We picked up Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life because it had thousands of five-star reviews and a pretty cover. We are going to deliver our honest thoughts and criticisms on this book as we try to find what is useful, and what is filler.

In this episode of Learning To Live, we break down what ikigai actually is, why the book fails to deliver on its promise, and what the Blue Zones research actually tells us about longevity and fulfillment. We also get into the broader environmental issue facing people today, and our ideas on the first steps to make impactful change.

We hope you enjoy!

This episode, we're breaking down Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. Walker makes a pretty compelling case that sleep isn't just one of the health pillars, it's the foundation everything else is built on. We break down the most eye-opening stats and ideas from the book, including what drowsy driving actually costs, why alcohol is so much worse for sleep than people think, and what's really happening in your brain when you wake up and suddenly "get" a skill you were struggling with the night before.

We also get real about where we've been falling short. After a month of tracking, our sleep scores, consistency numbers, restorative sleep, HRV, and recovery are all on the table and most of them are not pretty. From social jet lag on the weekends to rooms that are too warm and too bright, we get into the actual reasons our sleep isn't where it needs to be. We also spend some time on our honest takes about the book itself, including where we think Walker overstates the science.

That brings us to the sleep challenge. Rigid bedtimes, consistent wake-up times, and Walker's 12 rules of sleep hygiene. Our goal: three consecutive nights of 100% sleep on the Whoop. If you're someone who's been brushing off your sleep, this one's for you.

Subscribe and give it a like if you enjoyed, thanks for watching!

In Episode 14 of Learning to Live, we record a message to our future selves.

Will this podcast still exist in 1 year? 5 years? 10 years?

We make predictions about our future careers, relationships, fitness, finances, YouTube growth, and what our daily lives might look like in 2036. Some of these predictions are wildly optimistic. Some are probably completely wrong. But that's the point.

This episode became an unexpected reflection on ambition, uncertainty, sacrifice, and what it means to pursue a dream when there are absolutely no guarantees it will work.

Along the way we discuss:

• Our predictions for the podcast's future

• Subscriber and episode count guesses for 1, 5, and 10 years

• What we're sacrificing in our early 20s to build something meaningful

• The loneliness of post-college life

• Fitness goals, personal challenges, and future aspirations

• Marriage, family, career, and where we hope life takes us

• The skills we want to learn before we're 33

• Our biggest fears about the future

Whether you're building something yourself, feeling uncertain about where life is headed, or just curious what two twenty-somethings think their future holds, this episode is for you.

The real question is: when we watch this back in 2036... how much of it will come true?

#LearningToLive #SelfImprovement #FutureSelf #PersonalGrowth #LifeGoals #Podcast #Motivation #TimeCapsule #Ambition #Purpose