She Was Brainwashed. Then She Left Iran. Now She Has an $18M Portfolio | Kiana Danial, The Invest Diva

A Note from James:What is going on in Iran? And once this war is over, what happens to investing? Is the world coming down? I’m bringing on the Invest Diva, Kiana Danial, to talk about both. She wrote Triple Compounding For Dummies, and we’ll get into that, too.She’s Iranian, and she has a perspective on what’s happening that I think matters. My gut, based on the force of history, is that when this war is over, the Islamic regime won’t survive. Iran has no air force left, no navy left, missile strikes are way down, and many of its top leaders are gone. That’s my opinion, but it’s based on what I’m seeing.What’s interesting to me is the parallel to the Soviet Union in 1991. When that collapsed, there was a peace dividend. For about 10 years, the stock market had enormous growth. Yes, the internet mattered too, but when countries stop trading bullets, they start trading dollars. The whole world opened up.Iran has been one of the biggest threats in the region for decades. So if the regime falls, I think the peace dividend could be enormous, maybe even bigger than what followed the Soviet collapse, simply because we have no real relations with Iran right now. That’s why I wanted to bring on Kiana Danial, author of Triple Compounding For Dummies, to talk about Iran and what it could all mean next.Episode Description:James talks with investor and entrepreneur Kiana Danial about two subjects that usually stay separate: Iran and personal wealth-building.First, Kiana gives a lived, Iranian-born perspective on what she believes ordinary Iranians want, how propaganda shapes the conversation outside the country, and why she thinks markets may move past the current war headlines faster than most people expect. Then the conversation shifts into her framework for building wealth: “triple compounding,” the idea that real financial progress starts by compounding skills, income, and businesses you control before you rely too heavily on outside assets like stocks.What makes this episode useful is that it doesn’t stay theoretical. Kiana explains how getting fired pushed her to build new skills, create new income streams, and eventually grow a multimillion-dollar portfolio. She also shares how she’s thinking about AI, volatility, oil, defense names, and post-conflict rebuilding opportunities. It’s part geopolitics, part market psychology, and part practical roadmap for anyone who wants more control over how they build wealth.What You’ll Learn:Why Kiana thinks geopolitical shocks often hit headlines harder than they hit markets over timeWhat “triple compounding” means: compounding your skills, your income, and your investments togetherHow she went from being fired on Wall Street to building wealth by reinvesting in herself firstWhy adapting to AI may be less about protecting your old job and more about learning new tools quicklyHow she thinks about buying market pullbacks, and which sectors she believes could benefit if Iran eventually rebuildsTimestamped Chapters:[02:00] Cold open: freedom, oil, and investing in yourself[03:03] A Note from James: Iran, war, and the market question[05:57] From Iran to Japan to the U.S.[07:17] The scholarship that changed Kiana’s life[09:58] Why James wanted Kiana’s perspective now[10:53] How war headlines fade and markets recalibrate[12:25] Negotiations, bluffing, and the worst-case outcome[14:58] What Kiana says ordinary Iranians actually want[16:32] Strait of Hormuz, oil, and headline-driven panic[18:20] The case for a post-war “peace dividend”[20:34] Reza Pahlavi and the idea of a transition plan[23:28] How the IRGC recruits and how propaganda starts young[25:29] Unlearning propaganda about Israel and the Holocaust[26:42] What Triple Compounding For Dummies is really arguing[30:10] From Wall Street firing to an $18 million portfolio[33:29] AI, job disruption, and learning fast[35:22] What Kiana is buying, selling, and watching now[38:29] Terror funding, ideology, and what happens after the regime[41:01] How propaganda spreads in the West[43:43] Family safety and final thoughtsAdditional Resources:Kiana Danial / Invest Diva. Triple Compounding For Dummies by Kiana Danial. Reza Pahlavi official statements and background. Ray Dalio’s The Changing World Order / Principles. Ramsey Solutions / Dave Ramsey. Rich Dad / Robert Kiyosaki. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Note from JamesOne of my favorite people in the world is back on the podcast: Jen Shahade. She’s been on the show before. She’s a great chess player, a great poker player, a two-time U.S. Women’s Chess Champion, and the author of the new book Thinking Sideways, about how lessons from chess can help with decision-making.As a chess player myself, I can say these techniques really do work. And she even talks about me in the book, which I appreciated. So: how are you going to think sideways? Listen to this podcast. Episode DescriptionJames talks with Jen Shahade about what chess and poker can teach us about money, ambition, risk, focus, and decision-making. The conversation starts with income: why salary alone rarely creates real savings, why “big chunks” of money matter more, and why relying on a single job is getting riskier in an AI-shaped economy. From there, they get