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A Conversation with Victor Vescovo: On Exploration, Risk and the Limits of Human Experience

In this interview I speak to Victor Vescovo - one of only two people ever to have stood at Earth’s highest peak, descended to its deepest trench, and looked back at the planet from space. A…

Dr. Vikas Shah MBE DL 32 min read

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Three thousand moments. Three picked at random.

“We must remember that about one-quarter of the planet is under the control of the indigenous communities of Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Arctic. Quite frankly, we will never be able to deal with the challenges of the 21st century unless we engage and empower indigenous communities around the world.”
— Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson Former President of Iceland (1996-2016)
“Projects often don't just go wrong; they start wrong. The seeds of failure are often sown right at the beginning, leading to problems later on. Recognising this, successful project leaders invest in thorough planning and simulation upfront, understanding that a project's success is largely determined by how it starts.”
— Bent Flyvbjerg Leading researcher on megaprojects, planning, and governance expert
“People work for technical ability and wish for happiness. That's a mistake. You need to treat your happiness the way you treat all your skills - you need to work for your happiness - not just wish for it.”
— Arthur C. Brooks Social Scientist & Author on Happiness, Meaning, and Conservative Values

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The Wisdom Series

Ten essays. Distilled from 600+ conversations.

Insights, themes and patterns from years of long-form interviews — organised around the questions that matter most.

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  1. 01 Business & Economics A Conversation with Victor Vescovo: On Exploration, Risk and the Limits of Human Experience 360 interviews
  2. 02 Culture, Society, Sports & Arts A Conversation with Victor Vescovo: On Exploration, Risk and the Limits of Human Experience 234 interviews
  3. 03 Politics & Policy Incorruptible: Eric Ries on Why Good Companies Go Bad — and How to Build Ones That Don’t 167 interviews
  4. 04 Science & Technology A Conversation with Victor Vescovo: On Exploration, Risk and the Limits of Human Experience 133 interviews
  5. 05 Health & Medicine Inside the GLP-1 Revolution: A Conversation with Professor Jens Juul Holst, Co-Discoverer of GLP-1 73 interviews
  6. 06 Nobel Laureates Markets, Morals and the Road Ahead: A Conversation with Nobel Laureate Professor Alvin Roth 21 interviews

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