Becoming Superhuman Podcast

The Future of Consciousness: Why Your Mind Isn’t What You Think

In this episode, we sit down with Roger Walsh, professor of psychiatry, philosophy, and anthropology at UC Irvine, whose work bridges science, spirituality, psychology, and human potential. Roger has collaborated with leading thinkers worldwide, including the Dalai Lama, and has spent decades studying meditation, wisdom traditions, and the nature of consciousness.Follow Super Human PodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/besuperhumanpod/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@besuperhumanpodX: https://x.com/BeSuperhumanPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/podsuperhumanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsuperhumanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podsuperhumanFollow Ben: X: https://x.com/realbentauberInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/realbentauber/Follow Dilan: X: https://x.com/dilanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dilanj/Learn more about Roger: https://drrogerwalsh.com/Listen to all episodes: https://www.besuperhumanpod.com/Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:28 Meditation, and Subjective Reality02:41 Can Neural Networks Fully Explain Consciousness?03:34 Shared Experiences and “Low-Probability” Events05:11 Miracles, Hallucinations, and the Limits of Proof05:50 From Materialism to Idealism06:46 Why Materialism Has Failed for 2,500 Years07:27 Does the Hard Problem of Consciousness Even Exist?07:59 What Are Qualia?08:28 Can Biology Explain Experience?09:12 The “Chasm” Between Mechanism and Experience09:56 Are We Making Real Progress Understanding the Mind?10:23 The Brain as a Metaphor: From Hydraulics to Computers10:48 Can We Ever Cross the Consciousness Chasm?11:01 If AGI Claims Consciousness, Should We Believe It?11:15 The Turing Test and the Problem of Other Minds12:28 What Is the Frontier of What Can Be Known?12:40 Why There Are 200 Theories of Consciousness14:12 Consciousness as a Rorschach Test15:21 Roger Walsh’s Current Meditation Practice16:20 Practices That Actually Work17:12 The First Time All Traditions Are Available18:06 The Seven Universal Spiritual Practices19:39 How Someone Should Begin a Spiritual Practice21:18 Maslow’s Hierarchy and What Comes After Transcendence23:29 Self-Transcendence, Service, and Letting Go of Motivation25:57 “The Way Is Not Difficult for Those With No Preferences.”26:03 Entrepreneurs, Motivation, and Fear of Letting Go27:15 Learning to Trust the Mind28:31 Roger Walsh’s Early Life and Athletic Background30:23 Medical School, Burnout, and Stanford32:38 The Human Potential Movement33:18 Discovering the Inner Universe34:24 The Moment That Changed Everything35:32 Religion as a Hidden Mental Technology36:13 What Allowed the Breakthrough to Happen37:26 Intensive Retreats and Radical Commitment37:58 Anxiety, Atheism, and First Meditation Experiences39:19 First Non-Dual Experience40:09 Atheism and Subjective Experience41:45 Science vs Scientism43:43 Idealism and Multiple Ways of Knowing45:23 Can the Brain Fully Explain Mystical States?47:06 Consciousness as the Primary Reality47:57 Lucid Dreams and Waking Up Inside Reality48:23 Final Reflections and Closing

