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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

Send us a text

Hitting 100 episodes feels wild. I started The Grateful Podcast as a 16-year-old kid in France with nothing but curiosity and a mic. Today I’m looking back at the biggest lessons from this journey—the ones that reshaped how I think, how I live, and what I want to build going forward.

Key Discussion Points
• Gratitude rewires your brain for joy
• Do the hard thing, not busywork
• Beliefs put ceilings on our potential
• Non-attachment means embracing all of life
• Anxiety is an engine light, not the problem
• Fame and money don’t equal fulfillment
• Balancing gratitude with ambition daily

This is a thank-you episode—for every single person who has tuned in, shared an episode, or just reminded me why I keep going. I’m nowhere near done.

00:00–03:24 Why 100 episodes matters
03:24–06:49 Gratitude rewires your brain - ⁨ @today.iam.grateful | 33
06:49–10:21 Stop polishing the pedestal - @JonathanGoodmanCoach | 41
10:21–13:28 Beliefs that cap your ceiling - @Jbirdfit | 53
13:28–17:19 Non-attachment, eyes-open practice - @susan-piver | 65
17:19–20:30 Anxiety is a check engine light - @RuggedCounseling | 91
20:30–23:06 Fame and money won’t fill you - @DavidMeltzer | 99
23:06–27:30 Gratitude and ambition, one path

Tune in, reflect with me, and if this show has meant something to you, share it with someone who could use a little gratitude today.

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

Send us a text

At 31, David Meltzer had everything people chase. Money. Fame. The dream wife. And still, he was empty. In this episode we dig into how losing it all led him to gratitude, and why gratitude is way more than just saying “thanks.” If you’ve ever wondered why success can feel hollow, or how to actually build a life that feels full, this one’s for you.

Key Discussion Points
• Why $100M still felt empty
• Gratitude as the real game changer
• The 0.1 second habit that works
• How gratitude fuels ambition, not kills it
• The truth about chasing feelings not stuff
• Getting out of your own way
• Turning loss into abundance
• Living with more than enough

This chat hit me hard. Gratitude isn’t some fluffy practice. It’s perspective, it’s power, it’s fuel.

👉 If you took something from this, share it with a mate who needs to hear it.

The Grateful Podcast with Jack Wagoner
Episode 99
Guesting David Meltzer

Get in contact with David: david@dmeltzer.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmeltzer/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmeltzer2/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCflt1OopRWIApMOjVgZyJ6Q

Chapters:
00:00 The Pursuit of Potential
04:13 Gratitude as a Tool for Fulfillment
10:45 Abundance Mindset vs. Scarcity Mindset
14:58 Overcoming Self-Interference
16:55 Chasing Feelings, Not Material Goals
20:56 Introduction to the Conversation with David Meltzer
21:21 Exploring the Theme of Gratitude

Listen to my episode with David Lorimer: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-gratitude-can-reframe-your-brain-for-joy-with/id1725776061?i=1000695020562

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

Send us a text

Did you know that 60% of young adults say their lives feel purposeless—and half say it’s harming their mental health?
That’s from Harvard’s On Edge report. But purpose isn’t just some fluffy idea—it’s essential. Without it, rates of anxiety and depression nearly double.

In this episode, I share 7 psychology-backed ways to create more meaning in your life—starting today.

These are not hacks or quick fixes. They’re sustainable practices rooted in psychology and real human connection.

✨ Here’s what you’ll learn:
1.Why deep relationships literally keep you alive
2.How serving others sparks a “helper’s high” in your brain
3.How to rewrite your life story into one of meaning
4.Why goals that go beyond yourself create lasting motivation
5.The secret power of active listening & mentorship
6.How to explore your identity & values without getting stuck
7.Why transcendent practices (like meditation or nature) shift everything

🔑 Key Stat: 58% of young adults lack meaning—don’t be one of them. Start with one practice today, and watch your purpose grow.


The Grateful Podcast with Jack Wagoner
Episode 98
Solo Episode

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

Most people think getting healthy means training harder, eating cleaner, and pushing further. Jim Laird disagrees.

After 25+ years coaching everyone from NFL pros to everyday people, Jim’s learned that chasing extreme performance often destroys long-term health. In this episode, he shares the 5 fundamentals that can completely reset your energy, sleep, and mood — without the burnout cycle.

We cover:

• Why most fitness advice fails
• The “indoor zoo” effect destroying human health
• Health vs. performance (and why you don’t need to train like a pro athlete)
• The role of play in building lifelong physical resilience
• How connection + nature can replace 90% of what people chase in gyms and supplements

If you feel stuck, burnt out, or like you’ve “tried everything” — this episode will change how you think about health forever.

Find Jim:

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

Join the Vitality Brotherhood/Sisterhood → vitalitybrotherhood.com

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Health and Wellness Philosophy
02:59 The Five Fundamentals of Health
05:52 The Importance of Foundation in Fitness
08:02 Social Media and Fitness Expectations
10:59 The Impact of Modern Technology on Health
13:59 The Role of Community and Connection
16:56 The Importance of Outdoor Activity
20:01 The Dangers of Isolation and Loneliness
23:18 The Need for Balance in Modern Life
31:21 The Shift from Outdoor Play to Digital Engagement
33:35 Understanding Health vs. Performance
35:26 The Balance of Athleticism and Health
40:40 The Importance of Multi-Sport Participation
48:36 Cultural Differences in Athletic Development
50:29 Gratitude and Personal Growth

📺 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

Most people think joy is something that happens to you when life is perfect. They wait for the “aha” moment, the dream job, the perfect relationship — and then wonder why they still feel empty when it arrives. In this solo episode, 96, of The Grateful Podcast, Jack shares why joy isn’t a lucky accident, but a skill you can train — just like learning an instrument or building muscle.

Backed by science and real-life stories, Jack breaks down 7 powerful, proven habits you can start today to rewire your brain for joy:
•Train your brain to notice micro moments
•Move your body in ways you love
•Savor like a scientist
•Do something kind anonymously
•Create more than you consume
•Connect deeply — even briefly
•Practice joy on a delay

If you’ve been feeling burnt out, stuck, or like happiness keeps slipping away, this episode will give you both the mindset shift and the actionable steps to make joy show up more often in your life — without chasing it.

Chapters:
00:00 Understanding Joy as a Skill
01:44 Training Your Brain for Micro Moments
04:39 Movement and Joy: Finding Your Flow
06:59 Savoring Positive Moments
08:26 The Power of Anonymous Kindness
09:22 Creating Over Consuming
11:07 Deep Connections: The Joy of Conversation
13:08 Anticipation: The Joy of Looking Forward


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