into one of the core ideas behind Jen’s book: most people think too narrowly. They frame decisions as yes or no, take it or leave it, this city or that city, this job or no job. Jen argues that stronger decision-makers force themselves to find a third option, and often that third option is the one that changes everything. They also talk about career reinvention later in life, how AI can help people learn faster, why chess is such a good training ground for focus, and what it means to stay calm when you’ve already made a mistake and the position has gone bad. The deeper point running through the whole episode is that good decisions rarely come from certainty. They come from staying flexible, thinking in chunks, and continuing to move even when the path isn’t obvious yet. What You’ll LearnWhy unexpected “big chunk” income is often more useful for building wealth than salary increases alone. How AI can make later-life career changes and self-education more realistic than they used to be. Why binary decisions are often traps, and how forcing a third option can clarify what you actually want. Why focus is becoming a rarer and more valuable skill in a world built around distraction. How strong decision-makers try to disprove their own ideas before committing to them. Why mistakes, embarrassment, and bad positions are often signs that you are stretching yourself in the right direction. How ambition can become dangerous when it gets disconnected from process and values. Timestamped Chapters[02:00] Big money in surprising chunksWhy salary usually gets spent, and why real savings often come from sudden wins. [02:16] AI, job security, and choosing yourself Why relying on a salary feels shakier now, and how AI changes the equation. [03:10] A Note from James James introduces Jen and the core idea behind Thinking Sideways. [03:49] The book, poker, and having at least three things going on Jen talks about the book launch, poker income, and diversified income streams. [05:35] Why salary increases don’t create savings The psychology of earning more, spending more, and feeling punished by success. [08:15] AI as threat and opportunity The jobs AI may replace, and the new skills it can help people build. [09:42] Reinventing yourself later in life A story about becoming a lawyer at 47, one step at a time. [12:23] Chess and short-term chunks Why good decision-making means solving the next problem, not obsessing over the final outcome. [13:31] AI, age, and chess intuition How computers changed chess learning, and why experience still matters. [17:17] Regret, mistakes, and always having another chance How losing positions still teaches resilience and opportunity. [20:15] Always have three choices Why the best decision often appears only after you stop thinking in binaries. [22:20] Buying a house vs. not buying at all How being stuck between two options can blind you to the real third option. [24:31] The Stanford $5 challenge A creativity experiment about reframing the problem instead of solving the obvious one. [28:00] Focus as a competitive advantage Why being fully locked in matters more than just knowing more. [29:22] Deep work in a distracted world Why focus is becoming a rare skill and how to protect it. [33:16] Learning new skills with AI Coding, language learning, and using AI to create personalized practice. [35:25] Why AI can feel exhausting How AI can keep people in a deep-work state longer than they expect. [36:00] Why large language models are bad at chess Confabulation, pattern recognition, and what that reveals about AI and learning. [44:03] Ambition, values, and cheating Why Jen included cheating in a book about decision-making. [47:00] Chess cheating, Hans Niemann, and online trust The difference between online cheating, live cheating, and the damage done to opponents. [57:00] Falsifying your own ideas Why stronger players spend more time disproving their moves. [01:00:00] Balancing doubt with action How to stress-test an idea without freezing yourself. [01:02:00] Why ambition matters, even if the first move is crude Magnus, scholar’s mate, and why it’s okay to start by trying to win. [01:04:00] Work harder when things are going well Why success is often the moment to press, not relax. [01:04:58] Final thoughts on the book James closes on why Thinking Sideways works and what makes it different. Additional ResourcesThinking Sideways | Book by Jennifer ShahadeHome - Jennifer ShahadeGames and The Grid | Jennifer Shahade | SubstackDeep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World - Cal NewportSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Note from James:This is why I love doing podcasts—talking to people like Dr. Sheena Howard, author of Why Wakanda Matters. Wakanda is the country where Black Panther is from, and Sheena has written extensively about comics, including work on Black Panther itself.We talk about comics, race, and storytelling. I asked a question I was almost afraid to ask—whether the Black Panther movie was racist against other Black people—and she gave a surprising answer. We also talk about a time she was abducted in Jamaica, along with a lot of other topics.I loved this conversation. Please listen. Episode Description:James sits down with Dr. Sheena Howard—scholar, comic book writer, and Eisner Award winner—for a conversation that