The Trouble with Thinking Outside the Box & What Hunger is Really Telling You

Ever feel your phone buzz in your pocket—only to check and find nothing there? It feels completely real, and it happens to just about everyone. But it’s not your phone—it’s your brain playing a trick on you. We’re constantly told that creativity comes from “thinking outside the box.” But what if that idea is actually holding you back? It turns out that constraints—rules, limits, and boundaries—often lead to better, more innovative results. David Epstein, bestselling author and former Sports Illustrated senior writer, explains why. David is author of the book Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better ( He reveals how structure can sharpen thinking, improve performance, and lead to better outcomes than unlimited freedom ever could. Hunger feels simple—you’re hungry, you eat. But it’s not that straightforward. There are different kinds of hunger and they don’t all come from physical need. Dr. Jason Fung, expert in body weight and metabolism is author of The Hunger Code: Resetting Your Body’s Fat Thermostat in the Age of Ultra-Processed Food ( He explains how hunger actually works, why it can drive overeating, and how understanding it can help you take better control of what—and how much you eat —and still feel satisfied. If a first date doesn’t go great, it’s easy to assume there’s no point in trying again. But unless it was truly awful, passing on a second date might be a mistake. That second date might go better than you expect. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AQUA TRU: Take the guesswork out of pure, great-tasting water. Head to now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 RULA: This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about your mental health - actually take the step to take care of it. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your everyday with luxury you will actual use! Go to ⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES : We love the Planet Visionaries podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Listen or watch on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you are listening to this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The Trouble with Thinking Outside the Box & What Hunger is Really Telling You is an episode from Something You Should Know by Mike Carruthers | OmniCastMedia.

This episode is 49:05 long.

This episode was published on May 4, 2026.

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