The Upside of Anxiety: How to Turn Stress Into a Superpower

In this episode, the psychologist and bestselling author of The Upside of Your Dark Side and The Art of Insubordination walks us through how embracing discomfort, adversity, and negative emotions can supercharge resilience, creativity, and confidence. Todd shares what it was like growing up as a white kid in a predominantly Black neighborhood, and how this shaped his understanding of fear, identity, and emotional coping. He breaks down the science behind psychological flexibility, the misunderstood benefits of narcissism, and why “self-love” might be overrated. Follow Super Human Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/besuperhumanpod/ [https://www.instagram.com/besuperhumanpod/] Threads: https://www.threads.com/@besuperhumanpod [https://www.threads.com/@besuperhumanpod] X: https://x.com/BeSuperhumanPod [https://x.com/BeSuperhumanPod] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/podsuperhuman [https://www.facebook.com/podsuperhuman] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsuperhuman [https://www.tiktok.com/@podsuperhuman] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podsuperhuman [https://www.linkedin.com/company/podsuperhuman] Follow Ben: https://x.com/realbentauber [https://x.com/realbentauber] Follow Dilan: https://x.com/dilan [https://x.com/dilan] Listen to all episodes: https://www.besuperhumanpod.com/ [https://www.besuperhumanpod.com/] Follow Todd: https://x.com/toddkashdan [https://x.com/toddkashdan] Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro 01:06 – Growing up as a minority and the value of adversity 03:05 – Why “negative emotions” are essential for resilience 04:04 – The good side of narcissism 06:02 – How insecurity shapes the shell we build 07:50 – Body dysmorphia in men and boys 09:02 – Physical attractiveness bias and income 11:01 – Reinventing identity and social confidence 13:15 – The psychology behind self-improvement outcomes 14:30 – Self-love vs. self-growth: which comes first? 16:10 – The myth of loving yourself before taking action 16:30 – Michael Jordan and the power of negative motivation 18:17 – Learning to observe your thoughts 19:52 – Cognitive defusion: you are not your thoughts 21:10 – A tool for reframing self-defeating beliefs 22:33 – How mentors and friends help rewire self-appraisal 24:22 – Emotional roots of limiting beliefs 26:23 – Building psychological flexibility 27:03 – “I hate Jake” and how to create mental distance 29:02 – The role of wise counsel in personal growth 30:40 – Who belongs in your inner circle? 32:47 – Giving radical feedback and how to receive it 33:51 – How to speak truth without destroying trust 35:32 – Filtering for people with the right values and intellect 37:37 – Are we choosing friends that reflect who we want to be? 39:49 – Raising strong kids: independence vs. protection 42:04 – The hidden upside of twins (and chaos) 44:14 – Parenting with an older mindset and resources 46:10 – How becoming a parent expands your capacity for love 48:52 – Giving children agency and real-world skills 52:23 – Handling kids’ mistakes without losing trust 55:12 – The difference between safety and resilience 56:40 – Why discomfort is the antidote to anxiety 59:02 – How to create independent, emotionally strong adults 1:02:15 – The hidden role of discomfort in creativity 1:05:22 – The cognitive trap: why we think we are our thoughts 1:09:04 – Parenting, psychedelics, and the future of psychological freedom 1:14:35 – Final thoughts on living with purpose, curiosity, and courage

Twitch founder: secrets to happiness, success, society destabilizing, and how to scale

In this episode, the co-founder of Twitch and one of Silicon Valley’s most iconic builders shares the personal transformation that came after selling Twitch to Amazon for nearly a billion dollars, and realizing achievement doesn’t equal peace. Justin opens up about his childhood, the obsessive habits that shaped his discipline, and how he learned to build not just companies but communities and character. He breaks down the psychology behind taking action without fear, attracting world-class talent, and leading with trust. He also reveals how meditation, ayahuasca, and years of deep self-work reshaped his relationship with ambition, and why true success means serving others, not yourself. Follow Super Human Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/besuperhumanpod/ [https://www.instagram.com/besuperhumanpod/] Threads: https://www.threads.com/@besuperhumanpod [https://www.threads.com/@besuperhumanpod] X: https://x.com/BeSuperhumanPod [https://x.com/BeSuperhumanPod] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/podsuperhuman [https://www.facebook.com/podsuperhuman] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsuperhuman [https://www.tiktok.com/@podsuperhuman] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podsuperhuman [https://www.linkedin.com/company/podsuperhuman] Follow Ben: https://x.com/realbentauber [https://x.com/realbentauber] Follow Dilan: https://x.com/dilan [https://x.com/dilan] Listen to all episodes: https://www.besuperhumanpod.com/ [https://www.besuperhumanpod.com/] Follow Justin: https://x.com/justinkan [https://x.com/justinkan] Chapters 00:00 – Intro 01:00 – How Justin Kan’s mom shaped his discipline 03:00 – The childhood habit that made him obsessively productive 06:00 – Why he does everything immediately 08:00 – The origin of Justin’s extreme sense of agency 10:00 – Why he never fears failure 11:00 – The “satisficer” mindset that drives fast decision-making 13:00 – How to build faster by embracing imperfection 15:00 – Maximizers vs. satisficers in startup life 16:00 – Why partnering with opposites makes you stronger 18:00 – How Justin inspires people to follow his vision 20:00 – The psychology of leadership: making people feel needed 22:00 – Why optimism is Justin’s greatest advantage 24:00 – What he learned from his entrepreneurial mom 25:00 – The secret to community building and loyalty 27:00 – Why curiosity keeps him connected to everyone 29:00 – The inner transformation that redefined his purpose 31:00 – How childhood wounds drive overachievement 33:00 – The illusion of success and the ego trap 35:00 – Ayahuasca, meditation, and finding self-acceptance 38:00 – From ego to service: the new definition of winning 41:00 – How Justin now helps founders find peace and purpose 44:00 – Lessons for ambitious people chasing meaning

