10% Happier with Dan Harris

The liberation that comes from realizing that you're never going to get everything done.

Oliver Burkeman is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling Four Thousand Weeks, The Antidote, and most recently, Meditations for Mortals. His work has also appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Psychologies and New Philosopher. He has a devoted following for his writing on productivity, mortality, the power of limits, and building a meaningful life in an age of bewilderment.

This episode originally appeared in April 2024.

In this episode we talk about:

• What the term "imperfectionism" means
• The illusion of reaching a point where "everything's done"
• Why there's liberation in seeing how finite we are
• Why small, imperfect actions are more valuable than perfect plans
• Why overplanning is a kind of avoidance
• How to make decisions
• The importance of finishing things
• Who you should develop a taste for problems
• Why effort doesn't always equal value
• Why we need to stop protecting other people's feelings
• And the paradox of mattering immensely and not at all

Related Episodes:

• The Power of Negative Thinking
• Time Management for Mortals

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You don't get to choose what's thrown at you — only how you respond. Karma as a tool for agency, attention sovereignty as a political act, and what to do when you feel completely helpless.

The news is a lot right now. And for most of us, the usual options — doom scroll until midnight, or unplug entirely — don't actually help. Meditation teacher Pascal Auclair joins Dan for a live community conversation on how to stay engaged with what's happening in the world without letting it wreck your nervous system, your relationships, or your sleep.

In this conversation, Pascal Auclair and Dan Harris discuss:

• Why reading the news can be reframed as an act of love — and why that changes everything
• What Buddhism actually says about karma, and whether the bad guys get theirs
• How to balance staying informed with protecting your mental health
• The difference between passive equanimity and wise, engaged action
• How much news is too much — and why the answer is different for everyone
• Why attention itself has become a battleground, and how mindfulness is your best defense

Pascal Auclair has been immersed in Buddhist practice and study since 1997. He was mentored by Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield at IMS and Spirit Rock, where he now teaches retreats. He is a co-founder of True North Insight and one of its Guiding Teachers. Find more of his guided meditations in the 10% with Dan Harris app.

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Which conflict style are you? Plus: avoiding the "trance of nice," walking the high wire, and an uber-hack for getting over irritation.

devon + nico hase serve as guiding teachers of the online dharma community Refuge of Belonging. They teach at the Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock, and other centers, offer online and in-person retreats, and speak with students in one-on-one sessions. They are the co-authors of How Not to Be a Hot Mess and the new This Messy, Gorgeous Love: A Buddhist Guide to Lasting Partnership.

In this episode we talk about:

• Why friction in relationships is a feature, not a bug
• The three directions of listening
• Why joy isn't a nice-to-have
• How contemplating death can dissolve everyday irritation
• Whether you're a volcano, a diplomat, or a dodger
• How to rupture like a pro
• Why real patience has teeth
• What it means to walk the high wire in a conflict

Related Episodes:

• The Sex Episode

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Six archetypes: Which one are you? Plus, a simple question to help you distinguish real, current fears from old, outdated ones.

Dr. Galit Atlas is an internationally renowned psychoanalyst and leader in relational psychoanalysis. She teaches at NYU and Columbia University and lectures internationally on sexuality, desire, and emotional inheritance. Her latest book is Come Closer. You can also read her essays on Substack, Wild Analysis with Dr. Galit Atlas.

In this episode we talk about:

• The six childhood archetypes that quietly run your adult relationships
• Why the version of you that felt too big or too small never actually grew up
• A simple question to ask yourself the moment old fear takes over
• The surprising link between blame and a feeling you'd rather not name
• What separates jealousy from envy — and why it matters more than you think
• The phrases people use when they're secretly telling you the opposite
• Why setting boundaries feels like betrayal if you were raised a certain way
• The real reason acceptance has to come before change, not after

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This episode is sponsored by: OSEA: Go to OSEAMalibu.com and get 10% off your first order with code HAPPIER.

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What kids can teach you about how to handle anger, being uptight, and rejection, according to the creator of Recess Therapy.

Julian Shapiro-Barnum is a comedian, writer, and interviewer known for Recess Therapy, Celebrity Substitute, and Outside Tonight. He's won seven Webby Awards, was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30, and received a Family Entertainment Award from Variety. His first book is How to Grow Up Without Becoming a Grown-Up.

In this episode we talk about:

• The playground question kids ask that adults are too scared to say out loud
• Why Julian stopped calling it your "inner child" — and what he calls it instead
• The trick for making feelings pass in minutes instead of weeks
• How breaking a rule on purpose can loosen something bigger in you
• The childhood habit that makes rejection sting so much less
• What growing up with five parents taught Julian about talking to anyone
• A tiny physical habit that can snowball into real change
• Why the most viral moment of his career wasn't about wisdom at all

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This episode is sponsored by: Planet Visionaries: In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, listen to or watch Planet Visionaries wherever you get your podcasts.

Fitnexa: You can learn more about the FitNexa Somnipods 3 at fitnexa.com and use the code HAPPIER10 for $10 off your order.

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The famed exoneree on making life worth living every day, flipping the narrative on the bad things, and the ancient Japanese practice of kintsugi.

Amanda Knox is an exoneree, journalist, comedian, and bestselling author of Waiting to Be Heard and FREE: My Search for Meaning. She hosts the podcast Hard Knox and advocates for criminal justice reform and media ethics.

In this episode we talk about:

• The one question Amanda Knox asks herself whenever something bad happens
• Why understanding someone who wronged you can matter more than forgiving them
• What a centuries-old Japanese art form taught Amanda about coming back from being broken
• The mindset shift that got her through years in prison, one day at a time
• Why accepting your life exactly as it is might be the first step to changing it
• The hidden trap inside feeling like a victim
• Why other people's version of you was never actually yours to carry

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Additional Resources:

• Amanda's Resilience series on Waking Up (plus her affiliate link).
• Dan's affiliate link for Waking Up.

This episode is sponsored by: Planet Visionaries: In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, listen to or watch Planet Visionaries wherever you get your podcasts.

Function Health: Join at functionhealth.com/HAPPIER and use code HAPPIER25 for a $25 credit.

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Plus: why being your 'best self' isn't about being nice or passive, why regulation starts before things go wrong, and how 'polyregulation' can help you up your game.

Marc Brackett, Ph.D. is the author of Dealing with Feeling: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want and the bestselling Permission to Feel. He is the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and a professor in the Child Study Center at Yale University. You can watch Marc's podcast interviews here.

In this episode we talk about:

• Why your "true self" might be the worst version of you
• The five-step process for catching yourself before you explode
• What to tell yourself in the doorway before you walk into a hard moment
• Why breathwork alone won't fix everything you're feeling
• The simple fix for total disengagement in your next Zoom meeting
• Why your best self should never be a doormat
• How to repair after you say the nastiest thing you've ever said
• How to build a go-to strategy before you even need it

Related Episodes:

• The Science of Emotion Regulation: Strategies for When You're Anxious, Angry, or Comparing Yourself To Others | Marc Brackett

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This episode is sponsored by: BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/HAPPIER.

CocoaVia:: Visit www.cocoavia.com/discount/HAPPIER and use my promo code HAPPIER at checkout for an extra 20% off, or check out your local Sprouts Farmers Market. Thanks to CocoaVia for sponsoring this episode!

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Plus: Why acceptance isn't the same as resignation, a trick for gaining perspective, and the role faith plays in his life.

Josh Johnson is an Emmy-nominated writer, stand-up comedian, actor, and NAACP award-winner from Louisiana by way of Chicago. He was just named as the newest correspondent on Comedy Central's Emmy & Peabody Award-winning program The Daily Show, where he was previously a writer for the past six years. Johnson is also a former writer and performer on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he made his late-night debut in 2017. In addition, he is Comedy Central's 'most watched comedian ever' with 40M+ views to date across their platforms.

In this episode we talk about:

• The difference between accepting a problem and simply giving up
• Why some anxiety is a rational response, not overthinking
• How he manages anxiety while covering the news every day on The Daily Show
• A simple trick for judging whether something is actually worth your worry
• What it's like growing up in church (and questioning parts of it as an adult)
• Why he thinks comedy helps people face hard realities instead of avoiding them
• The habit behind posting a new hour of comedy every single week for three years
• Why he believes AI's promised breakthroughs haven't actually shown up
• Why he thinks the public still has power to reject where AI is headed
• The advice about finishing your work that changed how he creates

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Additional Resources:

This episode is sponsored by:

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Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Savings provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures.

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A simple daily check-in you can do anywhere, a four-part practice for handling hard emotions, and a new way to relate to negative judgments. Plus, why transcendence is more accessible than you think.

Diana Winston is the Director of UCLA Mindful, with three decades of experience teaching mindfulness for health and well-being. She has authored three books, including The Little Book of Being, and has taught at Spirit Rock Meditation Center for 25 years. A founder of the International Mindfulness Teachers Association, she continues to guide individuals and organizations in cultivating awareness and presence.

In this episode we talk about:

• Why we keep making the same mistakes even after years of practice and therapy
• Four different ways to understand what "awakening" actually means
• A three-part check-in for resetting into the present moment
• A four-step practice for working with a difficult emotion in real time
• How judgment can become a doorway to deeper self-understanding
• Why self-compassion is the foundation of loving anyone else well
• How to access little tastes of transcendence in ordinary daily life

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Subscribe to our YouTube ChannelThis episode is sponsored by: Rosetta Stone: Visit rosettastone.com/happier to redeem your 20% off Rosetta Stone Sapphire.

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A surprisingly uplifting conversation on aging, sickness, and death. Plus: why you get happier as you get older, hard-earned tips for handling tough diagnoses, and how to think about AI in your health care.

Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, is a surgeon, author, and public health innovator. He holds the Fish Chair in Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He is the Samuel O. Thier Professor of the Practice of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and Professor of the Practice at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Dr. Gawande was Assistant Administrator for Global Health at USAID from 2022-2025. He is a longtime writer for The New Yorker and has written four books: Complications, Better, The Checklist Manifesto, and Being Mortal.

In this episode we talk about:

• Why the best doctors ask patients what matters before choosing treatment
• The simple question that reveals what makes life worth living
• Why patients who get less aggressive care sometimes live longer
• His father's answer to "what's worth living for" changed three times
• Why staying independent and staying safe often pull in different directions
• Research showing people get emotionally calmer, not sadder, as they age
• What happened when the U.S. shut down its global health aid programs
• Why he sees AI as a helpful second opinion, not a replacement, for doctors

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Additional Resources:

• Being Mortal, the book
• Being Mortal, the documentary

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