The Other F Word: Conversations About Failure

By Hosts: Morgan Simpson: Filmmaker/Actor, Sara Singer Schiff: Journalist/Radi

What's The Other F Word: Conversations About Failure about?

The Other F Word is taking the shame out of Failure. Join us as we explore what makes us human. Messy, funny, tragic, inspiring stories about failure.

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The Other F Word: Conversations About Failure episodes:

03.27.2020
Tony Hale on What's Running You?
Here a sample of Morgan's new podcast WHAT'S RUNNING YOU? with this weeks guest Tony Hale. www.morgansimpson.com
10.30.2019
Book Offer
Morgan's book "WHAT'S RUNNING YOU? How to Become the Entrepreneur of Your Life" is out. For a limited time THE OTHER F WORD listens get a free audiobook when they buy the book. Just send your confirmation receipt to [email protected] and...
08.09.2019
Morgan, Sara, Melissa and Bipasha on Uncertainty
The Other F Word Team gathers to talk about where they are in their individual lives, as well as their podcast life, and what it’s like to sit in uncertainty when it comes to the future. www.theotherfwordpodcast.com
07.03.2019
Cathy Guisewite on Embracing Failure
Legendary comic strip writer Cathy Guisewite of the world renowned comic strip "Cathy" and author of "Fifty Things That Aren't My Fault: Essays from the Grown-Up Years", explains how her own life failures led to the creation of this beloved character...
06.19.2019
Rebecca Kitt on Navigating the Challenges of Divorce
Rebecca Kitt shares her story about her problematic marriage and the challenges she faced throughout her divorce. Failure became a constant theme that led her to feel overwhelmed and defeated, and yet she persevered and found strength she didn’t know...
06.05.2019
Bill Watterson on Balancing Passion with Making a Living
Director and former musician and actor Bill Watterson shares his struggle of ambition and a passion to create art with the ability to make a living at what he loves. In this honest discussion, Bill tackles important questions about following...
05.22.2019
Michele Filgate on Our Relationships with Our Mothers
Author and editor Michele Filgate discusses her recent anthology “What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About” which grew out of her essay of the same name. Michele was abused by her step father growing up but she and her...
05.08.2019
Jeff Goldman on OCD
Hollywood executive Jeff Goldman describes how he is challenged by living with severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). He struggled throughout his childhood with undiagnosed OCD that controlled much of his life and often left him feeling like a failure. Only as...
05.01.2019
Judith Viorst on Decades of Wisdom
Prolific author of adult and children's fiction and non-fiction, poetry, musicals, and countless magazine articles, Judith Viorst shares her journey through many decades of both success and failure. Known for her bestselling adult book “Necessary Losses” as well as the iconic...
04.24.2019
Kimberly Chambers on Realizing Unimaginable Dreams
As a record breaking and award winning open-water marathon swimmer, including the Ocean's Seven, which consists of seven long-distance open-water swims, Kim Chambers shares what it’s like to conquer goals she never thought she could attain. After sustaining injuries from falling down...
04.17.2019
Elizabeth White on Reinventing Yourself After 50
Entrepreneur, consultant and author of the book “55, Underemployed and Faking Normal”, Elizabeth White describes how she went from a Harvard MBA and a hugely successful business career, to being "55, underemployed and faking normal”. She describes her experience about...
04.03.2019
Linda Grasso on Breaking Barriers
Editor-In-Chief of Ventura Blvd Magazine and Host of the Podcast SheSez, Linda Grasso speaks about her career in journalism, including longtime correspondent, anchor and host for E! Entertainment TV and the struggles she faced navigating the industry on and off...
03.27.2019
Veronica Kirin on Post Traumatic Stress Injury
Entrepreneur, coach and author of “Stories of Elders”, Veronica Kirin shares her fascinating story of experiencing an anticipated tsunami while working as a humanitarian aid in a coastal Village in Samoa in 2009. Despite the fact that the tsunami never came,...
03.20.2019
William Deresiewicz on The Current College Crises
Author and essayist William Deresiewicz discusses his book “Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life” and the current college admissions scandal. William got his Bachelor's, Master's and PhD from Columbia University and has taught at Yale...
03.13.2019
Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King on Positive Youth Development
A Professor of Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary, Dr. King’s focus is on human thriving and spiritual development, especially in the context of our youth. Her combination of intellect, sensitivity, and wit takes the topics of spirituality, religion and belonging...
03.06.2019
Matt Abrams on OxyContin Junkie to Yale Graduate
A Writer with a Doctorate in Art History, Matt Abrams shares his epic story of early drug use, which led to dropping out of high school, running away from home, drug smuggling and dealing. After many of his junkie friends...
