First Principles

By Adrian Wells

First Principles isn't another business podcast recycling the same startup stories. Adrian Wells takes the fundamentals that actually matter and breaks them down like you're having coffee with the sma... more

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FAQs about First Principles:

How many episodes does First Principles have?

The podcast currently has 196 episodes available.

First Principles episodes:

May 07, 2026 The Anti-Obesity Doctor: If You Don't Exercise, This Is What's Happening To You
What if I told you that sitting on your couch right now is literally rewiring your cells for disease? Dr. Gabrielle Lyon breaks down exactly what happens inside your body when you skip exercise, and it's way worse than just losing muscle. Adrian Wells digs into the shocking science of how fast your body starts breaking down without resistance training.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why you lose 3-8% of muscle mass per decade after 30 (and how this affects everything from your metabolism to your immune system)
• The 72-hour rule: how quickly bed rest triggers muscle protein breakdown at the cellular level
• Why muscle tissue is your body's metabolic powerhouse, burning up to 4x more calories than fat even while you sleep
• The diabetes connection: how people with higher muscle mass cut their type 2 diabetes risk by 20-30%
👤 Perfect for: anyone who thinks they can skip the gym and still stay healthy, plus lifelong learners who want to understand what's really happening inside their bodies.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the hidden costs of being sedentary
[02:15] The 30-year muscle loss cliff: what starts happening to your body
[04:30] Cellular breakdown: what 72 hours without movement does to you
[06:45] Muscle vs. fat: the metabolic math that changes everything
[09:00] The diabetes protection you didn't know you had
[11:30] Practical steps to stop the cellular damage today
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: muscle loss, exercise science, metabolism, diabetes prevention, cellular health
Find all episodes at First Principles
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Keywords: social media addiction, ai dangers, billionaire mindset, cognitive biases, wealth mindset, evidence evaluation, leadership psychology, relationship psychology

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19min
May 06, 2026 Harvard Psychiatrist: We're Creating Millions of Addicted, Purposeless Men
What if a Harvard psychiatrist just proved that society is systematically destroying an entire generation's mental health? Dr. K from HealthyGamer has worked with over 350,000 people, and his data reveals something terrifying: we're mass-producing lonely, addicted, purposeless humans at an industrial scale. Adrian Wells breaks down the research that shows why your phone might be rewiring your brain for misery.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why loneliness rates have doubled in 20 years and 61% of young adults now report serious isolation
• The 96-times-per-day phone checking habit that's hijacking your dopamine system
• How purpose beats money as the strongest predictor of mental health (and why most people get this backwards)
• Dr. K's framework for rebuilding meaning in a society designed to strip it away
👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone who's noticed their attention span shrinking while their anxiety grows.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Adrian introduces the loneliness epidemic nobody talks about
[01:30] Dr. K's shocking data from 350,000 case studies
[03:45] Why your smartphone is basically a dopamine slot machine
[06:00] The purpose crisis: why meaning matters more than money
[08:30] How modern society accidentally created mass addiction
[11:00] Practical steps to reclaim your brain and build real purpose
This isn't another "digital detox" lecture. It's hard data from someone who's actually treating the casualties of our hyperconnected world. Dr. K's insights will change how you think about technology, relationships, and what it means to live a meaningful life.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow First Principles on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. New episodes drop daily, your next breakthrough insight is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: mental health, loneliness epidemic, smartphone addiction, purpose in life, dopamine psychology
Find all episodes at First Principles
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Keywords: health myths, personal development, motivation psychology, billionaire mindset, depression stories, critical thinking podcast, leadership psychology, evidence evaluation

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18min
May 06, 2026 Why Your Eye Doctor Lied About Those Floaters (Shocking Truth)
Your eye doctor just told you those floaters are "normal aging" and to live with them. But what if that's not the whole story? Adrian Wells breaks down the shocking truth about what eye professionals aren't telling you about blue light glasses and those annoying spots in your vision.
Turns out, most of what we think we know about eye health is marketing disguised as medicine. The blue light industry pulls in $28 billion annually selling you solutions to problems that might not even exist the way they claim.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why your computer screen emits 1000x less blue light than the sun (and what that actually means)
• The real reason 76% of people over 50 have floaters and why most are completely harmless
• How digital eye strain affects up to 90% of computer users, but it's not what you think
• The simple blinking trick that could eliminate most of your screen-related eye problems
👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone who spends hours staring at screens wondering if they're slowly destroying their eyesight.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the blue light lie everyone believes
[01:45] The floater myth that keeps people worried for no reason
[04:15] What actually causes digital eye strain (spoiler: not blue light)
[06:30] The $28 billion industry built on fear and limited science
[08:45] Real solutions eye doctors should be recommending
[11:00] Key takeaways you can use today
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: eye health, blue light glasses, eye floaters, digital eye strain, vision care
Find all episodes at First Principles
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Keywords: depression stories, motivation psychology, entrepreneurship philosophy, success psychology, social media addiction, logical reasoning

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32min
May 05, 2026 Cancer Doctor: This Food In Your Kitchen Is Feeding Your Cancer Right Now
What if that sugar in your morning coffee is actually feeding something you don't want growing? Adrian Wells sits down with a leading cancer specialist who reveals the shocking truth about how everyday foods interact with cancer cells at the cellular level.
This isn't another fear-mongering health scare. It's hard science that could change how you think about food forever.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why cancer cells gobble up glucose 10-50 times faster than healthy cells (and what this really means for your diet)
• The blood sugar connection: how stable glucose levels correlate with better cancer outcomes in clinical studies
• Why weight maintenance during treatment beats dramatic weight loss every single time
• The ketogenic diet controversy: when cutting sugar helps and when it backfires
👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth who wants to separate cancer myths from medical facts.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the glucose-cancer connection
[02:00] How cancer cells actually use sugar differently
[04:30] Blood sugar spikes and treatment outcomes
[06:00] The weight maintenance paradox explained
[08:30] Keto for cancer: promise vs. reality
[10:30] Practical food choices that actually matter
The doctor breaks down complex metabolism research into plain English, revealing why some popular cancer diets might do more harm than good. Plus, the specific foods that show up repeatedly in successful patient outcomes.
This episode challenges everything you think you know about cancer and diet. The research is eye-opening, the implications are huge, and the practical advice is something you can start using today.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: cancer prevention, blood sugar, ketogenic diet, glucose metabolism, cancer treatment
Find all episodes at First Principles
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Keywords: entrepreneurship philosophy, personal development, business fundamentals, anxiety management, thinking skills, wealth mindset

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17min
May 05, 2026 What Boris Johnson Just Revealed About Virus Engineering Will Shock You
Boris Johnson just dropped some explosive claims that'll make you question everything about the pandemic response. In this episode, Adrian Wells breaks down Johnson's shocking allegations about virus engineering and government bribery attempts that reveal the messy reality behind closed-door politics.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Johnson's specific claims about "engineering the virus" and what the science actually says
• The £15 billion UK COVID research machine and how political pressure shaped decisions
• Why former PMs become willing to spill secrets they'd never reveal while in office
• How to separate legitimate concerns from conspiracy theories when evaluating explosive claims
👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners who want to understand how political narratives shape public health decisions and anyone tired of taking soundbites at face value.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Adrian introduces Johnson's bombshell claims
[02:15] Breaking down the "virus engineering" allegations
[04:45] The £15 billion research spending and political motivations
[07:30] Government bribery attempts: what really happened
[09:00] Lab leak theories vs. scientific consensus
[11:15] Key lessons for evaluating political claims
The timing of these revelations isn't random. Johnson's facing ongoing scrutiny over his pandemic leadership, and his willingness to make these claims now tells us something important about how former leaders calculate their legacy. Whether you believe his specific allegations or not, this episode will sharpen your ability to think through complex claims when the stakes are high.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow First Principles on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: Boris Johnson, COVID-19 origins, lab leak theory, political scandals, virus engineering
Find all episodes at First Principles
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Keywords: entrepreneurship philosophy, philosophy business, business strategy, career advice, celebrity interviews, behavioral economics, relationship psychology

