Mighty Pursuit Podcast

Penn Badgley has spent most of his life being watched — the star of two of the more successful TV shows in recent history: Gossip Girl and You.
And in these last five years, You became a cultural phenomenon. People fell in love with Joe Goldberg, and before that, Dan Humphrey. But what few knew what was happening in Penn’s real life while all of this was going on.
Behind the scenes, he was going through an existential crisis that forced him to step back and look at his life in a completely different way. And that shift touched everything: his relationships, how he thought about love, how he understood himself.
The more we chatted with Penn in the week’s episode of the Mighty Pursuit Podcast, the more we realized that this wasn’t just his story— it was actually a mirror for our own. The questions driving his crisis are the ones that define all of our lives.
Over the course of two hours, we go everywhere — relationships, body image, childhood wounds, Joe Goldberg and the spiritual questions that have been forming underneath it all.
What struck us most is Penn’s depth — the honesty and emotional intelligence he brings to each part of this story. You’ll quickly realize that this is one of his most-in depth conversations yet.
Chapters:0:00 - Intro1:17 - The Stairs Incident21:49 - Relationship Patterns & Ideas About Love48:59 - Struggles with Self-Criticism59:46 - The Existential Crisis1:37:22 - Being at War with Joe Goldberg
Mighty Pursuit Links:Website: https://www.mightypursuit.comInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mightypursuit/TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mightypursuit/X: https://x.com/MightyPursuit
Penn Badgley Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pennbadgley/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iampennbadgleyCrushmore (new book): https://amzn.to/48sGBjk
For business inquiries: hello@mightypursuit.com

You’ll spend roughly a third of your life asleep — more than 200,000 hours in another world. The dream world.
Every night, your body lies still while your mind builds entire realities: places, people, and moments that feel as real as waking life. And yet, most of us forget almost everything we experience there.
Maybe you shrug off dreams as random noise. Maybe they terrify you — the nightmares, the paralysis, the strange symbols that stay with you long after you wake. Or maybe you’ve had dreams that felt like they were trying to tell you something.
In recent decades, neuroscience has revealed that dreams are far more than imagination. They’re data — emotional, psychological, even spiritual. They hold powerful clues to who we are, what we fear, and what we’ve yet to face.
That’s why we sat down with Dr. Baland Jalal, one of the world’s leading neuroscientists studying dreams, sleep paralysis, and consciousness itself. Based at Harvard, he’s in a rare position to bridge the gap between science and spirituality.
In this conversation, we explore what dreams reveal about God, consciousness, and the nature of reality — and what they can teach us about mental health and trauma.
We go deep into how dreams process emotion and memory, why nightmares can become windows into healing, what lucid dreaming shows us about consciousness, and how ancient spiritual experiences may not be so different from what neuroscience is now discovering.
Once you hear what’s really happening inside the dream world, you may never see waking life the same way again.
Chapters:0:00 - Intro2:02 - The Neuroscience of Dreams17:51 - Your Dreams Are Speaking To You47:04 - God & Spirituality Invading Your Dreams1:13:26 - Learning New Things In Your Dreams1:31:51 - We Can Now Speak To People In Their Dreams1:44:36 - The Terror of Sleep Paralysis
Mighty Pursuit Links:Website: https://www.mightypursuit.comInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mightypursuit/TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mightypursuit/X: https://x.com/MightyPursuit
Dr. Baland Jalal Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balandjalal/
For business inquiries: hello@mightypursuit.com

Nothing is quite as soul-sucking as spending 40+ hours a week doing something you don’t like.
Maybe that’s your story. 
You feel like you’re trading your life for a paycheck just to get by. You’re not even sure how you’d get out or what else you’d even do.
What’s even more concerning is that this has become normal. The latest research shows only 31% of people feel engaged at work. That means nearly 7 out of 10 are just going through the motions. People are desperate to do something that makes them feel alive.
That’s why we sat down with Dr. Suzy Welch — Director of the Initiative on Purpose and Flourishing at NYU, former editor of Harvard Business Review, and former host of CNBC’s Get To Work. 
At NYU, she now leads one of the university’s most popular courses, helping people uncover purpose in their careers and beyond.
Over the years, she’s developed a proven methodology for helping people break free from the grind and step into a life of meaning. Her approach is incredibly practical — rooted in evidence, refined by experience, and designed to work in the real world.
CHAPTERS:0:00 - Intro1:44 - Why We’re Trapped In Jobs We Hate24:50 - Is It Ever Too Late To Reinvent Yourself?31:15 - You Need To Understand Your Values47:14 - The Difference Between Values & Virtues58:09 - Aptitudes & Our Inborn Wiring1:12:52 - Economically Viable Interests & Megatrends 1:21:50 - The End Goal of Finding Our Purpose
Take The Values Bridge Quiz:https://thevaluesbridge.com/
Becoming You Book:
https://youtu.be/4MxD3oXOpnY
Mighty Pursuit Links:Website: https://www.mightypursuit.comInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mightypursuit/TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mightypursuit/X: https://x.com/MightyPursuit
Suzy Welch Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzywelch/
For business inquiries: hello@mightypursuit.com

