Have you ever achieved something you thought would make you happy… only to feel a hollow kind of disappointment instead? In this solo episode, I dig into new Harvard research on how mind-wandering and overthinking steal joy, and why chasing big goals doesn’t necessarily bring peace. We’ll explore personal stories, psychological traps, and small shifts that actually move the needle — not just on success, but on contentment.
Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2302168/support
Key Takeaways:
• Happiness isn’t a finish line you cross with a goal — often, the chasing steals the joy.
• Your mind wandering to what could be is a huge thief of contentment.
• Metrics (followers, achievements) can feel empty unless anchored in meaning.
• Tiny rituals + gratitude + noticing small wins help you feel grounded now, not later.
Resources & References:
• Harvard study on mind wandering & well-being (Author, Year)
• Article in Emotion (2024) on evaluative overthinking
📺 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-grateful-podcast-with-jack-wagoner/id1725776061
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5EsTEpQAjU4BxUrDoFyZ6b
Subscribe for more deep conversations with thinkers, seekers, and soulful creators. 🙏
⸻
🧠 More from Jack:
Newsletter (Magic, Meaning & Momentum): https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/aa6b0945-43aa-43c8-b320-0fde6998f852?email=%7B%7Bemail%7D%7D
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jack_wagoner_/
1:1 Coaching & Dream-Chasing Guidance: jackcwagoner@gmail.com
💬 If you found this conversation meaningful, send it to a friend and leave a review. It really helps more people find this kind of soul-nourishing content.
⸻
🎙️ About Jack:
I’m an 18-year-old high school student with a big dream: to show the world that you can be grateful and ambitious at the same time. Through The Grateful Podcast, I explore what it means to live a meaningful life—one deep conversation at a time.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.