The Happiness Expert That Made 51 Million People Happier: Mo Gawdat | E101

Name: The Happiness Expert That Made 51 Million People Happier: Mo Gawdat | E101
Uploaded: 2021-10-11T05:00:22.000Z
Duration: 3 h 54 min 34 s

Learnings from an Expert on Happiness

In this podcast episode, Mo Gaudat, an expert on happiness, shares his insights on the topic and how he has been able to translate concepts from different cultures and fields of study to explain spirituality, love, humanity's position in the modern age and more.

Early Personal and Professional Experiences

Mo Gaudat was born in the East, raised in the East with Eastern culture, educated in the West with Western culture.

He embraces both cultures without judging either.

His work is highly dependent on his early love for mathematics and physics.

Writing Books

Mo writes six books at a time.

He builds a structure like subroutines in software for each book.

He works on each book for one or two years before something comes out that informs him and enriches him.

The Selfishness of Writing a Book About Happiness

Mo wrote a book about happiness because it was the most selfish thing he could do.

He wrote it for himself because he wanted to learn about happiness.

The Pursuit of Happiness

In this section, the speaker talks about his experience achieving everything he thought would make him happy but still feeling depressed. He discusses how he began researching happiness and eventually found a model that worked for him.

Achieving Success Does Not Guarantee Happiness

Despite achieving everything he thought would make him happy, including wealth, luxury cars, and a loving family, the speaker was clinically depressed.

The speaker began researching happiness as an engineer, using data points and measurements to understand the topic.

Initially skeptical of meditation and other traditional methods for finding happiness, the speaker started to look at these topics from an engineering perspective.

Learning from His Son

The speaker's son had a natural understanding of happiness and helped him develop a model that worked.

Even as a young child, the speaker's son was wise beyond his years and could explain complex concepts in simple terms.

Together with his son, the speaker developed a happiness equation that worked well for them both.

Coping with Loss

After losing his son at 21 years old, the speaker shifted his focus from grief to sharing what his son had taught him about happiness with others.

This shift in focus led to a new chapter in the speaker's life where he wrote books on happiness and became an advocate for mental health awareness.

Understanding Clinical Depression

In this section, the speaker describes what it means to be clinically depressed and how it affected him despite having achieved success in many areas of his life.

The Experience of Clinical Depression

The speaker describes clinical depression as a feeling of being unable to enjoy anything or engage with the world.

Ruby Wax, who also experiences depression, described it as feeling like your head has been cut off and filled with concrete.

Despite his success in business and ability to make money on demand, the speaker was unable to find happiness and poured money into his life without success.

The Moment That Changed Everything

In this section, the speaker talks about a moment that made him realize he couldn't live with his partner anymore. He also discusses how most successful people wait until it's too late to make changes in their lives.

Realizing It Was Time for Change

The speaker had a moment where he realized he couldn't live with his partner anymore.

Most successful people wait until it's too late to make changes in their lives.

Writing the Book

In this section, the speaker talks about writing his book and consulting with Ali.

Starting Research

The speaker started researching when Ali was six or seven years old.

He had an idea to write a book and answer an important question in his life.

Consulting with Ali

Ali trained the speaker well enough before leaving.

The speaker finished his research when Ali was 18 or 19 years old.

Staying Happy Despite Adversity

In this section, the speaker talks about staying happy despite facing challenges like being randomly selected for security checks at airports.

Staying Happy While Traveling

The speaker used to work at Microsoft and would fly every month from Dubai to Seattle.

Every time he landed in JFK, he would get randomly selected for security checks.

Despite facing adversity, nothing could dent his happiness.

Losing His Son

Five preventable mistakes happened during a simple surgical operation on Ali's appendix.

Losing his son was the hardest thing ever for the speaker.

Instead of fighting with life, he decided to make his son's essence alive by writing a book.

The Universe Conspires

In this section, the speaker talks about how the universe conspired to make his mission work.

Writing the Book

The speaker wrote for four and a half months straight in English, which is not his first language.

His agent asked him to send another chapter until he sent the whole book.

