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Mark Manson

New episodes every Wednesday. Mark Manson is a three-time #1 New York Times bestselling author and 20-year personal development industry veteran. Solved is the most comprehensive, evidence-based, overly-researched podcast on the planet to help you get an issue in your life, err... solved.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Podcast

We pulled over 2,600 studies and ranked 19 of the most common self-improvement techniques across three dimensions: research quality, consistency of results, and actual effect size. Then we sorted them into four tiers: legitimately works, works sometimes, probably not helping, and straight up bullshit. Microdosing landed in the bullshit tier. Crystal healing outperformed several "serious" techniques. And the number one most effective strategy is something so stupidly simple it's almost annoying.

We also get into why everything at the bottom of the list shares one thing in common, why the middle of the list is mostly a fancy placebo, and why nearly everything at the top has been around for thousands of years.

Get your free episode guide: https://solvedpodcast.com/self-help/

 Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: https://markmanson.net/breakthrough

 Get clarity on what actually matters. Try Purpose, Mark's AI mentor app that learns your patterns, challenges your blind spots, and helps you take action. Get 7 days free at https://www.purpose.app

Check out our sponsors:

 Henson Shaving: Get 100 free blades (a two-year supply) with the purchase of a razor. Head to hensonshaving.com/solved and use code SOLVED at checkout.

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Chapters:

0:06:02 CHAPTER 1: Category 4: Bullsh*t

0:27:29 CHAPTER 2: Category 3: Probably Not Helping

0:51:37 CHAPTER 3: Category 2: Works Sometimes

1:23:50 CHAPTER 4: Category 1: Legitimately Works

1:59:19 CHAPTER 5: Conclusion

Follow Mark

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Twitter: https://x.com/markmanson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmanson/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmMarkManson
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Self-Help, Solved

This book has sold over a hundred million copies, billionaires swear by it. But what if it's a lie? Does the effectiveness of the book change if we find out that the author is a huge scammer and quite possibly made up the whole story that spearheaded the book? 

For practical, science-based advice each week that might change your life, sign up for my newsletter here: http://bit.ly/3JRg3NX

Written & Directed by Mark Manson
Edited by Michelle Hsieh
Director of Photography Jess Choi
Thumbnail by Jonathan Sippel

Follow Mark

Mark’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/markmanson

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Twitter: https://x.com/markmanson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmanson/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmMarkManson
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The Biggest Self-Help Scam in History, Solved

Meditation has been sold to us as a magic pill for so long that the backlash is almost as overblown as the hype. I spent years deep in Buddhist practice, went on retreats, meditated daily — and then slowly discovered that half the gurus evangelizing it were alcoholics, abusers, or running Rolls-Royce-funded cults. Here's what the more careful research actually shows: there are three things meditation does reliably well, and they’re probably not what you've been promised. More importantly, almost everything you've been told about how to do it is wrong — starting with the idea that the goal is to quiet your mind. If your brain turns into a chaotic mess the moment you close your eyes, that's not a failure. That's the whole point. Get your free episode guide: https://solvedpodcast.com/meditation/

• Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: https://markmanson.net/breakthrough

• Get clarity on what actually matters. Try Purpose, Mark's AI mentor app that learns your patterns, challenges your blind spots, and helps you take action. Get 7 days free at https://www.purpose.app

Check out our sponsors:• Factor: Head to https://www.factormeals.com/solved202650off to get 50% off and a free breakfast for a year.
• Shopify: Sign up for your $1/month trial at https://www.shopify.com/solved• Waking Up: Get a free 30-day trial and $30 off the annual membership at https://www.wakingup.com/solved

Chapters:
8:15 CHAPTER 1: Skeptic Claim #1: Meditation Is Overhyped
22:45 CHAPTER 2: Skeptic Claim #2: "Meditation Isn't for Me"
48:33 CHAPTER 3: Skeptic Claim #3: The New-Agey, "Woo-Woo" Crowd Turns Me Off
1:01:01 CHAPTER 3: A Secular, Grounded Alternative: Meditation Without Metaphysics
1:17:35 CHAPTER 4: Conclusion: What Meditation Really Is

Follow Mark

Mark’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/markmanson

Solved IG: https://www.instagram.com/solvedpodcast/

Twitter: https://x.com/markmanson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmanson/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmMarkManson
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Meditation, Solved: Is It Actually Worth It?

If you’ve ever felt stuck, or like you’re doing all the right things but something still feels off, there’s a good chance it’s a values problem. Not a discipline problem, not a productivity problem. A values problem. Most people have never actually sat down and figured out what they care about. Not really anyway.

