SOLVED with Mark Manson

Most people think ego is either something you need to kill off entirely or inflate to take over the world. Both are wrong. In this episode, we dig deep into what ego actually is—how it evolved, why it matters, and how it secretly runs your life without you realizing it. We hit Freud, Buddhism, David Hume, Jung’s shadow self, and even the Navy SEALs to unpack why your ego isn’t always the enemy—it’s mostly just misunderstood. Then we get into how to quiet your ego without losing your identity, and yes, we talk psychedelics, too. This is everything you were never taught about ego—but should’ve been. Head to https://www.80000hours.org/solved to start planning a career that is meaningful, fulfilling, and helps solve one of the world’s most pressing problems. We also put together a free companion guide for this episode with all the takeaways, references, and tools to help you get your sh*t together once and for all. Download it here: https://solvedpodcast.com/ego Ready to stop listening to podcasts and actually start taking action? Join the Solved Community, a group of like-minded people who are taking small steps every day to make big changes in their lives: https://membership.solvedpodcast.com Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 3:31 Chapter 1: Defining the Indefinable — What Is the Ego? 3:33 Napoleon + Gary Snyder 10:15 The Architecture and Function of the Ego 27:15 What is a Healthy Ego? 36:14 The Philosophical Divide: Two Cultures, Two Selves 49:29 Chapter 2: The Ego’s Evolutionary Architecture — How Evolution Built the Self 49:33 Why Evolution Invented “I” 51:46 The Architecture of the Ego: From Refl ex to Reflection 1:00:33 The First Fall: When Knowing Became Our Burden 1:09:07 Why Evolution Built the Ego 1:13:08 Chapter 3: When the Ego Becomes a Tyrant 1:13:20 The Anatomy of Ego Tyranny 1:19:05 Recognizing and Disarming the Inner Dictator 1:47:29 Chapter 4: The Quiet Ego — Beyond a Strong Ego 1:47:34 When Quieter Means Stronger 1:50:58 The Science and Structure of the Quiet Ego 1:57:16 Cultivating a Quiet Ego 2:01:08 Benefits of a Quiet Ego 2:04:27 Chapter 5: The Chemical Dissolution: Ego Death and Psychedelics 2:23:16 Chapter 6: 80/20 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is probably the most comprehensive, no-BS breakdown of boundaries you're going to find anywhere. We cover what boundaries actually are (spoiler: it’s not just telling people to f*ck off), why they matter more than you think, and how your entire life—your relationships, mental health, identity, even career—is quietly shaped by whether or not you have them. By the end of this, you’ll know exactly how to set boundaries, how to enforce them without being a jerk, and how to stop confusing your preferences, rules, and passive-aggressive texts for actual emotional maturity. Plus, we talk about how the internet has totally mangled this concept and what to do instead. If you’ve ever felt burned out, resentful, overwhelmed, or just vaguely annoyed by everyone around you, this is for you. We also put together a free companion guide for this episode with all the takeaways, references, and tools to help you get your sh*t together once and for all. Download it here: https://solvedpodcast.com/boundaries Ready to stop listening to podcasts and actually start taking action? Join the Solved Community, a group of like-minded people who are taking small steps every day to make big changes in their lives: https://findmomentum.com/boundaries Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: https://markmanson.net/breakthrough Chapters: (0:00) Introduction (1:29) CHAPTER 1: Foundations of Boundaries (2:05) The Breakdown: What boundaries actually are (and aren’t) (4:42) The Spectrum: Porous, Rigid, Healthy (9:06) Boundaries vs. Values, Rules, Preferences, and Requests (13:32) What happens when boundaries erode? (18:46) The Solution: Boundaries as structure and freedom (22:57) CHAPTER 2: Boundaries: Freedom Through Limitation (25:09) Creativity with Limitations (29:15) Mental Health and Limitations (38:53) Example (42:54) Boundaries and Maturity (45:20) CHAPTER 3: Why Boundaries Matter (50:00) The Basis of Boundary Formation: Values (58:30) Translating Values into Boundaries (1:04:06) The Application: Living Your Valued Boundaries (1:10:14) CHAPTER 4: Why We Fail to Set and Maintain Boundaries (1:11:11) Developmental Origins (1:22:53) Personality and Individual Differences (1:29:48) Emotional Regulation and Mental Health (1:46:06) CHAPTER 5: Types of Boundaries (1:46:53) Physical Boundaries (1:49:28) Emotional Boundaries (1:51:44) Intellectual Boundaries (1:56:02) Time Boundaries (2:00:03) Digital Boundaries (2:09:01) Financial Boundaries (2:12:42) Family boundaries (2:18:52) Friendship Boundaries (2:23:06) Work Relationship Boundaries (2:28:22) Boundaries around authority (2:30:02) Self Boundaries (2:34:39) Chapter 6: How to Set and Maintain Boundaries (3:13:37) Chapter 7: Boundaries in Romantic Relationships (3:30:52) Parenting (3:37:04) Research & Frameworks (3:40:44) Western Romance (3:44:48) CHAPTER 8: The 80/20 of Boundaries Reset Your Brain with BrainFM: brain.fm/IDGAF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This one’s different. In this special year-end episode, I answer your questions—from the deep stuff about purpose and motivation, to the uncomfortable realities of change, burnout, failure, and dealing with unsupportive family. I also share the behind-the-scenes chaos of building SOLVED this year, what I learned about making massive, meaningful content, and what’s coming in 2026 (spoiler: boundaries, ego, and maybe some live shows). This is part personal, part philosophical, and part