Welcome to the first episode of the Solved Podcast. Today, we are solving your values.

Over eight years ago, I wrote The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck—a book that, underneath all the swearing and irreverence, was really about one thing: values. What do you care about? What’s actually worth your time, your energy, your life?

So in this kickoff episode of SOLVED, Drew and I are going deep into why your values are the foundation of everything—your happiness, your mental health, your relationships, your sense of meaning—and why so many of us today feel so lost.

We break down the difference between chasing cheap dopamine hits and building real fulfillment, why not all values are created equal, how to figure out what your true values are, how to change your values, how to start living out your values more fully, and how values silently shape your decisions and relationships every day. If you’ve ever felt stuck, directionless, or like you’re living someone else’s life, this episode is the wake-up call you need. It’s time to stop drifting through life and start giving a fck about the right things. Forget the rest.

Welcome to SOLVED.

Get the Values companion guide for this episode: https://solvedpodcast.com/values

Ready to stop listening to podcasts and actually start taking action? Join the Momentum, a community of like-minded people who are taking small steps every day to make big changes in their lives: https://findmomentum.com

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Chapters

00:00:00 Welcome to SOLVED00:06:53 Episode Roadmap00:08:37 CHAPTER 1: What are Values?00:09:32 Characteristics of Values00:13:29 Values vs. Psychological Needs vs. Preferences00:22:11 Schwartz's Values Wheel00:29:49 Instrumental and Terminal Values00:31:19 Hierarchy of Values00:37:38 Values Conflict00:41:30 Carol Ryff's Six Dimensions of Psychological Well-being00:56:05 Aristotle's Golden Mean as Virtue01:04:04 CHAPTER 2: Values and Your Relationships01:13:05 Values and Conflict in Relationships01:22:09 The Clash of Values in Relationships01:29:31 Identifying and Navigating Values in Relationships01:33:40 Understanding Compatibility Through Values01:36:25 CHAPTER 3: Where Do Values Come From?01:37:19 Margaret Mead's Cultural Relativism01:46:55 Mary Douglas's and the Grid-Group Framework01:55:31 Jonathan Haidt's Moral Foundations Theory02:08:25 The Allegory of the Taco Truck02:13:33 CHAPTER 4: Identifying Your Core Values02:15:56 Thought Experiments to Find Your Values02:31:14 The Instrumental Value of Golf02:42:45 The Role of Trauma in Value Change02:47:49 CHAPTER 5: How to Change Your Values02:49:39 Kazimierz Dabrowski and Positive Disintegration03:02:17 On Cults and Cognitive Dissonance03:15:20 Self-Confrontation and Value Change03:17:29 Charlie Munger's Maxim: Incentives and Behavior03:20:50 CHAPTER 6: Lessons and Takeaways03:20:54 Aristotle's Practical Wisdom03:35:23 The 80/20 of Values03:54:49 Reflecting on the Episode

New podcast launches May 1st! We'll be releasing on this same feed, so all you have to do is stay subscribed to this channel and you'll get all the new episodes as they come out.

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After more than 70 episodes and 30 million downloads, I’ve decided to shut down The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Podcast. Yeah, I know—sounds a little crazy. But the truth is, I wasn’t having fun anymore. The guest treadmill, the pressure to play nice, the temptation to chase clicks instead of meaning—it all started to feel fake. So, I’m pulling the plug.

BUT—I’m not going away. I’m launching something new. It’s called Solved—a no-ads, no-guests, deep-dive podcast where each episode tackles one major life topic and breaks it down thoroughly. Think: values, emotions, procrastination—done right, from every angle, with real research and clear implementation. It’s the podcast I wish already existed. So I’m making it. First episode drops May 1 st!

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I’ve got a special episode for you today. I sat down in person with my longtime friend and first-ever podcast guest, Derek Sivers. We haven’t recorded live before, and honestly, it shows—in the best way. It’s raw, weird, and filled with the kind of conversations we usually when we’re just hanging out together.

We dig into Derek’s new book, Useful, Not True, and the big idea behind it: that our beliefs don’t need to be true to be helpful. That spins off into everything from remixing creative influences (metal + Dixieland jazz, anyone?) to why most podcasts—including mine—have gotten painfully predictable. We talk artistic reinvention, Bob Dylan, Bowie, Miles Davis, why most “thought leaders” are just regurgitating each other’s ideas, and why I'm ending the podcast as you know it—and what’s next!

We also dive into the deeper stuff: the emotional power of belief, authenticity vs. performative vulnerability, therapy culture, and why sometimes the most liberating thing you can do is reject what everyone else thinks is necessary—relationships, kids, all of it.

This was one of the most honest, meandering, and creatively energizing conversations I’ve had in a while. If you’re into big questions, unconventional ideas, and the occasional musical metaphor, this one’s for you.

Derek’s new book- Useful, Not True: https://www.amazon.com/Useful-Not-True-Derek-Sivers-ebook/dp/B0D86K4XF5

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