The Mel Robbins Podcast

This is one of the most eye-opening conversations Mel has had on the podcast.

Today, Dr. Jonathan Haidt joins Mel to explain what constant quick dopamine is doing to attention, motivation, confidence, and mental health - and why the impact looks very different in boys than it does in girls.

This conversation could not be more timely.

Meta recently agreed to a landmark $17.1 billion settlement in a major case accusing the company of endangering children by designing its platforms to be addictive to kids and teens. And, today, you’re going to hear from one of the experts, Dr. Haidt, whose groundbreaking research helped shape that case.

Like Mel, you may have heard about how deeply social media has impacted girls - intensifying anxiety, social comparison, sexualization, and self-harm.

But Dr. Haidt, a social psychologist, professor at NYU Stern, and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Anxious Generation, has a new warning: boys are being affected in a very different way.

Stop and think about what boys have sitting in their pockets all day long: a video game arcade, an endless stream of short-form videos, sports betting, and instant access to pornography.

Dr. Haidt says to think of it like this:
Imagine a boy or man you love sitting at the bottom of an ocean while thousands of fishing hooks drop down around him. Every hook is baited with something engineered to grab his attention.

A new video. Another level. A shocking image. A notification. A chance to win.

Over time, that constant stimulation can make ordinary life feel painfully slow.

And this isn’t just about young people.

If you have a son, brother, boyfriend, husband, or young man in your life who seems stuck, checked out, or like he’s lost his drive, you need to hear this conversation.

Most importantly, Dr. Haid, gives you a way forward. He is here not only to educate you but also to share the specific changes you and the people you love can make - starting right now - to take back your attention, motivation, and focus.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
-Why young men can start withdrawing from school, friendships, dating, work, and real-world goals
-What social media does to girls during puberty
-Why shallow online connection is replacing deeper friendships
-Why Dr. Haidt recommends no social media until 16
-The household rules he recommends for sleep, screens, and bedrooms
-Why long-form stories are different from endless short-form content
-How to help a struggling young man change without shaming him
-Why small changes, social support, exercise, and real-world activities can help rebuild motivation
-What research shows can happen after just one to two weeks of reducing social media use

If you’re seeing someone you love lose motivation, withdraw, or struggle with social comparison or insecurity - or if you’re noticing any of this in yourself - this conversation could change everything.

Anyone who follows the two-week protocol Dr. Haidt shares today can begin retraining their brain and improving their motivation and focus.

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.

If you liked the episode, check out this one next: The Science of Self Control: Find Motivation, Build Willpower, and Increase Your Focus

Connect with Mel:

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You don’t have to wait for your life to get easier to start enjoying it.

Today, Mel sits down with Dr. Kelly McGonigal, a renowned health psychologist, award-winning Stanford University lecturer, and bestselling author whose work focuses on stress, resilience, and joy.

She’s here to show you how to feel more alive again by making 7 small shifts.

And you already have everything you need to get started.

Dr. McGonigal will walk you through your body and brain’s built-in resources for joy, connection, hope, and courage, and show you how to put them to work.

Your muscles, for example, are like a pharmacy inside your body, releasing “hope molecules” when you move. And you don’t have to crush a workout to get started. A walk with your dog or a little dancing in your kitchen counts.

One of Dr. McGonigal’s biggest insights: You need joy precisely because life can be hard. Those moments of laughter, closeness, and pleasure give you reasons to keep going, and you can learn how to create more of them.

And you can practice these mood-boosting shifts on your next walk, between errands, or while spending time with someone you love.

You’ll learn:
–What joy really does for you and why your brain needs it
–How your muscles can make hope – seriously
–How to make stress your friend and use it to your advantage
–How to use a favorite song to shift your mood and get yourself going
–How to turn a meaningful memory into courage you can use today
–How to train your attention to notice more of the good around you
–3 research-backed sources of hope you can tap into when you need a lift

You have not lost your ability to feel joy. And you don’t have to wait for it to find you.

You’ll leave this conversation with small things you can do today to feel more like yourself, connect with people, and get more enjoyment out of the life you’re living.

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.

If you liked this episode, listen to this one next: How to Stop Negative Thoughts & Reset Your Mind for Positive Thinking.

Mel also wants to tell you:

Try the 23g protein shot I drink every single morning
Join 2 million readers loving my weekly newsletter - full of tips, tools, and inspiration
The Let Them Theory: read the book everyone’s talking about
Watch the episodes on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow the show’s Instagram for clips, behind the scenes, and more
Find some daily positivity on my TikTok
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Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is a MUST-listen.

If you’ve ever felt behind, scared, stuck, or doubting yourself, you need to hit play.

Today, Mel sits down with someone who has been a mentor from afar for more than 12 years. Mel says she would not be where she is today without the person sitting across from her.

For more than a decade, Gary Vaynerchuk has been one of Mel’s biggest inspirations - and in this conversation, he is here to challenge you to stop making excuses and start changing your life.

Gary is one of the most successful entrepreneurs and creators of his generation, a six-time New York Times bestselling author, and the force behind VaynerX, VaynerMedia, and VeeFriends.

If you’ve been sitting on an idea, watching other people do the thing you want to do, worrying about what people will think, or telling yourself you’re too late, you need to hear this.

Gary will challenge the way you think about fear, regret, comparison, confidence, your career, other people’s opinions, and the excuses that are keeping you stuck.

You’ll learn why the people you listen to shape who you become, why your embarrassment can become your advantage, why peace of mind matters more than status, and why one action could change the entire direction of your life.

Gary also shares his advice for anyone who wants to start a business, change careers, put themselves out there, or finally take the risk they’ve been thinking about for years.