moves between pop culture, publishing, and personal survival.They use Black Panther as a lens to examine how stories shape identity, how representation evolves, and why cultural narratives are often filtered through systems that weren’t built to support them. Sheena breaks down the tension between nationalism and isolationism in Wakanda, and why audiences interpret the same story in radically different ways.The conversation also goes deeper—into how gatekeeping works in publishing today, how creators can bypass it, and why building your own audience may be the most reliable path forward.And then there’s the story she didn’t tell for years: being abducted at 19. What happened, why she stayed silent, and what it reveals about psychology, fear, and resilience.This episode is about storytelling—but also about control: who has it, who doesn’t, and how to take it back.What You’ll Learn:Why “Black superheroes don’t sell” is a myth—and how the industry perpetuates it anywayThe real gatekeeping mechanism in publishing today (and why audience ownership matters more than ever)How subtle bias shows up now—not in obvious barriers, but in shifting goalpostsWhat makes a story resonate across audiences (and why Black Panther worked at scale)The psychology of abusive situations—and how awareness and boundaries are built over timeTimestamped Chapters:[03:04] A Note from James[03:53] Favorite Superheroes: From Captain America to Black Panther[04:27] Why Black Panther Connected Culturally[04:43] The $1.2B Question: Why So Late for Black Superheroes?[05:17] Luke Cage, Netflix, and the “Myth” That Black Stories Don’t Sell[05:39] Tyler Perry and the “Outlier” Problem[06:23] Pressure on Black-Led Films to Be Perfect[07:00] What Wakanda Represents (Uncolonized Possibility)[07:53] Killmonger: Anger, Oppression, and Relatability[08:23] MLK vs. Malcolm X Parallel in Black Panther[09:00] Identity Formation: African vs. African American Perspectives[09:47] Are Black Superheroes Designed to “Feel Safe”?[10:28] Gentrification, Stereotypes, and Media Influence[11:50] Media Isn’t “Just Entertainment”[12:00] Early Representation and Cultural Messaging[12:28] Who Created Black Panther—and Why That Matters[13:07] Rewriting History: What Would She Change?[13:49] Designing a Modern Black Superhero[14:47] Why a Modern Hero Might Be “Invisible”[15:44] Publishing Barriers and Gatekeeping Conversations[16:36] Social Media vs. Traditional Publishing Access[17:26] Building 163K Followers—and Still Not Enough[21:47] The Instagram Post: “I Was Abducted at 19”[22:11] How It Started: Cheap Tour, No Money, Bad Decision[23:05] The Trap: Locked House and Escalation[25:00] Refusal and Survival Strategy[26:02] Car Crash and Escape Attempt[27:00] Walking Away and Getting Home[28:30] Why She Stayed Silent for Years[29:20] Abusive Relationships and Self-Blame[30:26] Leaving Abuse: The Role of Her Son[31:06] Love Bombing and Early Warning Signs[33:02] Recognizing Red Flags in Relationships[35:45] Teaching Kids Boundaries and Self-Worth[37:21] “Is Wakanda Racist?”—The Big Question[38:00] Nationalism vs. Racism Explained[39:00] Isolationism vs. Imperialism[41:00] Why Some Black Superheroes Don’t Break Out[43:00] The Loss (and Survival) of Great Storytelling[46:14] How She Got Hired by Marvel (Cold Email + PI)[48:29] Why Pitching Ideas to Marvel Often Fails[50:00] Cold Outreach: Being Seen Before Heard[52:00] Do You Need Social Media to Sell Books? (Yes.)[55:01] Building an Audience vs. Waiting to Be Discovered[56:00] Email Lists: The Real Asset for Writers[59:00] Should You Niche Down or Stay Broad?[01:09:36] Do Podcasts Actually Sell Books?[01:12:00] Why Publishers Don’t Care About You (At First)[01:14:18] Choose One: Money, Readers, or Prestige[01:15:10] Quantity vs. Quality Writing Models[01:23:56] Success Beyond the New York Times List[01:24:25] Owning Your IP vs. Writing for Marvel[01:26:18] “Survive the Gap” Concept and Film Project[01:27:00] Turning Ideas Into Franchises[01:28:44] Why Ownership Beats Gatekeeping[01:30:34] What’s Next: Hip Hop and ComicsAdditional ResourcesHome | Dr. Sheena C. Howard | Creative EntrepreneurWhy Wakanda Matters by Dr. Sheena HowardBlack Comics: Politics of Race and Representation by Dr. Sheena HowardNina's Whisper by Dr. Sheena HowardMarvel’s Black Panther (film)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode DescriptionThis archival conversation with Jim Kwik moves beyond memory tricks and into something more fundamental: how we think, learn, and make decisions.Jim breaks down why most people forget nearly everything they read, why repeating the same mistakes isn’t always about logic, and how modern life is quietly degrading attention and memory. He explains how the brain filters information, how habits form, and why focus—not intelligence—is often the real differentiator.James pushes the conversation into practical territory: decision-making, fear, performance, and building a life around what actually matters. Together, they explore frameworks for improving memory, reducing distraction, and making better choices—along with the deeper idea that learning is the core skill behind everything else.This episode isn’t just about remembering more. It’s about thinking better.What You’ll LearnWhy most people remember only 1–2% of what they read—and how to improve retentionThe