What is a Good Life?

Julian Kirchherr, an associate professor and partner at McKinsey & Company, delves into the intersection of academia and practical impact. He shares his journey from a passionate PhD student to a disillusioned tenure-tracker, emphasizing the importance of autonomy and diverse experiences. Julian critiques the 'bullshit' in academia and explains how grassroots movements inspired him to pursue unconventional goals. He discusses balancing dual roles in consulting and academia, advocating for iterative research methods and reframing setbacks into fuel for progress.

In this enlightening discussion, Katie Elliott—a facilitator, writer, and creator of Amiko® Cards—delves into the intricate dynamics of human relationships. She shares her lifelong curiosity about patterns and the importance of staying open in the face of bewilderment. Discover how her experiences with chronic illness and late autism diagnosis shape her perspective. Katie emphasizes the power of vulnerability in friendships and how meaningful conversations can transform our connections. Explore the art of self-compassion and the value of revealing our true selves.

On the 153rd episode of What Is a Good Life?, I’m joined by Ethan Hsieh for a wide-ranging and deeply human conversation on service, being, and what happens when self-work goes too far.Ethan is currently undertaking his PhD research integrating performance-training with 4E cognitive science. With an MA in Professional Practice: Theatre and Drama Facilitation, he has designed and delivered transformational community-building programs, retreats, and workshops across Asia and Europe through his organisation 5ToMidnight, where he is Artistic Director. He also serves as Platform Manager for The Lectern and has co-designed select practices with John Vervaeke, including the Socratic Imaginal Self-Reflection and the Socratic Search Space. Ethan maintains a private coaching practice working with corporate leaders, professional athletes, and social organisations.Together, we explore nihilism, play, embodiment, identity, and the question that now orients Ethan’s life: When does being itself become service?This episode invites listeners to loosen self-fixation, recover participation, and rediscover what becomes possible when we allow life—and each other—to change us.For more of Ethan's work:Website: https://www.5tomidnight.org/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-hsieh-828a63240/For more of my work:Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own good life through:- 1-on-1 coaching and online group courses: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/individual-coaching- The podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/individual-coaching00:00 A Question of Service05:40 Self-Work’s Breaking Point 08:04 From Optimization to Orientation12:52 Not Knowing Intimately 16:31 Returning to Play 26:56 Letting Experience In 31:31 Contact With Life36:46 Seeing Others Anew43:42 Identity Held Loosely52:19 Embodiment and Coherence 59:30 What is a good life for Ethan?

Tim Leberecht, a German-American entrepreneur and author, explores the nuances of living well in a world increasingly shaped by performance and artificial intelligence. He delves into the importance of belonging and intimacy, discussing how daily rituals can reconnect us with ourselves. Tim contrasts beauty with mere success, advocating for ethics and connection amid our synthetic realities. He also addresses how silence and deep conversations can foster vulnerability, enriching our relationships in both personal and professional realms.

In this conversation, Olaf Lewitz, a leadership thinker and Trust Artist, delves into the intriguing question, "What am I missing?" He highlights how this inquiry can reshape our perceptions of anger and boundaries. Olaf shares insights on creating drama through interpretations rather than reality and the power of humor in defusing tension. He emphasizes balancing personal boundaries with compassion and reflects on the importance of inner worth and hope. Ultimately, Olaf defines a good life as enjoying the present while striving to make the world a bit better.

Claire Goodey, an artist and humanistic psychotherapist, shares her journey of returning to creativity after a decade in private practice. She discusses her late autism diagnosis and its impact on her understanding of needs and the importance of nervous system awareness. Claire reflects on navigating fear versus love, emphasizing the value of presence and intentional rest. She also introduces the metaphor of "getting into the slipper" for retreat and highlights how embracing vulnerability can lead to a more humane existence amid life's chaos.

Adam Mastroianni, an experimental psychologist and popular science writer, dives into the intriguing world of curiosity and meaningful contributions. He discusses how relentless questions can feel like demonic possessions driving creativity. Adam also ponders the historical delays in innovations like indoor plumbing and explores the contrast between online validation and real-life feedback. The conversation highlights the importance of finding your unique role in the world and how embracing authentic work can shape a fulfilling life.

On the 148th episode of What is a Good Life?, I welcome Leigh Marz, a collaboration and leadership coach for major universities, corporations, and federal agencies. She has led training programs to promote an experimental mindset among teams at NASA and a decade-long cross-sector collaboration to reduce toxic chemicals in products, in partnership with Green Science Policy Institute, Harvard University, IKEA, Google, and Kaiser Permanente. Leigh coauthored Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise and cofounded Astrea Strategies, helping leaders bridge contemplation and action. In this conversation we explore silence as a living presence—how inquiry, pauses, and shared quiet unlock better thinking, connection, and wellbeing. We cover mapping noise (auditory, informational, internal), flow states, and why slowing down in groups (even at work) sparks novel solutions. This episode invites listeners to rediscover silence as a living teacher — one that reveals what truly matters when we’re quiet enough to hear it.For more of Leigh's work:Link to the book: Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of NoiseAstrea Strategies: https://astreastrategies.com/Her website: https://leighmarz.com/Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.- 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-14b0161b4/00:03 – Intro & why start with questions04:03 – Origins of the silence inquiry & HBR article09:00 – “What’s the deepest silence you’ve known?” 12:41 – Freedom moment: “Silence teems with life” 16:41 – Quiet together: practices beyond meditation24:44 – Mapping noise: auditory, informational, internal29:33 – Antidote: signals you need silence & “positive distractions”35:00 – Designing retreats for novel thinking 38:21 – “Slow down, there isn’t much time.”46:13 – Silence & the nervous system52:00 - How the inquiry into silence has shaped Leigh58:12 – Leigh’s response to “What is a good life?”

Karimu Samuels, a movement expert and coach, shares his transformative journey from chasing ego-driven goals to finding peace through holistic movement. He emphasizes listening to the body and embracing softness as keys to self-discovery. Discussing movement as a universal language, Karimu illustrates how it confronts our fears and deepens awareness. He also reveals the importance of radical honesty and co-creating safe spaces for authentic expression. Join him in exploring fulfillment, creativity, and the idea of 'coming home' through the joy of movement.

In this enlightening discussion, Steven D'Souza, an award-winning author and leadership coach, explores the transformative power of shadow work in leadership and personal growth. He reflects on his journey from a pursuit of the priesthood to his quest for meaning and aliveness. Steven argues for embracing our shadows as sources of wisdom, highlighting the importance of self-compassion and acceptance over relentless self-improvement. Ultimately, he defines a good life as one characterized by kindness—to ourselves, others, and nature.