His message is simple: there is something you are amazing at - and the longer you sit around watching everybody else do it, the more it costs you.

You’ll also learn:
- What your algorithm reveals about who you are
- Why you need to start living your life with your funeral in mind
- The 3 words that are keeping you stuck
- Gary’s #1 tip if you’re unemployed or looking for a new job
- How to stop blaming your parents for your circumstances
- How to build self-confidence and let go of your need to be accepted
- Why peace of mind is the secret to a rich life

This conversation will push you to stop waiting for the right time, stop letting other people’s opinions control your decisions, and stop living in a way that leaves you saying, “I wish I…”

By the time it’s over, you’ll know exactly what you need to do next - and you’ll feel inspired to go do it.

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.

If you liked this episode, listen to this one next: What Makes a Good Life? This Study on 26,000 Regrets Will Guide You for the Rest of Your Life

Mel also wants to tell you:

Try the 23g protein shot I drink every single morning
Join 2 million readers loving my weekly newsletter - full of tips, tools, and inspiration
The Let Them Theory: read the book everyone’s talking about
Watch the episodes on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow the show’s Instagram for clips, behind the scenes, and more
Find some daily positivity on my TikTok
Want zero ads? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free
Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to stop doubting yourself and get anything you want in life.

Mel is thrilled to introduce you to her incredible guest today – someone she’s admired and followed for years, and who is here today for YOU.

Benny Blanco is one of the most successful and sought-after music producers and songwriters in the world and one of the defining hitmakers of the 21st century.

Benny is a 12-time Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer with 29 #1 hits and 19 songs that have over a billion streams on Spotify.

But, Benny didn’t start his impressive career with everything figured out. He didn’t grow up with money, some magical level of confidence, or everything figured out.

He built his career by showing up, failing, getting rejected, trying again, and learning through experience.

Today, Benny reveals what most people never see: the rejection, the fear, the self-doubt, and the countless moments when everything could have fallen apart.

And he will show you the life-changing tools and strategies that have helped him push through nonstop rejection and setbacks.

Benny has also written a fantastic brand-new book called “F*ck Failure” – which happens to be exactly the message he’s here to share with you today:

Every single failure is leading you somewhere, even if you can’t see it right now.

Your life can look entirely different a year from now. If you want the dream job, true love, unshakeable confidence, better friendships, or more happiness, Benny wants you to know there’s one rule:

Keep showing up.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
-The simple mindset shift Benny uses to erase failure and keep moving
-Why you’re only one small move away from changing your life for the better
-Why waiting to feel ready is a losing game
-The wild story behind a #1 hit that almost never happened, and why it proves you can’t give up
-How to stop letting self-doubt make your decisions
-How to keep showing up when you’re exhausted, embarrassed, or convinced you have no idea what you’re doing
-How to face the fears you’ve been avoiding for years
-How a list Benny made before he started dating his wife, Selena Gomez, can help you stop settling in your own life

This conversation will make you rethink every failure, every rejection, and every excuse you have been using to stay stuck.

As Benny will show you, failure doesn’t have to break you. It’s the very thing that can make you unstoppable.

If he can turn his failures into hits, you can turn yours into the life you’ve been wanting to live.

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.

If you liked the episode, check out this one next: A Process for Finding Purpose: Do THIS to Build the Life You Want

Mel also wants to tell you:

Try the 23g protein shot I drink every single morning
Join 2 million readers loving my weekly newsletter - full of tips, tools, and inspiration
The Let Them Theory: read the book everyone’s talking about
Watch the episodes on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow the show’s Instagram for clips, behind the scenes, and more
Find some daily positivity on my TikTok
Want zero ads? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free
Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why are you bloated all the time?
Why can certain foods suddenly make you feel terrible?
And what is actually going on inside your gut when nothing you try seems to work?
Today, Mel is joined by Dr. Rajsree Nambudripad, MD, a board-certified medical doctor specializing in integrative gut health and integrative medicine, who has spent years helping patients uncover what’s really behind their most stubborn symptoms.
This conversation will change the way you understand your gut – and reveal a simple 4-part protocol for getting to the root of what’s making you feel so bad so you can feel your best again.
Dr. Rajsree covers it all: IBS, bloating, SIBO, constipation, diarrhea, leaky gut, histamine intolerance, low stomach acid, reflux, food sensitivities, and more.
And she explains the surprising ways your gut can impact your energy, anxiety, focus, sleep, skin, weight, metabolism, blood sugar, and thyroid health.
You’ll learn:
-The 4 systems that control your gut health – and what happens when even one is out of balance
-2 steps you can start taking immediately to improve your gut health
-What causes bloating and how to stop it fast
-The 3 main symptoms of IBS and what they may be telling you
-What histamine intolerance is and how it disrupts your “gut garden”
-The surprising connection between your gut and your thyroid
-The Hashimoto’s symptoms your gut may reveal first
-How exercise can help reverse insulin resistance
-Why your “acid reflux” may actually be the opposite problem

If you’ve been told “everything looks normal” but you still don’t feel normal – or you’re tired of guessing which food, supplement, or symptom to chase next – this episode will help you understand what your body may be trying to tell you – and what to do next.

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.
If you liked this episode, listen to this one next: #1 Dermatologist: The Ultimate Skincare Routine for Amazing Skin.
Mel wants to add:

Try the 23g protein shot I drink every single morning
Join 2 million readers loving my weekly newsletter - full of tips, tools, and inspiration
The Let Them Theory: read the book everyone’s talking about
Watch the episodes on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow the show’s Instagram for clips, behind the scenes, and more
Find some daily positivity on my TikTok
Want zero ads? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free
Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.