Dr. Vikas Shah MBE DL Interviews the world's leading thinkers, and the people shaping the century.

General H.R. McMaster served as a commissioned officer in the US Army for thirty-four years. He retired as a Lieutenant General in 2018 after serving as the United States 26th National Security Advisor. Today, McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He…

 

Lawrence Krauss is a renowned theoretical physicist, bestselling author, and celebrated lecturer who has greatly contributed to various areas of physics and cosmology. Krauss's significant scientific contribution includes the 1995 proposal that most of the Universe's energy resides in empty space, confirmed in 1999 and awarded a Nobel Prize in…

 

Many of us spend hours every day indulging in Instagram’s infinite scroll. Influencers didn’t exist fifteen years ago, but today these tastemakers impact how we cook, consume, parent, decorate, think, and live. Despite influencers’ prevalence in our lives, what goes on behind the perfectly curated Instagram grids we obsess over…

 

Kevin Kelly, a visionary luminary of our digital age, is renowned as the founding executive editor of Wired magazine, a definitive chronicle of the technological revolution, and the author of groundbreaking books like "Out of Control" and "The Inevitable." Known for his prescient insights into technology and its impact on…

 

Tara Brach, a renowned meditation teacher, psychologist, and author, has long been a beacon of hope and inspiration for countless individuals seeking solace, healing, and spiritual growth. With her profound wisdom and compassionate guidance, Tara has helped people from all walks of life navigate the complexities of the human experience,…

 

From the sandy beaches of Australia to the bustling walkways of international fashion, Brian Smith has masterfully navigated his entrepreneurial journey with audacity, resilience, and a surfer's spirit. Born with an insatiable passion for surfing, Brian has not only ridden waves but also the tides of the business world. A…

 

In our age of digital omnipresence, a discordance has evolved between our ever-connected world and our increasing sense of disconnection. This imbalance, brought about by the saturation of our lives with smartphones and social media, is causing significant disruptions to our brains, and consequently, our lives. Carl D. Marci, MD,…

 

Dr. Kelly Richmond Pope is a renowned expert in forensic accounting, risk, and white-collar crime research. She is the Dr. Barry Jay Epstein Endowed Professor of Forensic Accounting at DePaul University and has won several awards for her contributions to education and documentary filmmaking. Her expertise lies in identifying financial…

 

Dean Karnazes is a living testament to the limitless potential of the human spirit. He has become one of the most inspiring and accomplished ultramarathon runners in the world. Throughout his career, Karnazes has pushed the boundaries of physical endurance, completing seemingly impossible feats like running 50 marathons in 50…

 

Maurice Saatchi, a preeminent figure in the worlds of advertising and politics, is no stranger to challenging the status quo. Known for co-founding the globally influential advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, and serving as a political advisor to the UK Conservative Party, his career has been defined by innovation and…

 

Mitchell Kapor is a pioneer of the personal computing revolution. He is the founder of Lotus Development Corporation and the designer of Lotus 1-2-3, the "killer application" which made the personal computer ubiquitous in the business world in the 1980s. In 1982, Mitch took lotus public, and in 1990 he…

 

Explore an archive of more than 3,000 quotes.

Fundamentally, it's really hard to work on intellectual and complex projects collaboratively. Complexity is underestimated, even by the people who are in the thick of it.

— Stewart Butterfield
Co-Founder of Slack, Former CEO & Creator of Flickr

If you can rank oboists and there's one who's clearly the best in the world, anyone, anywhere, can access that person. So why would you listen to the third-best oboist who happens to live next door?

If you want to grow, you need to go through something uncomfortable and come out the other end. If you want to grow, you have to go forward in progressive steps. It should always be a little bit uncomfortable because otherwise there's no growth.

— John Kavanagh
Boxing coach of Conor McGregor at Straight Blast Gym Dublin

Our brain is local and linear, and we live in a global and exponential world. If you want to keep pace, you have to perform and think at speed and scale – and we're not built for it. Flow is literally our leverage for keeping pace in a global, exponential world.

— Steven Kotler
Author & Researcher on Flow State & Human Peak Performance

Industry expertise can sometimes be a hindrance in innovation. Those deeply entrenched in an industry are often the least likely to disrupt it.

— James Sherman
Vice President of the United States under William Howard Taft

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Long-form Interviews with the World's Leading Thinkers — Thought Economics


The Wisdom Series

Ten in-depth articles distilling insights from over 550 interviews with the world's leading thinkers, creators, and changemakers.

The Wisdom of Leadership The Wisdom of Entrepreneurship The Wisdom of Creativity The Wisdom of Technology The Wisdom of Meaning The Wisdom of the Mind The Wisdom of Justice The Wisdom of Science The Wisdom of Geopolitics The Wisdom of Health
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