The Big Life Questions Show

In this episode, Chris and Doug take a deep dive into gratitude in all of its dimensions. The cohosts discuss research on gratitude as well as real-life examples of how to invoke and benefit from gratitude. They are greatly aided in this process by The Big Life Question Show's first guest, Chris's wife Karen, who runs a business called Gratitude Place. 2.15 What is gratitude? 4.45 Research on gratitude  7.27 What happens when you don't feel gratitude? 15.40 Gratitude Place 16.40 The Success Principles 21.20 Abundance 24.00 Resilience Links Visit Gratitude Place on Etsy Follow Gratitude Place on Facebook and Instagram Success Principles by Jack Canfield

Doug and Chris start out the year on a positive note, looking for signs of hope for humanity. Gratefully, with some help, our cohosts find research showing that most people are inherently caring, considerate, and cooperative. Here's to 2020 being a year in which we all revive our hope for the human race. 1.10 Why Chris has hope 2.00 Gratitude 6.00 Giving to others 7.00 Relationships and well being 11.45 Helping others 13.40 Empathy and mindsets 18.15 Resilience Links Thoughtco article by Elizabeth Hopper

Populism has emerged unexpectedly as a huge global political issue. It's controversial, powerful to its adherents, disruptive, and tumultuous for all concerned. It's also a repeat of past world history. Why is this happening now and what can be done about it? 0.53 The alienated worker class 3.55 Mankind's darker nature 8.00 3 core requirements for populism 9:45 Rising hostility towards capitalism 11.10 Does populism have a better story than progressivism? 16.00 What are the best and the brightest doing now to help the world? 20.00 The hostile takeover of the Republican Party 22.40 What does Brexit mean for U.S. politics? Reference The information about Swedish professor Benjamin Moffitt and the three core requirements that define a populist comes from a 2017 Bloomberg article by Marc Champion titled "How Do You Know a Populist When You See One?" Chris reads from Champion's piece beginning at the 8:00 mark.  

In this episode Doug and Chris tackle one of the most intractable issues of our time - income inequality. The cohosts frame the magnitude of the problem, and then discuss  what could be done about it.  1.30 Inequality and immigration 2.15 The 3 richest people in the world 3.25 The last 40 years in the U.S. 6.25 Investing in people's welfare 9.00 The advantage of universal benefits 15.30 The burning fuse of income inequality  19.30 Money and politics 25.15 Equality of opportunity

Chris and Doug discuss and debate the most important question for Democrats in 2020 - should they run a moderate or a progressive? Are politics today dominated by the right and left, or is their room in the middle? Our cohosts (mostly) keep it friendly, but don't agree on much - other than the country would be better off with a new president. 0.45 Chris throws the first punch 3.25 Can we get the youth vote out? 6.55 Should we focus on electability or policy? 9.45 Are the moderates slow walking us to disaster? 11.25 is there still a political center? 16.30 Here, we talk about actual candidates 31.15 Chris's Democratic presidential nominee success rate

Chris and Doug explore why humor is important, how it helps us get through difficult times, and what makes for good humor. The cohosts delve into Chris's career as a stand-up comic, what it was like to try to break into that world - and hear about one famous comic he met along the journey. All forms of humor are on the table - stand-up comedy, political humor, self-deprecating humor, and plain old bad jokes. 0.50 The Three Big Intangibles 7.20 What are the hallmarks of good humor? 9.40 Chris's stand up career 17.30 Political humor 21.40 Humor to get through difficult times

In this episode Chris and Doug try to figure out how resentful millennial and generation X Y and Z are, and should be, toward baby boomers. It seems like they have reasons to be, considering climate change, deficits, income inequality and political division. We carefully insert personal disclaimers into the episode, and Chris makes it clear that he loves everyone.  2.40 What Millenials and Gen Z think about Baby Boomers 7.00 Short-termism 11.25 The state of capitialism 17.57 Chris takes the floor 20.40 Solving big problems 23.48 Tribalism  

