Your Instincts Know What You Want with Author Arthur Brooks | A Bit of Optimism Podcast

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

September 2, 2025

Duration

55m

Channel

Simon Sinek

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Your instincts aren’t just whispers. They’re a compass pointing you toward the life you’re meant to live. But in a world obsessed with speed, metrics, and outcomes, most of us forget how to listen. @drarthurbrooks, bestselling author and Harvard Business School professor, teaches one of the most popular classes on happiness. But his insights come not just from research, but from a life of reinvention: from French horn player to scholar, from think-tank leader to teacher, and even pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago. In this conversation, we explore why so many of us feel unhappy today, the real equation for joy, and why following your gut is essential. Along the way, Arthur shares how to treat life like a pilgrimage, why AI may strip away the struggle that makes us wise, and why the process - not the outcome - is where happiness lives. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “falling behind,” or if you’re searching for the courage to trust your instincts, this episode will remind you that happiness isn’t something you chase - it’s something you practice, every step of the way. This is…A Bit of Optimism. Check out more of Arthur’s work here: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/ + + + Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do. Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game. + + + Website: http://simonsinek.com/ Live Online Classes: https://simonsinek.com/classes/ Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/ Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Simon’s books: The Infinite Game: https://simonsinek.com/books/the-infinite-game/ Start With Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/start-with-why/ Find Your Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/find-your-why/ Leaders Eat Last: https://simonsinek.com/books/leaders-eat-last/ Together is Better: https://simonsinek.com/books/together-is-better/ + + + #SimonSinek

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Arthur Brooks

  guest

  Author and behavioral scientist who teaches happiness at Harvard and previously led a think tank, with an earlier career as a professional classical French horn player.

• Simon Sinek

  host

  Author and speaker, host of the A Bit of Optimism podcast and founder of The Optimism Company.

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Simon Sinek, featuring Arthur Brooks and Simon Sinek, Your Instincts Know What You Want with Author Arthur Brooks | A Bit of Optimism Podcast explores reinvent your life by trusting instincts and valuing process over outcomes Brooks argues reinvention succeeds when you follow genuine interest—not merely transferable skills—and accept temporary setbacks in money, prestige, or certainty.

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