The One You Feed | Personal Growth, Emotional Resilience & Purpose

In this episode, Cassandra Vieten explores the science of using imagination to change how you think and feel. She explains that imagination isn’t something reserved for creativity or daydreaming; we’re using it constantly to anticipate the future, interpret the present, and tell stories about the past. Cassandra shares how becoming more conscious of these patterns can help us recognize when our imagination is working against us, shift the stories that keep us stuck, and use this powerful capacity to approach challenges with greater flexibility, possibility, and hope. Her new book is Imagine That: Transform How You Think, Feel, and Live with the Science of Imagination

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Key Takeaways:

Why we use imagination far more often than we realize

How imagination shapes our thoughts, emotions, and behavior

The difference between adaptive and maladaptive imagination

How catastrophizing uses imagination against us

Why imagining how you want to show up can be more useful than imagining perfect outcomes

How your unique “imagination style” influences the way you think

Why screens may be weakening our capacity to imagine

How mental rehearsal can help us prepare for difficult situations

Using your future self to clarify your values and priorities

Why we can’t always think our way into lasting change

How imagination can help regulate the nervous system

Why generating hope is a skill we can practice

For full show notes, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠⁠

If you enjoyed this conversation with Cassandra Vieten, check out these other episodes:

What’s Next? Our Future Stories with David Christian

The 12 Levers That Actually Help You Change Your Life | Spencer Greenberg

How to Craft a Meaningful Life with Emily Esfahani Smith

This episode is sponsored by:

Monarch: Take control of your finances with Monarch, the all-in-one personal finance app that helps you budget, track spending, monitor investments, and work toward your financial goals. Get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core, go to https://www.monarch.com/ and enter Promo Code: FEED

Talkiatry⁠⁠⁠ connects you with licensed psychiatrists for personalized, evidence-based mental health care, all online and covered by most major insurance plans. To get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in just a few minutes, visit ⁠⁠⁠Talkiatry.com/FEED.⁠⁠⁠

Quince:⁠ Refresh your wardrobe with Quince by going to ⁠Quince.com/feed⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

⁠Pebl⁠⁠ – an AI-powered platform that helps companies hire and manage global teams in 185+ countries. Get a free estimate at ⁠⁠hipebl.ai⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Benjamin Todd explores how to build a meaningful career in an uncertain world. He and Eric discuss why the old advice to “follow your passion” can lead us astray, how AI is changing the skills that may matter most, and what actually makes work fulfilling. Benjamin also explains how to think more intentionally about the impact of our work, why experimenting is often more useful than trying to think our way into the perfect career, and how to know when it might be time for a change.

⁠A Weekly Bite of Wisdom:⁠ Want to go deeper with the ideas we explore on The One You Feed? Every Wednesday, Eric shares a short, practical email that turns insights about mental health, relationships, purpose, habits, and personal growth into simple practices you can use right away. You’ll also receive our Weekend Podcast Playlist featuring a recap of the week’s episodes. It’s free, takes about a minute to read, and is enjoyed by thousands of readers each week. Sign up at ⁠oneyoufeed.net/newsletter.⁠

Key Takeaways:

Why following your passion isn’t always the best career advice

How AI is changing the way we should think about career planning

Which skills may become more valuable as technology advances

The five factors that make work satisfying and fulfilling

Why meaningful work involves more than a job title or salary

How to choose work that makes a meaningful difference

Why asking “What could I become good at?” can open new possibilities

How small career experiments can help you make better decisions

Why we often stay in unsatisfying jobs longer than we should

How to evaluate whether it’s really time for a career change

Ways to make a difference even when changing careers isn’t possible

For full show notes, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠⁠

If you enjoyed this conversation with Benjamin Todd, check out these other episodes:

Mind Over Grind: Practical Tips to Manage Work Stress and Enhance Your Well-Being with Guy Winch

How to Create a Life Strategy for Meaningful Change with Seth Godin

How to Craft a Meaningful Life with Emily Esfahani Smith

This episode is sponsored by:

⁠⁠Quince:⁠⁠⁠ Refresh your wardrobe with Quince by going to ⁠⁠⁠Quince.com/feed⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too

⁠⁠⁠Talkiatry⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ connects you with licensed psychiatrists for personalized, evidence-based mental health care, all online and covered by most major insurance plans. To get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in just a few minutes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Talkiatry.com/FEED.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Pebl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – an AI-powered platform that helps companies hire and manage global teams in 185+ countries. Get a free estimate at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hipebl.ai⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠ZocDoc⁠⁠⁠ - Taking care of your health just got easier – ⁠⁠⁠start here with Zocdoc⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Shopify⁠⁠⁠ – The commerce platform that helps you build, grow, and manage your business all in one place. Start your $1/month trial at ⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/feed.⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiny Health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s at-home gut health test provides science-backed insights into your microbiome, along with personalized recommendations to help you improve your digestion, energy, and overall well-being. Get $50 off your first test kit at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ tinyhealth.com/FEED⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monarch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Take control of your finances with Monarch, the all-in-one personal finance app that helps you budget, track spending, monitor investments, and work toward your financial goals. Get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core, go to https://www.monarch.com/ and enter Promo Code: FEED

