Why Finding Your Why Is The Key To Health And Longevity

Episode 655 1h 6m

Overview

I like to call myself a pathological optimist. Our thoughts are transferred into our biology, which means generosity, service, and altruism make us healthier from the inside out, all while giving us more joy in life. Unfortunately, many of us go through life with a list of shoulds without truly knowing the why behind our actions. It can be a daunting task to seek meaning and purpose, but taking intentional steps towards this kind of clarity might be easier than you think.

Today on The Doctor’s Farmacy, I’m excited to talk to Simon Sinek about how to find your why to live a more authentic, fulfilled, and healthy life. I found my why when I got really sick from mercury poisoning when I was 36 years old. It led me to this new way of approaching medicine that helped me end my suffering so I could help others do the same. Simon shares the pain point that also led him to his why and we talk about how challenges can often provide us with a lesson on what we’re really yearning for in life. When we find joy and service in our work, any job at any level becomes powerful and impactful for others.

Simon and I discuss how sharing altruism within our communities creates a better world for others and also a better life for ourselves. And if you need an extra boost to dive into helping others, keep in mind that service activates dopamine receptors in the brain that make us feel happy.

We also talk about accessing empathy, replacing judgment with curiosity, and learning how to listen. I hope you’ll tune in and think more about cultivating the why in your own life.

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by Rupa Health, Thrive Market, ButcherBox, and Cozy Earth. The Doctor’s Farmacy podcast works with a select group of sponsors to allow for ongoing production and allow it to be zero-cost to anyone who wishes to listen to and watch the podcast.

Topics Covered

  • The value and benefits of having meaning and purpose

    (4:55)

  • Finding your purpose is not a matter of luck—it’s a right

    (7:02)

  • How to find your “why”

    (8:54)

  • “Why” as a biological phenomenon

    (11:57)

  • How Simon and I found our “whys”

    (16:13)

  • How service and altruism cultivate joy and pleasure

    (22:33)

  • Our need for community and belonging

    (31:09:00)

  • How generosity promotes health

    (39:11:00)

  • Accessing empathy and replacing judgment with curiosity

    (44:36:00)

  • Learning how to listen

    (51:04:00)

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Resources Mentioned

Host & Guests

Transcript

Automatically generated. Please forgive any typos or errors in the following transcript. It was generated by a third party and has not been subsequently reviewed by our team.

Introduction:
Coming up on this episode of The Doctor's Farmacy.

Simon Sinek:
Being generous, being socially oriented is actually what helps keep your body healthy. The opposite is cortisol.

Dr. Mark Hyman:
Welcome to The Doctor's Farmacy. I'm Dr. Mark Hyman, and that's farmacy with an F, a place for conversations that matter. And if you've ever wondered about the purpose of your life, how to find meaning, what's your why, this is the podcast let's listen to because it's with a good friend of mine, an extraordinary thinker, leader, and guy who's helping us reframe our relationship to ourselves and the world and each other, Simon Sinek, who is a guy who's all about sparking ideas that give us passion and get us..

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Ep. 655 - Why Finding Your Why Is The Key To Health And Longevity