The 8 best motivational podcasts

The cold winter season is coming, so why not take advantage of the extra time we will be spending indoors to engage in podcast listening? The supply of online content is now almost endless, given the ease with which independent authors can create and share their ideas and opinions. Everyone, with enough time and resources, could create their own podcast and upload it online. By now, dozens of websites offer specific services to creators, from Audible and Apple Podcasts to Spotify and Google to sites traditionally used for sharing music such as YouTube and Soundcloud.

In this article, I wanted to group together what I think are the 8 best motivational podcasts available to the public – hoping that I can in some way help you in your choices as you search for ways to accomplish your life goals and to relate better to both yourself and the people around you. I have tried to include podcasters with a variety of backgrounds who cater to a wide audience, to try to meet all needs, from mindfulness and meditation techniques to podcasts that will help you excel in the business field. Podcasts range in length from a few minutes to an hour, perfect for listening in the car, on public transportation, or while working out at the gym or walking outdoors.

1. The Science of Success

“The Science of Success is #1 The Evidence Based Growth Podcast now with more than 4 million downloads and listeners in over 100 countries”. Science meets psychology in Matt Bodnar’s weekly podcast. Guests of the podcast include neuropsychologists and professionals of all kinds, from entrepreneurs to mindfulness gurus. Matt and his guests explore new and old ways of improving decision-making skills, and how having even a basic understanding of psychology can help us become a better version of ourselves.

2. TED Talks Health

Everyone has heard of TED Talks before, right? TED began in the mid-80s as a conference for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, and it has since become a world sensation. Ted Talks usually consist of small speeches and presentations meant to offer ideas, inventions, researches, and discoveries to the public. TED Talk guests feature world-leading experts on a plethora of topics, from economics to environmental issues.

3. Happier with Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen Rubin is considered to be one of the world’s experts on happiness, she is known for having written books that have sold more than two million copies. Four of her books, The Four Tendencies, Better Than Before, The Happiness Project, and Happier at Home are New York Time Bestsellers and have captured the attention of thousands of readers in the last years. Rubin managed to successfully spin her books into a podcast that tackles topics ranging from small daily sources of happiness to bigger existential dilemmas.

4. Therapy for Black Girls

“The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast” is a weekly chat about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves.“. Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed Psychologist based in Atlanta, aims to create an accessible and relevant space for black women to seek help and discuss mental issues that might be not taken care of, due to the social stigma that often comes with it.

5. The One You Feed

“There are two wolves, and they are always fighting. One is darkness and despair, the other light and hope. Which one wins?” A Cherokee quote that perfectly encapsulates Eric Zimmer’s Podcast, the one you feed. This pod features different topics and guests, heavily influenced by the host’s past struggle with depression, anxiety, and addiction, the open-minded discussions focus on how to deal with life’s challenges through good habits and mindfulness. In short, Eric tries to provide the listeners with the tools they need to feed the good wolf, not the bad one.

6. How to Fail with Elizabeth Day

Failure and loss are a part of life, saying otherwise would be delusional, wouldn’t it? By analyzing failures and giving them a new purpose, Elizabeth Day and her weekly guests teach us how to accept that in life sometimes things just are not the way we wanted them to be and that it’s okay.

7. How to Save a Planet

A podcast by scientists Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Alex Blumberg. In the featured podcast, the two scientists discuss and get to the bottom of issues around the environment and climate change, offering food for thought and hope for a greener, more sustainable future, and how to get there.

8. I Do Podcast

Who can know better about marriage and familiar issues than a married couple with children? The I Do podcast features more about marriage than a couple. Hosted by Chase Kosterlitz and produced by Sarah Kosterlitz, a married couple with children, this podcast offers support and advice to young and older couples on how to create a healthy relationship and get it going through the years.

In conclusion, this is my selection of the top 8 podcasts for personal growth, ranging from interviews with business experts to psychology and meditation. All you have to do is choose the one that’s right for you and click play. The hardest step is always the first one.