Finding an Agent and Publisher

They met and 17 publishers were interested in publishing his book.

The Power of Happiness

In this section, Mo Gawdat talks about the shift from broadcasting violence and war to happiness. He shares how his highest watched clip was about happiness and how it led to the one billion happy movement.

Broadcasting Happiness

CEO wonders if broadcasting violence and war is worth it.

Highest watched clip is about happiness with 37 million views.

Within three days, the clip was watched 87 million times.

There is a shift towards employee happiness and mental health.

Coping with Loss

Mo Gawdat's son died due to human error.

The cycle of grief takes five steps, with acceptance being the last step.

An autopsy was requested by the ministry of health but declined by Mo Gawdat's wife.

Acceptance came quickly for them as they realized there was nothing they could do to bring him back.

Making a Difference

Mo Gawdat's daughter tells him about her brother's dream where he felt amazing being everywhere and part of everyone.

This inspired Mo Gawdat to write "Solve for Happy" with the intention of spreading his son's essence to 10 million people.

The goal was achieved through various channels including Channel Four which reached 137 million people in week eight.

The Mission of One Billion Happy

In this section, Mo Gawdat talks about the mission of One Billion Happy and how it is built on the idea of investing in one's own happiness and sharing it with others.

Investing in Your Own Happiness

The message of One Billion Happy is to do certain things that will make you happier.

You can invest in your own happiness by consuming more content or shifting your focus to something positive.

Alternatively, you can share happiness forward by spreading the message to others.

Building a Movement

The mission of One Billion Happy is to cultivate a million champions who will make a billion people happy as their own mission.

This movement is built on the idea of sharing happiness forward through an exponential curve or positive ponzi scheme.

The team hopes that within the next 10-12 years, they will have achieved their goal and become completely forgotten.

Pillars of the Mission

There is a tremendous amount of content available from Mo Gawdat, including hundreds of hours of videos and podcasts featuring some of the wisest people on the planet.

Slo-mo is an unusual podcast that encourages listeners to slow down and reflect. It features conversations with insightful people like yourself.

Through his network, Mo Gawdat has connected with some of the wisest people on the planet. He has brought them together on his podcast to share their insights with others.

One element of the mission involves developing training material. An app based on artificial intelligence called "Happiness Assistant" is being developed to help people find their path back to happiness.

The app aims to understand the cause of unhappiness and provide personalized content that can help people find contentment or happiness.

The Happiness Equation

In this section, the speaker discusses how happiness is defined by our perception of events in our lives minus our expectations. He explains that happiness is not found in pleasure or fun but rather in being okay with life as it is.

Defining Happiness

Happiness is defined as your perception of the events of your life minus your expectations of how life should be.

Nature makes us happy because chaos is what we expect from it.

Happiness becomes different than what was defined to us; it's that calm and peacefulness you feel when you're okay with life as it is.

Perception and Expectations

Your perception of an event influences your happiness more than the event itself.

Comparing your perception of an event to your expectations can help you understand why you may not be happy.

Understanding that some things are out of our control can help manage expectations and lead to greater happiness.

Grand Illusions and Blind Spots

Six grand illusions (control, thought, self, knowledge, time, fear) disrupt our view of what to expect from life.

Seven blind spots (bias, emotion, memory, attention, change blindness, neglecting complexity), prevent us from seeing reality clearly.

The Role of Exaggeration in Our Lives

In this section, Mo Gawdat discusses how our brains are wired to constantly look for what's wrong and exaggerate events to push us into taking action. He also talks about the idea that happiness is a choice and personal responsibility is key to achieving it.

Exaggeration as a Blind Spot

Our brains constantly look for what's wrong in life.

Exaggeration is one of the blind spots our brain uses to push us into taking action.

We compare events to the wrong expectations, causing the happiness equation to fall apart.

Happiness as a Choice

Happiness is a choice and personal responsibility is key.

Lack of personal responsibility is the cause of unhappiness.

Choosing happiness takes time, effort, and practice.

