How to Make Friends and Keep Them
Many of us struggle to maintain our friendships as careers, romance, and children take over. And making new friends as an adult can be downright impossible. But it doesn't have to be that way. There are concrete actions you can take to cultivate friendship at whatever stage of life you’re in. Marisa Franco explains how. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12 Sep 14min
Ambition Won’t Save You—Purpose Will
A former Navy SEAL commander shares why it’s not enough to run hard. You have to know where you’re going. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11 Sep 13min
When Good People Make Bad Teams
No matter how talented or diligent you are, your ultimate success depends on the people around you. In his new book The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups, organizational scientist Colin M. Fisher says it’s time to ditch the myth of the lone genius and focus on what really moves the needle: groups that work. Our curator Daniel Pink says the book is “essential reading for creators, builders, and leaders.” 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10 Sep 13min
5 Aztec Secrets for a More Rooted, Resilient Life
When modern Americans go looking for meaning, happiness, or a little self-help, we often turn to ancient wisdom traditions like Buddhism or Stoicism. But those aren’t the only traditions worth listening to. Today’s author shines a light on another: the Aztecs. Sure, the great Mesoamerican empire is best known for its pyramids and, yes, its human sacrifices. But SUNY-Cortland philosophy professor Sebastian Purcell, PhD argues they also developed a surprisingly practical philosophy of daily life—one that says the best way to steady your mind is to begin with your surroundings, your habits, and your community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9 Sep 14min
The Dirtbag Billionaire Who Gave It All Away
What if the best way to win in business is to do the exact opposite of what everyone else is doing? While most CEOs chase growth at all costs, Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, chose a different path. Starting out as a rock climber and adventurer, when he pivoted to business, he built products to last, created a company culture where surfing sometimes mattered more than spreadsheets, and even risked profits to protect the planet. Then, in a move almost unheard of in corporate America, he gave the entire company away. In his new book Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away, New York Times journalist David Gelles tells the story of how a reluctant businessman reshaped capitalism—and shows us what it looks like to build a company that puts people and the planet first. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8 Sep 15min
The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food
Acclaimed chef and writer Andrew Friedman is here to introduce you to all the people and processes that come together in a single restaurant dish. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
5 Sep 15min
The New Rules of Productivity
What does productivity mean to you? For most of us, it’s about squeezing more output from the same amount of input, getting more done in less time. But that definition is literally killing us, turning people into stress-soaked automatons on the edge of burnout. What if productivity could be more human—and more humane? That’s the promise of the MTR framework, which stands for Move, Think, Rest. In her new book, Move. Think. Rest.: Redefining Productivity & Our Relationship with Time, corporate advisor and strategist Natalie Nixon makes the case for a counterintuitive approach that puts creativity, reflection, and resilience at the center of how we work. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
4 Sep 16min
The Most Dangerous Animal on Earth? The One That Forgot It’s an Animal.
You’ve probably been taught to believe you’re better than other animals. But that story is wrong, and it’s dangerous. NYU primatologist Christine Webb argues that human exceptionalism has blinded us to the intelligence all around us, and it’s fueling today’s biggest crises, from climate change to mass extinction. In her new book, The Arrogant Ape: The Myth of Human Exceptionalism and Why It Matters, Christine makes the case that humility —not hubris — may be our species’ best survival strategy. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
3 Sep 15min