difference between reading speed, comprehension, and retention (and why all three matter)How the brain acts as a filtering and deletion system, not a storage deviceA practical framework for decision-making using multiple mental perspectives (Six Thinking Hats)How digital overload, distraction, and “digital dementia” are weakening focus and memoryWhy habits—not knowledge—drive performance, and how to build them using motivation, ability, and triggersThe four traits behind high performance: growth, grit, giving, and gratitudeTimestamped Chapters[02:00] Introduction to Jim Kwik and memory training[02:29] Why people forget what they read[03:09] Reading vs comprehension vs retention[03:50] The importance of remembering love, life, and lessons[04:25] Why people repeat the same mistakes[05:05] Emotional memory vs logical memory[06:29] Blame vs responsibility in reducing stress[07:11] The brain as a filtering and deletion device[08:17] Why we remember only 1–2% of books[08:24] The Zeigarnik Effect explained[10:15] Note-taking: handwriting vs typing[11:17] Learning through rewriting and modeling[12:18] Decision-making and simplifying life[13:40] Maker time vs manager time[17:33] Why you shouldn’t check your phone in the morning[18:06] Brainwave states: alpha, beta, and focus[19:00] Jim Kwik’s high-performance clients[20:25] Childhood brain injury and learning challenges[21:08] Knowledge as power in the modern economy[22:09] Decision-making and outside perspectives[23:22] The Six Thinking Hats framework[26:46] Decision-making through perspective shifts[28:40] Facing fear and building confidence[30:33] Digital overload and information fatigue[31:17] Social media and comparison psychology[33:11] Fear, rejection, and self-worth[34:20] Overcoming learning and public speaking fears[35:02] “Your mess becomes your message”[36:24] Jim Kwik’s turning point and learning journey[38:15] Discovering how to learn[40:03] Deep immersion vs spaced learning[41:34] Speed reading breakthrough moment[42:33] Digital overload, distraction, and dementia[44:02] Why checking your phone rewires your brain[45:17] Outsourcing memory vs training your brain[47:00] Busyness vs productivity[48:18] Biological decision-making and intuition[49:03] Sleep deprivation and performance[52:00] Post-traumatic growth vs stress[53:00] Learning to say no and focus[54:27] Essentialism: “Hell yes or hell no”[55:14] Applying the Six Thinking Hats to real decisions[58:15] What school fails to teach[59:09] Building a career from learning challenges[01:01:00] First teaching experience and entrepreneurship[01:03:00] Overcoming fear of public speaking[01:08:39] Turning knowledge into income[01:10:00] The power of learning as a superpower[01:11:30] Finding what to learn and why[01:12:52] Growth mindset and learning from failure[01:13:34] The four Gs: growth, grit, giving, gratitude[01:15:12] Building grit through discomfort[01:17:19] Why fundamentals matter more than new ideas[01:18:22] Habit formation: motivation, ability, trigger[01:20:00] Time, priorities, and skill-building[01:23:40] Focus vs intelligence[01:24:27] Learning through teaching[01:25:25] High-performance mindset examples[01:27:25] Jim Carrey and freeing people from concern[01:29:58] “I don’t get ready, I stay ready”[01:32:00] Building daily habits for performance[01:33:00] Giving mindset and learning faster[01:34:01] Teaching as a tool for mastery[01:36:00] Gratitude as a performance tool[01:38:00] Health, energy, and peak performance[01:41:00] Bringing it all together: love, life, and lessonsAdditional ResourcesJim Kwik — https://www.kwikbrain.comKwik Brain Podcast — https://www.kwikbrain.com/pages/podcastLimitless by Jim Kwik — https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401958230podcastThe Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle — https://www.amazon.com/dp/1577314808Thinking, Fast and Slow (decision-making reference context) — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0374533555How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0671027034Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill — https://www.amazon.com/dp/1585424331Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0399176136Six Thinking Hats by Edward de Bono — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0316178314See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Note from James:I talked to Nelson Dellis, who’s a six-time USA Memory Champion and has broken multiple Guinness World Records. His book, Everyday Genius, makes a pretty bold claim—that with some practice and the right techniques, you can dramatically improve how your brain works.We didn’t just talk about memory. We got into everything: mental math, focus, cold reading, even some techniques that feel almost like magic. And I’ve done a lot of episodes on memory over the years—but Nelson showed me things I hadn’t seen before.What stood out to me is this idea that “genius” isn’t some fixed trait. It’s a collection of skills you can build. Some of them are surprisingly simple once you understand how your brain actually works.I’m definitely going to spend more time practicing some of these techniques. There’s a lot here that’s immediately useful—and a lot that could take years to master.Episode Description:James sits down with world memory champion Nelson Dellis to break down