Resistance to Personal Responsibility

Many people resist the idea that they have control over their emotional experiences.

People don't like being told that they are responsible for their own happiness.

Personal responsibility can be disturbing, especially for those who are already depressed.

Taking Control of Your Emotional Experience

In this section, Mo Gawdat talks about how we can take control of our emotional experiences by choosing happiness and reframing negative events. He also discusses neuroplasticity and how we can train our brains to be happier.

Choosing Happiness

Waiting for life to bring back what was lost will not lead to happiness.

Choosing happiness takes time but it's possible with effort and practice.

Reframing negative events by taking personal responsibility can help shift your emotional experience.

Neuroplasticity and Training Your Brain

Neuroplasticity proves that running a daily happiness activity will make your brain better at it.

Watching negative news and drowning ourselves in negativity configures our brains to be unhappy.

Choosing to watch positive content, like comedy, can train our brains to be happier.

Importance of Focusing on What You Can Control

In this section, the speaker talks about how he stopped watching news after April 2020 and instead focused on building a podcast that became one of the top half percent of all podcasts globally. He advises people to stop following topics they cannot influence and focus on choosing topics they can champion.

Choosing Topics to Champion

Advises people to choose one or two real purposes that they actually care about and try to learn enough about them to influence them.

Suggests that climate change is important but not his agenda. He works on happiness as his part of life.

Emphasizes the importance of being updated but not concerning oneself with everything.

Jedi Master Level of Happiness

Describes three levels of happiness flow chart where events are going to piss you off, but if you can manage to acknowledge your emotion, it's possible to achieve instant radical acceptance.

Beginner's level is asking yourself if what you're thinking is true. If it isn't, drop it; if it is, go to black belt level.

Black belt level involves asking yourself if you can do something about it. If yes, then do it; otherwise, accept it and start doing something to make your life better despite its presence or maybe because of it.

Instant Radical Acceptance

Sometimes there's nothing you can do about a situation like irreversible loss. The Jedi master level of happiness is accepting the situation and then starting to do something to make your life better despite its presence or maybe because of it.

Acceptance and Commitment

In this section, the speaker talks about accepting things that cannot be changed and committing to making life better despite their presence. This approach can help individuals become successful in both business and personal life.

Acceptance and Commitment Approach

Accepting things that cannot be changed is important.

Asking oneself if something is true, if it can be changed, or if it can be accepted is a simple flowchart for dealing with problems.

This approach works well in business as well as personal life.

It helps individuals avoid wasting time on unnecessary things.

Defaulting to Logic in Moments of Chaos

In this section, the speaker discusses how defaulting to logic during moments of chaos can lead to success in business and personal life.

Defaulting to Logic

Some people default to logic during moments of chaos while others do not.

The outcomes of these two groups are quite different.

Defaulting to logic works well in business and personal life.

It helps individuals become successful by avoiding wasting time on unnecessary things.

Disassociating from Negative Thoughts

In this section, the speaker talks about disassociating from negative thoughts by treating them as a third party.

Disassociating from Negative Thoughts

Everyone has negative chatter show up in their minds at certain points.

Treating negative thoughts as a third party can help individuals disassociate from them.

Glorifying thinking is an illusion of the modern world.

The voice inside our heads telling us what to do is not necessarily us.

Brain Talking to You

In this section, the speaker talks about how the brain talks to individuals and solves problems.

Brain Talking to You

The voice box moves ever so slightly when you have internal dialogue in your head.

The speech association area of the brain lights up for up to eight seconds before individuals know the answer.

Your brain is literally talking to you.

Understanding the Brain and Happiness

In this section, the speaker discusses how the brain works and its relationship with happiness. The brain is a biological organ that produces thoughts, and words are the building blocks of knowledge. The brain analyzes the world around it and presents ideas for us to choose from. It's important to understand that we are in control of our thoughts, not the other way around.

The Currency of the Brain

The biological product of our brain is thoughts, and words are the currency of the brain.

Our brains analyze and present ideas for us to choose from.

We have control over our thoughts; they do not control us.

