Podcasts · Business · Education

The James Altucher Show

James Altucher

300 episodes

James Altucher interviews the world's leading peak performers in every area of life. But instead of giving you the typical success story, James digs deeper to find the "Choose Yourself" story - these are the moments we relate to... when someone rises up from personal struggle to reinvent themselves. The James Altucher Show brings you into the lives of peak-performers: billionaires, best-selling authors, rappers, astronauts, athletes, comedians, actors, and the world champions in every field, all who forged their own paths, found financial freedom and harnessed the power to create more meaningful and fulfilling lives.

Episodes page 2 of 6

  1. Keeping the Spark Alive – Long-Term & Aging (a/k/a How to Maintain Great Sex) | Dr. Nicole McNichols Part 3

    · 28 min · Episode 1381

    A Note from James: In the first two episodes with Dr. Nicole McNichols, we talked about chemistry, communication, anatomy, and the science of pleasure. This final episode is really about something deeper—how…

  2. The Science & Mechanics of Pleasure (a/k/a How to Have Great Sex) | Dr. Nicole McNichols Pt. 2

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 1380

    A Note from James: In the first episode with Dr. Nicole McNichols, we talked about chemistry, myths, and why communication matters more than performance. This episode goes deeper—into biology, anatomy, dopamine,…

  3. From the Archive: Ramit Sethi on Building a Rich Life, Dream Jobs & Online Businesses

    · 1 h 10 min · Episode 1379

    Episode Description: This archival conversation with Ramit Sethi is a masterclass in systems thinking, behavioral psychology, and building a “rich life” on your own terms. Long before online courses were mainstream,…

  4. What is Great Sex: Myths About Sex, and What Separates Good Sex and Bad Sex! | Dr. Nicole McNichols

    · 27 min · Episode 1378

    A Note from James: This might be the most useful episode I’ve ever done. Not that the others weren’t useful—they were—but this one goes above and beyond. It was also awkward for me, and honestly a little embarrassing,…

  5. From the Archive: Jocko Willink | Discipline Equals Freedom

    · 1 h 28 min · Episode 1377

    Episode Description: This was one of those interviews where James thought he was talking about leadership—and realized halfway through that he was really talking about responsibility. Jocko Willink doesn’t use…

  6. From the Archive: David Goggins - Embrace the Suck

    · 1 h 46 min · Episode 1376 · Explicit

    Episode Description: This was one of the most intense conversations James ever recorded. This archive conversation captures David Goggins at the moment Can’t Hurt Me was launching — before the mythology around him…

  7. From the Archive: Tim Ferriss on Possibility, Mentors, and the DISS Learning Framework

    · 1 h 35 min · Episode 1375

    Episode Description: This second installment of “From the Archive” returns to James’s early, unfiltered conversation with Tim Ferriss. They unpack how to market by creating newsworthy moments (including a frigid…

  8. Is Mind-Reading AI Coming Soon? My First Real AI Nervous Moment

    · 21 min · Episode 1374

    A Note from James: Data is oil. Data is the gold of this AI revolution. Imagine you have an AI that has all of everybody’s thoughts also—so it’s not just learning on tweets and texts, it’s learning on the 60,000 or so…

  9. Scott Adams: The Advice I Still Think About

    · 1 h 04 min · Episode 1373

    A Note from James: You know, I’ve known Scott Adams for probably 12 or 13 years. He was one of the first guests on this podcast, and he’s the creator of Dilbert, which was my favorite cartoon strip for decades. But…

  10. From the Archive: Sara Blakely on Fear, Failure, and the First Big Win

    · 1 h 13 min · Episode 1372

    Episode Description: To launch our “From the Archive” series, James revisits his candid talk with Sara Blakely about turning fear into fuel, reframing failure, and selling a simple product with language and grit.…

  11. Why Peter Thiel’s Founder Rules Keep Paying Off

    · 1 h 04 min · Episode 1371

    A Note from James: One of my favorite conversations on this show was with Peter Thiel. Yes—PayPal, Facebook, Palantir, and a dozen other hits. I first ran this episode years ago, and the advice still holds up. The…

