The Futur podcast is a show that explores the interesting overlap between design, marketing, and business.Our host (and CEO of The Futur), Chris Do, holds candid conversations with inspirational people from the worlds of design, technology, marketing, business, philosophy and personal development.These conversations go deep. With the aim of understanding who these incredible people are, what drives them to do what they do, and what can we—the listener—learn from it all.Visit thefutur.com/podcast for show notes and additional information from each episode.
344 - Why Avoiding Pain Creates More Pain - With Mark Manson
In this episode, I sit down with the incredible Mark Manson, bestselling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, to talk about suffering, creativity, and what it really takes to find meaningful work. We dive into the paradox of avoiding pain, why some struggles are worth it, and how Mark discovered that writing—not music—was his true calling. We also geek out on content creation, the power of differentiation, and the business of being a creator. Mark opens up about the mistakes he made, the detours he took, and how he found his way back to what he truly loves. If you’ve ever struggled with burnout, self-doubt, or figuring out your path, this conversation is packed with insights that just might change the way you think about success.
Timestamps:
(00:00) - Introduction
(00:45) - The paradox of suffering
(02:05) - Finding meaningful struggles
(06:13) - The “shit sandwich” you don’t mind eating
(09:30) - Discovering your natural talents
(14:25) - When to push through vs. when to quit
(18:09) - Mark’s journey from music to writing
(24:21) - The myth of “finding your passion”
(28:47) - Secrets to creating engaging content
(33:19) - The power of being a “correct contrarian”
(37:14) - Social media as media, not social
(42:25) - Business model shifts & the future of online media
(48:08) - AI’s role in personal development
(50:12) - Closing thoughts
Check out today's guest, Mark Manson:
Mark's Website: https://markmanson.net/
Mark's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markmanson
Mark's New Community: https://findmomentum.com/
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