Derek Sivers podcast
Episodes
What next?
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
I have so much more to say on this subject, but this book is done now because I believe short books are useful. So the conversation continues on th...
Reframing death
08 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
For the last three years, my boy and I have had a pet mouse. We got her from a pet store, and he’s carried her in his hand through so many advent...
You are what you pretend to be
07 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Your outside doesn’t need to match your inside. You can feel terrified inside, but just pretend to be brave for one minute. By doing that, you ...
Keep tuning and adjusting
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When I got my first guitar, the nice man at the shop put on new strings and tuned it. A week later, I brought it back to the shop because it sounde...
Take the first step immediately
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
I spent basically my whole life in America, and had no desire to travel or be anywhere else. But one day I was thinking about growing older, and ho...
Why your choice is wrong
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
No matter what choice you make, someone will tell you it’s wrong. It’s wrong because it’s not what they would have chosen. It’s not what...
Talk with friends to solidify it
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After you privately internalize a belief, talk about it with friends. Explaining it to different people helps you refine it. They might see an ang...
Private journal to internalize it
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Once you find a viewpoint you want to adopt, a great tool to internalize it is a private journal. Whether you write, type, or just talk, the point ...
No new instructions for the computer
01 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You load the program into the computer, and it begins its calculations. It’s computing. It’s working hard, and it’s going to take some time....
From explorer to self-leader
31 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Picture the stereotype of an explorer, hundreds of years ago, on an expedition to uncharted lands. The explorer tries everything. Up that river. ...
How to decide and make the best choice
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You can do anything. But you can’t do everything. You have to decide. If you don’t decide, you get nothing. You can think of a hundred path...
An awesome collection of great questions
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This is where I would share powerful questions that you can answer for big insights and change. But here’s why I’m not: I’ve read books tha...
Five tiny tales of reframing
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On the Olympic podium stood the winners of the gold, silver, and bronze medal. The silver medalist was so angry at herself for not being just a lit...
Traits of useful perspectives
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
To list all the beliefs I’ve found useful would fill a whole book. (Actually, four books so far, since that’s what my previous books were about...
Expand your repertoire
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
To change, reach past what comes naturally. Avoid your defaults. Get guidance outside of yourself. Use a different tool. “Oblique Strategie...
Diamond in the trash
25 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When things aren’t going well, you’re in a bad state of mind. If you ask yourself a healthy question, like “What’s great about this?”, yo...
Answer great questions
24 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Pick something that’s holding you back from what you want to do, be, or feel. It might feel like physical fact. “I’m too old.” “I can’...
Who chooses your (next) thoughts?
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You might say, “I can’t help the way I feel”, as if it’s completely out of your control — as if you have no choice and are unable to feel ...
The most useful part of this book
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine you’re reframing a painting. First, you remove the old frame. Then you try different frames. The first three parts of this book were h...
Philosophies are instruments
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Los Angeles, 1952. Igor Stravinsky, the composer, was 70 years old, and rehearsing the orchestra. A young girl who lived next to the orchestra ha...
What is “the truth” really for?
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You don’t want a drill. You want a hole in the wall. So what do you really want when you seek “the truth”? You can gather raw facts, but t...
Life is _______
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
I was at a workshop, and right before dinner, the teacher wrote this on the whiteboard: LIFE IS _______ He told us to think about what goes in t...
Placebo meanings
18 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jerusalem is one of my favorite places. I hope to live there some day. Whenever I visit, I meet people who say they moved there from across the wo...
Magic mirror shows what you need to believe
17 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In Harry Potter, there’s a magic mirror that reflects the viewer’s desire. What Harry sees in that mirror is very different than what Dumbledor...
Which perspective empowers you?
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
There was a famous man who did many great things. After he died, they told stories glorifying him, painting him as flawless. But one story said he...
Judge the contents, not the box
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
My cousin took a course on a complete system for physical fitness and health, and followed every bit of its advice. She had great results at first....
Carpenters’ tools
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Two carpenters were fixing some stairs. The older one liked to work. The younger one liked to question. The older one grabbed a measuring tape f...
Religion is action, not belief
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
One man believed God was on his side. He often lost his temper, hurt people, and did more harm than good. But he believed that what matters is wha...
Useful?
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s define “useful” as whatever ultimately helps you do what you need to do, be who you want to be, or feel at peace. The word “ultimate...
Beliefs → emotions → actions
11 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s look again at that example of the daily run. If you believe there’s danger right behind you, you’ll feel scared and focus entirely on ...
A daily run and imagination
10 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Every day you go for a run. Sometimes you feel yourself lagging, so you imagine there’s a tiger on your tail, and that adrenaline gives you a tu...
Bowling: curve into the target
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
I’m pretty bad at bowling and frisbee. I roll the ball or throw the disc straight at the target, but away it curves. After this happens a few ti...
