How to Best Guide Your Life Decisions & Path | Dr. Jordan Peterson

12/30/24 • 231 min

6 Listeners

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Jordan Peterson, Ph.D., psychologist, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, best-selling author, and prominent online educator. We discuss the biology of human emotions and motivations, healthy versus destructive impulses, addictions, and generative drives. Topics include how brain states shape decision-making—for better or worse—and how religion and culture can guide us toward and through the best paths in life.

We also explore the innate human drive to create "impact at a distance" and how it influences social interactions, educational pursuits, career choices, and relationships. Additional subjects include morality, social media, politics, the human appetite for drama, and the importance of embracing responsibility as a form of adventure to avoid wasting time.

Listeners will gain practical knowledge from psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, and religion.

Read the full show notes at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman

David: https://davidprotein.com/huberman

Levels: https://levels.link/huberman

ROKA: https://roka.com/huberman

Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Timestamps

00:00:00 Dr. Jordan Peterson

00:02:32 Sponsors: David & Levels

00:05:19 Brain, Impulses, Integration, Personalities

00:14:08 Personalities, Motivation

00:18:18 Context & Children; Religion, Motivation & Personality

00:24:08 Hypothalamus, Context, Maturation

00:29:46 Psychopathy, Kids & Aggressive Behavior & Socialization

00:33:37 Polytheistic & Monotheistic Religions; Rage, Sociopathy & Addiction

00:41:05 Sponsors: AG1 & ROKA

00:43:58 Belief in God, Addiction

00:50:34 Pornography, Dopamine, Processed Foods

00:56:20 Clean Diet, Satiety; Fundamental Pleasures, Food, Sexuality

01:04:44 Power, Target, Sin

01:06:46 Sponsor: Function

01:08:33 Abraham; Call to Adventure, Success, Respect, Community

01:21:30 Wisdom, Noah; Religion, Incentive Structure & Motivation

01:26:52 Dopamine & Target, Sin; Frontal Eye Fields

01:31:59 Meta-Target & Goals, Sermon on the Mount; Fears

01:40:36 Sponsor: LMNT

01:41:51 Ultimate vs. Local Victory, Pearl of Great Price

01:45:05 Time Scales & Rewards; Entropy, Dopamine & Goals

01:51:20 Pornography, Effortless Gratification; Revelation & Sexuality Demise

02:02:33 Adventure & Responsibility, Sacrifice; Tool: Ordering Room

02:12:02 Storytelling, Science, Career Advancement, Pursuing Truth

02:23:46 Abraham & Adventure; Purposeful Satisfaction, Podcast

02:28:13 Finding Your Calling, Tools: Calling & Conscience; Creating Order

02:35:06 Order vs. Chaos; Public Shootings, Narcissism

02:40:16 Long-Term Goals, Pursuit, Curiosity, Commitment

02:45:43 Finding Purpose, Tool: Fixing Messes; Conscience & Voice of Divine

02:54:26 Prayer, Aim, Revelation; Thought

03:00:34 Religion, Common Themes

03:10:55 Psychoanalytical Traditions; Play

03:19:23 Play; Humor, Discourse, Alternative Media

03:27:18 Democrats, Republicans; Fear & Growth

03:34:59 Tour, Peterson Academy, YouTube, Cancel Culture

03:48:30 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

Disclaimer & Disclosures

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners will gain practical knowledge from psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, and religion.

Read the full show notes at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman

David: https://davidprotein.com/huberman

Levels: https://levels.link/huberman

ROKA: https://roka.com/huberman

Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Timestamps

00:00:00 Dr. Jordan Peterson

00:02:32 Sponsors: David & Levels

00:05:19 Brain, Impulses, Integration, Personalities

00:14:08 Personalities, Motivation

00:18:18 Context & Children; Religion, Motivation & Personality

00:24:08 Hypothalamus, Context, Maturation

00:29:46 Psychopathy, Kids & Aggressive Behavior & Socialization

00:33:37 Polytheistic & Monotheistic Religions; Rage, Sociopathy & Addiction

00:41:05 Sponsors: AG1 & ROKA

00:43:58 Belief in God, Addiction

00:50:34 Pornography, Dopamine, Processed Foods

00:56:20 Clean Diet, Satiety; Fundamental Pleasures, Food, Sexuality

01:04:44 Power, Target, Sin

01:06:46 Sponsor: Function

01:08:33 Abraham; Call to Adventure, Success, Respect, Community

01:21:30 Wisdom, Noah; Religion, Incentive Structure & Motivation

01:26:52 Dopamine & Target, Sin; Frontal Eye Fields

01:31:59 Meta-Target & Goals, Sermon on the Mount; Fears

01:40:36 Sponsor: LMNT

01:41:51 Ultimate vs. Local Victory, Pearl of Great Price

01:45:05 Time Scales & Rewards; Entropy, Dopamine & Goals

01:51:20 Pornography, Effortless Gratification; Revelation & Sexuality Demise

02:02:33 Adventure & Responsibility, Sacrifice; Tool: Ordering Room

02:12:02 Storytelling, Science, Career Advancement, Pursuing Truth

02:23:46 Abraham & Adventure; Purposeful Satisfaction, Podcast

02:28:13 Finding Your Calling, Tools: Calling & Conscience; Creating Order

02:35:06 Order vs. Chaos; Public Shootings, Narcissism

02:40:16 Long-Term Goals, Pursuit, Curiosity, Commitment

02:45:43 Finding Purpose, Tool: Fixing Messes; Conscience & Voice of Divine

02:54:26 Prayer, Aim, Revelation; Thought

03:00:34 Religion, Common Themes

03:10:55 Psychoanalytical Traditions; Play

03:19:23 Play; Humor, Discourse, Alternative Media

03:27:18 Democrats, Republicans; Fear & Growth

03:34:59 Tour, Peterson Academy, YouTube, Cancel Culture

03:48:30 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

Disclaimer & Disclosures

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Previous Episode

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Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes (approximately 30 minutes) focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past Huberman Lab episodes. Essentials will be released every Thursday, and our full-length episodes will still be released every Monday.

Read the full show notes at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman

David: https://davidprotein.com/huberman

BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/huberman

Timestamps

00:00:00 Huberman Lab Essentials; Learning

00:01:29 Representational Plasticity, Performance Errors

00:03:16 Neuroplasticity, Neurotransmitters

00:05:03 Sponsor: AG1

00:06:11 Visual Adaptation, Children vs. Adults

00:10:23 Errors, Frustration & Neuroplasticity, Adult Learning

00:14:13 Adults, Incremental Shifts vs. High Contingency; Tool: Small Learning Bouts

00:18:43 Sponsor: David

00:20:00 Tool: Ultradian Cycles, Focus, Errors & Frustration

00:22:08 Dopamine, Errors & Subjective Beliefs; Peak Focus; Tool: Frustration

00:25:56 Sponsor: BetterHelp

00:27:02 Limbic Friction; Tool: Behaviors to Increase Alert or Calm

00:30:43 Balance, Errors & Neurotransmitters

00:33:28 Tool: Enhance Neuroplasticity; Movement

Disclaimer & Disclosures

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Next Episode

Essentials: Optimize Your Learning & Creativity With Science-Based Tools

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explain how to boost creativity and enhance learning by aligning with the body’s natural rhythms and strategically using protocols to optimize states of alertness or calm.

I outline tools to improve focus and learning, including when to use specific techniques based on the time of day and how to adjust focus and tasks according to energy levels. I also discuss the two essential components of creativity and explain how to structure productive, creative work sessions. By combining biological tools — such as exercise, meals, hydration, and sleep — with subjective methods like music, I demonstrate how to tailor your approach to align with your unique biological rhythms and individual goals, fostering greater creativity and learning.

Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes, approximately 30 minutes, focused on key scientific and protocol takeaways from past Huberman Lab episodes. Essentials are released every Thursday, while full-length episodes continue to be released every Monday.

Read the full show notes at hubermanlab.com.