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ButcherBox:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Make dinnertime easier with ButcherBox, delivering high-quality 100% grass-fed beef, organic chicken, wild-caught seafood, and more, right to your door. Get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ground beef for life or free chicken thighs or top sirloins for a year, with free shipping always. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ButcherBox.com/FEED⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to claim your offer.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Sarah Wilson explores how to live fully in an uncertain world by asking one of life’s most important questions: Who do you want to be when everything around you feels unstable? Drawing on philosophy, psychology, history, and her new book, I Eat the Stars: How ot Live Fully and Beautifully in a Collapsing World, Sarah shares why facing difficult truths doesn’t have to lead to despair—and how accepting uncertainty can actually bring greater clarity, meaning, and aliveness. Together, she and Eric discuss resilience, hope, community, and what it means to become an “island of sanity” in challenging times.

A Weekly Bite of Wisdom: Want to go deeper with the ideas we explore on The One You Feed? Every Wednesday, Eric shares a short, practical email that turns insights about mental health, relationships, purpose, habits, and personal growth into simple practices you can use right away. You’ll also receive our Weekend Podcast Playlist featuring a recap of the week’s episodes. It’s free, takes about a minute to read, and is enjoyed by thousands of readers each week. Sign up at oneyoufeed.net/newsletter.

Key Takeaways:

Why uncertainty can become a source of meaning rather than fear.

The difference between false hope and a deeper, more resilient hope.

How facing difficult truths can reduce anxiety and inner conflict.

Why asking “Who do I want to be?” matters more than trying to control the future.

The power of becoming an “island of sanity” for yourself and others.

How community, service, and caring for others help us navigate difficult times.

Why humans are more resilient than we often believe.

What history and ancient wisdom can teach us about flourishing during periods of upheaval.

For full show notes, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠⁠

If you enjoyed this conversation with Sarah Wilson, check out these other episodes:

How to Find Peace and Balance in Managing Anxiety with Sarah WilsonEmbracing Uncertainty: The Key to True Intimacy and Connection in a Chaotic World with Prince EA

This episode is sponsored by:

⁠Quince:⁠⁠ Refresh your wardrobe with Quince by going to ⁠⁠Quince.com/feed⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too

⁠⁠Talkiatry⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ connects you with licensed psychiatrists for personalized, evidence-based mental health care, all online and covered by most major insurance plans. To get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in just a few minutes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Talkiatry.com/FEED.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Pebl⁠⁠⁠⁠ – an AI-powered platform that helps companies hire and manage global teams in 185+ countries. Get a free estimate at ⁠⁠⁠⁠hipebl.ai⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠ZocDoc⁠⁠ - Taking care of your health just got easier – ⁠⁠start here with Zocdoc⁠⁠

⁠⁠Shopify⁠⁠ – The commerce platform that helps you build, grow, and manage your business all in one place. Start your $1/month trial at ⁠⁠shopify.com/feed.⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiny Health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s at-home gut health test provides science-backed insights into your microbiome, along with personalized recommendations to help you improve your digestion, energy, and overall well-being. Get $50 off your first test kit at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ tinyhealth.com/FEED⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Monarch⁠⁠⁠⁠: Take control of your finances with Monarch, the all-in-one personal finance app that helps you budget, track spending, monitor investments, and work toward your financial goals. Get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core, go to https://www.monarch.com/ and enter Promo Code: FEED

⁠⁠⁠⁠ButcherBox:⁠⁠⁠⁠ Make dinnertime easier with ButcherBox, delivering high-quality 100% grass-fed beef, organic chicken, wild-caught seafood, and more, right to your door. Get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ground beef for life or free chicken thighs or top sirloins for a year, with free shipping always. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠ButcherBox.com/FEED⁠⁠⁠⁠ to claim your offer.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, David Brooks explores the art of seeing others and being deeply seen, and why our ability to make another person feel truly seen, heard, and understood may be one of the most important skills we can develop. He discusses the power of curiosity, the questions that lead to genuine connection, and how wise friends help us rewrite the stories we tell ourselves. Along the way, David explores loneliness, depression, difficult conversations, and why learning to truly know another person can transform not only our relationships, but our own lives.

Free Guide: Outsmart the Hidden Saboteurs of Self-Control. What’s been holding you back lately? In this free guide, Eric shares the six common saboteurs that quietly derail our best intentions—like autopilot behavior, self-doubt, and emotional escapism—and offers practical strategies to help you regain control and move forward. Download your free copy at oneyoufeed.net/ebook.

Key Takeaways:

Exploration of empathy and its importance in human connection.

Discussion of depression and its impact on individuals and society.

Insights on wisdom and the distinction between wisdom and knowledge.

The significance of meaningful conversation and deep engagement with others.

The concept of "stacking" and the tendency to judge others quickly.

Strategies for deepening conversations and fostering connection.

The role of humility and curiosity in understanding others' perspectives.

Navigating difficult conversations, especially across divides.

The nature of support for those struggling with mental health issues.

Reflections on the joy and meaning found in truly seeing and being seen by others.

