Re:Thinking with Adam GrantLife is the ultimate punchcard—how will you spend it?
Episode Details
EPISODE INFO
- Released
- May 6, 2026
- Duration
- 1m
- Channel
- Re:Thinking with Adam Grant
- Watch on YouTube
- ▶ Open ↗
EPISODE DESCRIPTION
When leadership researcher Jim Collins was choosing a career, he used an unusual method: he studied himself like a scientist. In this episode, Adam and Jim dive into the techniques for self-study and how self-comparison can be more effective than comparison to others. Jim shares takeaways from his investigation of people who have found their callings, and highlights how he’s learned to stop being disappointed by others. They also rethink the relationship between freedom and responsibility. Join us in person at a TED conference: https://tedtalks.social/events Become a TED Member to support our mission: https://ted.com/membership Subscribe to a TED newsletter: https://ted.com/newsletters Follow our podcasts! Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcasts Fixable: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/fixable How to Be a Better Human: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/how-to-be-a-better-human ReThinking with Adam Grant: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/rethinking-with-adam-grant TED Talks Daily: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/ted-talks-daily TED Business: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/ted_business TED Health: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/ted-health TED Tech: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/ted-tech The TED Audio Collective is a collection of podcasts for the curious. The TED Audio Collective videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (https://www.ted.com/about/our-organiz...). For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at https://media-requests.ted.com.
SPEAKERS
Adam Grant
hostOrganizational psychologist and professor at Wharton, host of the podcast Re:Thinking.
Jim Collins
guestBusiness author and researcher known for studies of company greatness and leadership (e.g., Good to Great).
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Re:Thinking with Adam Grant, featuring Adam Grant and Jim Collins, Life is the ultimate punchcard—how will you spend it? explores life’s ultimate punchcard: choose responsibilities that matter without credit Jim Collins suggests thinking of life as the ultimate punchcard, with each five-year chunk as a nonrenewable “punch” you cannot get back.
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