Former al-Qaeda bomb-maker turned MI6 spy Aimen Dean shares his radicalization, torture methods, allegiance to Osama bin Laden, and insights into financing terrorism. He discusses espionage, sleeper cells, paranoia, radicalization in Catholicism and Islam, governance in the Middle East, and his unexpected exit from the spy world.

Aimen Dean (@AimenDean) was once one of al-Qaeda’s most respected bomb-makers who swore allegiance to Osama bin Laden himself. He eventually switched sides and spent eight years as an MI6 spy trying to take al-Qaeda down from the inside. He is the author of Nine Lives: My Time as the MI6’s Top Spy Inside Al-Qaeda and co-host of podcast Conflicted. This is part one of a two-part episode that will conclude later this week! What We Discuss with Aimen Dean: The radicalizing circumstances that contributed to Aimen's recruitment by Islamic extremists after memorizing the Quran by age 12. Early misgivings about the cause brought about by witnessing a brutal revenge massacre instigated by his own side during the Bosnian War when he was only 17. What Aimen learned about "logistical back-office jihad" and financing terrorism on a global scale while creatively accounting for a now-infamous charity front. Aimen's trip to Afghanistan at the behest of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed that led him to swear allegiance to Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda. What Aimen learned -- and taught -- about ingenious and terrible methods of torture that would extract confessions from victims without leaving permanent marks. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/383 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

You and the spouse moved in with your father-in-law to emotionally support him when your mother-in-law passed away, but it's difficult to relax or work from home on a foldout bed in the dining room. How can you bring up the subject of bowing out to another (nearby) place -- by yourself for the time being if necessary -- without feeling insensitive? We'll try to help you out with this and more here on Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: "A practical definition of opportunity cost: If you spend too much time working on good things, then you don’t have much time left to work on great things." -James Clear You and the spouse moved in with your father-in-law to emotionally support him when your mother-in-law passed away, but it's difficult to relax or work from home on a foldout bed in the dining room. How can you bring up the subject of finding another (nearby) place without feeling insensitive? When reconnecting with people you've lost touch with for ages, how can you diplomatically ask for exactly what you're looking for without sounding like a user or opportunist? Is your reluctance to take on a new job that would pay you four times more than you've ever made before due to legitimate concerns over your own competence, or are you just suffering from pangs of imposter syndrome? You lent a friend $63k on your credit card, and it's now clear you'll never see that money again. Even worse, you're stuck with the bill and can't even cover minimum payments. You could consolidate your debt or file for bankruptcy -- but are these really your only options? Working from home during quarantine made you realize you like being more present for your kids than commuting an hour each way to the office -- which the boss wants you to start doing again now that the state has decreed things "safe." Are you crazy for wanting to start your own business in these uncertain times? Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com! Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger. Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi. And if you want to keep in touch with former co-host and JHS family Jason, find him on Twitter at @jpdef and Instagram at 

Neal Brennan (@nealbrennan) is a comedy writer/producer/director, co-creator of Chappelle's Show, host of the How Neal Feel podcast, and is featured in his own live standup solo show 3 Mics at Netflix. What We Discuss with Neal Brennan: How Neal's 3 Mics show came about, and the idea behind its three parts: one-liners, emotional stuff, and stand up. The comedy-writing process and how it mirrors real life. A mindset to get a more realistic handle on the potential outcome of a given project or situation. Tips on getting happy from a guy who's tried everything -- and why achievement can't be a substitute for happiness. When networking, remember Neal's sage words: "No one's going to help you in a way that's not beneficial to them." And so much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/381 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Blake Mycoskie (@BlakeMycoskie) is the philanthropic founder of TOMS Shoes, author of Start Something That Matters, and co-founder of wellness subscription box service Madefor (get 20 percent off by using code MFJORDAN if you feel like checking it out). What We Discuss with Blake Mycoskie: What Blake's new Madefor startup can do to make you better (and how you can get 20 percent off by using code MFJORDAN if you feel like checking it out). Why entrepreneurship is more than just saying "I don't want a boss" -- it's seeking to remedy a problem the world needs to have solved. The benefits of cultivating the "beginner's mind" of a Buddhist. Why Blake advises founders in the early stages of a startup to bootstrap resources rather than seek investment dollars. What Blake sees as emerging business trends in a COVID-19 world and beyond. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/380 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

