John R. Miles

With Arthur Brooks, Harvard professor and bestselling author, we explored meaning and why fulfillment is something we cultivate.

With Claude Steele, Stanford social psychologist and pioneering research on stereotype threat, we looked at identity and the hidden forces that shape who we become.

With Diana Hill, clinical psychologist and teacher of wise effort, we explored how directing energy toward what matters most becomes a design principle for living.

And earlier this week with Nicholas Epley, University of Chicago professor and one of the world's leading social psychologists,

we explored how even small acts of connection shape belonging, happiness, and meaning.

And perhaps there was only one place left to end this series, with how we design hope itself.

Because if purpose is shaped through meaning, identity, effort, and connection, it is also shaped through how we relate to possibility.

That's why I wanted to bring Deepika Chopra onto the show.

Deepika is a clinical psychologist and author of the great new book, Real Optimism, a practical science-based guide to staying resilient, curious, and open, even when life is hard.

Deepika challenges one of the biggest myths in modern self-help,

that optimism means staying positive.

She shows us something much deeper.

Real optimism isn't denial.

It's a disciplined relationship with uncertainty.

And in today's conversation, we explore why optimism is a trainable skill, why positivity can sometimes undermine resilience,

We go into how expectation shapes action more than wishful thinking, and why learning to face uncertainty may be one of the most important design choices we make.

Because perhaps purpose isn't only designed by what we pursue or even by who we connect with, but by the possibilities we allow ourselves to believe in.

Before we dive in, a quick note.

If this show has ever positively impacted your life, please share it with a friend or family member.

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