Episode Details

Can you truly break through your own limitations and achieve what seems impossible? Today, I sit down with my friend Nir Eyal, the author of three bestselling books, including his latest, *Beyond Belief*, which just hit the New York Times bestseller list. Nir recently blew my mind when he told me he doesn't "believe in jet lag" after flying from Europe to Asia, and that was just the appetizer for our conversation. In his typical science-backed style, Nir reveals the surprising research behind why some people persist where others quit, and how our beliefs—not always our circumstances—are often the key to unlocking our full potential. He shares practical, data-driven strategies I'm already applying in my own life and creative work, and I think you will too.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:26 Belief and Placebos

05:25 Why Placebo Effect is Getting Stronger

06:59 When Pain is Not Suffering

10:10 Hypnosedation and Unlocking Potential

15:35 Applying Beliefs to Creative Process

19:10 Chasing Happiness vs. Decreasing Suffering

21:47 Why Positive Thinking Can Be Harmful

26:34 Applying Belief-Shifting to Relationships

31:03 Changing Your Mind and Beliefs

35:35 Belief Problems, Not People Problems

37:25 High Expectations, Low Control Leads to Burnout

40:03 Internal vs. External Locus of Control

44:27 The Rat Experiment and Persistence

47:47 What's Next for Nir Eyal

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Learn more about the podcast: https://nathanbarry.com/show

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Kit: https://www.kit.com

Follow Nir:

Website: https://www.nirandfar.com

X: https://twitter.com/nireyal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nireyal

Beyond Belief: https://www.nirandfar.com/beyondbelief

Featured in this episode:

Kit: https://www.kit.com

Beyond Belief: https://www.nirandfar.com/beyondbelief

Highlights:

01:31 – How belief separates suffering from symptoms

06:17 – Why I don't want to hear about side effects

15:06 – How I stopped suffering in my creative process

25:29 – Visualizing how to deal with discomfort

30:39 – Who I become when I hold onto a belief

38:40 – Formula for burnout: high expectations, low control

44:45 – How a change in belief increased a rat's persistence