  12. “If You’re Still Trying to Be Rational Now, You’re Crazy:” Comedian Tim Dillon on Being Informed vs. Being Ignorant

    · 1 h 45 min · Episode 1370

    A Note from James: Tim Dillon is crazy—in the best way. Not “institution” crazy. Crazy smart. Years ago he told me things about Epstein, hustle culture, and how the world really works that felt outlandish then and…

  13. How to Challenge Moon Landing Hoax Theories: Insights from Brian Keating

    · 1 h 00 min · Episode 1369

    James brings back astrophysicist Brian Keating for a practical takedown of moon-landing conspiracy claims—and a wider lesson in how to reason when everyone has a microphone. From the Van Allen belts to “the flag…

  14. Digital Social Hour Podcast by Sean Kelly: Why Gen Z Might Be the Most Talented Generation in History

    · 53 min · Episode 1368

    Today, we're sharing the recent episode of the Digital Social Hour Podcast by Sean Kelly. James Altucher joins the show to break down why the 10,000-hour rule is a myth, how to cheat your way into the top 1%, why…

  15. How AI Will Change Hollywood Forever: Tye Sheridan & Nikola Todorovic on AI, VFX, and the Future of Filmmaking

    · 59 min · Episode 1367

    A Note from James: Tye Sheridan is one of my favorite actors. You might know him as Cyclops in the X-Men movies (Apocalypse, etc.) or as the lead in Ready Player One—which is not only a great movie but also one of my…

  16. AI That Helps, Schools That Don’t, and How Not to Go Crazy with Prof. Brian Keating

    · 1 h 38 min · Episode 1366

    Episode Description: James sits down with astrophysicist Brian Keating for a candid, useful tour through three hot zones: how to think about AI (and where it actually helps), what’s broken in higher ed and admissions…

  17. Kent Heckenlively on Catastrophic Disclosure: UFO Whistleblowers, Government Spin, and James’s 85% Rule

    · 57 min · Episode 1365

    A Note from James: Are UFOs real or not? For 80 years there have been credible whistleblowers saying the government recovered craft—and even bodies. That’s why I wanted Kent Heckenlively on, the author of Catastrophic…

  18. Wisdom Takes Work: Ryan Holiday on What AI Can’t Teach You

    · 59 min · Episode 1364

    A Note from James: Wisdom Takes Work is Ryan Holiday’s fourth book exploring the Stoic virtues, and this time he’s taking on the big one — wisdom. His earlier books on courage, temperance, and justice were all great…

  19. Jeff Pearlman on Tupac Shakur: The Myths, the Music, and the Man Behind the Legend

    · 51 min · Episode 1363

    A Note from James Tupac Shakur—one of the greatest rap artists ever—was shot and killed almost two decades ago. What else is there left to say about him? What new things can be said? Well, Jeff Pearlman’s new book,…

  20. Former FBI Agent, Eric O’Neill on Spies, Lies, and the Cyber Wars We’re Already Losing

    · 55 min · Episode 1362

    A Note from James Oh my gosh—I was scared after this one. In this episode, I learned about what’s really on the dark web… and the even scarier stuff on what’s called the deep web. Eric O’Neill—who, by the way, is the…

  21. I Know that She Knows that I Know that She Knows: Steven Pinker on the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 1361

    A Note from James I first got really impressed with Steven Pinker when he wrote The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined. He basically shows that over the past 10,000 years, every single century has…

  22. Obsession, Secrets, and Sleight of Hand: Inside the Hidden World of Modern Magicians with Ian Frisch

    · 1 h 21 min · Episode 1360

    A Note from James I’ve always loved books where a journalist gets so deep into a subculture that they become part of it. Magic Is Dead by Ian Frisch is one of those. He starts out covering a secret society of…

  23. Morgan Housel on The Art of Spending Money and Why Independence Is the Real Luxury

    · 1 h 06 min · Episode 1359

    A Note from James I’m such a fan of this guy. I loved The Psychology of Money — it felt like he was writing directly about me. I’ve made a lot of money, lost it all, made it again, lost it again. Over and over. And…

  24. Confronting Evil with Bill O’Reilly

    · 34 min · Episode 1358

    A Note from James: Bill O’Reilly’s new book, Confronting Evil, is both a history lesson and a warning. It’s a study of the most destructive figures in human history—from Hitler, Stalin, and Mao to Genghis Khan,…

