The James Altucher Show

Today's guest is Professor Robert Waldinger, who has been in charge of an 80-year study at Harvard University, tracking the happiness and well-being of a group of 724 people and their descendants. In his viral TED Talk, which has garnered over 40 million views, Professor Waldinger shared some of the insights he's gained from this long-term study, and in his new book, The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study ...

Today, James welcomes Kelly Richmond-Pope, a forensic accountant and professor at DePaul University, to discuss her new book Fool Me Once: Scams, Stories, and Secrets from the Trillion-Dollar Fraud Industry.

The book explores the world of financial fraud and provides insights into how fraudsters operate, the damage they cause, and the techniques used to catch them. James and Kelly dive into some examples from the book to examine the...

In this episode, James welcomes back Matt Ridley, an acclaimed author & journalist who co-wrote the book Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19. The book delves into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and explores the various theories that have emerged about how the virus started.

With recent reporting suggesting that the Department of Energy and FBI are now considering the possibility that the pandemic began from a lab leak...

Are you tired of always losing arguments? Do you find it challenging to persuade others to your point of view? Look no further than today's episode with Mehdi Hasan, renowned news anchor and author of Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking.

Mehdi reveals the secrets to mastering the art of persuasion using the proven techniques from the book, emphasizing the importance of empathizing with your audie...

In this episode of The James Altucher Show, James sits down with producer Jay Yow to discuss eight fascinating and unusual facts James learned that day. From tips on marriage and happiness to surprising historical trivia and neuroscience, this conversation is packed with exciting and thought-provoking tidbits that are sure to spark your curiosity.

The duo begins by discussing the declining birth rate in many countries and what it me...

In today's episode, James is sharing some great tips on how everyday people can write interesting books that really grab their readers' attention.  

Everyone has a really interesting story to tell, and personal narratives are the most powerful stories out there. He goes on to stress the importance of not relying solely on scientific proof to make your point, and instead focusing on crafting a compelling story that your readers can c...

Today's episode is going to be incredible because we have a very special guest: Jonah Berger, author of "Magic Words: What to Say to Get Your Way" Are you looking for ways to improve your persuasion skills, whether in business or your personal life? Then you won't want to miss this one!

During this episode, James and Jonah will be revealing the seven magic words that are proven to be highly persuasive. Imagine being able to use word...

“You have the ideal life,” I said. “You think about things. And people pay attention. And you get paid for it.” I was talking to Jordan B. Peterson. His YouTube channel has tens of millions of views. He’s a clinical psychologist, professor, and author of 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, and now a guest on this podcast.

People stop him on the street. They say “Thank you.” They say, “You’ve changed my life.”

“What did you say t...

In 2003, Jason Wright was feeling utterly miserable after spending six years job-hopping through corporate America. Wanting more out of life, he decided to become his own boss and operate his own small business. At the age of 28 and with no clue where to start, Jason was determined to make it happen.

After a year of hard work, Jason successfully purchased an existing real estate company without any money down. His secret? A compelli...

Steven Kotler believes that middle-aged adults are better learners than kids, and he has the Ivy League studies to back it up.

In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Kotler, the bestselling author of Gnar Country: Growing Ould, Staying Rad, and a true expert in the field of peak performance and human potential.

In Gnar Country, Kotler explores the world of extreme sports and the science behind what drives these athlete...

Frank Shamrock calls himself "The First Super Athlete" in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Some might say that Frank lacks humility, but he was the first UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and retired undefeated from the organization. He revolutionized MMA and went deeper than anyone else, studying the body and optimizing his performance. While others focused on technical fighting, Frank dug into the biomechanics and truly became...

To be the best in the world at something requires a lot of skill, some talent, and a lot of hard work. 

In this episode, James sits down with Grand Master Avetik Grigoryan, the founder of ChessMood.com, to explore the importance of mindset in achieving peak performance at work. Avetik shares his experience as a professional chess player and coach, poker player, and entrepreneur, highlighting the role that mindset plays in achieving ...

"If you're connected, there's always hope, there's always a solution. If you feel disconnected, man…it's all on you!"

In this episode of the podcast, James Altucher sits down with Cal Fussman to discuss the need for human contact and social connectivity in a world that has been forever changed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Cal shares his personal experience of the daily breakfast group he was a part of for many years with his friend and...

Everybody is lying about the economy and I can't stand it anymore. Listen as I break down what people are misrepresenting, what is actually going on, and how I'm personally investing during this time.

One stock that I own a good amount of is  Wrap Technologies, which I've owned for years (as a co-founder). I plan on owning it for hopefully 10 more years, so I don't care if people will buy it or not. 

Here's why I'm talking about this...

This interview blew my mind. I'm not going to inject stem cells into my penis, but I'm going to do everything else Ben Greenfield suggests. Human hacker - and New York Times bestselling author - Ben Greenfield joins the show as he shares the secrets from his book Boundless: Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging. 

I have interviewed dozens of people on this topic; however, this episode and book sum them all up and then ...

Sara Blakely is a self-made billionaire. She’s the founder and creator of Spanx. I interviewed her in January 2017 - over 800 episodes ago! - but all of her advice (learned directly from DOING) is still impacting me today. I had to re-listen. And I hope you do too...

Some people are inspirations for life. Sara is one of those people.

Sara Blakely is weird. I wish I could think the way she does. I want to be weird like her.

“I look at ...

“Terrorists have moms,” he said.

Jeffrey Schilling was kidnapped in the Philippines and held hostage for 7 and a half months. The terrorists said they were torturing him.

But Chris Voss didn’t fall for it.

Chris is a former FBI hostage negotiator and the author of Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It.

“Find a way to mention his mother’s concern for him,” Chris’ boss said.

“I remember thinking, ‘That’s t...

Today, we're joined by the one and only Raymond Baker, author of the eye-opening book Invisible Trillions: How Financial Secrecy is in periling Capitalism and Democracy, and the Way to Renew our Broken System. 

That's a lot in the subtitle, but it's also a massive topic that's often swept under the rug because - as Raymond details - essentially every large corporation engages in the tax-dodging practices he details in depth in today...

Brett Johnson committed tax fraud and credit card fraud from a desk inside the FBI offices for almost a year before going on a cross-country crime spree, stealing $600,000 in four months, making the US Most Wanted list, going to Disney World, getting sent to prison AND THEN ESCAPING! But let's back up…

In today's episode of The James Altucher Show, we sit down with Brett Johnson, a man who has lived a double life. Once the leader of...