Episode 397: Michael Easter on The Comfort Crisis: Is Optimizing Life Making Us Weaker?

Habits and Hustle

Is our obsession with optimization actually making us weaker?

In this episode of the Habits and Hustle podcast, I am joined by Michael Easter, author of "The Comfort Crisis" and "Scarcity Brain," to explore how modern society's relentless pursuit of wellness and optimization might be backfiring.

We discuss the possibility that the more requirements we add to basic human functions (like sleeping, exercising, or working), the more fragile we become. We also dive into elaborate morning routines, sleep-tracking devices, how subtraction, not addition, might be the key to building real resilience in our overly-comfortable world, and the best way to end a day of intellectual work.

Michael Easter has made a career as a New York Times bestselling author by traveling the world to uncover practical ideas that help people live healthier, happier, and more remarkable lives. His research spans from war zones to the Arctic to the Bolivian jungle, where he's interviewed thousands of experts including Nobel laureates and world-class athletes. Easter shares these science-backed insights in his books, including Scarcity Brain and The Comfort Crisis, as well as in his newsletter, Two Percent with Michael Easter. His work has been adopted by professional sports teams, Fortune 500 companies, and elite military units to transform their approaches to physical health, mental well-being, and performance.

What We Discuss:

(00:00) Book Authors Discuss Success and Integrity

(08:27) The Scarcity Loop in Behavior Psychology

(15:34) Behavioral Psychology and Impulse Control

(28:16) Unpredictability and Stimulus Seeking

(42:21) Efficiency Through Resource Subtraction

(50:30) Daily Habits and Mental Stamina

…and more!

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Find more from Jen:

Website: https://www.jennifercohen.com/

Instagram: @therealjencohen

Books: https://www.jennifercohen.com/books

Speaking: https://www.jennifercohen.com/speaking-engagement

Find more from Michael Easter:

Website: https://eastermichael.com/

Books: https://eastermichael.com/books-v2-wip/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael_easter/