Arthur C. Brooks on Building the Life You Want

Hey TODAY fans! As a bonus, we’re giving you a special preview of Jenna Bush Hager’s podcast, ‘Open Book with Jenna.’In the season’s debut episode, Jenna sits down with three-time Grammy-winning artist, and lead vocalist of the Zac Brown Band, Zac Brown.From his humble beginnings playing in coffee shops at age fourteen to his upcoming residency at the Las Vegas Sphere, Zac reflects on the milestones that shaped his path. He opens up about fatherhood, founding Camp Southern Ground, and the creative process behind his upcoming album Love and Fear, which features collaborations with icons like Snoop Dogg and Dolly Parton. To listen to the full conversation, just search ‘Open Book with Jenna’ wherever you’re listening to follow now, or click here: https://www.today.com/open-book-with-jenna Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Linda Cliatt-Wayman spent 20 years teaching special education before rising to oversee all high schools in The School District of Philadelphia, but her defining moment came when she stepped up to lead Strawberry Mansion High School: a school that no one wanted to run. With fierce love, high expectations, and unshakable hope, Wayman and her team turned despair into possibility. In this conversation from a Joy 101 event earlier this year, Wayman sits down with Hoda to share how she inspired real change in her students and how she’s continuing that work in her latest chapter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chart-topping rapper Big Sean has spent nearly 15 years in the spotlight, but his path to success wasn’t always easy. The Detroit native joins Hoda Kotb to reflect on his evolving relationship with fame, from believing he was destined for stardom at a young age to how he views notoriety today. In this revealing conversation from April 2025, he also shares lessons from his new book, Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success, and Inner Peace, a guide he follows to be the best version of himself every day. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bestselling author, acclaimed public speaker, and Harvard Business School professor Arthur C. Brooks joins Hoda Kotb for an inspiring conversation on the science and practice of happiness. They discuss how to cultivate joy in everyday life, get unstuck during challenging times, and why happiness is not a final destination but a direction you can intentionally choose. In this conversation from March 2024, Brooks draws from his years of research into what makes life meaningful, insights that also shape his new book, The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life, out this week. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Erin Andrews is a fixture on the NFL sidelines. She’s been a sportscaster for more than two decades, and is a legend in the sports industry. But like the rest of us, not every season has felt like a winning one for Erin. She’s learned that some test your strength, your endurance and your drive to keep going. Erin opened up to Hoda Kotb about the road to becoming one of sports tv’s brightest stars, her cervical cancer diagnosis, her battle with infertility and her journey to motherhood. Erin continues to inspire on and off the field, as she celebrates the busiest and best season of her life yet. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Goldie Hawn is a Hollywood legend. And while she never set out to be a movie star, the Academy Award winning actress, producer and director has had a prolific career spanning more than five decades, with iconic roles in films like “Overboard”, “Private Benjamin” and “The First Wives Club”. And while Goldie is beloved for her work on-screen, she is also making an impact off-screen, with her charity MindUp, created with a mission to promote mental health and fitness for children, after facing her own struggles. Goldie sat down with Hoda Kotb to talk about her accidental rise to fame, her famous family and where she finds her purpose. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Suleika Jaouad is a New York Times-bestselling author and journalist. When Jaouad was just 22-years old, she was diagnosed with leukemia, sidelining her dream of becoming a foreign correspondent. Instead, she chronicled her cancer battle in the New York Times column "Life, Interrupted", and went on to write a best-selling memoir. Jaouad opened up to Hoda about her journaling practice, which inspired her latest book "The Book of Alchemy: Creative Prompts for an Inspired Life." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Martha Beck is a best-selling author, life coach, and speaker and expert in coping with anxiety. Despite decades of sociology research and coaching, Beck says she'd struggled with anxiety her entire life. She says we live in a global anxiety spiral, and turned to neuroscience to understand why, and how to move past it. Through her research, Beck found that anxiety shuts down the brain's curiosity and creativity, and tapping into them can be life-changing. She opened up to Hoda about her book, "Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life's Purpose", and shares strategies to change the way they think and live. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Joanna Gaines is the co-founder and designer behind the iconic Magnolia brand. She and her husband Chip made a name for themselves flipping homes in Waco, Texas and gained popularity thanks to their HGTV shows and own network. Gaines opened up to Hoda about imposter syndrome, being a working mom, and how she stays connected with her husband through it all. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Miami Heat forward Kevin Love is a five-time NBA All-Star and advocate for mental health. He opened up about the recent, devastating loss of his father, former NBA player Stan Love, and that viral post-game hug with former teammate, Tristan Thompson. He also speaks to Hoda about his anxiety and his non profit, the Kevin Love Fund Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.