What is a Good Life?

What is a Good Life? #112 - From Linear Paths to Experimental Journeys with Anne-Laure Le Cunff, PhD

Mar 4, 2025

Anne-Laure Le Cunff, an award-winning neuroscientist and founder of Ness Labs, discusses her insights on curiosity and lifelong learning. She highlights the shift from linear paths to experimental journeys, emphasizing how embracing uncertainty can lead to personal growth. The conversation explores the importance of adventure for mental health and how societal pressures influence our relationship with time. Emphasizing joy in creativity, Anne-Laure encourages listeners to reconnect with their innate curiosity and redefine success through playful experiments.

55:57

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Episode guests

Anne-Laure Le Cunff

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Quick takeaways

The shift from a linear life to an experimental approach encourages embracing uncertainty as a valuable opportunity for growth and joy.

Being curious about our emotions fosters deeper self-awareness and richer connections, enhancing overall well-being and life satisfaction.

Deep dives

Embracing Experimental Living

The guest emphasizes the shift from a linear life to an experimental approach, underscoring the significance of being open to uncertainty. This transformation allows individuals to embrace feeling lost while simultaneously discovering joy in exploration. By advocating for an experimental life, she encourages viewers to view unpredictability not as a hurdle, but as a valuable opportunity for growth and self-discovery. This mindset fosters a sense of freedom and joy in navigating life's intricacies.

Intro

2min

Embracing Experimentation in Life

24min

Embracing Adventure for Better Mental Health

2min

The Dance of Time: Kairos vs. Chronos

8min

Curiosity and Time: A Diminishing Quest

6min

Finding Joy in the Creative Process: A Journey of Self-Worth

3min

Navigating the Emotions of Completion and Exploration

2min

Rediscovering Curiosity: A Journey of Self-Exploration

9min

On the 112th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Anne-Laure Le Cunff, PhD. Anne-Laure is an award-winning neuroscientist and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Ness Labs, where her weekly newsletter is read by more than 100,000 curious minds. Her research at King’s College London focuses on the psychology and neuroscience of lifelong learning, curiosity, and adaptability. Her book, Tiny Experiments, is a transformative guide for living a more experimental life, turning uncertainty into curiosity, and carving a path of self-discovery. Her work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Forbes, Financial Times, WIRED, and more.

In this wonderful conversation, we explore the themes of curiosity, connection, and the journey from a linear to an experimental approach to life. Anne-Laure shares her personal experiences of feeling lost yet free and of embracing uncertainty and designing playful experiments in various aspects of life.

This conversation is an invitation to experiment more with our lives.

For more of Anne-Laure's work, check out the following:
Tiny Experiments: https://nesslabs.com/book
Anne-Laure’s Newsletter: https://nesslabs.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neuranne/

Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week Silent Conversation group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.

- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- The Silent Conversations: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-silent-conversations

00:00 Introduction

01:17 Embracing Curiosity and Connection

03:11 The Journey from Linear to Experimental Living

06:06 Finding Joy in Uncertainty

10:20 Designing Playgrounds for Experimentation

12:30 The Structure of Freedom in Experimentation

15:09 Redefining Success: Cycles of Learning

18:31 The Intimacy of Curiosity and Growth

21:08 Quality of Life Through Adventure and Experimentation

29:19 The Importance of Play and Time

30:28 Understanding Time: Chronos vs. Kairos

36:56 Curiosity and Age: The Impact of Time Perception

40:17 The Industrial Society's Effect on Curiosity

42:53 Finding Joy in the Process

46:18 The Emotional Journey of Completing a Book

48:27 Reconnecting with Curiosity

51:34 The Surprising Connection Between Curiosity and Emotions

52:52 What is a good life for Anne-Laure?

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