You Can Just Do Things

You Can Just Do Things

Author: Next Big Idea Club July 30, 2026 Duration: 1:11:16
Why do some people seem to create opportunities wherever they go while others spend years waiting for the right break? According to Cate Hall — lawyer turned poker player turned drug addict turned CEO of a $3B foundation — the difference isn't luck. It's the ability to question assumptions, reject the default path, and realize the world is far more malleable than it seems. In this episode, Rufus and Cate explore what it really means to become a high-agency person — a.k.a. someone who just does things. Together, they unpack why ambition isn't the same as agency, how fear of embarrassment and an obsession with hard work hold us back, and why curiosity, unconventional thinking, and expanding your "surface area for luck" are the keys to creating extraordinary opportunities. Cate's new book, You Can Just Do Things, is out now. 🎥 The Next Big Idea is now on YouTube! You can find our episodes ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ✉️ Follow Rufus on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠, subscribe to our Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠, or send us an email at ⁠⁠podcast@nextbigideaclub.com⁠⁠ 🔗 SPONSORED BY: Granola — If meetings are eating up your day, Granola is a no-brainer. You can try it totally free for three months. Just head to granola.ai/idea⁠ IM8 — Athletes, doctors, David Beckham... they all drink IM8. Get a free welcome kit, five free travel sachets, and 10% off your order when you use code NBI at ⁠im8health.com/nbi⁠⁠ Momentous — If you want to try Momentous Signature Spec Creatine, head to livemomentous.com⁠ and use code IDEA for up to 35% off your entire first order. Northwest Registered Agent — They’ve been helping small business owners and entrepreneurs launch and grow businesses for nearly 30 years. Learn more at northwestregisteredagent.com/nbifree⁠⁠ Upwork — Visit upwork.com⁠ right now and post your job for free. Shopify — Stop waiting for permission to build something. Your next revenue stream starts free at⁠ ⁠shopify.com/nbi⁠⁠

Each week on The Next Big Idea, hosts Rufus Griscom and Caleb Bissinger sit down with authors and researchers whose ideas are shaping our culture, education, and understanding of society. The conversations are guided by a unique group of curators-Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, Susan Cain, and Daniel Pink-who help frame these discussions around the most compelling new concepts in science and social thought. This isn't just an interview podcast; it's a deep exploration of the books and theories that have the potential to shift perspectives and spark meaningful change. You'll hear the stories behind the ideas, the personal journeys of the thinkers, and practical insights that extend beyond the page. The dialogue is structured yet spontaneous, offering listeners a genuine sense of being part of a substantive conversation. Episodes are released every Thursday, providing a consistent dose of intellectual curiosity. The podcast is produced by the Next Big Idea Club, an organization dedicated to surfacing and discussing transformative knowledge. Whether you're looking to understand the nuances of human behavior, the latest scientific discoveries, or the forces driving social change, this series serves as an accessible gateway to complex topics. The aim is to make big ideas feel relevant and engaging, without oversimplifying their importance. Tune in for a thoughtful break from the noise, where the focus is entirely on understanding what comes next.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Next Big Idea
Podcast Episodes
Best Of: The Power of Thinking Outside Your Brain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:49
Modern life has not been easy on our brains. Average IQ scores rose steadily throughout the last century. Now they appear to be leveling off. The problem, according to neuroscientists, may be that we have reached our neu…
Want to Be Happier? Try Talking to Strangers. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:40
Nicholas Epley is a mind reader. But he doesn’t have ESP or practice hypnosis. He's not telepathic or clairvoyant. Sure, you could ask him to read your fortune, but you'd be better off with a Magic 8 Ball. When we say Ni…
The Case for Speechmaking in the Age of Doomscrolling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:34
America's a funny place. It's not a country with a fixed geographic or religious identity. We don't have a common story of divine creation. "What we have," writes Ben Rhodes in his new book, ⁠All We Say⁠, "are words." Th…
Best Of: Stop Chasing More. Start Embracing Your Limits. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:29
In his mega-bestseller Four Thousand Weeks, Oliver Burkeman showed that the finitude of life “isn’t a reason for unremitting despair, or for living in an anxiety-fueled panic about making the most of your limited time. I…
When Will AI Empty Your Dishwasher? (with Nicholas Thompson) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:05
Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic and host of "The Most Interesting Thing in AI," joins Rufus and Caleb to explain why the machines may master our minds long before they master our muscles — and what that gap tells…
Best Of: An Epicurean Guide to the Good Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:32
The Greek philosopher Epicurus made a rather bold claim over two thousand years ago. The key to life, he said, is simple: pursue pleasure and avoid pain. Around this maxim he developed a school of philosophy, Epicureanis…
What if Uncertainty Isn’t Such a Bad Thing? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:17
You can run from uncertainty, but you can’t hide. The thing to do, says Simone Stolzoff, to develop comfort with ambiguity and build tolerance for the unknown. His new book is How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in…
You Can Grow Your Brain. Here’s How. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:13
In the last 20 years, there has been a dramatic change in our understanding of neuroplasticity — the brain’s capacity to grow new neurons. In the last five years, we’ve learned that your hippocampus, the part of your bra…
Turning Constraints Into Breakthroughs with David Epstein [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:48
Is freedom overrated? In his new book, Inside the Box, David Epstein argues that constraints, limits and obstacles are what stimulate creativity, innovation, collaboration and personal contentment. 📦 Get David’s new book…