For full show notes, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠⁠

If you enjoyed this conversation with David Brooks, check out these other episodes:

Peter Block on Freeing Yourself from Consumer Culture

How Relationships Shape Our Happiness and Well-Being with Robert Waldinger

This episode is sponsored by:

Quince:⁠ Refresh your wardrobe with Quince by going to ⁠Quince.com/feed⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too

⁠Talkiatry⁠⁠⁠⁠ connects you with licensed psychiatrists for personalized, evidence-based mental health care, all online and covered by most major insurance plans. To get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in just a few minutes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Talkiatry.com/FEED.⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Pebl⁠⁠⁠ – an AI-powered platform that helps companies hire and manage global teams in 185+ countries. Get a free estimate at ⁠⁠⁠hipebl.ai⁠⁠

⁠ZocDoc⁠ - Taking care of your health just got easier – ⁠start here with Zocdoc⁠

⁠Shopify⁠ – The commerce platform that helps you build, grow, and manage your business all in one place. Start your $1/month trial at ⁠shopify.com/feed.⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiny Health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s at-home gut health test provides science-backed insights into your microbiome, along with personalized recommendations to help you improve your digestion, energy, and overall well-being. Get $50 off your first test kit at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ tinyhealth.com/FEED⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Monarch⁠⁠⁠: Take control of your finances with Monarch, the all-in-one personal finance app that helps you budget, track spending, monitor investments, and work toward your financial goals. Get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core, go to https://www.monarch.com/ and enter Promo Code: FEED

⁠⁠⁠ButcherBox:⁠⁠⁠ Make dinnertime easier with ButcherBox, delivering high-quality 100% grass-fed beef, organic chicken, wild-caught seafood, and more, right to your door. Get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ground beef for life or free chicken thighs or top sirloins for a year, with free shipping always. Visit ⁠⁠⁠ButcherBox.com/FEED⁠⁠⁠ to claim your offer.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Spencer Greenberg discusses the 12 levers that actually help you change your life and explains why lasting personal growth isn’t about finding a single breakthrough technique—it’s about knowing which tool fits the challenge you’re facing. Drawing from his new book, The 12 Levers: The Complete Psychological Toolkit for Improving Your Life, Spencer shares how nearly 500 self-improvement methods can be organized into 12 core psychological strategies. He also explore habit change, values, fear, acceptance, and thinking more clearly, while showing why understanding the root cause of a problem is often the key to creating meaningful, lasting change.

Free Guide: Outsmart the Hidden Saboteurs of Self-Control. What’s been holding you back lately? In this free guide, Eric shares the six common saboteurs that quietly derail our best intentions—like autopilot behavior, self-doubt, and emotional escapism—and offers practical strategies to help you regain control and move forward. Download your free copy at oneyoufeed.net/ebook.

Key Takeaways:

Why self-improvement techniques can be organized into 12 core psychological levers

How understanding the root cause of a problem leads to more effective change

The ABC method for uncovering the thoughts and beliefs behind difficult emotions

Why analyzing your past successes is one of the most effective ways to build new habits

How identifying your values, priorities, and guiding principles leads to better decisions

Why gradually facing fear is more effective than avoiding it

The difference between accepting reality and approving of it

How resistance often creates more suffering than the problem itself

Practical ways to recognize and challenge distorted thinking

Why personal growth works best as a toolbox—not a search for a single solution

For full show notes, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠⁠

If you enjoyed this conversation with Spencer Greenberg, check out these other episodes:

Tiny Habits for Behavior Change with BJ Fogg

Behavior Change with Dr. John Norcross

How to Integrate Behavior Change with Your Values with Spencer Greenberg

This episode is sponsored by:

Talkiatry⁠⁠⁠ connects you with licensed psychiatrists for personalized, evidence-based mental health care, all online and covered by most major insurance plans. To get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in just a few minutes, visit ⁠⁠⁠Talkiatry.com/FEED.⁠⁠⁠

⁠Pebl⁠⁠ – an AI-powered platform that helps companies hire and manage global teams in 185+ countries. Get a free estimate at ⁠⁠hipebl.ai⁠

ZocDoc - Taking care of your health just got easier – start here with Zocdoc

Shopify – The commerce platform that helps you build, grow, and manage your business all in one place. Start your $1/month trial at shopify.com/feed.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiny Health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s at-home gut health test provides science-backed insights into your microbiome, along with personalized recommendations to help you improve your digestion, energy, and overall well-being. Get $50 off your first test kit at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ tinyhealth.com/FEED⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Monarch⁠⁠: Take control of your finances with Monarch, the all-in-one personal finance app that helps you budget, track spending, monitor investments, and work toward your financial goals. Get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core, go to https://www.monarch.com/ and enter Promo Code: FEED

⁠⁠ButcherBox:⁠⁠ Make dinnertime easier with ButcherBox, delivering high-quality 100% grass-fed beef, organic chicken, wild-caught seafood, and more, right to your door. Get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ground beef for life or free chicken thighs or top sirloins for a year, with free shipping always. Visit ⁠⁠ButcherBox.com/FEED⁠⁠ to claim your offer.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices