From Surviving to Thriving: The Inner Game of Modern Life - Steve Magness

I am delighted to welcome Steve Magness back to the show to discuss moving from survival mode to truly thriving. Modern life, with its relentless pressures and social media’s constant comparison trap, leaves many feeling isolated, inadequate, and unfulfilled. So what to do about it?

Steve shares his thoughts on the ‘inner game’ - the art of intrinsic motivation and long-term fulfilment. Steve opens up about his own experience living in survival mode while being a whistleblower against Nike's Oregon project. We also tackle the shifting nature of the American Dream, from internal fulfilment to external validation, and the vital importance of 'non-attachment'.

Highlights:

• The rise of burnout, mental health struggles, and loneliness in modern society
• The impact of social media on attention spans and mental health as well as feelings of inadequacy and isolation
• The ‘inner game’—learning to play for intrinsic motivation, not just external rewards
• How values and ethics guide decision-making in high-pressure environments
• The American Dream: from internal fulfilment to chasing external validation
• Sport as a metaphor for life and why self-transcendence matters more than trophies
• Non-attachment, the paradox of self and no-self, and the balance between flexibility and security

Steve Magness episode 1 - Do Hard Things: https://pod.fo/e/1832d0

Book: https://www.stevemagness.com/books/

🔗 Free course on beating burnout and finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/beat-burnout-mini-course

Other links:

My Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices