In this deeply thoughtful conversation, David Kolmer sits down with Edan Kertis, founder of MyQuest, to explore the intersection of learning, play, psychology, and artificial intelligence. Edan shares how a TED Talk about gaming sparked the vision for a platform that transforms traditional training into meaningful personal quests. Together, they discuss the failures and pivots of startup life, the emotional power of gamification, the future of AI-driven skill development, and why learning should feel more like becoming the hero of your own story than completing a corporate checklist.
This episode blends entrepreneurship, philosophy, education, and human motivation into a wide-ranging conversation about what it truly means to grow.
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#Description
What if learning felt less like training… and more like an adventure?
In this episode, David Kolmer talks with Edan Kertis, founder of MyQuest, about building a platform designed to transform learning into meaningful personal journeys. Edan shares how his background in computer science, psychology, startups, and gaming inspired him to rethink corporate learning from the ground up.
Together they explore:
* Why traditional training often feels “heartless”
* How gamification can unlock human motivation
* The role of AI in coaching and skill development
* The importance of failure in learning and entrepreneurship
* Building “practice journeys” instead of static courses
* Why future learning systems may operate more like gyms for skills
* The psychology behind motivation, feedback, and progress
This conversation moves beyond technology into deeper reflections on identity, growth, curiosity, and what it means to pursue a meaningful quest in life.
If you’re interested in learning design, AI, startups, psychology, gamification, or personal development — this episode is for you.
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# Alternate Reality Podcast Titles
* The Future of Learning Is a Quest
* Turning Training Into Transformation
* Building the “Gym for Skills”
* Why Learning Needs More Play
* From LMS to Life Quest
* AI, Gamification, and Human Growth
* Reinventing Learning Through Play
* The Psychology Behind Meaningful Learning
* Becoming the Hero of Your Own Quest
* Play, Purpose, and Artificial Intelligence
* The Quest to Make Learning Human Again
* Training Lost Its Heart
* What Games Teach Us About Being Human
* Learning Through Failure and Play
* The Hero’s Journey of Learning
* Side Quests and Super Intelligence
* Why Play Might Save Education
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Section Titles / Chapters
Opening & Origins
1. Meeting Edan Kertis
2. From Israel to Innovation
3. The TED Talk That Changed Everything
Building MyQuest
4. Why Traditional LMS Platforms Fail
5. Learning Should Feel Like a Journey
6. Becoming the Hero of Your Own Growth
7. The Psychology of Motivation and Play
8. Why Training Lost Its Heart
AI & The Future of Learning
9. AI Beyond Content Creation
10. Building a “Gym for Skills”
11. Simulating Real-World Practice with AI
12. Instant Feedback and Gamification
Entrepreneurship & Failure
13. The Biggest Startup Lessons
14. Why Focus Matters
15. The Failure of the “Quest Store”
16. Learning Through Mistakes
Philosophy & Human Nature
17. The Wisdom of Crowds
18. Why People Think They’re Experts
19. Play as a State of Mind
20. Becoming the Hero of Your Story
Closing Reflections
21. Why Small Ideas Matter
22. The Future of MyQuest
23. The Fox and the Little Prince
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Keywords / Tags
#Gamification #AIlearning #EdanKertis #MyQuest #learningmanagementsystems #LMS #learningdesign #instructionaldesign #artificialintelligence #corporatetraining #skilldevelopment #coaching #startupfounder #entrepreneurship #psychologyoflearning #gamifiedlearning #futureofeducation #personalgrowth #humanmotivation #workplacelearning
