll observe many of the necessary steps to identify and engage with one’s purpose. Running Order: 00:00 Introduction01:00 Podcast Begins01:20 What attracted Daria to plant physiology04:00 The grounding of plants09:00 The need for Nature11:12 Getting out of her head – Ice bathing & Meditation16:00 Inviting small discomforts into our lives18:58 Rediscovering Art21:25 A rush of creativity25:28 Recognising the need to slow down29:10 Recognising when relationships no longer serve us33:30 Stepping into your own truth35:50 Engaging with the unknown40:06 Crisis leads to inspiration43:22 Difficulties with the academic system46:31 Balancing logic, emotion, feelings, and intuition50:05 Connecting Art and Science53:40 Challenges in experiencing a good life56:00 What is a good life for Daria?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Daria's Website: https://www.dariasciart.com/- Daria's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariachrobok/Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel for daily clips and weekly reflections.Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the seventh episode of the “What is a Good Life?” podcast, I am joined by Alex Holmes, whose work focusses on the mental and emotional health of men.Alex is the Founder of The Mindful Life, an award winning Podcaster (Time to Talk with Alex Holmes, The Mindful Man), an Author, Time to Talk: How Men Think About Love, Belonging and Connection, and a Therapeutic Coach (using Bibliotherapy amongst other approaches). In this episode Alex takes us through his journey of experiencing breakdowns at work, to redefining his relationship with himself and those around him, establishing his values, to discovering his purpose in serving men’s mental health, and he brings up many of the challenges men face in addressing their mental health. Running Order: 00:00 Introduction01:07 Podcast begins03:22 Curiosity06:17 Starting off in Journalism08:07 what brought Alex to exploring men’s mental health12:32 Life can be lonely15:32 Experiencing breakdowns at work17:32 Developing and understanding better relationships21:20 The importance of developing your own values25:11 Learning to communicate when problems arise27:42 We need to give our relationships more attention29:29 Alex discovers his purpose35:07 Being in service to others37:37 The importance of looking inwards42:32 What stops us from looking inside?45:07 Accessing the inner child47:56 There is still hope51:40 Kinkeeping57:37 What is a good life for Alex?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Alex's Website: https://alexholmes.co/- Alex's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/byalexholmes/Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel for daily clips and weekly reflections.Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the sixth episode of the “What is a Good Life?” podcast, I am joined by Paul Gleeson. In his lifetime, Paul has rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, cycled across Australia, rowed the Northwest passage in Canada, participated in an expedition to the Artic, amongst many more adventures.Paul runs his own coaching and consulting practice, Turas Consulting, he has authored a book about his experience of rowing across the Atlantic, Crossing the Swell, and is currently writing a book about building an expedition mindset. What’s more, Paul is a great mate of mine who I find to be one of the most effortlessly inspiring people I know, with no airs, graces, or pretences about him.In this podcast we discuss his experiences of fearing for his safety and handling uncertainty while crossing the Atlantic Ocean, finishing his ride across Australia despite being knocked down twice, and what lessons he has learned about himself, his mind, performance, and life, through these adventures.Running Order:00:00 Introduction01:35 Podcast begins03:37 First inspiration for adventure05:37 Are we getting too comfortable?10:13 Satisfaction in discomfort13:00 Motivation for cycling across Australia15:57 Getting knocked down 20:47 What you running from?23:12 3 lessons from cycling across Australia26:17 Getting knocked down a second time30:17 The importance of nature33:27 Deciding to row across the Atlantic Ocean with little rowing experience36:02 Two lessons from preparing to row across an ocean40:02 Handling fear42:32 The motivation for rowing across the Atlantic Ocean45:32 Handling uncertainty and risk48:47 Fearing for his life crossing the ocean 51:42 Seeing land for the first time in 85 days56:17 embracing Family after crossing the ocean59:47 Reconnecting with something primal1:02:17 Tips for finding your own expedition1:05:37 What is a good life for Paul?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Paul's Website: https://www.turasconsulting.com/- Paul's Twitter: https://twitter.com/paultgleesonSubscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel for daily clips and weekly reflections.Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the fifth episode of the “What is a Good Life?” podcast, I am joined by James Cussen, the Creator at The Living Philosophy. I discovered James’ work through his well-received YouTube channel of the same name, The Living Philosophy. I’d strongly recommend this to anyone with a curiosity for philosophy or a desire to broaden their thinking. Since devouring a copy of Albert Camus’s The Outsider as a teenager, philosophy has taken James on a journey from despair to immense purpose. His content, guidance, and ideas, have a strong emphasis on the importance of embodying the wisdom of philosophy and learning the art of the good life, so naturally I felt he’d be an ideal guest for this podcast. In this podcast we discuss discovering purpose, focussing on the collective’s well-being as well as our own, building your own personal philosophy, the role of curiosity in James’ personal philosophy, and the considerable significance of family and close relationships in experiencing a good life.Running Order: 00:01 Introduction01:50 How James discovered philosophy04:55 Finding purpose06:52 Focus on the collective11:26 Balancing self-work and helping society14:13 Preconventional, conventional, postconventional morality18:10 Using my work to bring everyone to the table21:20 Processes for self-development23:20 Ayahuasca28:10 Acknowledging what could be beyond the material32:30 Racing to enlightenment!35:15 Anthony DeMello37:50 Simple doesn’t mean easy42:40 Simplicity or complexity45:35 Deeper understanding48:35 Building your own philosophy53:30 A tool for cataloguing ideas / thoughts / dreams55:58 Gardening my thoughts58:53 Curiosity is a golden virtue1:01:30 The more I know, the less sure I am1:05:12 Well-being and truth1:09:00 What is a Good Life for James?1:11:44 The importance of relationshipsFor further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- The Living Philosophy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLivingPhilosophy- The Living Philosophy Website: https://www.thelivingphilosophy.com/- The Living Philosophy newsletter: https://thelivingphilosophy.substack.com/Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel for daily clips and weekly reflections.Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the fourth episode of the “What is a Good Life?” podcast, I am joined by Jindy Mann to discuss both our experiences of therapy. Jindy is a co-Founder of Leader Brother Son, a group that works with individuals and organisations, with the goal of helping men become better and happier partners, colleagues, fathers, leaders, brothers, sons - and men. Ultimately through having more open, honest, and vulnerable, conversations and engaging with topics men don’t typically discuss. A significant departure from his past lives in Management Consultancy and Banking. Jindy is also a good mate of mine, and we thought it would be helpful to have a conversation around our experiences with therapy, in part to break down stigma around what therapy is, how it works, what you could expect from it, and to show it’s a normal topic of conversation. In this podcast we share what was happening in our lives that made us seek therapy, what moments instigated the process, what we wanted to explore or heal, how it started, what surprised us about it, and how our lives have changed for the better because of it. Running Order:01:35 Podcast begins03:10 When did Jindy start going to therapy05:45 Why Jindy needed therapy09:10 You seem to be carrying grief10:00 Why Mark needed therapy13:00 Tired of faking it (clip)17:18 Finding a therapist20:10 Needing someone independent and skilled24:25 How did your therapy journey begin?26:15 Letting go and crying30:00 Dealing with our past and events from childhood33:00 Using anger as a coping mechanism35:36 Not knowing how to express feelings37:00 Speaking in the first-person perspective41:00 What surprised you about therapy44:35 It felt good to cry47:00 Stigma 50:00 How did it affect your relationships?55:00 Is all vulnerability is good vulnerability?58:40 Redefining old friendships1:02:46 The biggest influence of therapy on our lives1:05:45 What is a good life for Jindy For further content and information check out the following: - For clips and video of the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Leader Brother Son website: https://www.leaderbrotherson.com/- Jindy's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jindymann/- Jindy's newsletter: https://jindymann.substack.com/Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel for daily clips and weekly reflections.Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the third episode of the “What is a Good Life?” podcast, I am joined by Tom Goodwin. Tom is the author of Digital Darwinism, a keynote speaker, an advisor to Fortune 500 companies and start-ups, and a commentator on the future of advertising, marketing, technology and business. He also contributes to publications such as The Guardian, TechCrunch, Forbes, and the World Economic Forum, among many others.In this episode:- Observing the oddity of knowing what is good for us, even enjoying it, and rarely making it a habit- Comparing social media and in-person communication- Questioning where we spend all this time we save by using various apps?