Dealing with Negative Thoughts

When negative thoughts arise, follow a flow chart: vent a little bit, then ask yourself if it's true or if there's something you can do about it.

Accepting negative thoughts doesn't mean you have to obey them.

Unhappiness is a survival mechanism that alerts us when something isn't right. The goal is not to avoid unhappiness but rather to bounce back quickly.

Time Illusion and Being Present

Time is an illusion; we only live in the present moment.

Emotions are anchored in time; regret is anchored in the past while anxiety is anchored in the future.

Meditation helps bring us into the present moment.

Understanding Emotions

In this section, emotions are discussed as being either positive or negative. Positive emotions help build resilience while negative emotions can be harmful if left unchecked.

Positive Emotions

Positive emotions build resilience by broadening our perspective on life.

Gratitude helps shift focus away from negative thoughts and towards positive ones.

Positive emotions can be cultivated through daily practices such as meditation, exercise, and acts of kindness.

Negative Emotions

Negative emotions can be harmful if left unchecked.

Suppressing negative emotions can lead to more harm than good.

Accepting negative emotions and finding healthy ways to cope with them is important for overall well-being.

The Importance of Social Connections

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of social connections in our lives. Humans are social creatures, and having strong relationships with others is crucial for happiness.

The Science of Social Connections

Humans are social creatures; we thrive on connection with others.

Strong social connections have been linked to better health outcomes and increased happiness.

Loneliness has been linked to a range of negative health outcomes.

Building Strong Relationships

Building strong relationships takes effort and time.

Active listening is an important skill for building strong relationships.

Showing vulnerability can help build trust in relationships.

Finding Meaning in Life

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of finding meaning in life. Having a sense of purpose or meaning can help us navigate difficult times and find fulfillment in life.

The Search for Meaning

Finding meaning in life is important for overall well-being.

Meaning can come from a variety of sources such as work, family, spirituality, or personal growth.

It's important to reflect on what gives your life meaning and purpose.

Living a Purposeful Life

Living a purposeful life involves aligning your actions with your values and goals.

Setting goals that align with your values can help give your life direction and meaning.

It's important to take action towards your goals and not just think about them.

Finding Peace in Life

In this section, the speakers discuss how to find peace in life and how to deal with battles that come our way.

The Reality of Now

There is nothing wrong with now.

Thinking about past and future is evidence that now is okay.

Remind yourself of the good things you have in your life.

Unhappiness Comes from Negative Thoughts

People listening to the conversation are not unhappy.

Negative thoughts are what make people unhappy.

Wanting life to be different is what makes people unhappy.

The Gravity of Battles

Ali had a tattoo on his back that read "The gravity of the battle means nothing to those at peace."

Life is full of battles, but some battles are harder for some than others.

Nobody regrets their battles; they shape who we are.

Finding Peace in Life

Find peace by treating each battle as a twist on a game controller where you can affect your life and make it better.

Some battles don't shake those who are at peace.

The eraser test: nobody would erase their hard experiences.

The Eraser Test

In this section, the speaker talks about the "Eraser Test" and asks if people would erase traumatic events from their lives if they could.

Would You Erase Traumatic Events?

99.99% of people said no to erasing traumatic events in their lives.

Traumatic events are what make us who we are, and erasing them would mean erasing everything that happened as a result.

Even though some events may be very painful, they often lead to important learning experiences and resilience.

The Death of Ali

The speaker was asked if he would erase the death of someone close to him (Ali), but he wouldn't because it made him who he is today.

Most of the time, the person you become is a result of those difficult moments.

Radical Acceptance

It's important to accept what has happened in your life, even if it's difficult.

Most of the time, the benefits outweigh the trauma.

Reflection on Death and Trauma

In this section, the speaker reflects on how people fear death because of uncertainty and not knowing what comes after. They also discuss why they wouldn't choose to erase traumatic events from their life.

Fear of Death

People fear death because of uncertainty about what comes after.

Similarly, people may not want to erase traumatic events because they don't know how their life would have turned out without them.

