What does it really take to keep going after fear, failure, and setbacks?

In this episode, Alita Guillen sits down with professional climber and mountaineer Emily Harrington to talk about risk, resilience, and the mindset behind some of the world’s most extreme climbs. Emily shares what it was like attempting to free climb Yosemite’s El Capitan in under 24 hours, the terrifying fall that nearly ended the journey, and why failure has become one of the most important parts of her growth as an athlete and person.

Emily also opens up about the mental side of climbing, learning to trust preparation without becoming rigid, balancing adventure with motherhood, and why taking risks doesn’t mean being reckless. From free soloing misconceptions and training routines to grief, fear, and staying present in high-pressure moments, the conversation explores how pushing beyond comfort can shape every part of life.

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What’s the point of the work you do every day?

In this episode of 10 Seconds to Air, Alita Guillen sits down with bestselling author Tom Rath to challenge one of the most common ideas about career and fulfillment. Tom argues that passion is overrated, and that real meaning comes from something deeper: purpose.

Drawing from decades of research and his own life experience, Tom explains why focusing only on what you enjoy can actually hold you back, and how shifting your focus outward toward helping others can transform both your work and your well-being. He shares practical ways to rethink your day, align your time with what truly matters, and ask a simple but powerful question more often: what’s the point?

From career decisions and parenting to health, habits, and relationships, this conversation shows how small, intentional changes can lead to a more meaningful life without needing to completely reinvent your path.

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What does it take to push far beyond your comfort zone?

In this episode of 10 Seconds to Air, host Alita Guillen sits down with adventurer Monet Izabeth, who became the first American woman to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole. Over 57 days, Monet skied 700 miles across Antarctica, hauling all of her supplies through extreme cold, whiteouts, and complete isolation.

Monet shares how she trained for years for the expedition, the mental challenges of spending nearly two months alone in one of the harshest environments on Earth, and what the experience taught her about resilience, preparation, and believing in your own capabilities.

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Choosing what to eat sounds simple, but as this conversation reveals, it’s anything but. Food choices are shaped by powerful industries, global supply chains, government policy, and marketing systems that rarely prioritize human or planetary health.

In this episode, Alita Guillen sits down with Marion Nestle, Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at NYU and one of the world’s leading voices on food policy. Marion is the author of more than a dozen award-winning books, including her latest, What to Eat Now: The Indispensable Guide to Good Food, How to Find It, and Why It Matters.

Together, they explore how modern food systems influence what ends up in our grocery carts, why eating “real food” has become so complicated, and how everyday decisions, from buying coffee to choosing juice, meat, or packaged snacks, ripple outward to affect climate change, labor conditions, public health, and global hunger.

Marion breaks down how supermarkets are engineered for profit, what food labels really mean and don’t mean, how ultra-processed foods quietly drive overconsumption, and why eating more plants and fewer animal products is a rare win for both personal health and the planet. She also offers practical, grounded advice for making better choices without guilt, emphasizing that food should still be a source of pleasure.

At 89 years old and still writing books, Marion brings decades of perspective, humor, and clarity to a conversation that will change how you think about food, not just as fuel, but as a powerful global force.

Book: What to Eat Now: The Indispensable Guide to Good Food, How to Find It, and Why It Matters

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Teenagers today are growing up surrounded by social media, constant connectivity, and rapidly evolving technology. But what happens when schools push back in order to help students reconnect with each other?

In this episode Alita Guillen sits down with Jennifer Ciccarelli, Head of School at Marlborough School in Los Angeles, to discuss the impact of being one of the first schools in the country to remove cell phones during the school day. They also discuss the use of A.I. large language models in school, social media’s role in a student’s life, and how her school handles the disagreement of ideas.

Jennifer shares what triggered her to remove phones from the school day, the resistance and the support she received, and what she’s seeing now, 2 years after implementing the rule. The conversation also explores the impact of social media on teen mental health, the importance of teaching students how to disagree respectfully, and how schools are approaching artificial intelligence in the classroom.

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Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept. It is here, embedded in our daily lives, shaping how we search, write, create, and make decisions. But what exactly is AI? How does it work? And how should we be using it — especially in schools, workplaces, and our own personal lives?

In this episode of 10 Seconds to Air, host Alita Guillen sits down with education and technology strategist Eric Hudson, a former classroom teacher who now works with schools around the world to help them navigate the rapidly evolving world of AI. Together, they unpack the basics of large language models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, explain what “generative AI” actually means, and explore how these tools are trained on the internet to predict and generate human-like responses.

