Ask Mark Anything: Live from Australia

Australia, you absolute legends. Back in November, I did a speaking tour across seven cities, talking to thousands of you about life, purpose, relationships, and why giving fewer fucks is the key to actually living a life you don’t hate. We recorded some of the best Q&A moments to share with you here on the podcast. We diving into the big existential stuff—how to stop procrastinating, how to know if a relationship is right for you, and whether Australia’s ban on social media for kids is actually a good thing or not. We’ll also talk about the brutal truth behind imposter syndrome, how to stop caring so much about what other people think, and one thing that actually helps you figure out what the hell you should be doing with your life. Plus, I’ll share some hard-earned wisdom on drinking, quitting, and why people stay in bad relationships way too long. So if you’ve ever felt stuck, lost, or just overwhelmed by the sheer absurdity of life, this one’s for you. Hit play and let’s get into it. Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: https://markmanson.net/breakthrough Follow me https://instagram.com/markmanson/ https://twitter.com/IAmMarkManson https://facebook.com/Markmansonnet/ https://linkedin.com/in/markmanson/ https://www.tiktok.com/@iammarkmanson Chapters 00:00 Mark goes down under 02:10 How do you discover what truly matters to you? 03:45 How can I stop procrastinating so much? 07:26 How do you deal with negative thoughts and feelings after a trauma? 09:39 How long should I wait on my "experiments" before I move on? 13:18 How do you deal with people who want you to tell you how to live your life? 14:36 What are some of the hardest things to give up? 16:43 What's your best advice on marriage? 19:40 Do you think we'll get back together? 22:12 Is society rewarding more and more bad behavior? 26:10 What are some tradeoffs that more people should do? 28:55 What can your books and content teach children? 31:57 How do you overcome imposter syndrome? 34:00 How to know if your relationship is good enough for you? 35:28 How can I deal with being overly empathetic and letting people walk all over me? 38:58 What do you think of the ban on kids using social media in Australia? 40:47 What's your advice for teenagers? 42:44 How do you overcome analysis paralysis? 44:38 How can you stop caring about other people's opinions so much? 46:56 How can we be more relevant in the AI future? 49:20 Why are so many good people not happy? 51:46 How do you go about finding your purpose in life? 54:38 What should I do if I'm focused too much on other people's problems instead of my own (codependency)? 57:42 How do continue to overcome failure after failure? 1:00:32 How can I find motivation to do anything when the world is so f*cked? 1:04:15 How can we more fully face death, grief, and loss? Theme song: Icarus Lives by Periphery , used with permission from Periphery.