Exercise Scientist’s Masterclass On Motivation, Habits & Discipline - Dr Mike Israetel - #970

Modern Wisdom

07/21/25

•

139m

About

Comments

Featured In

Dr Mike Israetel is a Professor of Exercise and Sport Science at Lehman College and the Co-Founder of Renaissance Periodization.

How do you boost motivation and actually follow through on the things you know you should do, but don’t feel like doing? The answer isn’t more stimulants, thankfully, it’s something far more grounded in neuroscience and behaviour. Today, Dr Mike Israetel breaks down the science of willpower in a way that works for the average person and can even help make your daily life much more productive.

Expect to learn the science behind willpower, habits & motivation, the de facto two kinds of things you should be doing with your time, how to know when its time to do things you actually feel like doing versus making yourself do things you don’t feel like doing, how to integrate habits that improve your life and get rid of the ones that don’t serve you, how to improve your willpower, how to become more antifragile and build your resilience, and much more...

Timestamps:

(0:00) Why Willpower is Such a Buzzing Topic

(5:01) Things You Feel Like Doing vs Things You Don't Feel Like Doing

(15:14) The Importance of Inspiration When Getting Things Done

(24:22) We Need To Say Yes to More Experiences

(42:09) The Key to Choosing Concrete Goals

(51:03) Intention is Critical to Success

(01:02:27) Discipline Looks Like Holding Yourself Accountable

(01:17:58) The Biggest Mistakes When Making Habits

(01:36:47) What Decisions Can Make Our Habits Stick?

(01:47:20) How Can Rest and Recovery Enhance Habits, Goals and Willpower?

(02:08:23) Building Resilience Through the Process of Becoming

Sponsors:

See me on tour in America: ⁠https://chriswilliamson.live⁠

See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals

Get 10% off Echo’s Hydrogen Flask at https://echowater.com/modernwisdom

Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom

Get the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom

Get 5 Free Travel Packs, Free Liquid Vitamin D, and more from AG1 at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom

Extra Stuff:

Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books

Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom

Episodes You Might Enjoy:

#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠⁠

#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠⁠

#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠

Get In Touch:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast

Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact

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

Previous Episode

How To Protect & Improve Your Fertility As A Man - Dr Michael Eisenberg - #969

July 19, 2025

•

64m

Dr Michael Eisenberg is a professor of Urology at Stanford, a urologic surgeon, and a leading expert in male fertility and reproductive medicine.

It's no secret that global population decline is accelerating, but what's driving it? Male fertility might be a major piece of the puzzle. So why are so many men struggling with infertility and low testosterone, and what can be done to reverse it?

Expect to learn why global sperm counts have declined by over 50% in the last 40 years, what the biggest determining factors that influence a man’s sperm quality is, what men should do if they want to improve their sperm quality, what the relationship between age and fertility is for men and when fertility starts to drop off, if there is a relationship between sperm quality and there a relationship between alcohol, marijuana, smoking & vaping, what men can do to improve their testosterone, and much more...

Timestamps:

(0:00) Why The Global Sperm Count Is Declining (7:11) How Is Sperm Count Measured? (18:24) The Impact Of Varicoceles On Fertility (27:01) How Can Men Optimise The Quality Of Their Sperm? (33:47) New Technology Changing Fertility Rates (38:26) Is Testosterone Lowering Sperm Counts? (41:52) Is Porn Affecting Erections? (55:30) The Peak Fertility Checklist (01:01:16) Find Out More About Michael

Sponsors:

See me on tour in America: ⁠https://chriswilliamson.live⁠

See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals

Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom

Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular Flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom

Extra Stuff:

Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books

Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom

Episodes You Might Enjoy:

#577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠⁠

#712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠⁠

#700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠

Get In Touch:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast

Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact

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

Next Episode

13 Semi-Controversial Truths About Masculinity - Adam Lane Smith - #971

July 24, 2025

•

85m

Adam Lane Smith is a psychotherapist and an author.

Are men the problem? In a time when blame is easily assigned, it’s worth asking whether men need to re-examine how they show up in the world, including their values, behavior, & accountability. In doing so, they might uncover surprising ways to help heal much of what’s broken.

Expect to learn why so many high performing men have avoidant attachment styles, why choosing the wrong women is one of the most important decisions you can make in your life, what the biggest issues with modern dating are, why validation might be more important than love in a relationship, how to break out of the friendzone, why we need to stop comforting men to death, and much more...

Timestamps:

(0:00) What Choosing the Wrong Woman Looks Like

(7:25) What is Happening with Oxytocin in Modern Men?

(11:16) Why Successful Men are Failing in Relationships

(17:05) How Masculinity is Changing

(30:40) Why Validation Makes Men Feel Shame

(40:23) Masculine Role Models are a Double-Edged Sword

(46:27) Why Do Women Choose Jerks Over Nice Guys?

(52:18) Men are Trying to Protect Knowledge on Masculinity

(01:01:34) Why are Men Running From Themselves?

(01:09:25) Why Marriages Need a Purpose

(01:15:03) We Need to Be More Serious and Earnest