02.27.2019
Steve Burrows on Saving His Mother
Steve Burrows, filmmaker and comedian, speaks about the making of his HBO documentary “Bleed Out”, the story of his mom, who went in for a routine hip replacement surgery and came out with permanent brain damage after a week long coma...
02.20.2019
Barbara Brown Taylor on Sitting in the Darkness
Barbara Brown Taylor is an Episcopal priest, college professor and NYTimes best-selling author of numerous books including “Leaving Church” and “Learning to Walk in the Dark”. Her latest "Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others" from HarperOne comes out March...
02.13.2019
Susan and Douglas Segal on Trauma and Triumph
Author Douglas Segal of the recently published book “Struck: A Husband’s Memoir of Trauma and Triumph” and his wife Susan Segal, share their terrifying story of Susan and their daughter’s tragic near fatal head on collision with a bus and...
02.06.2019
Jessica Winther on the Pressure to be a Perfect Parent
Jessica Winther is an Actress, Comedian and Writer and shares her journey of trying to be a perfect parent and how her son’s chronic illness launched her into the reality of the imperfection of parenting. Revealing her painful journey, she uses...
01.30.2019
Marianne Power on Her Self-Help Journey
London based journalist Marianne Power talks about her recent book “Help Me! One Woman’s Quest to Find Out if Self Help Can Really Change Your Life!” Her journey of reading one self help book a month for one year and...
01.23.2019
Brooke Smith on Figuring out Failure
Actress Brooke Smith from "Grey's Anatomy" and "Silence of the Lambs" shares how she overcame childhood traumas in part by just “showing up” in spite of her overwhelming emotions. She also talks about her own challenges as an adult, both...
01.16.2019
Jonathan Fields on the Good Life Project
Jonathan Fields is the best selling author, entrepreneur, and founder of The Good Life Project, an online and educational program aimed at helping people live a better life, both personally and professionally. He is also the host of the world...
01.09.2019
Tommy Tomlinson on the Search for his Best Self
Tommy Tomlinson, journalist and author of “The Elephant in the Room” speaks about his struggle with weight and his chronicle of profound self-discovery and weight loss. After his sister died from complications of obesity, Tommy knew that at 460 lbs...
12.19.2018
Liz Pryor on the Shame of Teenage Pregnancy
Author, speaker, relationship and life advice expert Liz Pryor opens up about her experience of getting pregnant at 17 and being sent away to a home for pregnant teens by her mother. Liz describes the shame her parents felt about...
12.12.2018
Jia Jiang on Rejection
Jia Jiang is an entrepreneur, author and TED speaker who adapted the card game “Rejection Therapy” and created a blog, products and services to further explore rejection. He talks about how the experience of rejection is universal amongst all human...
12.05.2018
Gwyn McColl on Her 72 Hour Experience in a Psychiatric Hospital
Actress, writer and mother Gwyn McColl describes her harrowing yet eye opening experience of enduring a 5150 - the official legal code for restraining someone involuntarily for 72 hours due to erratic and potentially dangerous behavior. Gwyn’s story illustrates how...
11.28.2018
Jace Downey on Sex Addiction
Jace Downey, Recovery Empowerment Specialist, shares her powerful story of struggling with sex addiction. After repressing her early experience of sexual abuse, she assumed she was just born broken and spent much of her early life looking for ways to...
11.21.2018
TOFW Team on Holiday Failures
Melissa, Morgan, and Sara talk about the upcoming holidays and the many failures that often come along for the ride. Whether it be unmet expectations for perfection, family dynamics and tension, or a sense of loneliness and sadness that often...
11.14.2018
A.J. Jacobs on Going Outside of Your Comfort Zone
A.J. Jacobs is a New York Times best selling author, most recently of the book “Thanks a Thousand” a chronicled journey thanking everyone who was involved in the making of his morning cup of coffee. A.J. joins us to talks...
11.07.2018
A.N. Turner on Internet Addiction
Author A.N. Turner talks to us about internet addiction and specifically, internet porn addiction. Turner who is still a young man in his early 20’s, describes how he became addicted to online porn and how it took over his life,...
10.24.2018
Angela King On Life After Hate
Angela King is the program director of Life After Hate, a non-profit organization that helps people extricate themselves from hate groups and turn their lives around. Angela shares her deeply personal experience of being raised by extremely strict and racist...
10.17.2018
Alexia Vernon on Developing a Resiliency Muscle
Alexia Vernon, leadership and women’s speaking coach and author of “Step Into Your Moxie” shares her journey of finding her voice and self confidence after experiencing harrowing moments in her past. In an articulate and vulnerable voice, Alexia shares her...
10.10.2018
