Manifestation is BS (this is what actually works) - Nir Eyal

Nir Eyal is an author, behavioural design expert, and investor. What does it mean to truly hold a belief you endorse? Maybe some of what we believe isn’t true. But more interesting is how beliefs are formed, and how they can be reshaped. So how do you update your beliefs in a way that actually serves you, rather than holds you back? Expect to learn why beliefs are so important and why they are just tools not truths, what’s wrong with the traditional view of behaviour change and motivation, why smart, disciplined people still quit when their beliefs weaken, how big of a problem limiting beliefs are, how to reframe rejection and failure, why rumination feels productive when it’s actually destructive, how to audit your beliefs and much more… - 0:00 Why Belief Shapes Everything You Do 7:43 Are Spirituals Beliefs Weaker Than Religious Beliefs? 11:32 The Power of Choosing What You Believe 16:34 Why You Shouldn’t Treat Beliefs as Fact 20:17 Can Belief Be Engineered? 28:58 Rumination: Helpful or Harmful? 30:57 How to Rebuild Belief After Failure 38:28 Can You Really Create Your Own Luck? 41:19 You’ll Always Find Negativity If You Look For It 46:24 How Beliefs Can Physically Affect Your Body 52:29 How to Break Free From Limiting Beliefs 01:03:38 The Challenge Behind Changing Health Beliefs 01:08:18 You Have More Agency Than You Think 01:13:05 Why the Brain Defaults to Helplessness 01:15:37 You Need to Believe in Your Potential 01:21:46 The Placebo Prayer Protocol 01:26:34 Where to Find Nir - Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 and your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom Get 15% off your first order of my favourite Non-Alcoholic Brew at https://athleticbrewing.com/modernwisdom Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom New pricing since recording: Function is now just $365, plus get $25 off at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom - Check out Nir's new book: ⁠http://geni.us/beyondbelief Free belief change guide Nir mentioned is here: http://nirandfar.com/belief-change Bonus content and the 30-Day Belief Transformation Journal: http://nirandfar.com/beyond-belief - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

Chris WilliamsonhostNir Eyalguest

Mar 21, 20261h 27mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: March 21, 2026
Duration: 1h 27m
Channel: Modern Wisdom
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Nir Eyal is an author, behavioural design expert, and investor. What does it mean to truly hold a belief you endorse? Maybe some of what we believe isn’t true. But more interesting is how beliefs are formed, and how they can be reshaped. So how do you update your beliefs in a way that actually serves you, rather than holds you back? Expect to learn why beliefs are so important and why they are just tools not truths, what’s wrong with the traditional view of behaviour change and motivation, why smart, disciplined people still quit when their beliefs weaken, how big of a problem limiting beliefs are, how to reframe rejection and failure, why rumination feels productive when it’s actually destructive, how to audit your beliefs and much more… - 0:00 Why Belief Shapes Everything You Do 7:43 Are Spirituals Beliefs Weaker Than Religious Beliefs? 11:32 The Power of Choosing What You Believe 16:34 Why You Shouldn’t Treat Beliefs as Fact 20:17 Can Belief Be Engineered? 28:58 Rumination: Helpful or Harmful? 30:57 How to Rebuild Belief After Failure 38:28 Can You Really Create Your Own Luck? 41:19 You’ll Always Find Negativity If You Look For It 46:24 How Beliefs Can Physically Affect Your Body 52:29 How to Break Free From Limiting Beliefs 01:03:38 The Challenge Behind Changing Health Beliefs 01:08:18 You Have More Agency Than You Think 01:13:05 Why the Brain Defaults to Helplessness 01:15:37 You Need to Believe in Your Potential 01:21:46 The Placebo Prayer Protocol 01:26:34 Where to Find Nir - Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 and your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom Get 15% off your first order of my favourite Non-Alcoholic Brew at https://athleticbrewing.com/modernwisdom Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom New pricing since recording: Function is now just $365, plus get $25 off at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom - Check out Nir's new book: ⁠http://geni.us/beyondbelief Free belief change guide Nir mentioned is here: http://nirandfar.com/belief-change Bonus content and the 30-Day Belief Transformation Journal: http://nirandfar.com/beyond-belief - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

SPEAKERS

Chris Williamson
host
Podcast host and interviewer behind the Chris Williamson channel.
Nir Eyal
guest
Author and behavioral design writer (nirandfar.com) focused on habit formation and behavior change.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Modern Wisdom, featuring Chris Williamson and Nir Eyal, Manifestation is BS (this is what actually works) - Nir Eyal explores nir Eyal explains beliefs as tools shaping perception, agency, health Beliefs act as a predictive lens that filters reality, influencing perception, emotion, and behavior far more than most productivity frameworks acknowledge.

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