On the 149th episode of What is a Good Life?, I welcome Adam Mastroianni. Adam is an experimental psychologist and author of the popular science newsletter Experimental History. His work has been featured in Nature, The New York Times, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. He has escaped from over 170 escape rooms.

In this conversation, Adam discusses the nature of questions and curiosity as driving forces in life. He explores the concept of being possessed by ideas, the role of suffering in personal growth, and the shift from academia to independent thought. 

This episode highlights the impact that finding your unique role—and contributing meaningfully to the world from that place—can have on your life.

For more of Adam's work:
Newsletter: https://www.experimental-history.com/
Website: https://www.adammastroianni.com/

Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own good life through 1-on-1 coaching, group online courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.

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00:00 – Possessed By Big Questions

04:06 – Enjoying The Friction

07:48 – Why Toilets Took Millennia

13:13 – First Day Being Curious

18:16 – Internet Praise Vs Real Life

23:51 – Freedom Without A Boss

28:07 – Choosing Productive Fear

31:07 – Leaving A “Good” Career

36:52 – What’s Worth Suffering For

45:46 – The Cost Of Pretending

48:00 – The Ideas Graveyard

52:15 – What Is A Good Life?