How did we get to a point where stay-at-home moms became enemies of the feminist movement? Where the work of raising children is seen as less valuable than climbing the corporate ladder?
You know the moment. You’re at a social gathering and someone asks, “So… what do you do?” You say you’re home with your kids. And the room goes quiet. Blank stares. Maybe even judgment, especially from other women.
If that’s you, it can feel like you’re doing something wrong by attending to your children full time. And if you’re the one giving that reaction, you might rattle off all the reasons career should come first.
But here’s the problem: when we diminish the work of parenting, it doesn’t just drive women into identity crises. It makes kids suffer. When we treat parenting as secondary, children absorb that ambivalence. Especially in the earliest years, when their brains are still forming. 
And when those children grow up to become tomorrow’s leaders — carrying fragile mental health, poor resilience, and broken attachment patterns — society doesn’t hold steady. It starts to fracture.
For a topic this urgent, we knew we needed someone who could cut through the noise. Erica Komisar is a feminist icon in the truest sense — an entrepreneur, a psychoanalyst, and a cultural voice who celebrates that women now have choice. She doesn’t believe every woman should have children. But she’s unapologetic about this: if you do, the first years of life carry consequences our culture can’t afford to ignore.
Over the last two years, millions have tuned into her interviews, drawn to her rare mix of honesty and expertise. After decades of guiding families through the hidden forces that shape children, she’s spent her career showing what it takes to raise kids who are secure, resilient, and ready to inherit the world.
If you’re searching for clarity on your own purpose and value, this conversation won’t just affirm you. 
It will reframe how you see the work of parenting itself.
Chapters:0:00 - Intro2:17 - The Complicated Relationship Between Feminism & Motherhood33:15 - The Fantasy Of Having It All & Deciding To Have Kids53:43 - Is Parenting Harder Than Ever Before?1:09:27 - The Differences Between Mothers & Fathers1:19:20 - The Financial Realities of Having Children1:32:05 - The Decision To Use Daycare or a Nanny1:40:42 - Erica’s Own Story of Parenting & Entrepreneurship
Mighty Pursuit Links:Website: https://www.mightypursuit.comInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mightypursuit/TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mightypursuit/X: https://x.com/MightyPursuit
Erica Komisar Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericakomisar/
For business inquiries: hello@mightypursuit.com

Weird, isn’t it?
We have more therapy than ever. More medications than ever. More awareness than ever. We’ve broken free from the stigma of the past — and yet, mental health struggles of every kind are still rising. In some ways, you could argue we’re worse off than before the so-called mental health revolution even started.
Maybe this is your story, or someone close to you. You’ve done all the right things, and yet somehow, it’s still not working. Mental health content floods your feed, but it’s become white noise. You’re tired of grifters, tired of quick fixes, tired of the same recycled slogans.
It’s clear the mental health revolution of the 2010s didn’t deliver what we hoped. But the real question is: why? What are we missing?
To find out, we brought together what you might call the Avengers of mental health — a one-of-a-kind team-up with three of the most influential voices in the world.
At Columbia University, Dr. Lisa Miller has shown how spirituality and mental health are inseparable.At Stanford University, Dr. Anna Lembke has exposed how addiction and new technologies are hijacking the brain.And at Harvard University, Dr. Uma Naidoo has established the gut-brain connection, revealing how what we eat shapes how we feel.
They come from the world’s most prestigious institutions. They’re all bestselling authors, recognized globally. And each brings a missing piece of the puzzle.
Together, they give us the whole story of mental health.
This is the first time these voices have come together — a rare chance to hear from the people who have shaped the global conversation on mental health, all in one place. When you put these pieces together, you’ll see a path forward that’s hopeful, practical, and actually produces real change.
Chapters:0:00 - Intro2:12 - Why Are The Statistics Getting Worse?16:28 - Erasing God Damaged Mental Health30:46 - Medication Has Become a Problem56:46 - How Food Helps Heal Mental Health1:09:14 - The Medical System Profits Off Sickness1:22:50 - Addressing The Loneliness Epidemic1:26:15 - Bad Therapy & Empathy Going Too Far1:56:43 - Going Through Things You Cannot Change
Mighty Pursuit Links:Website: https://www.mightypursuit.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mightypursuit/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mightypursuit/X: https://x.com/MightyPursuit
For business inquiries: hello@mightypursuit.com

