Episode notes
Your professional calling is a mysterious idea. It’s the ineffable sense that you are meant to do something . Many people get tripped up in their pursuit of their calling, because they conceive of it like buried treasure—something hidden that they must find. In truth, your calling can be built no matter your present circumstances. So, how do you do it? In this episode, I explain how to move from chasing an objective career—titles, status, money—to building a more subjective one based on what you care about and what genuinely interests you. I also share three simple steps to help you evaluate…
Podcast
Office Hours with Arthur Brooks
Arthur Brooks · Health · English
Hi Friends, I’m Arthur Brooks, a social scientist, Vanderbilt professor, and columnist at The Free Press. I write, speak, and teach about the science of human happiness, blending neuroscience, behavioral science, philosophy, and religion for insights on how to live better and be happier. Each…
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Want to miss (or forget) life’s sweetest moments? Easy: don’t savor anything. My late mother, an artist, knew this was a terrible strategy for happiness. Through her art, she was an expert at savoring—and the first to teach me its benefits. In this episode of Office Hours , I connect her lesson to what we now know from behavioral science: because of our built-in negativity bias, we tend to overlook positive experiences unless we make an effort to notice them. I’ll share three simple ways to do that—so you can experience your life more deeply, remember it more clearly, and find meaning even…
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27 Apr 2026 · 41 min
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Grief is part of the human experience. If you love, you will lose. And when you do, the pain is inescapable. It can be disorienting, overwhelming, and in the case of acute grief, the symptoms can even resemble something like psychosis. In this episode of Office Hours , I explore what grief actually is, how it is lived and felt by those who are bereaved, and why these reactions—however unsettling—are not signs of dysfunction. They are, in fact, evidence of something profoundly good: the depth of our love and devotion to one another. The aim is not to eliminate grief—that is neither possible…
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20 Apr 2026 · 33 min
Why You Literally Need to Touch Grass
In a previous episode on leisure , I talked about how fewer and fewer people are spending time outdoors. Today, the average child spends just minutes outside each day, a dramatic shift from how most of us grew up and from how humans have lived for thousands of years. In today’s episode of Office Hours , I explain why reconnecting with nature is essential for your happiness and well-being. Drawing on research from psychology and neuroscience, I show how time outdoors can reduce anxiety and depression, improve cognitive function, and even help you break free from the constant cycle of…
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13 Apr 2026 · 50 min
6 Big Lessons to Build Your Dream Life with Sahil Bloom
Sahil Bloom is an entrepreneur and investor, and the author of the New York Times bestselling book The 5 Types of Wealth . Most of us chase success that doesn’t reflect what we truly value. In this episode, Sahil and I explore how to close that gap and live more intentionally—starting with the bold decision he made to move his family for more time with loved ones. We unpack the difference between what you want and what you wish you wanted, dive into the five types of wealth, and end with six practical lessons to help you build a life that actually aligns with your values. — Where to find…
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30 Mar 2026 · 40 min
6 Protocols to Find Meaning and Build a Happier Life
Pre-order The Meaning of Your Life (out March 31). This is the final episode in my 3-part series on meaning, and it begins with a question I couldn’t ignore when I returned to campus five years ago: why do so many successful, driven people feel anxious, depressed, and lonely? In this episode, I share three real-life stories from my new book, The Meaning of Your Life . These stories reveal what’s missing—and why the problem isn’t a lack of enjoyment or satisfaction, but rather the third macronutrient of happiness, meaning . I finish by sharing the six protocols from my book to help you move…
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23 Mar 2026 · 42 min
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Don’t miss The Meaning of Your Life Virtual Experience, my free live global book launch event this Friday (3/27), where I’m joined by an extraordinary lineup of guests to dive into all things meaning. Learn more at themeaningofyourlife.com . This is Part Two of my series on meaning, where I explore the science behind the meaning crisis, a central theme in my upcoming book, The Meaning of Your Life (out March 31). In the last episode, we looked at boredom . Today, I dive into the link between a lack of meaning and rising anxiety and depression—and why avoiding life’s biggest questions may be…
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16 Mar 2026 · 46 min
Find the Meaning of Your Life Part 1 of 3: Get Better at Boredom
Most of us hate waiting. Whether it’s standing in line, sitting in traffic, or waiting for a delayed flight, those idle moments feel irritating and pointless. Our instinct is to escape them as quickly as possible, almost always by reaching for our phones. But what if those moments of boredom are actually valuable? Today’s episode of Office Hours is the first of my three-part series on The Meaning of Your Life , about boredom and how learning to sit with it can help us reconnect with reflection, insight, and the search for meaning. I often talk about the trap of trying to eliminate discomfort…
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9 Mar 2026 · 38 min
3 Steps to Embracing Your Fears
Some of the experiences that scare us most are also the ones that can change us for the better. The right kind of challenge increases confidence, deepens courage, helps us feel more fully alive, and connects us to a deeper sense of meaning. But not all risk is the same, and learning the difference matters. In this episode of Office Hours , I explore why deliberately stepping outside your comfort zone is almost always beneficial when approached wisely. I discuss how to distinguish bravery from recklessness, how to think about fear in a healthier way, and how to identify challenges that are…
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2 Mar 2026 · 38 min
How to find your faith
Faith and spirituality are on the decline—but what does that mean for our happiness and sense of meaning? In this episode of Office Hours , I approach that question not as a theologian, but as a social scientist. I explore a fundamental truth: human beings are wired to seek meaning beyond themselves. The problem today is that we're missing out on this essential part of human life. I’ll share a three-part plan to help you transcend yourself—one that helps you manage anxiety and loneliness—and invite you to reflect more deeply on what you believe, and why it matters. And to learn more on this,…
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