Eric shares why he thinks of AI as an enthusiastic intern rather than an expert, how to ask better prompts to get stronger results, and why cross-checking AI outputs is essential. The conversation dives into bias in AI systems, deepfakes and misinformation, student use of AI in schools, and the growing concern around “offloading” thinking to machines. They also explore practical applications — from organizing calendars to generating multilingual video — and discuss where caution is still necessary, especially when it comes to privacy and personal data.

Whether you’re skeptical, curious, or already experimenting with AI tools, this episode offers a thoughtful, balanced entry point into understanding what this technology can do — and what it cannot.

Web: https://www.erichudson.co/

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What does it really mean to live a life worth living? And in a world that rewards achievement, speed, and measurable success, how do we make space for deeper questions about purpose, values, and what truly matters?

In this episode, host Alita Guillen sits down with Dr. Matthew Croasmun, theologian, professor at Yale University, and coauthor of the New York Times bestselling book Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most. Together, they explore the big questions that shape our lives — from how we define meaning and success to why so many of us rarely pause to reflect on what we’re actually living for.

Dr. Croasmun shares insights from Yale’s popular “Life Worth Living” course, where students wrestle with questions like: Who or what are we responsible to? What is worth hoping for? How do we respond to failure and suffering? And how can we articulate our core values in a world that often prioritizes productivity over character?

They discuss the tension between “resume virtues” and “eulogy virtues,” why modern life makes these questions feel more urgent than ever, and how cultural shifts — from increasing diversity of perspectives to the impact of COVID — have changed how we think about stability, ambition, and the future.

The conversation also explores the role of love, belonging, and community in shaping our sense of worth, and why knowing that we are loved can be more grounding than any achievement. Dr. Croasmun offers practical ways to begin reflecting on your own life, including conducting a “life inventory” of how you spend your time, attention, and resources.

Whether you’re navigating a transition, questioning your priorities, or simply curious about how to live more intentionally, this episode is an invitation to slow down, ask better questions, and consider what kind of life you truly want to build.

Book: Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most

Web: https://www.matthewcroasmun.com/ 

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What makes communication land—on the page, on screen, or in conversation? And why do some voices cut through the noise while others get ignored?

In this episode, Alita Guillen sits down with writer, storyteller, and cultural commentator Shea Serrano for a candid conversation about voice, clarity, and connecting with an audience. Shea reflects on how he developed his unmistakable style, why honesty matters more than polish, and how trusting your instincts can shape both creative work and career decisions.

Together, they talk about writing for real people, breaking complex ideas into something accessible, and the importance of staying grounded—even as success grows. Shea shares insights on confidence, self-doubt, and learning when to speak up, when to listen, and when to trust that your voice already belongs in the room.

From creative discipline to cultural storytelling, this conversation is a reminder that strong communication isn’t about being loud—it’s about being clear, human, and intentional.

Book : Expensive Basketball

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Why do smart people fall for bad information? Why does bullshit spread faster than truth? And what can we really do to protect ourselves from misinformation in a chaotic media landscape?

Alita Guillen sits down with Dr. Gordon Pennycook, Associate Professor of Psychology at Cornell University and a leading researcher on human reasoning, intuition, misinformation, and what he famously calls “The Science of Human Stupidity.” His work reveals why our brains default to shortcuts, how social media exploits those habits, and—most importantly—how simple moments of reflection can dramatically improve our judgment.

Together, they explore why people believe things that aren’t true, how overconfidence fuels polarization, why bullshit thrives when accuracy isn’t top of mind, and the surprisingly hopeful research showing that people can change their minds when given the right tools.

This conversation is an antidote to noisy information, a guide to clearer thinking, and a refreshing reminder that better reasoning is a skill anyone can learn.

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Persuasion shapes every part of our daily lives, from convincing a boss to give us a raise to deciding which products we buy or which beliefs we hold true. But how do we recognize when we are being persuaded or deceived?

In this episode, host Alita Guillen sits down with Dr. Timothy R. Levine, Professor and Chair of Communication at the University of Oklahoma and author of Duped: Truth-Default Theory and the Social Science of Lying and Deception. Together, they explore the subtle art and science of persuasion, how it overlaps with manipulation, why emotion can be so powerful, and what it really means to communicate honestly.

Dr. Levine explains how persuasion differs from coercion and conformity, why politeness combined with reason is often the key to influence, and how fear is used in health communication to shape public behavior. He also shares practical tools to protect yourself from influence that does not serve you and why trust remains essential if we want healthy, connected relationships.

From decoding everyday influence to understanding how misinformation spreads, this conversation offers a clearer look at the forces shaping how we think and act. It will help anyone become a more thoughtful communicator, a more intentional consumer, and a more ethical persuader.

Book: Duped: Truth-Default Theory and the Social Science of Lying and Deception

Website: https://www.ou.edu/cas/comm/about/people/faculty/timothy-levine

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