Listen to two fanatical sports fans, one in recovery and one in denial, sort out this timeless question: Are sports something we take too seriously? In a perverse way, Doug and Chris may be uniquely qualified to take on this topic. 1.54 The problem with taking sports too seriously 5.40 The Browns' sorry playoff history  13:55 Being a fan and never winning a championship 22.10 Checklist of poor sports fan behaviors 27.50 Doug answers the question  Links Superfans

In this episode, Chris and Doug discuss freedom in all of its dimensions -- political, physical, financial, external versus internal freedom. The cohosts discuss which rights of freedom are currently threatened in the United States. As usual, Doug also offers a book recommendation. 0.55 Chris's fundamental definition of freedom 2.15 Webster's definition of freedom 7.15 Internal freedom 11.10 Freedom to be who you are 11.30 Free will 14.45 The freedom to control your body 16.45 Financial freedom Links Victor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

All of us go through adversity. It's an inevitable part of life. In this episode, Doug and Chris talk about some of the major adversities in their own lives and how they dealt with them (successfully or otherwise). 0.30 Doug's first major life crisis 5.30 The wrong way to deal with adversity 10.30 How to overcome adversity 12.55 Chris' biggest adversity 17.25 Staying in the pocket 19.10 The growth mindset Links Mindset, Carol Dweck

Chris and Doug engage in a wide-ranging conversation about perfectionism, excellence and the difference between the two. They cover healthy and unhealthy attitudes, how raising kids has gotten harder, famous perfectionists, suicide, and - of course - Donald Trump. A decent effort for two non-perfectionists. 0.42 Definitions of perfectionism and excellence 4.00 Perfectionists' expectations of other people 5.25 Perfectionists and risk-taking 12.50 The promise and perils of continuous improvement 16.00 Growing up in a social media world 19.00 Is perfectionism getting worse? Links: Ted Talk on Perfectionism    

In this episode, Doug and Chris solve all of problems facing democracies in a mere 32 minutes. It's all here - citizen engagement, gerrymandering, education, universal basic income, entitlements, etc., etc. Our cohosts also talk about how the United States could get back to doing Big Things as a country. World leaders, you are fools not to listen to this episode of The Big Life Questions Show podcast.  2.00 Doug's starting point for the fix 6.30 Doing Big Things 12.25 Fixing entitlements 21.55 Citizenship and democracy  26.15 Strengthening families

For those of you counting, it's been 1,010 days (and a few hours) since Trump took the oath of office. In this episode, Chris and Doug plunge into the topic of how - with a lot of help from Trump himself - America has managed to make great progress in ruining democracy in that short time. But don't despair - next week our cohosts will explain how to save it.  1.45 Chris's Top 2 Points, Which are actually about 10 Points 5.50 The latest impeachment polls 6.45 Attacking all sources of truth 13.20 The role of money in politics 15.25 The breakdown of political norms 17.10 Lowering the public discourse 21.00 A hopeful note Book link: How Democracies Die

In this episode, in the tradition of the Big Life Questions Show, we ponder the imponderable - what is the perfect age? Chris and Doug have radically different answers. They review the actual research on this question; trip over a short-list of benefits of getting older; and conclude with another shot at Trump. 1.00 Chris' answer to the question 4.45 Standing in line for gasoline 6.45 Doug's answer to the question 9.00 The upside of acceptance 10.20 At what age are people most happy? 14.15 The challenges of being in your 50s

Show Notes In this episode, Doug and Chris tackle perhaps the ultimate Big Life Question - what is the secret to a good life? They also discuss what these secrets have meant in their own lives. In case that isn't enough, our cohosts cover in some detail the time period where Chris was living out of his car and in a tent.  1.15 Staying true to yourself 2.40 Sardinia 3.35 Good Work & Purpose 6.00 Living out of your car 11.45 What to do with regrets 15.55 A sense of place 18.30 The Final 3 Secrets