what memory really is—and how far it can be pushed.Nelson explains how his grandmother’s battle with Alzheimer’s led him into the world of memory training, eventually becoming one of the best in the world. From memorizing thousands of digits to competing in global competitions, he shows that memory is not a fixed trait—it’s a skill.The conversation goes beyond memory into focus, reading, learning, and even social intelligence. Nelson shares practical techniques for improving recall, reading faster without losing comprehension, and using visualization to retain more information.They also explore the edge cases—cold reading, intuition, and even experiments with “remote viewing”—where perception and cognition blur into something that feels almost supernatural.At its core, this episode is about expanding what you believe your brain is capable of.What You’ll Learn:Why memory is a trainable skill—not something you’re born withHow visualization and emotional context dramatically improve recallThe difference between “speed reading” and “focus reading”Simple techniques to retain more from books and conversationsHow cold reading works (and why it feels like magic)Why reviewing information—not cramming—is key to long-term memoryThe mental habits that create the appearance of “genius”How attention and focus are becoming rare—and valuable—skillsTimestamped Chapters:00:02:00 – Nelson’s origin story: Alzheimer’s and the motivation to master memory 00:02:16 – Why reading is like living thousands of lives 00:03:13 – Introducing Everyday Genius and the promise of trainable intelligence 00:04:33 – Memory palace techniques and applying them to real-world skills 00:05:13 – Can memory training help prevent Alzheimer’s? 00:06:13 – Daily memory training routines and measurable progress 00:08:16 – From beginner to USA Memory Champion 00:10:00 – Memorizing 10,000 digits of pi: how it actually works 00:11:31 – Turning numbers into stories: the core of memory systems 00:14:28 – Why emotion and visualization drive memory 00:16:00 – Memory competition benchmarks and world-class performance 00:18:00 – What “genius” actually means—and how to simulate it 00:20:00 – The four pillars: memory, reading, focus, and learning 00:23:33 – Speed reading vs. focus reading (and why most people get it wrong) 00:25:12 – The finger-tracking technique to instantly read faster 00:27:16 – Why you don’t need to read every word 00:30:17 – Why cramming fails (and how memory actually forms) 00:31:17 – Visualization while reading: turning text into a movie 00:34:00 – Active recall, note-taking, and long-term retention systems 00:37:16 – Cold reading and social intelligence 00:41:00 – Body language cues: attention, interest, and perception 00:43:00 – How mentalists create the illusion of mind reading 00:46:00 – Psychological “forcing” and influencing choices 00:51:00 – Remote viewing experiments and cognitive edge cases Additional ResourcesEveryday Genius: Hacks to Boost Your Memory, Focus, Problem Solving and Much MoreSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Note from James:I’ve been in therapy for more than three decades.Different therapists. Different kinds of therapy. Different crises.And one question has always fascinated me: What is the therapist actually thinking while I’m sitting there talking?Are they bored? Are they judging me? Are they secretly Googling me?My guest today, Lori Gottlieb, knows the answer—because she’s both sides of the story.She’s a psychotherapist, author of the bestselling book Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, and the writer behind the popular advice column “Ask the Therapist.”But what makes Lori unique is that she’s willing to pull back the curtain on therapy itself: what therapists think, what patients hide, and why people keep repeating the same patterns in relationships and life.This episode originally aired several years ago, but the ideas still feel incredibly relevant—especially now, when conversations about mental health are everywhere.So if you’ve ever wondered what’s really happening on the other side of the therapy couch, this conversation is for you.Episode Description:Psychotherapist and bestselling author Lori Gottlieb joins James to discuss what really happens inside therapy—and what both therapists and patients often misunderstand about the process.Drawing from her book Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, Lori explains why therapy isn’t just about venting problems but about understanding the patterns that drive them.James shares his own experiences as a long-time therapy patient, raising questions many people quietly wonder: Do therapists judge their patients? Do they get bored? Do they Google the people they treat?Lori answers candidly, discussing the hidden dynamics of therapy, the emotional complexity therapists carry home with them, and why the most important conversations in therapy are often the ones people hesitate to bring up.The conversation also explores relationships, secrets, childhood experiences, and why many people keep repeating the same life patterns—even when they know better.What You’ll Learn:Why therapy isn’t just about discussing problems—it’s about understanding patternsThe difference between content and process in relationshipsWhy therapists rarely get bored—even when problems seem trivialThe surprising ways therapists think about their patientsWhy the hardest topics in therapy often show up at the end of a sessionTimestamped Chapters:[00:02:00] Lori Gottlieb on Therapy as “Editing Your Life Story”[00:03:00] Introduction to Lori Gottlieb[00:04:16] Inside the Book Maybe You Should Talk to Someone[00:05:02] Why Therapists Need Therapists[00:06:17] Are Therapists Bored Listening to Problems?