The Future of Aging: How Science Could Defeat Death

Most people accept aging as inevitable. Aubrey de Grey refuses to. In this episode, the world’s most recognized longevity scientist breaks down why aging is a solvable engineering problem — not a mystery of biology. Aubrey shares the moments that shaped his mission to defeat death, the science behind “longevity escape velocity,” and how AI breakthroughs like AlphaFold are accelerating humanity’s fight against aging. He also reveals what he actually does to stay biologically younger at 62 — from cutting-edge diagnostics to his take on rapamycin, plasma exchange, GLP-1s, and Brian Johnson’s Blueprint. If you’re a founder, technologist, or anyone fascinated by the future of the human body — this conversation will completely reframe how you think about aging, biology, and time itself. Most people accept aging as inevitable. Aubrey de Grey refuses to.In this episode, the world’s most recognized longevity scientist breaks down why aging is a solvable engineering problem - not a mystery of biology.Aubrey shares the moments that shaped his mission to defeat death, the science behind “longevity escape velocity”, and how AI breakthroughs like AlphaFold are accelerating humanity’s fight against aging.He also reveals what he actually does to stay biologically younger at 62 — from cutting-edge diagnostics to his take on rapamycin, plasma exchange, GLP-1s, and Brian Johnson’s Blueprint.If you’re a founder, technologist, or anyone fascinated by the future of the human body — this conversation will completely reframe how you think about aging, biology, and time itself. Follow Super Human Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/besuperhumanpod/} Threads: https://www.threads.com/@besuperhumanpodX: https://x.com/BeSuperhumanPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/podsuperhumanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsuperhuman LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/podsuperhuman Follow Ben: https://x.com/realbentauberFollow Dilan: https://x.com/dilan Listen to all episodes: https://www.besuperhumanpod.com/ Learn more about Aubrey de Grey:https://www.sens.org/ Chapters 00:00 – Intro01:00 – The childhood moment that defined Aubrey’s mission 03:00 – Why he chose science over entrepreneurship 06:00 – The dinner conversation that changed everything 08:00 – Why scientists ignored aging for decades 10:00 – The “Pro-Aging Trance”: why society fears immortality 13:00 – The illusion that death gives life meaning 15:00 – Why aging causes more suffering than anything else 17:00 – What “Longevity Escape Velocity” actually means 20:00 – How damage repair could stop aging altogether 24:00 – Can humans reach escape velocity by the 2030s? 27:00 – How AI, AlphaFold, and CRISPR accelerate longevity research 31:00 – Why AI still can’t replace lab work 34:00 – Aubrey’s personal longevity regimen at 62 37:00 – His take on biological age tests and measurement 40:00 – Hot or Not: Rapamycin, Metformin, Plasma Exchange, GLP-1s 45:00 – Sauna, cold plunge, and diet myths 49:00 – Why meal replacements might miss key nutrients 52:00 – How AI could uncover unknown molecules in our blood 56:00 – The most promising anti-aging therapies today 1:00:00 – Stem cell rejuvenation and the monkey experiment 1:04:00 – How stem cells can resist aging environments 1:08:00 – Why multiple breakthroughs—not one—will defeat aging 1:12:00 – The future of longevity research 1:18:00 – Final thoughts: living long enough to live forever

