Most of us assume data-driven people make data-driven decisions. Not quite. Adam Grant has built a career helping others think more clearly — but when it comes to his own career, the most important calls he’s made didn’t have clear data behind them. So how did he decide? In this first episode of WorkLife with Molly Graham, Adam joins Molly to talk about how he actually navigates uncertainty — the four questions he asks before committing to any big project, what he calls “deliberate then dive”, and how he measures success when the numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Featured guest

• Follow Adam on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at adamgrant.net/
• Subscribe to Adam’s substack

Connect with the team

• Follow Molly on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at glueclub.com/
• Subscribe to Molly’s Substack Lesson
• Watch WorkLife videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit https://www.ted.com/podcasts/worklife-transcripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to have a great career? And how do you know what job you should take, which you should quit, and which you should try to change? In this special episode from How to Be a Better Human with host and comedian Chris Duffy, learn about your new WorkLife host, Molly Graham. Chris and Molly discuss what she's learned working at incredibly successful companies, the benefits of taking a meandering path, and how to take more risks for a fulfilling life.

For the full text transcript, visit https://www.ted.com/podcasts/worklife-transcripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coming April 28th, 2026: WorkLife with Molly Graham

The world of work is changing, fast. The full range of human emotion can happen on the job: ambition and failure, joy and burnout, confidence and self-doubt. Company builder and new host of WorkLife, Molly Graham, knows all about those messy feelings – and she believes they can actually be the roadmap to a meaningful career. On WorkLife, Molly will sit down with all kinds of people – founders and operators, entertainers and creatives – to explore how to build a career without losing yourself. Each week, she’ll uncover the messy stories behind the shiniest successes, and share the real lessons about work that no one ever posts on LinkedIn.

For the full text transcript, visit https://www.ted.com/podcasts/worklife-transcripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some exciting news from Adam Grant on a change coming to WorkLife!

For the full text transcript, visit https://www.ted.com/podcasts/worklife-transcripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’ve probably experienced a “gut feeling” before—that sense of uneasiness in your stomach that tells you something is off, but your brain hasn’t quite worked out what it is yet. But can you really trust what your gut tells you? In this episode, Adam is joined by Harvard gastroenterologist Trisha Pasricha to decode what’s really going on between your mind and your stomach. Trisha breaks down the science behind brain-gut communication and offers tips for when and how to listen to your gut when making decisions or assessing a new environment. She also seeks Adam’s advice on helping doctors empathize with patients’ pain and invites him to rethink his position on poop. Building on her book You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong, she explains what your bowel movements can tell you about your overall health, how to experience “poophoria,” and why you shouldn’t bring your smartphone to the bathroom.

Featured guest

• Follow Trisha Pasricha on Instagram, Tiktok, and at trishapasricha.com/
• Buy You've Been Pooping All Wrong

Connect with the team

• Follow Adam on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at adamgrant.net/
• Subscribe to Adam’s substack
• Watch ReThinking videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit https://www.ted.com/podcasts/worklife-transcripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1998, soccer star David Beckham made international news at his first World Cup when he lost his cool and got a critical red card. But he went on to lead his teams to numerous titles, become runner up for World Player of the Year, and even be knighted for his contributions to the game. In this episode, David joins Adam at the World Economic Forum in Davos to talk about the thrill of performing under pressure, strategies for managing strong emotions, and the unifying power of sport. Adam also grills David about his competitive drive and his unwavering commitment to showing up early.

Featured guest

• Follow David Beckham on Instagram and at davidbeckham.com/

Connect with the team

• Follow Adam on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at adamgrant.net/
• Subscribe to Adam’s Substack
• Watch ReThinking videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit https://www.ted.com/podcasts/worklife-transcripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Curiosity Shop! In the inaugural episode, Brené and Adam discuss how a public disagreement about authenticity almost ended their relationship before it began. For the first time, they discuss where they went wrong, why they changed their minds about each other, and what they learned about repair and trust. They also explore what healthy authenticity looks like, and dive into the many things they may still never fully see eye to eye on – from email vs. texting to remote work to faith.

For the full text transcript, visit https://www.ted.com/podcasts/worklife-transcripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jessica Campbell is a hockey coach with the Seattle Kraken, and the first full-time female assistant coach in NHL history to work behind the bench. In this episode, Jessica and Adam reflect on the lessons from being the first or only girl on a team, break down Jessica’s three core tenets of leadership, and discuss different ways of delivering effective feedback and tough love to help individuals and teams reach their full potential.

Featured guest

• Follow Jessica Campbell on Instagram and at jessicaecampbell.com/

Connect with the team

• Follow Adam on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at adamgrant.net/
• Subscribe to Adam’s Substack
• Watch ReThinking videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit https://www.ted.com/podcasts/worklife-transcripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leanne ten Brinke is a social psychologist at the University of British Columbia and an expert on narcissists, psychopaths, and liars. In this episode, Leanne and Adam debunk common myths about people with these dark personality traits and share tips for spotting them.They also break down strategies for connecting with and managing people with these traits, discuss how to reduce any dark tendencies you might see in yourself, and rethink their place in workplaces.

Featured guest

• Follow Leanne ten Brinke on Instagram and at leannetenbrinke.com/

Connect with the team

• Follow Adam on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at adamgrant.net/
• Subscribe to Adam’s Substack
• Watch ReThinking videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit https://www.ted.com/podcasts/worklife-transcripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Esther Perel is a psychotherapist known for her innovative approach to relationships. In this episode, Adam and Esther discuss the relational baggage we all carry through our lives and into our work, and how our differing personalities and relationship styles can affect collaboration and culture. They break down the differences between relationship- and task-oriented personalities, and consider the fine balance between risk-taking and rule-following that makes for a healthy relationship with ourselves and others.

Featured guest

• Follow Esther Perel on Instagram, Substack, and at estherperel.com/

Connect with the team

• Follow Adam on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at adamgrant.net/
• Subscribe to Adam’s Substack
• Watch ReThinking videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit https://www.ted.com/podcasts/worklife-transcripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Damon is best known as the Hollywood icon from movies like Good Will Hunting and The Martian, but he has another passion offscreen: ensuring access to clean, safe water around the world. When he met social entrepreneur Gary White in 2008, they realized they could combine their efforts to reach more people and created water.org, which Gary leads as CEO. In this episode, Adam sits down with Matt and Gary at the World Economic Forum in Davos to talk about their innovative approach to problem-solving, handling rejection in high-stakes work environments, and Matt’s knack for forging strong partnerships. Adam also invites the two to office hours to tackle one of their ongoing challenges.

Connect with the team

• Follow Adam on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at adamgrant.net/
• Subscribe to Adam’s Substack
• Watch ReThinking videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit https://www.ted.com/podcasts/worklife-transcripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.