Fill your senses with reality
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When I’m feeling troubled, it helps to look around at reality. Am I in physical danger? No. I’m in a room. I’m safe. It’s a reminder th...
Your first thought is an obstacle
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Here’s a common optical illusion: Two horizontal lines, the same length. The top one has diagonal lines going out from its edges. The bottom...
The more emotional the belief, the less likely it’s true
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Some beliefs are basically facts, but without absolute proof. Tomatoes are a vegetable. Tonight’s movie starts at 7:00. Then my friend shows me...
Beliefs are not facts
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Whenever someone says, “I believe …”, then whatever they say next is not true. If it was a fact, there would be no need to declare a belief...
Make believe
04 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Kids scream, “Monster in the hallway!”, and hide behind the couch. They stack up cushions for protection, and plan their defense. They know th...
Hanging inherited paintings
03 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
My mom inherited an ugly painting from her mom. It hung in the living room, and visitors would comment on how it felt wrong. But she kept it there...
Re-edit your mind’s movies
02 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The movie “500 Days of Summer” is a beautiful example of doubting your past. We see many scenes of a boy and a girl happily in love, but always...
You can’t trust your mind
01 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
There was a crime out on Park Avenue today, so the police are gathering information. A helpful witness said, “He had a red mustache, green eyes,...
You are the strange one
31 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A traveler comes to a river and sees a local woman on the opposite bank. He yells across, “How do I get to the other side of the river?” She ...
That was about you, not them
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
All of the chapters until now have been about other people. It’s so easy to see their faults. So full of nonsense, thinking they’re so right, ...
Bridge guard, revisited
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I want to make sure the point of the “Bridge guard” story came across. The king said, “It’s too salty.” Did he actually think it’s to...
Fake or real? True or false? So what?
28 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
People have always made up nonsense, and made others believe it. That’s nothing new. But now computers create text that sounds human and video t...
Even science isn’t true
27 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When I started writing this book, my friend asked me for an example of what I consider to be true. I said science. He’s a scientist, so he got a...
Wanna bet?
26 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
By definition, “the future” doesn’t exist. It’s what we call predictions in our imagination. People think that the more vivid the image i...
The past is not true
25 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When I was 17, I was driving recklessly and crashed into an oncoming car. I found out that I broke the other driver’s spine, and she’ll never w...
Memories are not accurate
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
January 28, 1986, at 11:39am, the Space Shuttle exploded during liftoff, killing all seven crew members. It was a big deal. As soon as it happened...
The brain invents explanations
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Some people have damaged fibers connecting the left and right hemispheres of their brain, and need to have that connection surgically severed. They...
Try to find their incentives
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Middle of the night. You’re fast asleep. You hear a loud “BANG!” downstairs. Your body kicks into emergency danger mode. Eventually you fi...
Cultural meanings
21 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One of my best friends from Singapore was visiting me here in New Zealand last summer. She and I were upstairs when a local friend of mine came by ...
Obligations are not true
20 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Family, friends, colleagues, and communities put social pressure on you to do what they want you to do. They say it’s your obligation or your dut...
Rules are a starting point, not the final answer
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kids make up rules for games. “Got you!” “No, I was still touching the base, remember?” “Well I’ve got the talisman in my pocket s...
Bridge guard
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A group of adventurers needed to cross the narrow bridge over the deadly canyon. But a huge threatening guard — like the genie from Aladdin’s l...
Separate events and interpretation
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A young man in a hooded sweatshirt knocks at your door, hiding his face, looking nervously around. “Hey, hey, yeah, can I come in? I, uh, need a ...
People share perspectives, not facts
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
People communicate for social and emotional reasons. (Notice the word “commune” in “communicate”.) Socially, they want to bond. Judgemen...
No picture is the whole picture
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
They say the camera never lies. But of course it does. Someone shows you photos of happy people laughing. They say this is proof that people are...
Perspectives feel real
14 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A kid says a cat is a pet. A mouse says a cat is a threat. They can’t see it any other way. Their friends agree, which solidifies their view, m...
What time is it?
13 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“What time is it right now?” For who? You? For most people in the world, that’s not the current time. “What day is it today?” For ...
What’s this about?
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This book is about reframing — changing how you think about something — and choosing a perspective that’s useful to you right now, whether or ...
Why did I move to New Zealand?
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I get this question a lot, so here’s my honest answer.
How to listen to Ulysses
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
(I haven’t done this yet, but plan to. I listened to that Odysssey audiobook in two days of walking around Port Meadow, Oxford, and have been yearn...
the birth and reverb of friendship
23 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine you’re a ghost. You drift through the world but nobody sees you. You’re disconnected.
a relationship that ended, not failed
22 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I was dating for the first time, after a six year long relationship.
Have I been married?
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sofia was my first big love. We met at 21, when we were both in the circus. She opened me up, and taught me how to be honest. I was absolutely cert...
Why are my best friends Jewish?
