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The Knowledge Project

The Knowledge Project

Written by: Shane Parrish
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 Master the best of what other people have already figured out. Deep conversations with the best that go beyond the usual advice to uncover the timeless principles that drive success. If you enjoy the show, please hit the follow button.Farnam Street Media Inc. Economics Social Sciences
Episodes
  • How to Think Like a World-Class Marketer | Rory Sutherland

    How to Think Like a World-Class Marketer | Rory Sutherland
    Dec 9 2025
    Ogilvy Vice Chairman Rory Sutherland reveals the formula for persuasion, why people make decisions and how you can use psychology to your advantage. Rory is the world’s leading advertising strategist. He spent almost four decades as Ogilvy studying why people behave the way they do and how to change that behavior. He explains why contrast drives choices and efficiency often destroys value, and how trust, friction, and design shape real-world behavior. +Rory was previously on the show, check out episode 19. ----- Approximate Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:31) AI and Decision Making (03:48) Are We Looking for Efficiency in the Wrong Place? (15:52) Ad Break (18:09) Ice Cold Beer Thought Experiment (19:56) Trust and Manipulation (27:15) Dyson Customer Experience and 'Brand Quake' (29:21) Customer Value Thinking (34:28) Why Is Dyson So Effective at Marketing? (36:28) Ad Break (38:51) Map/Territory Problem in Business (39:27) The Problem with Shareholders (42:29) The Problem with 'Tech Bro' Decision Making (45:14) Warren Buffett’s Approach to Choosing Management (47:52) John Bragg’s Approach to Buying Infrastructure (51:23) High Trust vs Low Trust Societies (58:45) What Can We Learn from the Mad Men Era of Marketing (1:03:59) The Danger of Bad Marketing (1:17:47) Navigating Cancel Culture with Common Sense (1:29:59) Signalling to Ourselves When We Purchase Something (1:39:06) Changing of Societal Norms (1:43:27) How to Write Good Copy (1:56:30) What Is Success for You? ----- Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠------Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠------ Follow Shane Parrish:X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish Insta: https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/ ------ Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: Basecamp: Stop struggling, start making progress. Get somewhere with Basecamp. Sign up free at http://basecamp.com/knowledgeproject reMarkable: Get your paper tablet at https://www.reMarkable.com today .tech domains: Nothing says tech like being on .tech https://get.tech/ Shopify: https://shopify.com/knowledgeproject Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 1 min
  • Mary Kay Ash: The Greatest Salesperson In History [Outliers]

    Mary Kay Ash: The Greatest Salesperson In History [Outliers]
    Dec 2 2025
    How do you get ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results? Mary Kay Ash built a two-billion-dollar company by solving that specific problem. After watching men she trained get promoted above her for double the salary, she quit to build a company based on a radical idea: meritocracy. This episode breaks down how she did it. You’ll learn her twenty-three leadership lessons, why pink Cadillacs outperformed raises, and the fundamentals of incentives, recognition, and human motivation that work in any business. ----- Approximate Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (02:25)Part 1: You Can Do It, Mary Kay (21:35)Part 2: Mary Kay Cosmetics (36:45)Part 3: The System (53:44)Epilogue: The Legacy (55:16)Mary Kay’s 23 Lessons ----- Upgrade: Get hand-edited transcripts and an ad-free experience, and so much more. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. See what you're missing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ShaneAParrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Insta ⁠@farnamstreet⁠ LinkedIn ⁠Shane Parrish ------ This episode is for informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • 7 Principles of Inner Excellence to Stay Calm Under Fire | Jim Murphy

    7 Principles of Inner Excellence to Stay Calm Under Fire | Jim Murphy
    Nov 25 2025
    Top Performance Coach Jim Murphy reveals how to eliminate fear, master pressure, and unlock elite performance. Jim spent 5 years writing Inner Excellence, the mental toughness manual that shot from obscurity to #1 New York Times bestseller overnight when star athlete A.J. Brown was caught reading it on the sidelines of a NFL playoff game. A personal coach to professional baseball players and Olympic athletes, he teaches how extraordinary performance and a meaningful life follow the exact same path. ----- Approximate Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:01) The Three Elements of Inner Excellence (04:36) Before Fame (05:42) Discovery: When A.J. Brown Read ‘Inner Excellence’ on TV (12:01) Powering Your Life With Clean Fuel vs. Dirty Fuel (16:26) Ad Break (22:34) Why You Avoid Life by Keeping 'Busy' (25:39) Purpose in Life and How He Found Religion (31:09) The Interaction of Ego, Self-Centeredness, and Self-Confidence (33:59) How to Navigate Failure and Learn From It (41:43) Dealing With Comparison in the Modern World (47:34) Discovering Your Inner Excellence (51:25) Does Success Equal Happiness? (55:00) Feeling Guilt or FOMO About Life Choices (01:01:21) Changing Your Focus to Get Through Challenging Goals (01:05:40) Choices Are Hard to Act On, Rules Are Not (01:10:40) Daily Mantras for Success (01:12:15) Is the Best Possible Life Driven by Ambition or Love? (01:14:52) Why Do We Train Our Bodies but Don’t Train Our Minds? (01:15:38) What Is Success for You? ----- Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠------Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠------ Follow Shane Parrish:X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish Insta: https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/ ------ Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: Basecamp: Stop struggling, start making progress. Get somewhere with Basecamp. Sign up free at http://basecamp.com/knowledgeproject reMarkable: Get your paper tablet at https://www.reMarkable.com today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 18 mins
All stars
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this is the most beautiful important and valuable podcast that I found! thanks for this!!

the most valuable podcast!

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- I do not bore you with you vast prescription of the show and how should over anypodcast
- the knowledge is same like everyone else
- but i can assure you, that after listening to this podcast you do not think that you wasted of your time ..........
- this podcast is worth of your time ..........

- i love the concept of the show.........

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amazing podcast i listen at least 1 podcast every day when I go to train 🚆

very good podcast especially all interview 👍...... from MADHUBANI BIHAR INDIA

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