The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast 1KHO 642: Most People Are Starved for Connection | Ben Swire, Safe Danger
Dec 6, 2025
Ben Swire, an author and founder of Make Believe Works, dives deep into the importance of experiential connection in both personal and workplace settings. He passionately argues that adults often crave meaningful connections but feel lonely in a conformity-driven culture. Ben describes his transformative journey through 'safe danger,' where creativity, vulnerability, and play foster real emotional resilience. With practical tips for enhancing relationships at home and work, he illustrates how joy and trust are essential skills we can all develop.
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Practice Builds Emotional Muscle Memory
- Experiential practices build emotional muscle memory for trust and vulnerability.
- Safe danger is the balance of stepping outside comfort while keeping people safe enough to try, fail, and learn.
Trust And Curiosity Fuel Better Work
- IDEO models a culture that values who people are, not just what they produce.
- That trust-driven curiosity enables better ideas because disagreements aim to understand, not win.
Teaching Risk With The Playground Rings
- Ben lifted his five-year-old onto playground rings and had her drop to prove she could survive the fear.
- That small physical risk taught her she could handle the experience and try again.