You know that your father, who has a history of cheating on your mother, is currently having an affair with a family "friend." How should you deal with your cheating dad in a way that won't destroy what little cohesion your family has left? We'll tackle this and more here on Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/379 On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: You know that your father, who has a history of cheating on your mother, is currently having an affair with a family "friend." How should you deal with your cheating dad in a way that won't destroy what little cohesion your family has left? How can you keep growing your side hustle that has thrived during quarantine while convincing your unreasonable full-time boss that both of you would be happiest if you took a part-time consulting role so you don't lose your stake in the company? You find your workshop job well-paying and satisfying, but it takes its toll on your body -- as evidenced by your older coworkers. How can you secure an office job at your company to avoid the same fate? You've developed skills for finding and acting on opportunities that you'd like to share with others, but potential mentees so far have been lacking in ambition. How can you teach them to fish when they just expect the fish to come to them? Life Pro Tip: If you're a DJ, music producer, or podcast audio engineer, software can get pretty expensive. Email software companies explaining that you love their product and you want to do the right thing by legally purchasing it, but money is tight. They're often willing to pass along deep discounts when possible. Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com! Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger. Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi. And if you want to keep in touch with former co-host and JHS family Jason, find him on Twitter at @jpdef and Instagram at @JPD, and check out his other show: Grumpy Old Geeks. Sign...

Steven Johnson (@stevenbjohnson) is the best-selling author of 11 books on the intersection of science, technology, and personal experience, including Farsighted: How We Make the Decisions That Matter the Most. He also hosts the Fighting Coronavirus podcast on Wondery. What We Discuss with Steven Johnson: In a world where we might put more thought into brunch than buying a house, what types of decisions warrant a "decision-making process?" Why we can do better than relying on the old pros and cons list that Ben Franklin, Charles Darwin, and our parents once found useful. Uniform phases of decision-making that we can teach, learn, and apply to tailor-made decisions of varying complexity. How AI might help us augment decision-making processes involving probability. The premortem: why planning as if a future event has already happened might result in better decisions than just asking ourselves "what if?" And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/378 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Randolph Nesse (@randynesse) is the founding director of the Center for Evolution Medicine at Arizona State University and author of Good Reasons for Bad Feelings: Insights from the Frontier of Evolutionary Psychiatry. What We Discuss with Randolph Nesse: What possible purpose do anxiety, depression, and anger serve from an evolutionary standpoint? Why the body's mechanisms for keeping us safe often overreact, and what we can do to get a handle on them when they work a little too well. The evolutionary upsides to worrying about what other people think of us. Why natural selection shapes our behavior toward reproduction rather than health and longevity. Why do women often go for the reckless mate instead of the safe mate -- and why do men stick around at all? And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/377 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Because of the economic downturn, you're forced to lay off someone who gave up a lot to accept the job on your recommendation. How do you fire someone you care about? We'll tackle this and more here on Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/376 On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: Because of the economic downturn, you're forced to lay off someone who gave up a lot to accept the job on your recommendation. How do you fire someone you care about? How should you approach handshakes and face masks for an onsite job interview during the pandemic without seeming unfriendly, strange, or paranoid (or reckless or ignorant)? You want to make your voice heard, but how do you overcome the fear of being exposed, on display, and held to old opinions or snapshots of who you were at a certain period when it's a barrier to your growth? Now sober, you burned a lot of bridges when you weren't. While doing an inventory of your network, should you reach out and apologize to people you wronged, and if you didn't wrong them, how much of a connection do you need to just reach out and be personal? Your gullible brother got out of an MLM scam only to get wrapped up in a currency exchange "company" that operates in a similar manner. How can you help him see the error of his ways without risking his tendency to dig in deeper? As Benjamin Hardy might say: what's next for Future Jordan? Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com! Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger. Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi. And if you want to keep in touch with former co-host and JHS family Jason, find him on Twitter at @jpdef and Instagram at @JPD, and check out his other show: Grumpy Old Geeks. Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course!  Like...

Bob Sutton (@work_matters) is a Stanford Business School professor and author of New York Times bestseller The No Asshole Rule and, most recently, The Asshole Survival Guide: How to Deal with People Who Treat You Like Dirt. What We Discuss with Bob Sutton: What is an a-hole, and why do they seem to be everywhere? Why a-holes do not finish first. What to do if you’re forced to work with an a-hole. How to spot the red flags that help you avoid dealing with a-holes in the first place — or know when it’s time to quit the a-holes who are already in your life. How to tell if maybe you’re the a-hole. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/375 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!