{"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":"Simon Sinek: The One Word That's Killing Your Success (And It's Not What You Think)","slug":"simon-sinek-the-one-word-that-s-killing-your-success-and-it-s-not-what-you-think","published_at":"2026-07-30T15:03:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/simon-sinek-the-one-word-that-s-killing-your-success-and-it-s-not-what-you-think","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN9981308185.mp3?updated=1776257999","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN9981308185.mp3?updated=1776257999","summary":"You think you know why people fail. Bad luck, wrong timing, not enough talent. But what if the real killer isn't any of those things? Adrian Wells breaks down Simon Sinek's most counterintuitive insight: most people can tell you exactly what they do and how they do it, but they've never figured out their why. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why your teenage years shaped your core purpose (and how to uncover it if you've forgotten) • The physical symptoms your body creates when you make decisions against your values • Why elite athletes get depressed after winning championships and what that teaches us about sustainable success • The simple framework for making every decision align with your deeper purpose 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth who feels successful on paper but somehow empty inside. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian introduces the one word destroying your potential [01:45] What vs. how vs. why: the hierarchy most people get backwards [03:30] How your formative teenage experiences created your life blueprint [06:00] Why achieving goals without knowing your why leads to depression [08:15] The physical cost of living against your purpose [10:30] Three questions to discover your authentic why today Sinek's research reveals something pretty wild: your core why gets locked in during your teens and stays consistent your entire life. The problem? Most of us never did the work to figure out what it actually is. So we chase other people's definitions of success and wonder why nothing feels quite right. 🔔 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: Simon Sinek, purpose driven life, personal development, dec…","meta_description":"You think you know why people fail. Bad luck, wrong timing, not enough talent. But what if the real killer isn't any of those things? Adrian Wells breaks…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1887,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/first-principles-7708985/episodes/simon-sinek-the-one-word-that-s-killing-your-success-and-it-s-not-what-you-think/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/simon-sinek-the-one-word-that-s-killing-your-success-and-it-s-not-what-you-think.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}