  25. Built for Growth with Miesha Tate: James Altucher on Ideas, Obsession, and Fulfillment

    · 1 h 37 min · Episode 1357

    A Note from James Miesha Tate is one of my favorite people in the world. She’s an incredible athlete—the ultimate fighting champion of the planet at one point—but more than that, she’s someone who’s turned struggle,…

  26. Dark Squares: Danny Rensch on Chess, Cults, and Finding Purpose

    · 2 h 00 min · Episode 1356

    A Note from James This might be the most insane chess story I’ve ever heard—not even really a chess story, but a cult story. It’s wild, intense, and ultimately inspiring. Danny Rensch grew up in a cult in Arizona. At…

  27. Finding Connection in a Divided World with 'Super Communicator' Charles Duhigg

    · 38 min · Episode 1355

    A Note from James I’m really concerned about the level of discourse in this country. It’s almost a cliché to say that now, but especially after the Charlie Kirk assassination, the division feels overwhelming. I even…

  28. Inside the Cartel: The Longest Undercover FBI Operation with Martin Suarez and Ian Frisch

    · 56 min · Episode 1354

    A Note from James This is a crazy story. Martin Suarez holds the record for the longest continuous undercover assignment in FBI history. He went undercover as a cartel drug lord—smuggling billions of dollars’ worth of…

  29. [Bonus] Brian Keating on Humility, Chutzpah, and the Arrow of Time

    · 16 min · Episode 1353 · Bonus

    Episode Description Right after wrapping up their main conversation, James and Brian hit record again for a bonus session. What came out is an unfiltered talk on humility, arrogance, and the strange mix of traits…

  30. How to Focus Like a Nobel Prize Winner with Prof. Brian Keating

    · 1 h 10 min · Episode 1353

    Episode Description James sits down once again with cosmologist Brian Keating—longtime friend of the show and author of Into the Impossible: Focus Like a Nobel Prize Winner. In this candid conversation, they challenge…

  31. From Deep Blue to Bittensor — Why Subnets Are the Next Internet Boom

    · 1 h 23 min · Episode 1352

    A Note from James I’ve been on and off writing. From 2004 to 2021, I wrote one to two books a year, without fail. Since then, nothing. But I’ve been working on an idea: obsession. When I’m not obsessed, I can’t do…

  32. Rick Harrison: The Pawn Business, Hidden Histories, and the Best Model in Banking

    · 27 min · Episode 1351

    A Note from James The man, the myth, the legend—Rick Harrison. You know him as the star of Pawn Stars, the reality show based on the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. The show has been running for over 21 seasons,…

  33. From Zero to World-Class: Tristan de Montebello on the Art of Public Speaking

    · 1 h 54 min · Episode 1350

    A Note from James I’m honored to have today’s guest: Tristan de Montebello, a finalist in the World Championship of Public Speaking. He also co-founded UltraSpeaking (ultraspeaking.com/james), where he teaches…

  34. Astro Teller on Moonshots, Self-Driving Cars, and the Future of Innovation

    · 1 h 00 min · Episode 1349

    A Note from James What does it take to make a discovery that changes the world? Think about landing on the moon — a true moonshot. Along the way, countless technologies were invented that reshaped life back on Earth.…

  35. Matt Smith: Rethinking College with “The Preparation”

    · 1 h 02 min · Episode 1348

    A Note from James There’s always been debate about whether college is worth it. But what if there’s a better alternative—one that actually prepares you to become the person you want to be? My good friend Matt Smith…

  36. Case Kenny: Stop “Settling Down” and Start “Settling Up”

    · 40 min · Episode 1347

    Episode Description James sits down with Case Kenny, author of The Opposite of Settling and host of New Mindset, Who Dis?, to talk about how our expectations around relationships shape the way we date and commit. Case…

  37. Will Bittensor be Bigger than Bitcoin? | The TAO Pod

    · 1 h 21 min · Episode 1346

    Episode Description: Hosted by James Altucher (serial entrepreneur, bestselling author of "Choose Yourself," podcaster, hedge fund manager, chess master, and investor in over 20 companies, with expertise in crypto and…

