What if the secret to a meaningful life isn’t a five-year plan—but a five-day experiment? Neuroscientist Anne-Laure Le Cunff argues that in a world obsessed with goals, clarity, and productivity, the real path to growth lies in something much smaller: curiosity-driven, low-stakes experiments.

Instead of asking, “What’s my purpose?” she suggests asking, “What am I curious about, and what small step can I take today to explore it?”

00:00 Staring at the leaderboard

00:40 Finding your purpose

01:21 Cognitive overload

02:14 Linear vs experimental

03:29 Affective labeling

04:47 3 subconscious mindsets

06:48 Experimental mindset

09:04 Information vs knowledge

11:29 Cognitive scripts

13:35 “Finding your purpose”

15:39 Systemic barriers to experimentation

17:49 Self-anthropology

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About Anne-Laure Le Cunff:

Anne-Laure Le Cunff is an award-winning neuroscientist and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Ness Labs, where her weekly newsletter is read by more than 100,000 curious minds. Her research at King’s College London focuses on the psychology and neuroscience of lifelong learning, curiosity, and adaptability. Her book, Tiny Experiments, is a transformative guide for living a more experimental life, turning uncertainty into curiosity, and carving a path of self-discovery. Previously, she worked at Google as an executive on digital health projects. Her work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Forbes, Financial Times, WIRED, and more.