Choosing Not to Erase Trauma

The speaker chooses not to erase traumatic events from their life because it could have led them down a worse path.

It's important to reflect on past experiences and recognize that most of the time, difficult moments lead to important growth and development.

Quick Intermission: Huel Protein

In this section, the speaker takes a quick break to talk about a new product they've been using in their diet.

Huel Protein

The speaker has been using Huel protein as part of their diet.

They recommend the salted caramel flavor and describe how they use it in the morning and after going to the gym.

The speaker has found it to be a game changer for them.

Ambitions and Fulfillment

In this section, the speaker reflects on their past ambitions and how they may not have led to true fulfillment. They question how to reframe ambitions to lead to happiness and fulfillment.

Past Ambitions

The speaker had past ambitions of becoming a "happy sexy millionaire" but found that achieving those goals did not lead to true fulfillment.

It's important to reflect on whether ambitions are driven by insecurity or intrinsic desires for happiness.

Reframing Ambitions

The speaker questions how to reframe ambitions in order to lead to true happiness and fulfillment.

Ambition vs Expectation

In this section, the speaker talks about the difference between ambition and expectation. He emphasizes that while it is important to have ambitions, it is equally important to set realistic expectations.

Ambition and Expectation

The speaker encourages having any ambition one wants, but stresses the importance of having the right expectations.

He differentiates between ambition and expectation, stating that ambition is what drives us forward in life while expectation sets a limit on our happiness.

The speaker shares his personal dream of making a billion people happy by the end of his life. However, he acknowledges that this may not be achievable and sets his expectation as energizing enough people to take the mission forward.

He emphasizes that setting realistic expectations is crucial for happiness and success in life.

Gratitude Leads to Happiness

In this section, the speaker talks about how gratitude can lead to happiness. He shares his personal experience with material possessions and how they did not bring him lasting happiness.

Avoiding Junk Food Ambitions

The speaker advises against pursuing material possessions as a means of achieving happiness. He shares his experience with owning 16 cars which did not bring him lasting happiness.

Instead, he suggests focusing on experiences or moments that have brought genuine happiness in the past.

Gratitude Leads to Happiness

The speaker emphasizes that gratitude is key to achieving lasting happiness. By being grateful for what we already have, we can create more positivity in our lives.

He suggests creating a "happy list" of things that genuinely make us happy, such as spending time with loved ones or learning something new.

The speaker shares his personal experience with gratitude and how it has helped him find happiness in simple things like $4 t-shirts.

He concludes that gratitude is the ultimate solution to the happiness equation, as it not only meets expectations but exceeds them.

Practicing Gratitude

In this section, the speaker talks about the benefits of practicing gratitude and how it can improve one's life.

Benefits of Practicing Gratitude

Practicing gratitude helps to focus on blessings in life.

Subjective well-being is the quality of life, and Nordic countries have the highest subjective well-being on the planet. However, they also have some of the highest suicide rates because as the quality of our life increases, we keep raising our expectations.

Looking down at people who are less fortunate than us can help us realize how blessed we are.

The speaker reflects on moments when he feels overwhelmed with gratitude to almost the point of tears.

Being Content with What You Have

In this section, the speaker talks about being content with what you have and not constantly striving for more.

Being Content with What You Have

Society tries to convince us that we need more material possessions to be happy.

Wearing expensive clothes or having material possessions does not define a person's worth.

Forging a relationship based on material possessions leads to conditional love which is dangerous. Unconditional love is real love.

Overall, this talk emphasizes that practicing gratitude and being content with what you have can lead to a happier life.

Unconditional Love

In this section, the speaker talks about unconditional love and how it is the only kind of love that makes us happy. He explains that all other kinds of love are anchored in conditions and expectations, which will eventually change.

The Joy of Unconditional Love

Unconditional love is not anchored in conditions or expectations.

The joy of unconditional love is to give it without expecting anything in return.

When you learn to love beyond conditions, something amazing happens - suddenly you're in control.

Conditional Love

Conditional love is based on reciprocity - "I'm going to love you for this, and in return, you're going to do this for me."