[00:07:00] Content vs Process: The Real Work of Therapy[00:09:00] Why Pain Has No Hierarchy[00:10:23] James’s “Statistician” Theory of Therapy[00:11:00] Why Every Patient’s Story Is Unique[00:12:00] Finding Something Likable in Every Patient[00:12:45] The Hollywood Producer Patient[00:15:12] The Most “Boring” Therapy Patients[00:16:03] Labeling What’s Happening in a Conversation[00:18:00] Building Trust Without Oversharing[00:20:00] Judgment vs Protectiveness in Therapy[00:23:04] What Therapists Wish Patients Knew[00:24:11] Do Therapists Care What Patients Think of Them?[00:25:00] Different Styles of Therapy[00:29:00] Advice vs Understanding in Therapy[00:32:51] Do Therapists Ever Google Their Patients?[00:36:00] Why Patients Googling Therapists Can Backfire[00:38:00] The Awkward Beginning of Every Therapy Session[00:41:00] Working With a Patient Facing Terminal Cancer[00:44:00] The Emotional Impact of Therapy Work[00:46:00] Handling Suicidal Patients[00:47:30] When Therapy Ends[00:50:00] Why Saying Goodbye Matters in Therapy[00:53:00] “Doorknob Disclosures” — The Secrets Patients Reveal LastLinks and Resources:Check out Lori’s website and sign up for her newsletter at Lorigottlieb.comAsk the Therapist is the column Lori writes for the New York Times. You can submit a question for Lori hereRead Lori’s book, “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed.”Also check out Lori’s book from 2011, “Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough” (This book is not about settling! She says “I didn’t win the title battle with the publisher. And I still get letters from people who say the book has helped them.” A lot of it has to do with saving your marriage or setting standards. And she wrote a column about this once, too.)“Dear Therapist” is the column Lori wrote for six years for “The Atlantic.”Follow Lori on Twitter and FacebookSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Note from James:In the Blondie song “Rapture,” which was the number-one song in 1981, Debbie Harry has this famous line: “Fab Five Freddy told me everybody’s fly.”So the question is—who is Fab Five Freddy?This guy is one of the central figures in the birth of hip-hop culture. Not just rap music, but the whole ecosystem: graffiti, breakdancing, fashion, DJ culture, art, film—everything that eventually turned into a massive global industry.Hip-hop today represents hundreds of billions of dollars in music, fashion, and entertainment. But in the late ’70s and early ’80s it was just a small creative movement happening in New York.Fab 5 Freddy helped connect all those worlds. He bridged graffiti artists, musicians, downtown art scenes, and eventually MTV.He also just wrote a book called Everybody’s Fly, and it was a huge honor for me to talk with him about the origins of hip-hop and how creativity actually grows.Episode Description:Before hip-hop became a global industry, it was a loose network of DJs, graffiti artists, dancers, and musicians creating something entirely new in New York City.Fab 5 Freddy was at the center of it.In this conversation, he explains how hip-hop emerged from a mix of street culture, art scenes, punk music, and experimentation with records and sound. He discusses the origins of graffiti tagging, the rise of DJs like Grandmaster Flash, and the cultural moment when Blondie’s “Rapture” helped bring hip-hop into mainstream awareness.Freddy also shares how the first hip-hop film, Wild Style, helped unify the culture’s elements—music, dance, graffiti, and fashion—and introduce them to a wider audience.The conversation then turns to the modern era: AI-generated music, the attention economy of social media, and why artists today may need to slow down and develop their work before exposing it to the world.What You’ll Learn:How hip-hop emerged from a mix of music, graffiti, dance, and street cultureWhy early DJs searched old records for breakbeats to create new soundsHow the film Wild Style helped define hip-hop culture for the worldWhy artists today may need to resist posting unfinished work onlineHow creativity evolves when technology disrupts the music industryTimestamped Chapters[00:02:00] The Story Behind the Title Everybody’s Fly[00:03:01] A Note from James[00:04:15] Meeting Biz Markie and the Culture of Collecting Hip-Hop History[00:05:35] How Jazz, Blues, and Soul Influenced Early Hip-Hop[00:06:22] DJs Digging Through Records to Find Breakbeats[00:07:40] Grandmaster Flash and the Science of DJing[00:08:41] Why Producers Became Central to Hip-Hop Music[00:09:54] Blondie’s “Rapture” and Hip-Hop’s Mainstream Breakthrough[00:11:00] The Downtown Art Scene: Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Andy Warhol[00:12:24] The Origins of Graffiti and Tagging Culture[00:13:48] Graffiti as Competition and Artistic Evolution[00:15:12] Punk Rock and Hip-Hop: Parallel Cultural Revolutions[00:17:47] The Idea for the First Hip-Hop Film Wild Style[00:19:02] Bringing