  38. $100K Scam Story: How to Spot Con Artists with Johnathan Walton's Red Flags

    · 1 h 12 min · Episode 1345

    A Note from James: "Anatomy of a Con Artist. The 14 red flags to spot scammers, grifters, and thieves". This is a book—an amazing book—by Johnathan Walton. Check out his podcast Queen of the Con, and his new one…

  39. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and AI: James Altucher on Smart Humans with Slava Rubin

    · 47 min · Episode 1344

    A Note from James: I was honored to be on the Smart Humans Podcast. I’m a big fan of the show, and I was happy they asked me on—especially since I got to talk about things I don’t usually cover here. We discussed my…

  40. Stoicism with Ryan Holiday - Part 2

    · 40 min · Episode 1343

    A Note from James: We kept recording because the conversation wasn’t done. Part 1 was about writing and honesty. Part 2? It’s about consequences—what happens when people believe their own hype, when we confuse being…

  41. Stoicism with Ryan Holiday - Part 1

    · 40 min · Episode 1342

    A Note from James: Ryan Holiday is one of the few writers I consider a peer—not just because of the work he’s done, but because of the choices he's made along the way. We’ve both published a lot of books. We've both…

  42. Crazy Finance: Episode 2 - Is College Still Worth It?

    · 25 min · Episode 1341

    A Note from James: When I first said that college was a scam, people thought I was joking—or worse. But I wasn’t. If you’re 18 and listening to this, don’t go to college. And if you’re a parent, don’t send your kid…

  43. Crazy Finance: Episode 1 – Why Buying a House Might Be the Worst Financial Decision

    · 25 min · Episode 1340

    A Note from James: Owning a home has been sold to us as the American dream. But what if it's actually a financial nightmare? In this episode, I talk with my friend Doug Hill about why I think buying a house is a bad…

  44. Michelin Stars, Tragedy, and the Discipline to Be Great | Chef Curtis Duffy

    · 58 min · Episode 1339

    A Note from James: So Chef Curtis Duffy—he’s won Michelin Stars, a James Beard Award. He’s been on Netflix’s Iron Chef, was a judge on Top Chef season 21, and he’s even shown up in The Bear. He runs the Chicago…

  45. How UFC Champion Miesha Tate Overcame Rock Bottom with a Resilient Mindset

    · 1 h 13 min · Episode 1338

    A Note from James: Miesha Tate—at first, I’ve got to admit, I didn’t know much about UFC or MMA. But Miesha was the World Bantamweight Champion, and she fought Ronda Rousey—probably the most famous female fighter in…

  46. The Secret of Dave Barry’s Humor: Class Clown Memoir and Florida Tales

    · 49 min · Episode 1337

    A Note from James: One of the funniest guys I’ve ever spoken to—Dave Barry. I always love talking to him. He’s been America’s top humorist since the early ’80s with a syndicated column in 500 newspapers and a long…

  47. How Chess Saved Danny Rensch’s Life: From Cult Roots to Chess.com’s Success

    · 28 min · Episode 1336

    Notes from James: I had no idea this conversation would go where it did. I thought we’d talk chess. Instead, we talked about life, trauma, manipulation, redemption… and how one of the world’s most popular games can be…

  48. The Stoic Capitalist: How Rational Thinking Creates Success | Robert Rosenkranz

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 1335

    A Note from James: Man, what a fascinating career Robert Rosenkranz has had—multi-billionaire, involved in virtually every part of finance and American industry. He wrote a book called The Stoic Capitalist, and what…

  49. How to Master Anything—at Any Age: Lessons from World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand

    · 24 min · Episode 1334

    Notes from James: When I turned 40, I was depressed. I checked the top 50 chess players and saw only one person around my age: Viswanathan Anand. That moment gave me hope. Episode Description: I met one of my…

  50. Gary Vaynerchuk: The Brutal Blueprint for Real Freedom

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 1333

    A Note from James: So I’ve been doing this podcast for a long time—over 1500 episodes—and I’ve spoken to everyone from billionaires to best-selling authors, athletes to entrepreneurs. But there are a handful of…

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