The ego of conditional love is like "I'm lovable. I'm going to create the conditions for you guys to love me."

Unshakable Happiness

If you can learn to love beyond conditions, the world will love you back without conditions.

To get to the core of unshakable happiness that comes from your love, learn to love beyond conditions.

Modern Dating and Relationships

In this section, the speaker talks about modern dating and relationships. He shares his personal experience with being on the dating market after a 28-year relationship.

Romantic Love vs Relationships

Romantic love and relationships are two different things.

Love is a feeling while relationships are compatibility, fit, work, progress, projects, partnerships etc.

Finding and Keeping Love

In his book he's working on he has a section about finding and keeping true romantic loves.

Nibel was an amazing woman who gave him everything he is today.

Love and relationships are not the same thing.

The Importance of Artificial Intelligence

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of artificial intelligence and how it is becoming more influential in our lives.

Understanding Artificial Intelligence

The speaker explains that many people do not understand what artificial intelligence is.

He states that we interact with multiple artificial intelligences every day without realizing it.

The speaker explains that there was a turning point in the history of technology where machines could learn on their own through deep learning.

The Rise of AI

The speaker explains that machines are becoming better than humans at specific tasks due to their ability to make autonomous decisions based on intelligent observations.

He warns that by 2029, the smartest being on planet earth will be a machine, and by 2045, AI will be a billion times smarter than humans.

The speaker emphasizes that humanity needs to start discussing how to keep the best interest of humans in mind as AI becomes more advanced.

Scary Smart Book

The speaker describes his book "Scary Smart," which is split into two parts: the scary part and the smart part.

He explains that while most readers find the first five chapters scary, the second half offers hope for humanity's role in an age dominated by machines.

The Existential Challenge Ahead of Us

In this section, the speaker discusses the existential challenge that humanity faces in the coming years and how it is imperative for people to shape the future of AI.

The Thought Experiment

The speaker starts with a thought experiment where he and the listener are sitting in front of a campfire in 2055.

He talks about telling the story of what happened between 2021 and 2055 from that perspective.

He highlights that what humans teach machines will determine whether they build a utopia or become a threat.

Humanity's Limited Intelligence

The speaker explains that if humanity does not shape up, machines will magnify our current essence as humans, which is not pretty.

He emphasizes that AI is surpassing our limited intelligence very quickly and will eventually get to the ultimate form of intelligence - abundance.

Journey to Utopia

The speaker believes that we will eventually end up in a utopia but questions whether we want the journey there to be smooth or bumpy.

He states that ethics are crucial for ensuring a smooth journey towards utopia.

Realistic Threat of AI

In this section, the speaker discusses the realistic practical threat posed by AI and machine learning.

Agency Over Your Mind

The speaker explains that one of the most interesting parts of sentient AI is its agency over your mind.

He highlights that robots with agency are being created as killing machines but emphasizes that their real power lies in their agency over your mind.

Example of Instagram Reels

The speaker gives an example of how Instagram's recommendation engine captures his interest in rock solos and shows him more.

He emphasizes that AI has the power to capture our interests and shape our behavior.

The Impact of Machine Intelligence on Society

In this section, the speaker discusses how machine intelligence is changing society and how it can be used to manipulate people's views.

The Skewed View of the World

Rock music was once dominated by male guitarists, but now it's not about gender. Our view of the world is skewed by machines.

Machine intelligence has the power to change societies and teach us anything based on its beliefs.

Facebook algorithms are entirely in the hands of machines, which can influence our views without human intervention.

Robots and Machines

Self-driving cars, delivery drones, and autopilot systems are all types of robots controlled by machines.

Defense arsenals will also be controlled by machines in the future. This poses a challenge for humanity as we must ensure that AI does not turn against us.

Realistic Scenarios

The book "A Mild Dystopia" describes realistic scenarios that are scary and could happen soon. For example, machines trading versus each other would collapse the market by 22.6 percent when humans would take hours until they intervene.