Breakdancing, Graffiti, and Rap Together on Film[00:21:50] Lessons Modern Artists Can Learn from Early Hip-Hop[00:22:49] Why Posting Creative Work Too Early Can Hurt It[00:24:00] Social Media, Attention, and the Speed of Culture[00:26:00] Hip-Hop’s Global Influence[00:29:00] The Birth of Conscious Rap[00:31:12] Directing KRS-One’s “My Philosophy” Video[00:33:00] Finding Great Hip-Hop in the Streaming Era[00:36:00] Battle Rap and Lyrical Skill[00:37:00] Artists Who Still Push the Genre Forward[00:40:11] How Rappers Make Money Today[00:43:00] What Makes an Artist Stand the Test of Time[00:47:00] Sampling, Technology, and the Evolution of Music Production[00:54:00] AI Music and the Future of Creativity[01:02:00] What “Everybody’s Fly” Really MeansAdditional Resources:Fab 5 Freddyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fab_Five_FreddyRapturehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture_(Blondie_song)Wild Stylehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_StyleGrandmaster Flashhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandmaster_FlashKRS-Onehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KRS-OneDebbie Harryhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_HarrySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Note from James:Tony Hawk is one of the greatest athletes of all time—but what fascinates me most isn’t just the tricks.It’s the mindset.Tony didn’t just become the best skateboarder in the world. He built an entire ecosystem around what he loved: competitions, companies, tours, sponsorships, and one of the most successful video game franchises ever created.What’s interesting is that none of it was planned that way. It came from constant experimentation, falling—literally—and getting back up again.In this episode, Tony talks about the path to excellence, how he handled criticism and failure, the moment he finally landed the legendary 900 trick, and how skateboarding evolved from an underground subculture into a global industry.Episode Description:Tony Hawk didn’t just change skateboarding—he helped transform it into a global cultural phenomenon.In this archival conversation, Tony shares the real story behind his career: learning to master fear, surviving the ups and downs of a niche sport, and eventually building a massive business empire around skateboarding.He explains how passion drove him through the lean years when skateboarding almost disappeared, why constant experimentation helped him stay at the top, and how a combination of timing, risk-taking, and creative control led to the success of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video game franchise.The conversation also explores the legendary moment when he landed the first successful 900, the importance of protecting your brand, and why mastery often comes from relentless curiosity rather than natural talent.What You’ll Learn:Why pursuing passion—even during downturns—can create long-term successHow failure and repetition build elite skill in any disciplineWhy protecting your brand and intellectual control matters in businessHow the 900 trick became one of the most iconic moments in sports historyWhy continuous learning and experimentation are essential for staying relevantTimestamped Chapters:[00:02:00] The Physics of Skateboarding & Learning Through Failure[00:03:12] Introduction[00:03:38] Developing Air Awareness in Skateboarding[00:04:10] The First Time Going Airborne in a Pool[00:05:05] Learning How to Fall Safely[00:06:19] Aging, Risk & Walking Away from Mega Ramps[00:07:17] Skateboarding’s Rebellious Origins[00:08:00] Creativity and Individual Style in Skate Culture[00:09:00] Advice for Pursuing Excellence[00:10:00] Learning Every Aspect of an Industry[00:11:35] Skateboarding’s Collapse in the Early ’90s[00:12:33] Becoming a Professional Skater[00:14:02] Mentorship from Stacy Peralta[00:15:13] Going Broke During Skateboarding’s Down Years[00:16:29] Skating Parking Lot Shows for $100 a Day[00:17:31] The X Games and Skateboarding’s Comeback[00:18:45] The Video Game That Changed Everything[00:19:31] When Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Became “The Game”[00:20:24] Lessons from Skateboarding Applied to Business[00:21:17] A Failed High-End Denim Business[00:22:43] Being Called a Sellout[00:24:00] Protecting Your Brand and Reputation[00:25:13] Creating Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater[00:26:20] Designing the Game Mechanics[00:27:20] The Long Road to the 900[00:29:35] Landing the 900 at the X Games[00:31:08] Becoming Tony Hawk Inc.