On the 155th episode of What Is a Good Life?, I’m joined by Julian Kirchherr. Julian combines a career as a Partner at McKinsey & Company with his role as an Associate Professor at Roskilde University. At McKinsey, he co-leads the firm’s public sector work in Europe, focusing on people and organisational performance, while his academic research centres on the circular economy. He ranks among the most highly cited circular economy scholars worldwide. He earned his PhD from St Antony’s College, University of Oxford, and is the author of The Lean PhD: Radically Improve the Efficiency, Quality and Impact of Your Research.In this conversation, we explore curiosity, autonomy, and the value of diverse experiences. Julian also discusses caring too much about external demands, and how this can undermine autonomy, meaning, and impact. This episode will resonate with anyone carving out their own path and explores what it can take to make your own impact.For more of Julian's work:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julian-kirchherr-42a52032/For more of my work:Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own good life through:- 1-on-1 coaching and online group courses: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/individual-coaching- The podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/individual-coaching00:00 Curiosity Over One Question 02:35 Bullshit In Academia07:23 Autonomy And Freedom 09:01 Disillusion With Academia 12:18 Early Intellectual Influences 14:55 Myanmar And Outsized Impact 19:59 Pre-Academia Model26:12 Energy From Dual Roles 30:02 Bias Toward Action 42:50 Bridging Knowledge And Practice 46:51 What is a good life for Julian?