About this episode

Shawn Achor discusses the powerful role of beliefs in shaping our lives and perceptions.

Shawn Achor is a Harvard-trained positive psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and one of the world's leading researchers on happiness and human potential. In this conversation, we explore why beliefs may be far more powerful than we realise, how they shape perception before we are even aware of them, and why some people continue to find possibility when the odds seem stacked against them. Shawn explains why AI can calculate probabilities but can never believe you'll beat them, how social support literally changes the way we see challenges, and why the most dangerous belief a person can hold is that their behaviour doesn't matter. We also discuss the surprising science behind placebo effects, trauma, ageing, loneliness, meaning, religion, Michael Jordan's rituals, Roger Bannister's four-minute mile, fake surgery studies, why modern life can leave us untethered, and the profound role beliefs play in shaping the trajectory of our lives. This was one of the most thought-provoking conversations we've ever had, and I hope you enjoy it. Timestamps: 00:00 – Why Is Changing Ourselves So Difficult? 01:59 – AI Can Predict the Odds, But It Can't Believe You'll Beat Them 03:20 –…

More episodes of Freedom Pact | Joseph and Lewis

• #427: John Butler - The Wisdom of an 89-Year-Old on Life, Love, and Death · July 12, 2026 · 45 min
• #426: Dr. Caroline Leaf - Why We Need to Rethink Anxiety, Depression & Mental Health · July 8, 2026 · 48 min
• #425: Robert Greene - The Truth About Power, Seduction & Mastery · June 28, 2026 · 1h 41m
• #424: Angelo Somers - The Hidden Motivations Behind Everything We Do · June 21, 2026 · 50 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Freedom Pact | Joseph and Lewis podcast page.