The future of Ibogaine: from healing PTSD to performance enhancemen

Most psychedelics last a few hours. Ibogaine lasts over 24 — and it might be one of the most powerful healing tools on Earth. In this episode, Trevor Millar — founder of Ambio Life Sciences and one of the leading voices in psychedelic medicine — reveals the extraordinary science and human stories behind ibogaine: a compound that’s helping veterans heal from PTSD and traumatic brain injury, ending opioid addiction overnight, and even showing promise for Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis. If you’re a founder, high performer, or simply curious about the future of consciousness and healing, this episode will expand your entire model of the human mind. Follow AGI: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/almostgotitpod/ [https://www.instagram.com/almostgotitpod/] Threads: https://www.threads.com/@almostgotitpod [https://www.threads.com/@almostgotitpod] X: https://x.com/AlmostGotItPod [https://x.com/AlmostGotItPod] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575768957008 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575768957008] TikTok: http://tiktok.com/almostgotitpod [http://tiktok.com/almostgotitpod] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/almostgotitpod [https://www.linkedin.com/company/almostgotitpod] Follow Ben: https://x.com/realbentauber [https://x.com/realbentauber] Follow Dilan: https://x.com/dilan [https://x.com/dilan] 🎧 Listen to all episodes: https://www.almostgotitpod.com/ [https://www.almostgotitpod.com/] Learn more about Trevor: https://ambio.life/ [https://ambio.life/] https://www.instagram.com/psychedelic_provider/ [https://www.instagram.com/psychedelic_provider/] https://www.instagram.com/ambiolifesciences/ [https://www.instagram.com/ambiolifesciences/] Chapters 00:00 – Intro 01:00 – Trevor’s first psychedelic experience 03:00 – What is ibogaine and where it comes from 05:00 – How ibogaine’s anti-addiction properties were discovered 08:00 – Trevor’s decade-long mission to help Vancouver’s poorest neighborhood 10:00 – The first ibogaine treatments — and dangerous mistakes 13:00 – What makes ibogaine different from other psychedelics 15:00 – The “dirty molecule” that heals the brain 18:00 – How ibogaine rewires brain waves like years of meditation 21:00 – The only clinic licensed to use natural iboga root 25:00 – Why spiritual doesn’t mean easy: early patient stories 28:00 – Inside Ambio’s 5-day ibogaine protocol 31:00 – Sweat lodges, breathwork, and preparation rituals 34:00 – Why ibogaine is called the hardest thing you’ll ever do 36:00 – Marcus Luttrell’s (Lone Survivor) ibogaine transformation 39:00 – How ibogaine interrupts negative patterns overnight 42:00 – The Stanford study that changed everything 46:00 – Brain scans that show TBI reversal 50:00 – What ibogaine does to PTSD, depression, and anxiety 54:00 – The truth about microdosing ibogaine 57:00 – Using ibogaine to treat Parkinson’s and MS 1:00:00 – The future: ibogaine for prevention and longevity 1:03:00 – Ibogaine as a performance enhancer 1:06:00 – Microdosing vs. the big dose: what’s the difference? 1:09:00 – Real stories that sound “too good to be true” 1:13:00 – Healing addiction without withdrawal 1:16:00 – From atheism to belief: ibogaine and the higher power 1:20:00 – How ibogaine awakens compassion and purpose 1:24:00 – The neuroscience of forgiveness 1:28:00 – What the ibogaine experience actually feels like 1:33:00 – The “gray day” and post-trip reintegration 1:36:00 – Why visions aren’t required for healing 1:39:00 – Will Silicon Valley CEOs start microdosing ibogaine? 1:42:00 – Intelligence, wisdom, and becoming superhuman 1:45:00 – Closing reflections