{"podcast":{"title":"Free Thinking with Montel","slug":"free-thinking-with-montel-5568820","podcast_index_feed_id":5568820,"rss_url":"https://feeds.simplecast.com/mrENgKGy","website_url":"http://www.revolverpodcasts.com","image_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/17401559-31b1-45b7-beaa-4b27e16440f6/c95393a7-9355-4eaa-b0db-bf9f82ec9792/3000x3000/70306cab02134d02858e9408b4d8ac5d96bb9bd1ef87bf980ff0baf9f8861cb2.png?aid=rss_feed","author":"Montel Williams","episode_count":151,"summary":"Free Thinking with Emmy-Award winning talk show host Montel Williams, is a new social commentary podcast that will tackle issues from the headlines, feature interviews with newsmakers and shine light on stories and topics Montel is passionate about. New shows will publish every Tuesday and Friday beginning September 1, 2020..","last_synced_at":"2026-07-15T10:21:00.113143+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/free-thinking-with-montel-5568820"},"episode":{"title":"Success Isn’t Freedom: A Neurosurgeon’s Truth","slug":"success-isn-t-freedom-a-neurosurgeon-s-truth","published_at":"2026-04-14T23:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/free-thinking-with-montel-5568820/success-isn-t-freedom-a-neurosurgeon-s-truth","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/free-thinking-with-montel-5568820","url":"http://www.revolverpodcasts.com","audio_url":"https://afp-901980-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/17401559-31b1-45b7-beaa-4b27e16440f6/episodes/b2830175-efaa-4e36-9311-2d0a068e7be5/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=17401559-31b1-45b7-beaa-4b27e16440f6&awEpisodeId=b2830175-efaa-4e36-9311-2d0a068e7be5&feed=mrENgKGy","summary":"#FreeThinkingWithMontel #MontelWilliams #CostOfSuccess What does it really cost to be successful? In this episode of Free Thinking with Montel, Montel Williams sits down with Dr. Craig Yorke—neurosurgeon and author of Steep: A Black Neurosurgeon’s Journey—to unpack the hidden cost of excellence. From growing up in segregated Boston to becoming a leading neurosurgeon, Yorke shares the pressure of being raised to be “beyond criticism,” the reality of navigating race and identity in America, and the emotional toll of a life built on discipline and survival. This conversation explores: The psychological cost of high achievement Race, identity, and the idea of being “unrejectable” Life-and-death decisions in neurosurgery The difference between success and freedom How to reconnect with yourself after a lifetime of pressure If you’ve ever felt the weight of expectations—or questioned what success really means—this episode is for you. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations that challenge how you think.","meta_description":"#FreeThinkingWithMontel #MontelWilliams #CostOfSuccess What does it really cost to be successful? In this episode of Free Thinking with Montel, Montel Wil…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2387,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/free-thinking-with-montel-5568820/episodes/success-isn-t-freedom-a-neurosurgeon-s-truth/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/free-thinking-with-montel-5568820/success-isn-t-freedom-a-neurosurgeon-s-truth.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}