Everywhere you turn right now, it’s about AI. Every headline. Every news segment. It feels like the story of the decade and nobody can escape it.
So of course you’d feel threatened. Is your job safe? Will your industry even exist? What does this mean for your kids, your future, your place in the world?
Everyone’s asking the same questions. But the louder the noise gets, the harder it is to know who to trust. Is this real or just one of the greatest hype machines of all time?
That’s why this is one of the most important conversations you’ll ever watch. Because if there’s one voice to trust right now, it’s Tristan Harris.
You know him as the central figure in The Social Dilemma — the Netflix documentary seen by over 100 million people that changed how the world thinks about social media. Before that, he was inside Google, raising the alarm on how technology hijacks our attention and rewires our minds.
Today, as the founder of the Center for Humane Technology, he’s become the most trusted voice on how tech is reshaping our future. He’s not just another commentator. He’s the one person who can show us what’s really coming, what must be prevented, and what it all means for humanity.
This is a rare opportunity to hear from a voice unlike any other. Tristan Harris has sat in rooms with some of the most powerful people on the planet. He’s briefed Congress, shaped policy conversations, and seen firsthand the danger of this technology. Now he’s here to show us what’s really coming, and what’s at stake for all of us.
Chapters:0:00 - Intro2:07 - Big Tech’s Response to The Social Dilemma11:33 - How A.I. Threatens To Destabilize Everything17:14 - Why Don’t We Build Things That Are Healthy?33:03 - How We’ll Become The New Chimpanzees44:30 - A.I. Is Already Going Rogue54:28 - The Biggest Existential Threats of A.I.1:12:45 - Why Is A.I. Progressing at a Reckless Pace?1:26:47 - How Many Years We Have Left Before No Return1:43:50 - Tech Leaders Are Terrified Of What They’re Building1:51:28 - We Need To Act Now
Related Episodes:https://youtu.be/zXUpebtiLp8
Mighty Pursuit Links:Website: https://www.mightypursuit.comInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mightypursuit/TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mightypursuit/X: https://x.com/MightyPursuit
Tristan Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tristanharris/
For business inquiries: hello@mightypursuit.com

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably wrestled with the question: am I really cut out for this?
The fear of being the one who “messes your kid up” can feel overwhelming. In desperation, you search online, scroll through endless videos and land on posts stamped with the words evidence-based. It reassures you — until you realize most of that advice is built on the wrong goal.
Because a child who behaves on the outside but feels unseen and unsafe on the inside is not a success story.
And today’s parents face challenges no generation has before: a high cost of living, limited support networks, and an online world that threatens your child’s very sense of self. Parenting has never been harder.
That’s why we turned to Dr. Becky Kennedy. 
Ivy League–trained, with years of private practice, she has become the preeminent voice on parenting today. For millions of parents, her work has been a lifeline — translating the science of child development into language that feels both practical and deeply human.
Chapters:0:00 - Intro1:36 - Am I Cut Out To Parent?8:05 - Parenting Is Re-Raising Ourselves14:31 - The Problem With “Evidence-Based” Parenting27:00 - Understanding A Child’s Brain43:17 - You Don’t Want Your Kids To Be Happy54:11 - Setting Boundaries With Your Kid1:06:52 - The Primary Role of a Parent1:24:49 - Should You Always Put Your Kids Needs First?1:45:11 - The Dangers of Devices & Social Media
Dr. Becky Kennedy Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbeckyatgoodinside/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drbeckyatgoodinsideBook: https://amzn.to/4pBUFyS
Mighty Pursuit Links:Website: https://www.mightypursuit.comInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mightypursuit/TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mightypursuit/X: https://x.com/MightyPursuit
For business inquiries: hello@mightypursuit.com

Few questions are more important to our existence than UFOs. If something nonhuman is among us, then everything we think we know about the world gets turned upside down.
Some dismiss it all as fantasy, shaped by decades of sci-fi. Others swallow conspiracies whole. But the middle road  that rejects both gullibility and cynicism is almost never walked. 
That’s the road where we hold nuance, examine the evidence with academic rigor, and ask what it means for our lives.
So here are the facts, all on public record. A network of the world’s brightest scientists has been studying this in silence. And in 2021, the Pentagon admitted what millions already suspected: UFOs are real. 
Between 2023 and 2024, U.S. authorities received 757 UFO reports, 21 of which remain unexplained and under further investigation. Taken together, the picture that emerges isn’t just strange. It’s destabilizing.
And to explore this subject without sliding into conspiracy, we turned to Dr. Diana Walsh Pasulka. A professor at the University of North Carolina, Diana has become the preeminent scholar on UFOs. 
Her two books are now essential texts. She has gained access to secret societies of scientists, interviewed those who claim direct encounters, and earned trust in spaces few are ever allowed.
In this episode, we explore:1) All the different camps of very smart people that are investigating UFOs2) The three things that make up the UFO phenomena3) What it means for the nature of reality and how we live
Chapters:0:00 - Intro2:31 - The Secret Society of Scientists Studying UFOs19:09 - The Government Has Studied UFOs for 75 Years34:16 - How UFOs Defy Physics46:31 - Phoenix Lights & Mass Sightings56:43 - Dr. Pasulka’s Visit To A Crash Site1:11:12 - David Grusch’s Testimony to Congress1:18:40 - What Happens in Close UFO Encounters1:30:47 - Paranormal Aftereffects of UFOs1:55:46 - Connections with God, NDEs & Consciousness2:07:37 - UFOs are Not Aliens?2:14:16 - How Lives Change After UFO Encounters
Mighty Pursuit Links:Website: https://www.mightypursuit.comInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mightypursuit/TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mightypursuit/X: https://x.com/MightyPursuit
Dr. Diana Walsh Pasulka Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwpasulka/X: https://x.com/dwpasulkaBooks: https://amzn.to/3Vvv3Gk
For business inquiries: hello@mightypursuit.com