This clip is from our episode How to Find and Live By Your Values, which came out back in May 2025 and is honestly one of the episodes I’m most proud of. Drew and I go through a bunch of exercises to help you actually figure out what you value, not what you think you’re supposed to value. 

We cover things like: 

 
How to identify your core values with a simple hypothetical scenario.

 
How to clearly define what you want your legacy to be

 
Ways to prioritize your values by making tough decisions.

 
How to turn frustrations into your deepest values.

 
Why the hierarchy of your values is more critical than any single one of them.

 
And why your willingness to sacrifice for something says a lot more about you than just what you think you want in life.

• Listen to the full Values episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5pdYVl60TqKLNAwKgFdk0C?si=0aa34991b49f4fcc

• Get your FREE five-day mini course: https://www.solvedpodcast.com/values-mini-course

• Get clarity on what actually matters. Try Purpose, Mark's AI mentor app that learns your patterns, challenges your blind spots, and helps you take action. Get 7 days free at ⁠⁠https://www.purpose.app

Follow Mark

Mark’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/markmanson

Solved IG: https://www.instagram.com/solvedpodcast/

Twitter: https://x.com/markmanson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmanson/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmMarkManson

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Solved, Highlights: How to Find Your Values

Focus is one of those things everyone swears they need more of and almost no one is actually addressing correctly. In this episode, we dig into what the science actually says about attention spans (hint: your brain isn't broken, it's just overwhelmed), why the standard advice to "try harder" is probably making things worse, and what's really driving your inability to sit down and get things done. We get into the neuroscience of explore vs. exploit modes, why flow states feel the way they do, and the four hidden triggers behind most focus problems, none of which have anything to do with your phone. Then we get into the practical stuff: environmental design, deep work frameworks, the maker vs. manager schedule, time boxing, batching, and why a dentist appointment in the middle of your morning can ruin your entire day. If you're the kind of person who opens 14 browser tabs, switches between them for 40 minutes, and calls that "working", well, this one's for you. Get the free guide for this episode: https://solvedpodcast.com/focus/https://solvedpodcast.com/focus/

Check Out Our Sponsors:

• Brain.fm: Stop manifesting focus and go get some. Get 30 days free at ⁠https://www.brain.fm/solved⁠

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• Duck.AI: Use AI without giving up your privacy, visit ⁠https://www.duck.ai/solved⁠ today.

Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: https://markmanson.net/breakthrough

Get clarity on what actually matters. Try Purpose, Mark's AI mentor app that learns your patterns, challenges your blind spots, and helps you take action. Get 7 days free at ⁠⁠https://www.purpose.app

Chapters:

3:06 CHAPTER 1: The Attention Crisis (Is It Even Real?)

21:55 CHAPTER 2: The Exploit–Explore Dilemma

50:33 CHAPTER 3: The Psychology of Distraction

1:18:50 CHAPTER 4: Flow States and Hyperfocus

1:37:36 CHAPTER 5: Mental Health and the Clinical Realities of Focus

1:56:27 CHAPTER 6: Environmental Design for Focus

2:34:39 CHAPTER 7: Productivity Systems

3:05:29 CHAPTER 8: The 80/20 of Focus

Follow Mark

Mark’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/markmanson

Solved IG: https://www.instagram.com/solvedpodcast/

Twitter: https://x.com/markmanson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmanson/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmMarkManson
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Focus, Solved

A Hungarian doctor discovered that handwashing saves lives, and was destroyed for proving it. Michael Jordan’s competitiveness made him a legend, then turned him into a prisoner of his own intensity. My ADHD nearly derailed my life and later became the foundation of my career. This video explores an uncomfortable truth: the traits that make you exceptional are often the same ones that create your biggest problems. The real question isn't “How do I change?” but “Is this worth it, and how do I manage it?”

 For practical, science-based advice each week that might change your life, sign up for my newsletter here: http://bit.ly/3JRg3NX

 Get clarity on what actually matters. Try Purpose, Mark's AI mentor app that learns your patterns, challenges your blind spots, and helps you take action. Get 7 days free at ⁠https://www.purpose.app

Check out our sponsor:

Get one month of BrainFM free with my link: https://go.brain.fm/idgaf

Written & Directed by Mark Manson
Edited by Daniel Johnson
Director of Photography Jess Choi
Thumbnail by Jonathan Sippel

Follow Mark

Mark’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/markmanson

Solved IG: https://www.instagram.com/solvedpodcast/

Twitter: https://x.com/markmanson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmanson/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmMarkManson
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Best Thing About You is Also the Worst Thing

We put love on trial — literally. Drew and I squared off in a full debate over whether romantic love is overrated. I made the case that love is basically your brain's con man, a neurochemical hijacking designed to make you delusional about deeply flawed people, and that the most intoxicating relationships are often the most toxic. Drew fought back with the evidence that love is the foundation of social infrastructure, physical health, and long-term happiness. By the end, we came to a gentlemen’s agreement: a framework that explains why we're all chasing the wrong kind of love, and what the right kind actually looks like.

 Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: https://markmanson.net/breakthrough

 Get clarity on what actually matters. Try Purpose, Mark's AI mentor app that learns your patterns, challenges your blind spots, and helps you take action. Get 7 days free at https://www.purpose.app

Check out our sponsors: 

• IM8: Transform your daily routine with IM8's Daily Ultimate Essentials at https://www.im8health.com/solved

• Factor: Head to https://www.factormeals.com/solved202650off and use code solved202650off to get 50% off and free breakfast for a year. Eat like a pro this month with Factor.

Chapters

2:21 Round 1: Love is the Brain's Conman

23:33 Round 2: Love as Social Infrastructure

45:33 Round 3: Love and Happiness

1:07:14 Round 4: We're Drawn to People Who Hurt Us

Follow Mark

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Twitter: https://x.com/markmanson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmanson/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmMarkManson
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Romantic Love, Solved

This is a segment from the full episode on procrastination.

Procrastination isn't a time management problem — it's an emotional regulation problem, and once you see that, everything changes. We break down how your brain uses avoidance as a mood-management strategy, why every philosopher from Plato to the Buddhists was partially right (but nobody had the full picture), and the specific internal and external levers you can pull to actually get shit done. We also run through the six types of procrastinators so you can figure out which flavor of self-sabotage you've been perfecting — plus the RAIN method, minimum viable actions, and why making boring things fun isn't just a nice idea, it's the whole game.

 We also put together a free companion guide for the full episode with all the takeaways, references, and tools to help you get your sh*t together once and for all. Download it here: https://solvedpodcast.com/procrastination

 
Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: https://markmanson.net/breakthrough

 
Get clarity on what actually matters. Try Purpose, Mark's AI mentor app that learns your patterns, challenges your blind spots, and helps you take action. Get 7 days free at ⁠https://www.purpose.app⁠

Amazing Offer From Our Sponsor: 

 Boost your focus with science-backed music from Brain.fm.
Start your 30-day free trial at brain.fm/solved

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

1:44 Understanding Emotional Regulation

9:34 The RAIN Method

14:04 The Six Types of Procrastinators

23:09 The 80-20 of Procrastination

43:39 Conclusion

Follow Mark

Mark’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/markmanson

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Twitter: https://x.com/markmanson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmanson/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmMarkManson
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Solved, Highlights: The Real Reason You Procrastinate

Most people aren’t bad at dating, they’re just trying to solve the wrong problem. We treat dating like a personality test (“Am I attractive enough? Confident enough?”) when it’s actually a multi-stage process, and each stage punishes completely different mistakes. That one misunderstanding explains why dating feels so confusing, why men and women keep blaming each other, why dating apps feel brutal, and why so much dating advice makes things worse instead of better.

In this episode of Solved, Drew and I break down why modern dating feels so broken, and why it actually isn’t. We dig into the evolutionary psychology behind attraction, why men and women are optimizing for different things, how modern culture and dating apps amplify the worst parts of the system, and the three stages of dating that almost nobody understands. We also talk about confidence, rejection, status, attraction, and why avoiding rejection is often the very thing sabotaging your dating life. If you’ve felt stuck, burned out, or quietly wondering “what the hell is wrong with dating?” — this episode is for you.

 We also put together a free companion guide for this episode with all the takeaways, references, and tools to help you get your sh*t together once and for all. Download it here: https://solvedpodcast.com/dating

 
Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: ⁠https://markmanson.net/breakthrough⁠

 
Get clarity on what actually matters. Try Purpose, Mark's AI mentor app that learns your patterns, challenges your blind spots, and helps you take action. Get 7 days free at ⁠⁠https://www.purpose.app⁠⁠

Check out our sponsors:

• Get your first month of Shopify for only $1 at https://shopify.com/solved

• Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Sign up for free: ⁠https://www.rocketmoney.com/solved

Chapters:

5:12 CHAPTER 1: Why Is Dating So Complicated?

