{"podcast":{"title":"First Principles","slug":"first-principles-7708985","podcast_index_feed_id":7708985,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN4765221373","website_url":null,"image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/06eebd2a-0779-11f1-826e-37926ac18342/image/fca7c8febd1441fc3b0d54084418b06d.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Adrian Wells","episode_count":426,"summary":"First Principles isn't another business podcast recycling the same startup stories. Adrian Wells takes the fundamentals that actually matter and breaks them down like you're having coffee with the smartest professor you ever had. Wells spent twelve years teaching philosophy and critical thinking before ditching the lecture hall for the microphone. Turns out, the same principles that help you think clearly about ancient Greek ethics also work pretty well for modern business decisions. Who knew? Every episode strips away the latest trends and buzzwords to focus on the core ideas that don't change. How to actually evaluate evidence when everyone's throwing around statistics. Why most \"revolutionary\" business advice is just old wine in new bottles. The thinking patterns that separate smart decisions from lucky guesses. You won't get hyped-up success stories or flavor-of-the-month strategies. Instead, you'll learn how to think through problems the way philosophers have for centuries, applied to the stuff that matters in your work and life right now. Multiple new episodes drop daily, so there's always something fresh when you need it. Follow now if you're ready to think better, not just…","last_synced_at":"2026-09-20T02:18:54.580675+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985"},"episode":{"title":"Ant Middleton: Why I Was Really Cancelled (The Truth Nobody Talks About)","slug":"ant-middleton-why-i-was-really-cancelled-the-truth-nobody-talks-about","published_at":"2026-09-13T06:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/ant-middleton-why-i-was-really-cancelled-the-truth-nobody-talks-about","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN2496422063.mp3?updated=1776257912","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN2496422063.mp3?updated=1776257912","summary":"When Britain's most famous ex-Special Forces soldier gets \"cancelled\" by Channel 4, what really happened behind the scenes? In this raw conversation, Adrian Wells sits down with Ant Middleton to uncover the truth about his public downfall, mental health battles, and unexpected spiritual transformation. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • The real reason Middleton lost his TV career (and why he says it saved his life) • How Special Boat Service training prepared him for public controversy but not personal demons • Why he turned to psychedelic therapy and meditation after years of rejecting \"soft\" approaches 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone who's faced public criticism or struggled with mental health stigma in high-pressure environments. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the controversy everyone's talking about [01:45] What really happened with Channel 4 and SAS: Who Dares Wins [04:20] Special Boat Service mindset: when mental toughness becomes a prison [06:50] The breakdown that nobody saw coming [09:15] Psychedelics, meditation, and finding peace with being \"the bad guy\" [11:30] Building a new life after losing everything public Middleton doesn't hold back about the complaints that ended his TV career or his journey from military hardman to spiritual seeker. This isn't another redemption story. It's an honest look at what happens when your greatest strength becomes your biggest weakness. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: mental health, military mindset, public controversy, spiritual growth, career transition Find all episodes at First Principles ------------ Keywords: health myths, critical thinking podcast, fame…","meta_description":"When Britain's most famous ex-Special Forces soldier gets \"cancelled\" by Channel 4, what really happened behind the scenes? In this raw conversation, Adri…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":851,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/first-principles-7708985/episodes/ant-middleton-why-i-was-really-cancelled-the-truth-nobody-talks-about/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/ant-middleton-why-i-was-really-cancelled-the-truth-nobody-talks-about.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}