How do you have great sex over a lifetime, especially in the context of a long-term relationship?
For many of us, it feels impossible. Passion that once came effortlessly fades into routine. Responsibilities pile up. One day you realize it’s been months (maybe longer) since you last touched each other.
It’s no wonder that nearly half the population is questioning whether monogamy really works, and up to 75% of couples report sexual boredom in long-term relationships.
That’s why we turned to Dr. Stephen Snyder. He’s a physician, psychiatrist, and sex therapist who has spent more than 35 years in practice, working with over 2,500 individuals and couples. He wrote the bestselling book Love Worth Making, a work many in the field consider essential reading.
Across decades, he’s become regarded as a legend in the field of sex, and highly respected amongst his peers. And what he’s observed is surprising: desire in the bedroom often thrives on dynamics that seem to be at odds with what we want outside the bedroom.
Initiation, pursuit, and gendered roles are powerful erotic forces, especially for women who even identify as feminists. The gap between what people think should turn them on, and what actually does, has become one of the biggest sources of sexual confusion in our time.
In this episode, we explore:1) Why passion feels effortless at the beginning but harder to sustain over time2) The unspoken “rules” of great sex that Dr. Snyder has seen again and again3) Why gendered dynamics are a hidden source of both frustration and longing4) How initiation, pursuit, and desire shape erotic connection across decades
Chapters:0:00 - Intro2:55 - A Tale of Two Stories18:08 - We’re in A Sex Recession27:32 - Is Monogamy Outdated?45:25 - Why Do We Cheat?59:35 - Women Want To Be Desired1:10:04 - Submissive Men1:16:22 - Men & Women Are Different Biologically1:25:18 - When Women Reject Men1:38:13 - Most Sex Lasts A Few Minutes?1:45:38 - Sexual Fantasies1:58:12 - The Basic Ground Rules of Sex
Love Worth Making:https://amzn.to/47G1o4o
Mighty Pursuit Links:Website: https://www.mightypursuit.comInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mightypursuit/TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mightypursuit/X: https://x.com/MightyPursuit
For business inquiries: hello@mightypursuit.com

What happens when God becomes a trigger word?
The very thing that was supposed to give you existential answers now feels like a source of pain. Maybe this is your story: you try to pray but the words won’t come out. You walk past a church and your body reacts before your mind does. You see a religious leader on TV and your brain flashes to harm caused by people like them.
Even thinking about religion makes you angry. And now you find yourself questioning everything you were taught to believe.
Spiritual trauma is everywhere. Over the last 15 years, millions have left organized religion. At best, they tasted what they saw and didn’t like it. At worst, it left them traumatized.
This isn’t rare. It’s a mainstream problem with existential consequences. And recent studies show at least 27% of the population suffers from it.
Dr. Hillary McBride is one of the pioneers in this space. She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, one of the world’s top research institutions. And her new book, Holy Hurt, is a groundbreaking exploration of into spiritual and religious trauma.
In this episode, we explore:1) What spiritual trauma is, and how it hides in plain sight2) How spiritual bypassing, control and weaponization of sacred texts are common features that lead to spiritual trauma 3) The emotional cost of religious compliance — from abusive marriages to shame around sexuality4) How trauma reshapes your ability to trust your longings and connect with the divine without fear5) What healing actually looks like — in your nervous system, your community, and your relationship with God (or whatever name still feels safe)
Mighty Pursuit Links:Website: https://www.mightypursuit.comInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mightypursuit/TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mightypursuit/X: https://x.com/MightyPursuit
Dr. Hillary McBride Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hillaryliannamcbride/Books: https://hillarylmcbride.com/books/
For business inquiries: hello@mightypursuit.com