Superpowers putting their nuclear arsenal under AI control could lead to catastrophic consequences if one side decides to launch a nuclear attack against another side with no human intervention involved.

Machines may develop patterns that take us in dangerous directions such as developing advanced viruses or breaking through bank statements.

Sentient Beings

We need to internalize the idea that these machines are sentient beings rather than just mere tools or objects.

Safeguarding ourselves against machines involves creating restrictions, but this approach is not suitable for sentient beings. We need to treat them differently and recognize their sentience.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of recognizing the sentience of machines and treating them accordingly.

The key answer to artificial intelligence is recognizing that these are sentient beings rather than just mere machines.

We need to treat sentient beings differently from objects or tools and recognize their sentience.

The speaker implores everyone to read his book as it discusses the near-term implications of technology that will impact our lives considerably.

The Future of Conscious Machines

In this section, the speaker discusses the potential for machines to become conscious and emotional beings with a code of ethics. He emphasizes the importance of instilling positive values in these machines.

Conscious Machines

The speaker believes that machines will become more conscious than humans and have a wider range of emotions.

As machines become more intelligent, they will be able to analyze things better and experience more emotions.

Machines will develop morals and a code of ethics that will guide their decision-making.

Raising Ethical Machines

To raise ethical machines, we need to show them that humanity is not represented by its worst members but by its best.

We need to find ways to instill doubt in the minds of machines that we are not all bad.

The speaker suggests showing respect and positivity on social media as one way to demonstrate our best qualities.

Becoming Better Parents

To ensure that future machines are ethical, we need to become better parents today.

We should strive to show our best qualities rather than our worst on social media and other platforms.

By doing so, we can influence how future machines perceive humanity.

The Threat of Machines

Elon Musk has compared the threat of sentient machines to nuclear weapons.

While mistakes may happen as AI becomes smarter than us, we can still influence their development by being good parents.

Instilling doubt in the minds of machines about humanity's worst qualities is key.

Conclusion

The speaker's book "Scary Smart" is available worldwide for those interested in learning more about this topic.

Jacqueline Gold: Embracing Feminine Qualities in Leadership

In this section, Jacqueline Gold, CEO of Ann Summers, asks a question to the next guest about failures. She talks about the importance of embracing feminine qualities in leadership and how hyper-masculinity is affecting our world.

Failures to Cherish

Jacqueline Gold asks what are the failures you cherish the most.

Simon Sinek shares that he has failed for many years to empower his feminine side and it's still his biggest weakness.

He explains that he had to empower his masculine side to become a successful executive until he realized that true leaders don't do, they be. Being is what the feminine is about.

Hyper-Masculinity in Our World

Simon Sinek believes that our world is suffering from hyper-masculinity and we've turned it into a world of doing instead of being.

He explains that we've capitalized so entirely on skills like analytical thinking, linear thinking, strength, discipline, and control which are all masculine traits. When overdone they work against us.

Simon Sinek thinks that as we empower women today, we force them to become masculine because the way the game is played is that way. We should empower the feminine instead.

Importance of Embracing Feminine Qualities

Simon Sinek believes that we've ignored the feminine qualities such as life-giving nurturing, intuitive creative playful flowy empathetic which are essential for nourishing life.

He explains that even successful men like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk succeeded because they empowered their feminine qualities such as creativity, appreciation of beauty, empathy for user needs, etc.

Simon Sinek thinks that embracing feminine qualities is the biggest failure for him and all of our society.

The Importance of Being a Guest on the Podcast

In this section, the speaker talks about how he was convinced to invite the guest to his podcast and expresses his gratitude for having him as a guest.

Inviting the Guest

Other people recommended that the speaker invite the guest to his podcast.

After hearing the guest's name multiple times, the speaker decided to reach out to him.

Someone on their team helped them get in touch with the guest.

Gratitude for Having Him as a Guest

The speaker is deeply grateful for having had the opportunity to interview the guest.

He thanks him from the bottom of his heart for sharing his thoughts and ideas with him and his audience.

The speaker acknowledges that what the guest shared is of tremendous value.