{"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":"Why Mark Manson Says You Should Give Fewer F*cks (Not Zero)","slug":"why-mark-manson-says-you-should-give-fewer-f-cks-not-zero","published_at":"2026-07-27T01:15:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/why-mark-manson-says-you-should-give-fewer-f-cks-not-zero","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN3941970714.mp3?updated=1776257871","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN3941970714.mp3?updated=1776257871","summary":"What if everything you've been taught about not giving a damn is actually making you miserable? Mark Manson's bestselling philosophy suggests the problem isn't caring too much-it's caring about the wrong things. In this episode, Adrian Wells breaks down how Manson's journey from bullied outcast to millionaire author reveals the hidden psychology behind what actually makes us happy. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why achieving your biggest goals can leave you more lost than before you started • The evolutionary wiring that tricks us into chasing status and validation (and how to override it) • How growing up as an outcast in East Texas shaped one of the world's most influential self-help voices • The difference between giving zero f*cks and strategically choosing your battles 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone who's tired of feeling burned out from caring about everything 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces Mark Manson's counterintuitive happiness formula [01:45] From bullied kid to bestselling author: Manson's unlikely origin story [04:20] Why financial success didn't fix his emotionally distant family [06:30] Goal disorientation: what happens when you actually achieve your dreams [09:15] The evolutionary trap that keeps us chasing the wrong things [11:00] How to choose what deserves your energy (and what doesn't) Manson's story challenges everything we think we know about motivation and success. His parents had money but couldn't connect emotionally. His book hit #1 but left him questioning everything. The twist? These setbacks taught him more about happiness than any achievement ever could. The real insight isn't about caring less-it's about getting better at picking your battles. When you understand why your brain defaults to seeking external validation, yo…","meta_description":"What if everything you've been taught about not giving a damn is actually making you miserable? Mark Manson's bestselling philosophy suggests the problem…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":789,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/first-principles-7708985/episodes/why-mark-manson-says-you-should-give-fewer-f-cks-not-zero/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/why-mark-manson-says-you-should-give-fewer-f-cks-not-zero.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}