Send us a text

Have you ever achieved something you thought would make you happy… only to feel a hollow kind of disappointment instead? In this solo episode, I dig into new Harvard research on how mind-wandering and overthinking steal joy, and why chasing big goals doesn’t necessarily bring peace. We’ll explore personal stories, psychological traps, and small shifts that actually move the needle — not just on success, but on contentment.

Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2302168/support

Key Takeaways:
• Happiness isn’t a finish line you cross with a goal — often, the chasing steals the joy.
• Your mind wandering to what could be is a huge thief of contentment.
• Metrics (followers, achievements) can feel empty unless anchored in meaning.
• Tiny rituals + gratitude + noticing small wins help you feel grounded now, not later.

Resources & References:
• Harvard study on mind wandering & well-being (Author, Year)
• Article in Emotion (2024) on evaluative overthinking


📺 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-grateful-podcast-with-jack-wagoner/id1725776061
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5EsTEpQAjU4BxUrDoFyZ6b

Subscribe for more deep conversations with thinkers, seekers, and soulful creators. 🙏

⸻

🧠 More from Jack:
Newsletter (Magic, Meaning & Momentum): https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/aa6b0945-43aa-43c8-b320-0fde6998f852?email=%7B%7Bemail%7D%7D
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jack_wagoner_/
1:1 Coaching & Dream-Chasing Guidance: jackcwagoner@gmail.com

💬 If you found this conversation meaningful, send it to a friend and leave a review. It really helps more people find this kind of soul-nourishing content.

⸻

🎙️ About Jack:
I’m an 18-year-old high school student with a big dream: to show the world that you can be grateful and ambitious at the same time. Through The Grateful Podcast, I explore what it means to live a meaningful life—one deep conversation at a time.

Support the show

Send us a text

In 1978, researchers compared two groups you’d never expect: lottery winners and accident victims who had become paraplegic. The results shocked the world.

Within a year, both groups had returned to nearly the same level of happiness as before.

This is the science of hedonic adaptation — our brain’s tendency to normalize no matter what happens. Winning millions. Losing everything. We always come back to baseline.

But here’s the hopeful part: your baseline isn’t fixed. You can raise it.

In this episode, I break down:
• The famous “lottery vs. paraplegic” study on baseline happiness.
• Why we imagine extremes in the future (arrival fallacy).
• Four science-backed ways to elevate your baseline happiness: gratitude, relationships, purposeful work, and meditation.
• How to frame the future realistically so you’re no longer disappointed by extremes.

🎧 Whether you’re chasing big goals or recovering from setbacks, this episode will show you how to live at a higher baseline.

👉 If you find value in this, please leave a review — it helps the show grow and reach more people who need this message.

Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2302168/support

📺 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-grateful-podcast-with-jack-wagoner/id1725776061
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5EsTEpQAjU4BxUrDoFyZ6b

Subscribe for more deep conversations with thinkers, seekers, and soulful creators. 🙏

⸻

🧠 More from Jack:
Newsletter (Magic, Meaning & Momentum): https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/aa6b0945-43aa-43c8-b320-0fde6998f852?email=%7B%7Bemail%7D%7D
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jack_wagoner_/
1:1 Coaching & Dream-Chasing Guidance: jackcwagoner@gmail.com

💬 If you found this conversation meaningful, send it to a friend and leave a review. It really helps more people find this kind of soul-nourishing content.

⸻

🎙️ About Jack:
I’m an 18-year-old high school student with a big dream: to show the world that you can be grateful and ambitious at the same time. Through The Grateful Podcast, I explore what it means to live a meaningful life—one deep conversation at a time.

Support the show

Send us a text

Chad Sonkin lost everything — and somehow came out laughing. This conversation is alive with energy, truth, and the kind of wisdom you only earn through failure. It’s not about grinding harder, it’s about betting on yourself when no one else will, finding joy while you shovel the hard stuff, and adjusting your sail when the wind shifts.

Key Discussion Points:
• Betting on yourself when no one else will
• Turning collapse into a breakthrough
• Laughing in the middle of pain
• The danger of dreaming too small
• Why fun is your secret weapon
• Gratitude × ambition: the real formula
• Playing life as the infinite game

If this episode sparked something in you, share it with someone chasing big dreams — or drop a review to let me know what hit home.

The Grateful Podcast with Jack Wagoner
Episode 101

Chapters:
00:00 The Power of Inner Belief
06:53 Embracing Failure as a Path to Growth
13:59 Adjusting Your Sails: Navigating Life's Challenges
21:46 The Pursuit of Purpose and Presence
30:10 Finding Harmony Between Gratitude and Ambition
39:06 The Infinite Game: Long-Term Success
54:54 The Journey of Self-Discovery and Dreams


Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2302168/support

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL7rwtc5s_KcTZMHSJng-FQ

Subscribe for more deep conversations with thinkers, seekers, and soulful creators. 🙏

⸻

🧠 More from Jack:
Newsletter (Magic, Meaning & Momentum): https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/aa6b0945-43aa-43c8-b320-0fde6998f852?email=%7B%7Bemail%7D%7D
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jack_wagoner_/
1:1 Coaching & Dream-Chasing Guidance: jackcwagoner@gmail.com

💬 If you found this conversation meaningful, send it to a friend and leave a review. It really helps more people find this kind of soul-nourishing content.

⸻

🎙️ About Jack:
I’m an 18-year-old high school student with a big dream: to show the world that you can be grateful and ambitious at the same time. Through The Grateful Podcast, I explore what it means to live a meaningful life—one deep conversation at a time.

Support the show