How to Be a Better Human

TED

Your guide to becoming a little less terrible.

  • 37 minutes 35 seconds
    Want to change your life? Start small! (w/ Eric Zimmer)

    Eric Zimmer has learned the hard way that the path to big life changes starts with small everyday behaviors. Whether it’s kicking an addiction, building a business, or writing a book, Eric starts with habits and a clear focus on what he wants to do. The host of the podcast “The One You Feed” and the author of the new book “How a Little Becomes a Lot,” Eric joins Chris to discuss his recovery journey and why he values consistency over perfection.


    Featured guest


    Connect with the team

    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


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

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

    6 April 2026, 4:00 am
  • 1 hour 22 minutes
    Chris Duffy | from Design Matters

    Chris Duffy—comedian, writer, and host of the TED podcast How to Be a Better Human—joins to discuss how humor shaped his path from teaching and improv to podcasting and television. Together, they explore why laughing more isn’t about being funny, but about attention, vulnerability, and connection, and how humor helps us stay human.

    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


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

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

    2 April 2026, 4:00 am
  • 40 minutes 32 seconds
    How to add more exploration in your life (w/ Alex Hutchinson)

    “When was the last time you did something you didn’t do yesterday?” asks journalist and explorer Alex Hutchinson. Alex joins Chris to examine whether the desire to explore is baked into our genes, how he intentionally tries to get lost in his neighborhood, and what he learns from following his curiosity.


    Featured guest


    Connect with the team

    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


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

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

    30 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 38 minutes 52 seconds
    How to understand your own consciousness (w/ Michael Pollan)

    What is consciousness? Humans and animals have it, but do plants have sentience? These are the questions journalist Michael Pollan studies. Michael is the author of ten books on the relationship between food, consciousness, and psychedelics. Michael joins Chris to discuss why humans ruminate, how people should get comfortable with boredom, and whether we can really trust our own memories?


    Featured guest


    Connect with the team

    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


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

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

    23 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 40 minutes 27 seconds
    How to find your purpose (w/ Yara Shahidi) (video)

    “Optimism is not what exists in a vacuum on your best day, but how you're pulling through for yourself on your worst days,” says actress Yara Shahidi. Yara is known for her sitcoms Black-ish and its spinoff Grown-ish. She shares what she learned from creating a “Hard Yes” list, why she chose to attend Harvard after acting, and why she thinks anyone can find their highest order if they pay attention.

     

    Featured guest


    Connect with the team

    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


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

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

    16 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 40 minutes 31 seconds
    How to find your purpose (w/ Yara Shahidi)

    “Optimism is not what exists in a vacuum on your best day, but how you're pulling through for yourself on your worst days,” says actress Yara Shahidi. Yara is known for her sitcoms Black-ish and its spinoff Grown-ish. She shares what she learned from creating a “Hard Yes” list, why she chose to attend Harvard after acting, and why she thinks anyone can find their highest order if they pay attention.


    Featured guest


    Connect with the team

    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


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

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

    16 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 38 minutes 44 seconds
    How to understand money stuff (w/ Matt Levine)

    Matt Levine is the author of Bloomberg’s “Money Stuff” newsletter where he writes about Wall Street and finances. Matt joins Chris to break down common money questions such as what exactly is commodity trading? How do AI companies make money? How do companies balance ethics and virtues with increasing profits for shareholders? They also discuss how Matt uses comedy and humor to make complicated money topics accessible.


    Featured guest


    Connect with the team

    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


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

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

    9 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 42 minutes 46 seconds
    Your job or your sanity? How to not lose both (w/ Guy Winch)

    If we accept that work-life balance is a necessity, then why are stress and burnout still increasing? Guy Winch is a psychologist and was the first guest ever on the How to Be a Better Human podcast. Guy returns to the show six years later to share strategies on how to stop indulging in unhealthy ruminations, start identifying harmful triggers, and why it’s necessary to change your perspective and view problems as solvable.


    Featured guest


    Connect with the team

    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


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

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

    2 March 2026, 5:00 am
  • 37 minutes 34 seconds
    How to be a caregiver (w/ Courtney Martin)

    If you could switch places with someone and peek into their mind, who would you pick? For journalist Courtney Martin, she chose her aging dad with advanced dementia. Courtney joins Chris to talk about her deep desire to understand her father’s experiences, what it’s like to witness a loved one's health decline, and why it’s important to practice asking for help. This is a perfect episode to listen to if you’re taking care of a loved one (or know someone who is) and want practical ways to be kinder to caregivers.


    Featured guest


    Connect with the team

    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


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

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

    23 February 2026, 5:00 am
  • 37 minutes 18 seconds
    How to make (and keep) friends | from A Slight Change of Plans

    Many of us tend to prioritize our romantic and familial relationships over friendships — and that could be harming our wellbeing and health. In this special episode from our friends at A Slight Change of Plans, cognitive behavioral scientist and bestselling author Dr. Maya Shankar looks at how friendships expand our sense of self. Maya is joined by psychologist Dr. Marisa Franco, who offers research-based strategies to make new friends and deepen our existing friendships, including helpful concepts like mutuality and the mere-exposure effect. Marisa and Maya also discuss how to stay friends through big life changes, why fighting could make your friendship stronger, and how to break up with a friend with clarity and kindness.


    On A Slight Change of Plans, Maya explores how we experience change and provides strategies we can use to better navigate moments of upheaval. Find A Slight Change of Plans wherever you get podcasts.

    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


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

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

    16 February 2026, 5:00 am
  • 37 minutes 56 seconds
    How to find true love (w/ Francesca Hogi)

    Love coach Francesca Hogi is dedicated to helping daters find “lasting love in the midst of a broken dating culture.” In this episode, Francesca shares her approach to analyzing romantic patterns and feeling more empowered in your love life. From discussing romantic manifestations to reflecting on bell hooks’ claim that humans are unskilled at love, Chris and Francesca talk about the ways you can be more open to finding love.


    Featured guest


    Connect with the team

    For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


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

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

    9 February 2026, 5:00 am
  • More Episodes? Get the App