Alethea Black on Her Journey to Health
Alethea Black, author of “You’ve Been So Lucky Already” shares her story of navigating through chronic illness that had no cure for years. This experience of failure on a bodily level led to crushing fatigue, profound loss of joy and...
10.03.2018
Dr. Paige Church on Being a Doctor and a Person with a Disability
Born with spina bifida, a chronic spinal disability that she tried to hide for most of her life, Dr. Church went on to become a pediatric specialist who treats kids with the same condition. Growing up without much language on...
09.26.2018
Preston Pollard on Moving Towards Your Dreams
Preston Pollard is a skateboarder, life coach and motivational speaker who shares his journey of growing up in Alaska and struggling to find his identity. As a black child, he was pressured to play basketball and football but Preston was...
09.19.2018
Rowan Hooper on How Superhumans Deal with Failure
Rowan Hooper, evolutionary biologist and author of the new book “Superhuman-Life at the Extremes of our Capacity” shares the awe-inspiring stories of people who have reached extraordinary places in their lives in terms of human achievement. Each chapter is filled with...
09.12.2018
The Sklar Brothers on Laughing Through Failure
Twin brothers and comics Randy and Jason Sklar share their experiences of failure amidst their successful careers as writers, actors, stand-up comedians and hosts of the podcasts "View from the Cheap Seats" and "Dumb People Town". With brilliant humor and refreshing...
09.05.2018
Patti Grabel on Starting Anew After Raising Kids
Mother, wife, writer, producer and ultimately artist Patti Grabel describes the long journey she followed to find herself and follow her passions after focusing solely on her family for many years. Patti paid attention to some things she was struggling...
08.29.2018
Mike Downey on Grit
Mike Downey, a serial entrepreneur and intrapreneur, explores his early failures as a child and the impact they had on his development into adulthood. With humor and great insight, Mike shares his varied stories of things not going his way and the...
08.22.2018
Tessa Fontaine on Mother-Daughter Relationships
Tessa Fontaine is the author of “The Electric Woman”, a story about her complex relationship with her mother and her parallel experience of traveling with America’s last Sideshow. Tessa shares her remarkable journey of pain and loneliness growing up with a mother...
08.15.2018
Jed Davis and Scott Casperson on Dating in Mid-Life From The Male Perspective
Jed Davis is in sales and Scott Casperson is a children’s picture book author. Jed and Scott are friends, in their mid-life, and have never been married. Both men are looking for love. In a funny, honest, and thought provoking conversation,...
08.08.2018
Dima Ghawi on Escaping Oppression and Inspiring Others
Dima Ghawi is a leadership speaker, executive coach and author of “Breaking Vases”, a story of the pressure for submission and perfection by her Middle Eastern culture and her terrifying escape to save herself. Dima speaks honestly about her journey of...
08.01.2018
Rachel Simmons on Failing Well
Rachel Simmons, Leadership Development Specialist at Smith College and author of numerous books including most recent “Enough As She Is”, speaks about her Failure Initiative “Failing Well’ with college students at Smith College. For many high achieving students, failure has...
07.25.2018
Amy Smith on Finding Her Voice
Life coach and founder of website Joyjunkie, Amy E. Smith, speaks candidly about growing up in a religious family and feeling like a failure in the eyes of her parents because she didn’t share their core values. After living for years...
07.18.2018
Glynnis MacNicol on Things No One Tells You
Journalist and cofounder of the women’s networking group The Li.st, Glynnis MacNicol speaks about her revelatory new memoir, “No One Tells You This”, an honest exploration about being single, childless and happy. Glynnis shares how she approached her 40th birthday...
07.11.2018
Dan Freedman on Step-Parenting
Dan Freedman shares his journey of parenthood, first as a typical father of 2, then a single father of 3, and now as a father of a blended family of 5. His story is one fraught with layers of loss and struggle,...
06.27.2018
Tiffony Jacobs and Kanya Sim on the Power of a Mentor
Tiffony Jacobs and Kanya Sim are writers, speakers, entrepreneurs, and members of the original Freedom Writers, a group of high school students led by teacher Erin Gruwell, who inspired her struggling students to share their personal stories through writing....
06.20.2018
Jon Acuff on Setting Goals for Success
Jon Acuff is an entrepreneur, speaker, and New York Times Bestselling author of six books including his most recent “Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done”. He speaks from personal experience of his own struggle to finish anything, referring to his past self...
06.13.2018
Sara Quits the Podcast
This week’s episode focuses on what’s happened recently, behind the scenes of the podcast, and how it pertains to success and failure. Issues of self doubt, shame, the need for honest communication, and the pressure for perfection are some of...