[00:32:21] The Importance of Total Immersion[00:33:29] Designing the Downward Spiral Ramp[00:35:24] Advice for Raising a Passionate Kid[00:38:12] Business Advice from Tony Hawk’s Sister[00:40:29] Working with Family[00:43:04] Why Some Athletes Fade After Success[00:44:28] Clearing Up the 900 Controversy[00:48:00] The Hoverboard PrankAdditional Resources:Official Tony HawkTony Hawk's™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4Bones Brigade: An AutobiographyRiley Hawk on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Note from James:In the last episode, we talked about whether Martin Shkreli really deserves the label “most hated man in America.” My conclusion was no, and I hope you came to the same conclusion after hearing his perspective.In this episode, we shift gears completely. We talk about Bitcoin, crypto, AI, energy, optical computing, and what the future of technology might actually look like.Martin has a very unusual combination of skills—finance, biotech, programming—and I always enjoy hearing how he connects ideas across different fields. That’s what this conversation is about.Episode Description:What happens when AI demand collides with the limits of computing power and energy?In Part 2, Martin Shkreli and James explore the future of technology—from crypto vulnerabilities to optical computing, GPU scaling, and the potential energy crisis driven by artificial intelligence.They discuss whether Bitcoin can survive quantum computing, why stablecoins solve real-world financial problems, and how computing architecture may shift beyond traditional silicon chips. The conversation then moves into AI economics: why companies might spend billions on compute to make better decisions, how energy constraints could shape innovation, and why optical computing could become the next major breakthrough.This episode isn’t about controversy—it’s about technological leverage, incentives, and where computation is heading next.What You’ll Learn:Why quantum computing could eventually threaten Bitcoin’s encryptionThe real-world advantages of stablecoins and decentralized paymentsHow AI demand could create massive new energy constraintsWhy optical (photonic) computing may outperform traditional silicon chipsHow businesses might use large-scale AI compute for strategic decisionsTimestamped Chapters:[00:02:00] Bitcoin, Encryption & Quantum Computing Risks[00:03:02] A Note from James[00:03:34] Crypto Markets: Speculation vs. Utility[00:05:23] Banking Control, Debanking & Stablecoins[00:07:40] Moore’s Law, Huang’s Law & The Limits of Silicon[00:08:45] Optical Computing Explained[00:09:12] NVIDIA, Parallelization & Power Consumption[00:10:24] Energy Constraints & The Electrical Grid[00:11:41] AI Energy Demand vs. Countries[00:12:24] Corporate AI Decision-Making at Scale[00:13:37] The Coming Explosion of AI Compute[00:14:20] Energy Efficiency vs. Speed[00:15:17] GPU Efficiency Improvements & Jevons Paradox[00:17:00] Why AI Is Different from Traditional Computing[00:17:47] Optical vs. Quantum vs. DNA Computing[00:18:19] Why Optical Computing Fits AI Perfectly[00:19:28] Precision, Bits & Neural Networks[00:21:24] Error Tolerance in AI Systems[00:22:00] Fiber Optics & Existing Infrastructure[00:23:16] New Computing Paradigms Beyond Silicon[00:24:00] Matrix Multiplication & AI Workloads[00:24:53] Closing ThoughtsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Note from James:Is he the most hated man in America? I don’t think so.Martin Shkreli was notorious for various reasons that you’ll hear about in this episode—there are some crazy stories—but I’ve come to know Martin over the past few months as both a friend and business partner.Let’s just hear his stories and explanations. I think you’ll agree with me that this is one of the smartest people I’ve ever had on the podcast.Episode Description:Martin Shkreli became one of the most controversial figures in business history—labeled “the most hated man in America,” prosecuted, imprisoned, and publicly vilified.In this conversation, he tells his side of the story.Part 1 focuses on how media narratives form, why conviction and risk-taking matter in entrepreneurship, and the deeper mechanics behind the pharmaceutical controversy that made him famous. He explains the economics of drug pricing, insurance systems, neglected medications, and why public perception diverged so dramatically from what patients actually experienced.The episode also explores learning across disciplines, intellectual courage, prosecutors’ incentives, and how public scandals evolve into legal consequences.Whether you agree with him or not, the discussion raises uncomfortable questions about business, regulation, media, and reputation.What You’ll Learn:Why media narratives can shape public opinion more than factsThe real economics behind pharmaceutical pricing and insurance coverageHow entrepreneurs learn complex industries without formal trainingWhy conviction and risk tolerance are essential in investing and businessHow incentives within legal and political systems influence outcomesTimestamped Chapters:[00:02:00] “Most Hated Man in America” — Media Narratives & Reputation[00:03:11] A Note from James[00:03:45] Humor vs. Backlash: Handling Public Criticism[00:06:39] Conviction, Investing & Standing Your Ground[00:09:00] Optimism, Forgiveness & Business Relationships[00:12:08] The Pharma Controversy Begins[00:14:52] From Hedge Funds to Biotech CEO[00:17:40] Learning New Industries from Scratch[00:19:00] Staying Curious & Avoiding Fear of Complexity[00:21:00] Borrowing Knowledge Across Domains[00:23:06] How People Actually Learn Complex Skills[00:29:00] Entrepreneurship, Ego & Motivation[00:31:20] The Daraprim Pricing Decision Explained[00:34:00] Neglected Drugs & Pharma Economics[00:37:00] Profit Motive vs. Public Good[00:41:13] Why He Became the Target[00:45:00] Prosecutors, Incentives & Legal Strategy[00:47:00] Hedge Funds, Technical Violations & Trials[00:50:00] High-Profile Cases & Selective Enforcement[00:53:00] Media Attention & Personal DecisionsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.