The Endless Pursuit of Progress - Sam Sulek - #994

Modern Wisdom

09/15/25

•

130m

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Sam Sulek is a professional bodybuilder and YouTuber.

From zero to millions of fans, Sam Sulek’s rise has been nothing short of explosive. In just a few years, he’s become one of social media’s most-watched and talked-about creators. Sit back as we dive into the story of the man behind some of the internet’s most beloved vlogs, fueled by hefty scoops of chicken and rice.

Expect to learn what Sam would be doing if he wasn’t doing fitness and bodybuilding, why so many people are drawn to Sam’s content and if he expected at all to become an ASMR channel, if there are any pressures to brand himself as anything different than his most authentic self, what Sam’s relationship with the mirror is like, if Sam has any concerns over longevity in his current pursuits, how to keep pushing even when motivation is low, Sam’s thoughts on science based lifting, Sam’s top 10 exercises of all time, and much more...

Timestamps:

(0:00) Where Would Sam Be Without Bodybuilding?

(6:56) Where Sam Finds His Inspiration

(17:56) How Sam Deals with Online Criticism

(27:39) How to Be Comfortable Living a Simple Life

(33:06) Why It’s Important to Stay Hungry for Success

(43:55) Sam’s Opinion on the Rise of Male Body Dysmorphia

(01:00:23) How Sam’s Perspective on Bodybuilding Changes

(01:11:20) How Sam Stays Driven and Disciplined

(01:26:56) Optimising Your Diet to Build Muscle

(01:36:43) What Diets Did Sam Follow to See Progress?

(01:45:24) Sam’s Thoughts on Evidence-Based Lifting

(01:55:37) If Sam Could Only Keep 10 Exercises

(02:08:57) What’s Next for Sam?

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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

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Previous Episode

A Controversial New Cure for Alcohol Dependence - Katie Herzog - #993

September 13, 2025

•

95m

Katie Herzog is a journalist, podcaster, and writer.

What does it take to get sober in today’s world? From traditional paths like AA to the grit of going cold turkey, the old methods of sobriety may no longer be enough. But what if counterintuitive, cutting-edge approaches, backed by modern science, offer new ways to manage alcohol use? And what does that say about the value of the old ways?

Expect to learn why drinking might be a viable route to going sober, why white knuckling alcohol isn’t a great option, If AA were invented today what methods would be its first step, the difference between getting sober and living sober, the different reasons people drink and the underlying reasons why people tend to drink more than others, advice for people who need to quit but don’t want to stop, and much more...

Timestamps:

(0:00) How Relationships to Alcohol Can Vary

(18:36) How Does Alcohol Addiction Manifest in the Brain?

(26:58) Building Good Habits to Break Bad Habits

(33:53) The History of Addiction Treatment

(47:58) Is Medication the Modern Cure for Alcohol Addiction?

(01:01:16) Why are Medical Professionals Still Hesitant About Addiction Medication?

(01:09:27) Changing Your Relationship to Alcohol

(01:22:03) Drinking Cultures are Changing Globally

(01:31:53) Find Out More About Katie

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% discount on all Gymshark’s products at https://gym.sh/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM10)

Get 15% off any Saily data plan at https://saily.com/modernwisdom

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

Born to Lie: How Humans Deceive Ourselves & Others - Lionel Page - #995

September 18, 2025

•

103m

Lionel Page is a professor at the University of Queensland and an author.

Why is human communication so complicated? For something we rely on every day, you’d think it would be simple, but language, tone, and context make it one of the most complex skills we have. So what makes communication so difficult, and what are some practical ways to get better at it?

Expect to learn just how much of our lives are filled with strategic games, what most people do not understand when they think about human reasoning, why human communication is so complex, why we rely so heavily on ambiguity and innuendo, if coalitions and social connection are so important why do some people feel tension socially, if democracy is better understood as a coalition game than a truth-seeking exercise, and much more...

Timestamps:

(0:00) What Do We Use Reason For?

(5:13) Why Do We Deceive Ourselves?

(15:11) Does Deception Damage Our Reputation?

(24:33) Why Social Games are Hard to Navigate

(34:05) The Sydney Sweeney Controversy

(39:37) How Venting Masks Judgement

(46:41) Communicating is More Complicated Than a Chess Game

(01:01:33) Why We Feel the Need to Belong

(01:13:49) Using Coalition Psychology to Understand Politics

(01:26:40) Are We Aware We’re Playing Psychological Games?

(01:39:38) Find Out More About Lionel