#40 AJ Jacobs | Life as an Experiment

At some point in our lives—perhaps in science class—most of us have run an experiment. But how many of us have used ourselves as experimental subjects in our own studies? My guest on this episode, New York Times Bestselling author, AJ Jacobs (www.ajjacobs.com), has conducted experiments with himself as the subject numerous times and he writes about them in hilarious and often profound ways. For example, here are some of the experiments he describes in his outstanding books: · In a quest for superior knowledge, he read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica. Yes, all 32,000-plus pages! · In a quest for superior health, he spent a year delving into a large number of health fads to find out if they were helpful. · In a quest to better understand religion, he spent a full year trying to live by the strict rules of the Bible and to the letter. · In a quest to better understand gratitude, he ventured out to thank the more than 1,000 people who were responsible for providing his morning cup of coffee. That meant tracking down and thanking the growers of the coffee beans in South America, the makers of the coffee cup, the people who kept rodents out of the coffee itself, and so many otherwise-invisible people who contributed to his morning cup. · And in a quest to find the interconnectedness of humanity all over the globe, AJ attempted to create the largest family reunion gathering ever by contacting thousands of people distantly related to him through DNA tests. In this interview, AJ unpacks the many benefits of having an experimental life mindset. It can increase curiosity causing you to think differently and more flexibly. It can keep you physically healthier. And it can certainly give you great ideas to improve your life in unexpected ways. On a personal note, I have read all of AJ's work and I am a huge fan. As it happens, I am not alone. His work has garnered scores of overwhelmingly positive reviews, and one that really resonates with me comes from People Magazine that stated AJ’s work is, “Both laugh-out-loud funny and enlightening.” I am thrilled to have AJ as a guest and I'm sure you will find this to be a highly informative and entertaining exchange about the benefits of life as an experiment. www.viacharacter.org Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0743291484/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_WG0XM0H1QGKSE6YRRJH7?linkCode=ml2&tag=superpsyche0b-20 This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).