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17min
May 04, 2026 The $250K Renting vs Buying Myth That's Costing You (Ramit Sethi Breaks It Down)
What if everything you've been told about money is wrong? In this episode, Adrian Wells sits down with bestselling author Ramit Sethi to destroy some of the most expensive myths in personal finance. Spoiler alert: that "always split the bill" rule might be sabotaging your relationships and your wealth.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why Sethi's "never split the bill" philosophy could save your relationships (and your sanity)
• The real math behind renting vs buying that could save you $250,000 over 30 years
• How 85% of couples on Sethi's Netflix show had never talked money despite being together for years
• The simple automation trick that makes people save 3x more without thinking about it
👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners who want to stop making expensive decisions based on outdated advice and anyone ready to think differently about money psychology.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Adrian Wells introduces Ramit Sethi's contrarian money wisdom
[01:45] Why splitting the bill is actually a relationship red flag
[03:30] The renting vs buying calculation that shocks most people
[05:15] How Netflix couples avoid money conversations for decades
[07:30] The psychology behind why we obsess over $5 lattes but ignore $500 mistakes
[09:45] Automation strategies that actually work for real people
[11:30] Key takeaways you can implement this week
Sethi's approach isn't about budgeting apps or cutting expenses. It's about understanding the psychology behind money decisions and setting up systems that work with human nature, not against it. His book "I Will Teach You to Be Rich" has sold over 1 million copies because it focuses on the big wins that actually matter.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: personal finance, money psychology, relationship advice, investment automation, real estate decisions
Find all episodes at First Principles
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Keywords: business strategy, first principles, relationship psychology, motivation psychology, critical thinking podcast, ai dangers, productivity science

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37min
May 04, 2026 Trevor Noah: Why My ADHD Diagnosis Finally Explained My Depression
Trevor Noah thought he was broken. Years of depression, struggling to focus, feeling like his brain worked differently than everyone else's. Then came the ADHD diagnosis that changed everything. In this episode, Adrian Wells breaks down Noah's revelation about the hidden connection between ADHD and depression that millions of people never see coming.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why 2.7 million adults with ADHD develop depression without knowing the real cause
• The masking strategies high-achievers use that actually make diagnosis harder
• Why women and people of color get missed by doctors using outdated ADHD criteria
• How understanding your brain's wiring can transform your mental health approach
👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth, especially if you've ever felt like your brain works differently or wondered about the real relationship between focus and mood.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Adrian Wells introduces Trevor Noah's ADHD breakthrough
[01:30] The hidden depression-ADHD connection doctors often miss
[04:00] Why high-functioning people get overlooked in diagnosis
[07:00] The coping mechanisms that mask ADHD symptoms
[10:00] How bias in early research still affects diagnosis today
[12:00] What this means for anyone questioning their mental health
Noah's story isn't just celebrity confession. It's a window into how millions of people struggle with undiagnosed ADHD while treating only the depression symptoms. The research is pretty clear: when you understand the root cause, everything else starts making sense.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: ADHD diagnosis, depression connection, mental health awareness, Trevor Noah, neurodiversity
Find all episodes at First Principles
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Keywords: fame psychology, business strategy, performance optimization, productivity science, decision making, celebrity interviews