What's The Other F Word: Conversations About Failure about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Other F Word: Conversations About Failure episodes:

Tony Hale on What's Running You?

Book Offer

Morgan, Sara, Melissa and Bipasha on Uncertainty

Cathy Guisewite on Embracing Failure

Rebecca Kitt on Navigating the Challenges of Divorce

Bill Watterson on Balancing Passion with Making a Living

Michele Filgate on Our Relationships with Our Mothers

Jeff Goldman on OCD

Judith Viorst on Decades of Wisdom

Kimberly Chambers on Realizing Unimaginable Dreams

Elizabeth White on Reinventing Yourself After 50

Linda Grasso on Breaking Barriers

Veronica Kirin on Post Traumatic Stress Injury

William Deresiewicz on The Current College Crises

Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King on Positive Youth Development

Matt Abrams on OxyContin Junkie to Yale Graduate

Steve Burrows on Saving His Mother

Barbara Brown Taylor on Sitting in the Darkness

Susan and Douglas Segal on Trauma and Triumph

Jessica Winther on the Pressure to be a Perfect Parent

Marianne Power on Her Self-Help Journey

Brooke Smith on Figuring out Failure

Jonathan Fields on the Good Life Project

Tommy Tomlinson on the Search for his Best Self

Liz Pryor on the Shame of Teenage Pregnancy

Jia Jiang on Rejection

Gwyn McColl on Her 72 Hour Experience in a Psychiatric Hospital

Jace Downey on Sex Addiction

TOFW Team on Holiday Failures

A.J. Jacobs on Going Outside of Your Comfort Zone

A.N. Turner on Internet Addiction

Angela King On Life After Hate

Alexia Vernon on Developing a Resiliency Muscle

Alethea Black on Her Journey to Health

Dr. Paige Church on Being a Doctor and a Person with a Disability

Preston Pollard on Moving Towards Your Dreams

Rowan Hooper on How Superhumans Deal with Failure

The Sklar Brothers on Laughing Through Failure

Patti Grabel on Starting Anew After Raising Kids

Mike Downey on Grit

Tessa Fontaine on Mother-Daughter Relationships

Jed Davis and Scott Casperson on Dating in Mid-Life From The Male Perspective

Dima Ghawi on Escaping Oppression and Inspiring Others

Rachel Simmons on Failing Well

Amy Smith on Finding Her Voice

Glynnis MacNicol on Things No One Tells You

Dan Freedman on Step-Parenting

Tiffony Jacobs and Kanya Sim on the Power of a Mentor

Jon Acuff on Setting Goals for Success

Sara Quits the Podcast