# 3536: I Shouldn't Want to Be Liked So Much by James Altucher on Self Worth Over Approval

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/optimal-finance-daily-financial-independence-and-money-advice-879660/3536-i-shouldn-t-want-to-be-liked-so-much-by-james-altucher-on-self-worth-over-approval
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/optimal-finance-daily-financial-independence-and-money-advice-879660/3536-i-shouldn-t-want-to-be-liked-so-much-by-james-altucher-on-self-worth-over-approval.md
Podcast: [Optimal Finance Daily - Financial Independence and Money Advice](https://stenobird.com/podcast/optimal-finance-daily-financial-independence-and-money-advice-879660)
Published: 2026-04-24T07:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/OLD1869611085.mp3?updated=1776379989
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/OLD1869611085.mp3?updated=1776379989
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/optimal-finance-daily-financial-independence-and-money-advice-879660/episodes/3536-i-shouldn-t-want-to-be-liked-so-much-by-james-altucher-on-self-worth-over-approval
Duration seconds: 517

## Resource

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3536: James Altucher reflects on a dinner where his strong views against college made him deeply disliked, exposing how much he craves approval even when standing by his beliefs. He unpacks the tension between authenticity and the desire to be accepted, revealing how easily ego and expectations can distort communication. His story offers a sharp, relatable look at why letting go of needing validation can be more freeing than being right. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://jamesaltucher.com/blog/i-shouldnt-want-to-be-liked-so-much/ Quotes to ponder: "I don’t like being disliked. I shouldn’t care but I do." "You ever get that visceral feeling when everyone in a room is sending waves of revulsion in your direction?" "I thought I was going to state my case and everyone would applaud and agree with me and maybe there would even be a trophy with my name on it." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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