Does more money increase relationship likelihood? Does financial stress make people more negative about their partner? Do couples with similar money values have better relationships? This episode with Dr. Johanna Peetz looks at how our financial decisions and mispredictions shape the way we connect with the people around us. Specially our romantic partners and prospects.

The conversation covers how income levels affect our sense of readiness for dating and relationships, why financial stress makes us more negative, impatient, and quicker to misread our partners, and why open, early conversations about money can make or break a relationship.

Why are taken people thought of as more attractive? And does dating get easier the more experience one has? This episode with Ryan Anderson dives into mate copying: the psychological phenomenon where we find someone more desirable when someone else already wants them.

We unpack why a wedding ring or a girlfriend on someone's arm can make them seem like a better catch, what this reveals about how humans size up potential partners using social proof instead of independent judgment, and whether racking up dating experience actually makes you more attractive or just more socially "validated" in the eyes of others.

Along the way, we explore the roots of this behavior, in decision making and how it plays out in real relationships. A great episode with a lot of things worth learning about.

Why are birthrates falling? Could the phone in your pocket be quietly deciding whether you end up alone? In this episode with Ezekiel Hooper, we dig into his research looking into the iPhone's 2007 rollout and the extent to which it explains the recent fall in birthrates. The paper uses an awesome natural experiment to arrive at a first potential strong explanation as to why babies do not seem to be as common amongst the youth anymore.

Expect to learn about how one can arrive at such conclusions through research, some of the issues with falling birthrates, and much more.

Do we really understand personality? Could the way we talk about traits like impulsivity, narcissism, and psychopathy be shaping what we believe is true? And what happens when scientific language itself starts creating confusion instead of clarity?

In this episode, we sit down with Don Lynam, professor of clinical psychology and a leading researcher who has spent more than two decades studying personality disorders. His work delves into how personality traits develop, how they’re measured, and why the science behind them matters . Don brings a sharp, thoughtful perspective to a conversation that challenges common assumptions about human behavior.

Expect to learn about impulsivity, personality disorders, and the problems with how psychological traits are labeled and understood.

Take your FFM test here: https://www.personalityassessor.com/ipip-120/

First ever podcast Q&A with great questions from friends and family who listed to the show.

Expect to learn more about my views on being busy, some of the things I struggle with, where I see the podcast going, and much more.

This was so fun and interesting to record so do not hesitate to comment any question you might have or send them over Instagram @nicolasvacagr. I will likely cover them in the next Q&A episode.

Is a masters degree smart in the era of AI? How can younger people succeed when companies seem to be confused of what role they serve in the workplace? In this episode with Eric Spiegel we delve into how to build a career when AI is rewriting the rules, what young people entering the job market right now should be doing differently, and the challenges corporations might face with this new technology.

Eric brings an experts opinion based on a career of over 20 years in tech and a new direction as a career advisor to computer science and other major’s students. Worth the listen if you are confused about how to succeed in the workplace as a young professional or if you want great perspectives on the trend of AI.

What are uncomfortable feelings which we should seek? When should we delve into obsession? In this episode with my brother and previous guest in Untold we delve into many of the ideas that have been recently relevant to our lived. Lessons and perspectives which you might have previously never explored.

We discussed the value of obsession and the importance of embracing it to achieve our wildest dreams. The importance of leading a sustainable lifestyle in which consistency is prioritized. Different uncomfortable feelings which are perceived as negative but might have good angles. And... much more.

Truly worth the listen.

Is good sex essential to a happy relationship? Do all happy couples have good sex? These are some of the questions I looked to have answered during this conversation.

Dr. Nathan Leonhardt is an assistant professor of Family Life at Birmingham Young University who specializes in research relating how to make long-term relationships and marriages succeed. His work looks at topics like sex, pornography, faith, and virtues and how they shape connection between partners.

During the conversation we delved into the relationship between sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction, gender differences in sexual experiences, and trends on modern relationships. It was an incredibly instructive talk with very interesting learnings and opinions.

What should we expect the future to look like? Will AI replace us in the workplace? Don't mind if it does. In this conversation, author of Substack newsletter 'Beyond Linear' and ex-product manager at Stripe, Yana Michukova delves into what she foresees the future will look like for many of us. What she coined the non-linear career path.

In an era where uncertainty is pressing, this conversation brings light not only to opportunities but ideas worth exploring. To make sure we remain positive and prepared for what might be the biggest tech disruption ever experienced.

How do we get better? Is there a formula to figure out what is our passion?

In this episode self-made entrepreneur, real estate developer, and CEO of SP developments Daniel Jaramillo shares insights about how to succeed in the world of real estate, the story about how real estate found him and became his passion, his biggest ever challenge (the 2008 financial crisis), and life in general.

Great discussion truly worth the listen.