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is a real question. I don’t know the answer and I’m curious.
One big choice shapes a hundred more
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I was 36, and had been living in Portland for two years. I saw an amazing house for sale — really amazing — stunning design, ideal location on th...
Come and get me (both you and AI)
06 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I’m going for the double meaning of “get me” that also means “understand me”.
I’m in the final third of my life
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
According to statistics, I’m in the final third of my life. (I don’t expect to beat the odds, because I inherited a cancer-creating genetic disor...
I love the contradiction of religions
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Because I was raised with no religion, I used to think they were all ridiculous.
The first time I met someone who believes in God
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
My parents never mentioned God or any religion. Not necessarily atheist — nothing against. The subject just never came up.
Dismissed!
18 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dismissing gives me a quick little lift.
I hated Dubai until I learned about it
16 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dubai was in my “Top 5 places where I NEVER want to go”. I heard it was commercialized hedonism, glorified overindulgence, pandering to millionai...
To question is to consider, not refute
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tomorrow you have plans to go to an event with a friend. You made the plans a month ago. You ask your friend, “Do you still want to go?”
Rats are surprisingly sweet pets
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I used to live in a basement apartment, next to the trash room. Rats were often blocking my door, and I could hear them walking in the ceiling right ...
We don’t need to use what we make
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For many years, I was a touring musician, performing live on stage every week. But I didn’t like attending concerts. I liked making music more tha...
Wealth = Have ÷ Want
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Not a new idea, but just another visualization and reminder.
How to make the best possible translation of a book?
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You know that frustration of reading a book that should have been an article? Me too. So I try to do the opposite — to write so succinctly that yo...
the best book ever written
12 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve asked my favorite musicians if, when they’re done writing a new song, they feel it’s the best song ever. All of them said yes.
Ben Kihnel
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I just got the call from the super-connected Alex Steininger that our mutual friend Ben Kihnel died in his sleep. He was only 48.
Esperanto, Toki Pona, Swahili, Indonesian
26 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is a lukewarm little story with a few connected bits, but it might be interesting or even helpful. Follow the links in it, for full effect. E...
walk and talk
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kevin Kelly invited me to walk 100 kilometers (62 miles) through northern Thailand for seven days, ending in Chiang Mai. Walking with us were ten oth...
dashing dog, searching for purpose
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
People search for their passion or purpose. But “purpose” and “passion” are words we use when we’re not working.
The joy and freedom of harmlessly upsetting social norms
21 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
My band was playing a gig in Oslo, Norway, when I struck up a conversation with a woman who was staring at me. Turns out we had read many of the same...
Why I let go of my U.S. citizenship
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I forbid myself from anything too tempting or addicting. I keep no cookies in my home. To prevent myself from falling off the wagon, I strap myself ...
the Michael Browne suits
15 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2020, I was about to move to New York City. I wanted to get to know all of its ethnic enclaves, like visiting the whole world in one city. But I ...
Thinking something nice about someone? Tell them.
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When you think something nice about someone, you should tell them.
50 conversations in Bangalore and Chennai
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
February 13 through 21, 2023, I went to Chennai and Bengaluru, India. My sole purpose was to meet new friends. I’m an “Overseas Citizen of India...
Explorers are bad leaders
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Explorers poke through the unknown, experimenting, trying many little dead-ends.
Travelling just for the people
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When I was 21, I moved to New York City.
Want anonymity? Make a persona not a mystery.
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Because of my open inbox, I meet a lot of strangers. I love it. Almost everyone tells me who and where they are in the world. If they don’t, I w...
I want to lose every debate.
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
My favorite moments in life are when someone shows me a new perspective — a way of thinking I had never considered.
Conversations with Tyler Cowen
29 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tyler Cowen is my favorite interviewer of all-time. His interviewing style has spoiled me for all others. He creates a tasting feast for the mind.
Reading the Bible start to finish
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I like going to the source. Like finding musicians’ influences, and getting to know that music too. Same with film, art, philosophy, and technolog...
Make believe
30 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kids scream, “Monster in the hallway!”, and hide behind the couch. They stack up cushions for protection, and plan their defense. They know it...
Daily run, part two
28 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In my previous post, “a daily run” — (please read it first) — running was a metaphor for whatever actions you take in your life. The story ...
Daily run, part one
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Every day you go on a long run through the forest. You picture a pot of gold at the end. It helps you finish when you feel like quitting. One d...
Your explanations are not true
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We all confabulate without realizing it. To confabulate is to create an explanation that you believe to be true. “Con” means together, and “...
Shortest date, and ketchup
12 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Here’s a story about my shortest date, and ketchup. I was dating in New York City, and matched with someone named Kelly. We agreed to meet, so ...
Anything You Want — third edition for 2022
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 2011, I got a phone call from a number I didn’t recognize. “Hello?” “Derek. It’s Seth Godin.” “Wow! Hi Seth!” “I’m st...