WorkLife with Adam Grant
Megan Rapinoe & Sue Bird on leading great teams and moving on
Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird are two of the greatest athletes of all time — Megan is an Olympic gold medalist and was named the best soccer player in the world by FIFA. Sue has won five of her own Olympic gold medals in basketball and four WNBA championships. Now that the couple have each retired from their legendary sports careers, they host a podcast together, a Touch More, and continue to play a major role in the meteoric rise of women’s sports. They talk with Adam about how to make a team great and leadership lessons from sports. They also discuss their difficult decisions to retire, and how to know when it’s time to let go and move on. Follow Host: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: adamgrant.net/ ) Guests: Megan Rapinoe (Instagram: @mrapinoe ) Sue Bird (Instagram: @sbird10 ) Links youtube.com/@atouchmore Subscribe to TED Instagram: @ted YouTube: @TED TikTok: @tedtoks LinkedIn: @ted-conferences Website: ted.com Podcasts: ted.com/podcasts For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/rethinking-with-adam-grant-transcripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Apr 2025 - 43 min 58 sec
How David Fajgenbaum saved his own life — and thousands of others
David Fajgenbaum had his last rites read to him at 25 years old after a brutal struggle with an inflammatory disease that attacks the vital organs. As a medical student with two weeks left to live, he repurposed a drug and tested it on himself—and saved his own life. Now, he’s repeating the same process for many others through his nonprofit, Every Cure, with the mission of unlocking the full potential of existing drugs to treat every disease possible. David and Adam discuss the building blocks of resilience, explore the disincentives that prevent hidden cures from coming to light, and explain how AI is aiding creative discovery to save lives. Follow Host: Adam Grant ( Instagram | LinkedIn | Website ) Guest: David Fajgenbaum ( Instagram | LinkedIn ) Links https://everycure.org/ Subscribe to TED Instagram: @ted YouTube: @TED TikTok: @tedtoks LinkedIn: @ted-conferences Website: ted.com Podcasts: ted.com/podcasts For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/rethinking-with-adam-grant-transcripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
25 Mar 2025 - 40 min 12 sec
What hibernating animals can teach us about human sleep with Vladyslav Vyazovskiy
Do you ever wish you could hibernate like a bear during the winter? Vladyslav Vyazovskiy thinks it might be possible. As a sleep physiologist at Oxford, Vladyslav studies why humans sleep and the sleep patterns of other species. He and Adam discuss the possibility of unlocking a hibernation ability in humans and its potential benefits – from curing cancer to enabling interplanetary travel. They also debunk some popular sleep misconceptions, debate the value of napping, and uncover just how little we really know about the science of sleep. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
18 Mar 2025 - 39 min 28 sec
The voices in your head with Ethan Kross
Do you have an inner monologue? Ethan Kross is a psychologist and neuroscientist who studies our inner lives, from how you respond to the voice in your head to how you manage your emotions. Ethan and Adam compare notes on their inner voices (or lack thereof), share advice on how to calm an anxious mind, and discuss the benefits of mental time travel. They also analyze why venting can backfire. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
11 Mar 2025 - 37 min 48 sec
The emotions you’ve felt but never named with John Koenig
Have you heard of the word sonder ? It’s the realization that each “random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.” John Koenig introduced it in his book The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows— a compilation of new words aiming to capture the nuance and complexity of emotions that can be hard to put a finger on. In this vocabulary-expanding episode, John and Adam explore the sense of loss upon finishing a great book or movie, the dread of chasing a dream, and the awe of human existence. They discuss John’s method and motivation for inventing new words and consider the profound capacity for language to show people that they’re not alone. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
4 Mar 2025 - 32 min 09 sec
Decoding cross-cultural communication with Erin Meyer
When talking and working with people from different cultures, sometimes meanings and intentions can get lost in translation. Erin Meyer is an expert on how we communicate and collaborate differently around the world. She and Adam discuss how cultural norms affect honesty and assertiveness, unpack the science behind some common American stereotypes, and identify strategies for understanding and bridging cultural divides. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
25 Feb 2025 - 39 min 05 sec
The importance of validation with therapist Caroline Fleck
Seeking acceptance is a natural part of the human experience — but do you know how to dish it out? Clinical psychologist Caroline Fleck believes that validating others is a key to building stronger relationships. She and Adam discuss strategies for recognizing another person’s feelings, the distinction between empathetic validation and exaggerated praise, and why sometimes saying less is more. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
18 Feb 2025 - 37 min 20 sec
Rewriting your story with Allison Sweet Grant
Allison Sweet Grant is the author of the debut novel I Am the Cage — and also Adam’s wife. In this special episode, Allison and Adam dive into Allison’s book, inspired by her experience growing up with a congenital limb discrepancy and undergoing a complicated medical procedure at a formative age. They explore the lessons for identity, shame, trust, and agency. They also reflect on what they’ve taught each other about parenting, share practices that have helped them in their marriage, and discuss strategies for managing anxiety and staying grounded. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
11 Feb 2025 - 42 min 30 sec
Cancelling cancel culture with Loretta Ross
As a public intellectual, activist and professor at Smith College, Loretta Ross is no stranger to confrontation and debate. But years of working to change the minds of others have led her to rethink her own ideas about approaching difficult conversations. Loretta and Adam discuss why shaming rarely changes behavior and her powerful alternative to cancel culture. They also reflect on personal moments of confrontation and explore strategies for talking others out of hate. Available transcripts for ReThinking can be found at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
4 Feb 2025 - 38 min 35 sec
Reimagining the US political system with Sharon McMahon
Sharon McMahon is a government expert, but that doesn’t mean she wants to run for office. As an author, podcaster and civics teacher, Sharon finds that her time is best spent kindly correcting people on the internet and leading her millions of Instagram followers — who call themselves the Governerds — in conversations about how to improve democracy. She joins Adam live at the Authors@Wharton series for an energetic discussion about American democracy, from the pitfalls of party loyalty to the benefits of changing voting systems. The two also chat about how to have better conversations online, reflect on one of Sharon’s favorite characters from her bestselling book The Small and Mighty and share a mantra to help you stay centered in uncertain times. Available transcripts for ReThinking can be found at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
28 Jan 2025 - 37 min 50 sec