- Exploring what Tom is both optimistic and pessimistic about regarding our use of technology- Questioning the obsession we have with the optimising of and streamlining of human behaviour- The importance of challenging our own views and not taking life so seriouslyThe point of this podcast, in general, is not to provide you with neat little Top 5 actionable takeaways, if life were simply about absorbing intellectual information, we’d all have 6 packs (if that was your thing) and live the most productive lives imaginable. The point is to curiously observe what is going on for us as humans and to bring more of our behaviour into focus, which can lead to incremental, maintainable changes over the long-term (may not sound too sexy but I’m tired of the instant nonsense, and endless lists, people are promising elsewhere).Running Order:00:00 Introduction02:00 Exploring makes me, me, what I am about04:20 We don’t get addicted to things that make us happy 07:00 Surprising how hard it is to do the things you like11:30 How Social Media and in-person communication compare15:30 Levelling up or deepening our conversations from small talk20:20 How authentic are we being in conversation and life (reading off a script)25:30 What brings Tom happiness 28:30 Seeking out different points of view31:50 VCs investing in making life more efficient without making the world better35:10 Stripping human connection out of life38:20 What innovations make Tom optimistic and pessimistic about the future with regards to technology?41:30 AI 43:50 Technology is still a mirror or a lever of human behaviour47:30 Try not to take life too seriously52:10 Stop worrying about things we can’t control54:30 Challenges to facing a good life – choosing the right thing is much harder than you think55:50 The Loop first thing in the morning – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – 45 mins gone58:15 What is a good life? for TomSubscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel for daily clips and weekly reflections.For further content and information check out the following: - For clips and video of the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

On the second episode of the “What is a Good Life?” podcast, I am joined by Nora Dietrich. Nora, is a Psychotherapist and she works with; individuals, couples, and more extensively with corporations to break Mental Health taboos, while creating healthier environments for us to work in. This episode is a great example of what I hope this podcast to be; substantive conversations around important topics, that share pertinent information and practical tips, along with personal experiences and perspectives - which help us handle these themes with more humility and humour, regarding the sometimes absurd, and paradoxical, experience of being human. Subscribe to get the latest episode every Tuesday.Running order:01:25 Podcast begins02:00 Trying to live a truly lived life07:18 Curiosity is the gateway out of perfectionism10:08 Paradoxes are to be held not solved14:20 Experimenting and failing16:25 Curiosity and feeling alive20:35 It takes 13 years on average before someone with Anxiety seeks help24:36 “How are you?” is not the right question26:43 Using pain as a guide or a clue29:08 It’s ok not to feel ok31:30 You don’t have to have the answer to help32.50 Anger can also be helpful36:50 Mental Health is not a DIY project41:20 Therapy can be ugly to start with44:20 Becoming more compassionate to others46:45 Connecting through our shadows, pain, and joy50:23 Sharing our emotions in the moment 52:31 Helpful tips for better mental healthTo find out more about Nora:- Her website: https://www.noradietrich.com/- Her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noradietrich/To check out more content from me:- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- For clips and video of the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videosKeywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​

In this first episode I talk to Laurence Barrett. Laurence has recently written a book, A Jungian Approach to Coaching: The Theory and Practice of Turning Leaders into People, and runs his own consultancy group, Heresy, which focusses on Psychodynamic and Jungian Leadership and Organisational Development Consulting. In this conversation we explore how the work of Carl Jung has influenced Laurence's approach to life and, amongst other things, the significance of simply paying attention in our lives. Laurence is a wonderful source of knowledge and I enjoyed this conversation immensely, and I hope you will too.For those unaware of the work of Carl Jung:Carl Jung (1875 – 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung's work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philosophy, psychology, and religious studies.Among the central concepts of analytical psychology is individuation—the lifelong psychological process of differentiation of the self out of each individual's conscious and unconscious elements. Jung considered it to be the main task of human development. He created some of the best known psychological concepts, including synchronicity, archetypal phenomena, the collective unconscious, the psychological complex and extraversion and introversion. (Wikipedia)You can find Laurence's book here:https://www.routledge.com/A-Jungian-Approach-to-Coaching-The-Theory-and-Practice-of-Turning-Leaders/Barrett/p/book/9780367766351You can find out more about his work at Heresy here:https://heresyprogrammes.podia.com/- For clips and video of the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- The newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life​