51:27 CHAPTER 2: A Brief History of Courtship & Dating

1:21:37 CHAPTER 3: Men's and Women's Dating Advice Ecosystems

2:21:27 CHAPTER 4: The Pre-Dating Phase

2:57:48 CHAPTER 5: Meeting People and Getting Dates

3:29:51 CHAPTER 6: Going on Dates

4:14:44 CHAPTER 7: The 80/20

Follow Mark

Mark’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/markmanson

Solved IG: https://www.instagram.com/solvedpodcast/

Twitter: https://x.com/markmanson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmanson/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmMarkManson
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Dating, Solved: Why Finding the Right Person Feels So Hard

Most people think ego is either something you need to kill off entirely or inflate to take over the world. Both are wrong. In this episode, we dig deep into what ego actually is—how it evolved, why it matters, and how it secretly runs your life without you realizing it.

We hit Freud, Buddhism, David Hume, Jung’s shadow self, and even the Navy SEALs to unpack why your ego isn’t always the enemy—it’s mostly just misunderstood. Then we get into how to quiet your ego without losing your identity, and yes, we talk psychedelics, too. This is everything you were never taught about ego—but should’ve been.

 We also put together a free companion guide for this episode with all the takeaways, references, and tools to help you get your sh*t together once and for all. Download it here: https://solvedpodcast.com/ego

 
Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: ⁠https://markmanson.net/breakthrough⁠

 
Get clarity on what actually matters. Try Purpose, Mark's AI mentor app that learns your patterns, challenges your blind spots, and helps you take action. Get 7 days free at ⁠⁠https://www.purpose.app⁠⁠

Check out our sponsors:

• Head to ⁠https://www.80000hours.org/solved⁠ to start planning a career that is meaningful, fulfilling, and helps solve one of the world’s most pressing problems.

Chapters:

3:31 CHAPTER 1: Defining the Indefinable — What Is the Ego?

49:29 CHAPTER 2: The Ego’s Evolutionary Architecture — How Evolution Built the Self

1:13:08 CHAPTER 3: When the Ego Becomes a Tyrant

1:47:29 CHAPTER4: The Quiet Ego — Beyond a Strong Ego

2:04:27 CHAPTER 5: The Chemical Dissolution: Ego Death and Psychedelics

2:23:16 CHAPTER 6: 80/20

Follow Mark

Mark’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/markmanson

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Twitter: https://x.com/markmanson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmanson/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmMarkManson

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How to Quiet Your Ego (Without Losing Yourself), Solved

Everyone’s obsessed with being happy—but what if that obsession is the very thing making us miserable? Drew and I explore what actually makes us feel good—and why most of us are chasing it in all the wrong ways.

We unpack what philosophers like Aristotle and the Buddha got right thousands of years ago—and how modern science is just now catching up. We talk about hedonic vs. eudaimonic happiness, why more money and status don’t necessarily move the needle, and why most self-help advice completely misses the point. Happiness isn’t something you get. It’s a side effect of doing the right things for the right reasons.

So, if you're tired of chasing "more" and ready to actually feel a little less miserable, this one’s for you.

 We also put together a free companion guide for this episode with all the takeaways, references, and tools to help you get your sh*t together once and for all. Download it here: https://solvedpodcast.com/happiness

 
Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: ⁠⁠https://markmanson.net/breakthrough⁠⁠

 
Get clarity on what actually matters. Try Purpose, Mark's AI mentor app that learns your patterns, challenges your blind spots, and helps you take action. Get 7 days free at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.purpose.app⁠⁠⁠

Chapters:

10:42 CHAPTER 1: The Origins of Human Happiness

29:30 CHAPTER 2: The WEIRD Problem: When Happiness Research Goes West

40:47 CHAPTER 3: The Three Components of Happiness

59:53 CHAPTER 4: What Does—and Doesn't—Make Us Happy

1:52:53 CHAPTER 5: Baseline vs. Circumstantial vs. Intentional Happiness

2:24:21 CHAPTER 6: Don't Pursue Happiness; Remove Unhappiness 

2:34:19 CHAPTER 7: How Happiness Changes Across the Lifespan

2:51:44 CHAPTER 8: Happiness Myths

3:04:47 CHAPTER 9: The 80/20 Guide to Happiness 

Follow Mark

Mark’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/markmanson

Solved IG: https://www.instagram.com/solvedpodcast/

Twitter: https://x.com/markmanson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmanson/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmMarkManson
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How To Finally Let Yourself Be Happy, Solved

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