Why I live each day like it's my first with Suleika Jaouad | ReThinking with Adam Grant

Suleika Jaouad is the author of the memoir Between Two Kingdoms and the new Book of Alchemy—she’s also a lifelong journaler. In this episode, Adam and Suleika reflect on how Suleika’s journaling practice has helped her through cancer, discuss the art and science of journaling, and brainstorm creative ways to incorporate it into reflection and relationships. They also chat about Suleika and her husband Jon Batiste’s shared love of prank calls and bond over a mutual hatred of the common advice to live every day like it’s your last. Host & Guest Host: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: https://adamgrant.net/) Guest: Suleika Jaouad (Instagram: @suleikajaouad | Website: https://www.suleikajaouad.com/) 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 TED! X: https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcasts 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.

Suleika JaouadguestAdam Granthost

Nov 14, 202541mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: November 14, 2025
Duration: 41m
Channel: Re:Thinking with Adam Grant
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Suleika Jaouad is the author of the memoir Between Two Kingdoms and the new Book of Alchemy—she’s also a lifelong journaler. In this episode, Adam and Suleika reflect on how Suleika’s journaling practice has helped her through cancer, discuss the art and science of journaling, and brainstorm creative ways to incorporate it into reflection and relationships. They also chat about Suleika and her husband Jon Batiste’s shared love of prank calls and bond over a mutual hatred of the common advice to live every day like it’s your last. Host & Guest Host: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: https://adamgrant.net/) Guest: Suleika Jaouad (Instagram: @suleikajaouad | Website: https://www.suleikajaouad.com/) 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 TED! X: https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcasts 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

Suleika Jaouad
guest
Writer and journalist known for her work on illness, journaling, and authorship of “The Book of Alchemy” and “The Isolation Journals.”
Adam Grant
host
Organizational psychologist and podcast host of ReThinking with Adam Grant.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Re:Thinking with Adam Grant, featuring Suleika Jaouad and Adam Grant, Why I live each day like it's my first with Suleika Jaouad | ReThinking with Adam Grant explores live each day like it's your first, not last advice Suleika argues that “live each day like it’s your last” creates exhausting pressure and instead recommends “live each day like it’s your first” to foster curiosity, awe, and both present- and future-orientation.

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