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Guy Raz — “How I Built This” and Solving Our Big Problems

Sep 19, 2020

Guest

Guy Raz

Guy Raz, the dynamic host behind the popular "How I Built This," dives into the pressing challenges of our times. He discusses the need for collective action in tackling income inequality and environmental issues while emphasizing personal sacrifice. The conversation reveals how entrepreneurial spirit can bridge societal gaps, particularly in mental health services. Raz also advocates for innovations driven by social impact and collaboration between the private sector and government to foster meaningful change.

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Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

Collective Action & Sacrifice

Collective action problems require individual sacrifice.
We must be willing to be less selfish to address these problems.

insights

INSIGHT

Small vs. Large-Scale Problems

We struggle with both small and large-scale problems.
Addressing these requires more than just individual shaming.

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ANECDOTE

WWII Sacrifice

Americans historically sacrificed during WWII.
Our current comfort hinders our ability to sacrifice for change.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Entrepreneurship Meets Stoicism: Insights from Successful Innovators

02:44 • 4min

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The Challenge of Sacrifice in Addressing Societal Issues

07:09 • 3min

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Collective Action and the Role of Resilience

09:48 • 18min

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Bridging Gaps in Mental Health and Entrepreneurship

28:15 • 8min

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Entrepreneurship for Social Change

35:56 • 9min

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Harnessing Talent and Energy for Change

In 'How They Succeeded', Orison Swett Marden explores the lives of successful individuals from various fields, including business, politics, and the arts. The book emphasizes the importance of hard work, perseverance, and positive thinking in achieving success. It profiles figures like Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, and Helen Keller, highlighting their struggles and triumphs to inspire readers.

The Wise Men

Evan Thomas

Walter Isaacson

The Wise Men tells the story of Averell Harriman, Dean Acheson, George Kennan, Robert Lovett, John McCloy, and Charles Bohlen—six close friends who shaped America's role in the post-war world. Their intellects, personalities, and actions brought order to the chaos, leaving a lasting legacy in American policy. The book explores their contributions to the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and the Cold War.

Lives of the Stoics

The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius

Ryan Holiday

Stephen Hanselman

This book presents the fascinating lives of twenty-six ancient Stoics, from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius, organized in digestible mini-biographies. It vividly brings to life the stories of key Stoic philosophers, such as Seneca, Epictetus, and Cicero, and demonstrates how their philosophies shaped their actions and legacies. The authors intertwine historical context with philosophical insights, making the book both educational and entertaining. It shows how Stoic principles can be applied to modern life, emphasizing virtues like Courage, Justice, Temperance, and Wisdom.

The obstacle is the way

Ryan Holiday

In 'The Obstacle Is the Way', Ryan Holiday presents a framework for turning obstacles into successes. Drawing from the philosophy of Stoicism and the writings of Marcus Aurelius, Holiday outlines three disciplines: perception, action, and will. He illustrates these principles with historical anecdotes from figures such as John D. Rockefeller, Amelia Earhart, Ulysses S. Grant, and Steve Jobs. The book emphasizes the importance of perception in shaping one's response to obstacles, the need for intentional and creative action, and the cultivation of will to persist through challenges. Holiday argues that by adopting these Stoic principles, individuals can transform their obstacles into opportunities for growth and success.

On today’s Daily Stoic Podcast, Ryan talks with How I Built This creator and host Guy Raz about how we deal with big collective action problems in an era of increased polarization, harnessing entrepreneurial energy to help society, and more.

Guy Raz is a podcast creator and host with a combined audience of over 19 million downloads a month. He is the creator and host of How I Built This, a podcast about entrepreneurs, and also co-created NPR’s TED Radio Hour and Wow in the World. Guy joined NPR in 1997 and has worked every single newsroom job from production assistant to news anchor.

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