Episode
Dan Harris: Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics [From the Archive]
- Podcast
- The James Altucher Show
- Published
- Jul 26, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 4980
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Summary
Episode Description: This is a From the Archive episode with Dan Harris. Dan Harris returns to the show for a wide-ranging conversation about meditation without the incense, jargon, or grandiose promises. James begins with Dan’s story: his work at ABC News, his public panic attack, his substance abuse, his reporting from war zones, and the recovery path that led him to meditation. Dan’s first book, 10% Happier , made the case that meditation could be useful even for skeptics, strivers, journalists, and people who do not identify with traditional spirituality. This episode focuses on the next step: how to actually start. Dan’s book Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics , written with meditation teacher Jeff Warren and Carlye Adler, tries to remove the usual excuses. You do not need to sit for an hour. You do not need a cushion. You do not need to clear your mind. You do not need to become a different person. You can start with one minute. James and Dan discuss the difference between useful self-reflection and useless rumination, why ambition and meditation are not opposites, and why mindfulness is really the ability to see what is happening in your head without automatically believing it or acting on it. They also get into the science. Dan is careful not to oversell it, but he explains why early research suggests meditation may affect attention, stress, compassion, self-awareness, and the brain’s capacity to change. James adds that the most important experiment is often the simplest one: try it for yourself and see whether your life is better in a month. The emotional center of the conversation is Dan’s relationship with his wife, Bianca. Dan describes how meditation helped him become less self-centered and more available, while Bianca found her own version of practice throug…