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19min
May 03, 2026 The NoFap Trap: Why 73% Relapse And What Scientists Just Discovered
What if everything you think you know about quitting adult content is actually making the problem worse? Adrian Wells breaks down the shocking science behind why 73% of people relapse in the NoFap movement and what researchers just discovered about how the adult industry is literally rewiring our brains.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why people who consume adult content more than once weekly have 25% higher rates of depression and anxiety
• The brain scan evidence showing adult content users have similar neural patterns to cocaine addicts
• How the average adult content scene today contains 12 acts that would have been considered extreme 20 years ago
• The testosterone boost and erectile function improvements men see after just 6 weeks of abstinence
👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth who wants to understand how modern technology affects human behavior and decision-making.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the NoFap controversy
[01:30] The brain science behind adult content addiction
[04:00] Why most people fail at NoFap and what actually works
[07:00] How the adult industry exploits neurological vulnerabilities
[10:00] Evidence-based strategies for breaking the cycle
[12:00] Key takeaways you can implement today
The research is pretty wild. Brain imaging studies show that heavy users develop the same reward system dysfunction as people addicted to substances. But here's what most NoFap advocates get wrong: willpower alone isn't enough when you're fighting against billion-dollar algorithms designed to keep you hooked.
Wells walks through the actual data on what works, what doesn't, and why understanding the science gives you a massive advantage over just trying to white-knuckle your way through.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow First Principles on Spotify and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: NoFap, adult content addiction, brain science, testosterone, neuroplasticity
Find all episodes at First Principles
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Keywords: anxiety management, motivation psychology, business fundamentals, celebrity interviews

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22min
May 03, 2026 Divorce Expert: Why Kids-First Parents Are 3x More Likely to Split Up
What if everything you've been told about putting kids first is actually destroying your marriage? Adrian Wells sits down with a divorce expert who reveals the counterintuitive truth: couples who prioritize their children over their relationship are 3x more likely to split up.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why 67% of couples report relationship decline after having kids and how "slippage" slowly kills marriages
• The weekly habit that cuts divorce risk by 60% (most parents skip this completely)
• How children actually benefit when parents put their marriage first, not last
👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth, especially parents who want both a strong marriage and healthy kids.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the kids-first paradox
[02:15] What relationship "slippage" looks like in real marriages
[04:30] The 67% statistic that explains why new parents struggle
[06:45] Why therapy requests spike when kids hit ages 2-8
[08:30] The one weekly practice that saves marriages
[10:15] How strong marriages actually create better outcomes for children
This episode flips conventional parenting wisdom on its head. You'll discover why the advice to "put kids first" might be setting your family up for failure, and what successful couples do differently. The research is clear: children thrive when their parents have a solid marriage, not when they become the center of everything.
The expert breaks down exactly how couples lose themselves in parenting roles and forget they're still partners. Plus, the simple weekly ritual that keeps marriages strong even during the chaos of raising kids.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: marriage advice, parenting tips, divorce prevention, relationship psychology, family dynamics
Find all episodes at First Principles
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Keywords: ai dangers, health myths, evidence evaluation, depression stories, personal development, motivation psychology

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26min
May 02, 2026 The $2.3 Billion UFO Program the Government Tried to Hide
What if the Pentagon has been sitting on evidence of aircraft that defy everything we know about physics? Former Pentagon official Luis Elizondo just went public with classified details about the government's $2.3 billion UFO investigation program. In this episode, Adrian Wells breaks down why this disclosure represents the biggest shift in government transparency about unexplained aerial phenomena in decades.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why the Pentagon officially released three UAP videos in 2020 after decades of denial
• How over 800 unexplained encounters have been documented by government investigators since 2017
• What Luis Elizondo discovered during his 7 years running the classified AATIP program
• Why Congress now requires annual UFO reports from intelligence agencies
👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth who wants to understand how government secrecy actually works and what happens when it breaks down.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the Pentagon's UFO bombshell
[01:45] The $2.3 billion program they tried to keep secret
[03:30] Luis Elizondo's resignation and why he went public
[05:00] Breaking down the three declassified videos
[07:15] What 800+ documented encounters actually tell us
[09:30] Congressional oversight and the new transparency requirements
[11:00] Key takeaways about evidence evaluation you can use today
This isn't about little green men. It's about how institutions handle information that challenges their credibility, and what it takes for truth to finally surface. The same critical thinking principles Adrian explores here apply whether you're evaluating a business proposal or trying to separate signal from noise in any complex situation.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: UFO disclosure, Pentagon transparency, government secrecy, critical thinking, evidence evaluation
Find all episodes at First Principles
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Keywords: evidence evaluation, mental health celebrities, fame psychology, decision making

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31min

FAQs about First Principles:

How many episodes does First Principles have?

The podcast currently has 196 episodes available.