therapy session disguised as a podcast. If you’ve been wondering what’s next—or why you feel stuck—this one’s for you. See you in 2026. Ready to stop listening to podcasts and actually start taking action? Join the Solved Community, a group of like-minded people who are taking small steps every day to make big changes in their lives: https://solvedpodcast.com/qa Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: https://markmanson.net/breakthrough Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:13) Recap of 2025 (03:42) What if I don't have a single purpose? (06:07) Why don't I feel a strong need for purpose? (08:32) How do I find purpose when doing things I don't find important? (12:34) I'm having issues on getting motivated on one thing (19:35) What if my family doesn't support my purpose? (23:15) I'm struggling with the idea that purpose must be bigger than yourself (26:04) How Mark got Purpose AI to work (32:55) Questions from YouTube (33:13) How do you change yourself? (36:43) Finding meaning after AI takeover (44:01) What would a Models rewrite look like today? (48:19) Mark's first heartbreak (54:31) What would Mark put on Voyager 1? (57:35) Self-doubt on something you make (1:02:12) Mark's next book? (1:03:38) Tours around the world (1:05:55) Goals for 2026 (1:08:14) Podcast changes for 2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the episode I’ve been waiting to make for a long time. Purpose has been at the core of everything I’ve written and done for over a decade—and in this episode, we go all the way down the rabbit hole. From Viktor Frankl surviving Auschwitz to the myth of “finding your one true purpose,” we break down what purpose really is, why you feel lost without it, and how you can build it into your life. We also get uncomfortable (in the best way) and talk about the dark side of purpose—how it can burn you out, trap you in toxic ambition, or become an excuse to ruin your life. And I have a very special announcement to make: Today, I’m launching a new app called Purpose. It’s an AI-powered mentor for personal growth. You talk to it about whatever you’re facing—stress, decisions, conflicts, goals—and it helps you make sense of things. Purpose listens, reflects back what matters most, and turns big challenges into small, actionable steps. The more you use it, the more personalized and helpful it becomes. Get started in the app with a free course on finding your purpose at https://purpose.app/solved We also put together a free companion guide for this episode with takeaways and tools to help you get your sh*t together once and for all. Download it here: https://solvedpodcast.com/purpose Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:39) Victor Frankl and Finding Purpose in the Darkness (17:20) Chapter 1: Foundations: What Is Purpose? (25:44) Myths (32:50) Definition (34:55) Health (39:22) Resilience and Purpose (45:34) Chapter 2: Philosophical & Historical Perspectives on Purpose (52:47) Religion and Purpose (58:31) Descartes (1:00:11) Hume (1:04:51) Nietzsche (1:17:43) Kierkegaard (1:22:50) Ernest Becker (1:30:16) Picasso (1:31:26) Chapter 3: The Psychology of Purpose (1:36:38) Relationships (1:45:40) Ego Identity (1:49:19) Social Aspect of Purpose (1:52:32) Religiosity (2:05:14) Going back to Religion (2:08:13) Chapter 4: The Four Stages of Life (2:19:41) Trade off to Purpose (2:23:48) Transitioning in Purpose (2:31:33) Chapter 5: The Dark Side of Purpose (2:40:38) Purpose App (2:51:36) Burnout (2:54:29) Toxic Purpose (3:07:25) Chapter 6: Finding and Cultivating Purpose (3:27:04) Breakdown on finding Purpose (3:36:56) Chapter 7: Finding Purpose in Work (or Not) (3:52:55) Parenting (4:01:00) Contributing to your community (4:04:05) Hobbies (4:09:14) Chapter 8: Practical Tools and Frameworks (4:20:18) Purpose Setting (4:22:17) Finding the right tool (4:24:48) Chapter 9: The 80/20 of Living with Purpose (4:34:24) Takeaways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all compare ourselves to other people—our friends, coworkers, strangers on the internet—and most of the time, it makes us feel like shit. But why do we keep doing it? In this episode of Solved, we dig into the uncomfortable truth behind social comparison, how it quietly ruins our self-worth, and why most of what we envy in others is a projection of our own insecurity. We also get into the brutal paradox of success, the toxic loop of chasing status, and how the constant measurement of our lives against others is one of the dumbest things we do as a species. If you’ve ever felt not good enough, or like you’re falling behind, this one’s for you. We also put together a free companion guide for this episode with all the takeaways, references, and tools to help you get your sh*t together once and for all. Download it here: https://solvedpodcast.com/socialcomparison Ready to stop listening to podcasts and actually start taking action? Join Momentum, a community of like-minded people who are taking small steps every day to make big changes in their lives: https://findmomentum.com/socialcomparison Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: https://markmanson.net/breakthrough Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 5:29 Chapter 1: Evolutionary Roots 16:20 The Emotional Toolkit 20:18 Chapter 2: Philosophy and Social Comparison 23:31 The Buddhist Path 24:58 Aristotle 34:34 Stoicism 36:24 Existentialism 40:06 Myths 48:37 Chapter 3: The Psychology of Social Comparison 58:54 Downward Comparison 1:22:19 Chapter 4: Digital Technology and Social Comparison 1:44:20 Chapter 5: The 80/20 of Managing Comparison 1:57:40 Hidden Costs 1:58:48 Takeaways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices