408 | What We Can Learn From Aristotle's 3 Types of Friendships

The Greatness Machine

Darius Mirshahzadeh

Entrepreneurship, Education, Business

5.0 • 135 Ratings

🗓️ 30 January 2026

⏱️ 23 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What if “assuming best intent” is actually costing you more than it gives? In this solo episode of The Greatness Machine, Darius Mirshahzadeh challenges one of his longest held beliefs and shares a hard earned shift in perspective: stop assuming best intent and start assuming true intent. Drawing on personal experiences, maturity, and Aristotle’s three types of friendships, utility, pleasure, and virtue, Darius unpacks how mislabeling relationships leads to disappointment, burnout, and misplaced loyalty. This episode is a powerful reflection on discernment, boundaries, and energy management, and a reminder that every relationship comes with a real cost. Learn how greater awareness creates better choices, stronger boundaries, and more intentional relationships, both in life and business. Episode 338: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/338-loyalty-is-a-gift/id1555334180?i=1000696743757 3 Types of Friendship: https://philosophybreak.com/articles/aristotle-on-the-3-types-of-friendship-and-how-they-enrich-life/ In this episode, Darius will discuss: (00:00) Assuming True Intent Over Best Intent (02:58) Understanding Loyalty and Its Costs (06:13) Types of Friendships According to Aristotle (09:07) Assessing Relationships: Utility, Pleasure, and Virtue (12:14) The Importance of Awareness in Relationships (15:09) Evaluating the True Expense of Relationships Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Write a review for The Greatness Machine using this link: https://ratethispodcast.com/spreadinggreatness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	To succeed in the future of work, forward thinkers use AI to deliver measurable results.
0:05.5	Workday is the AI platform for HR and finance that frees you from the mundane so you can focus on more meaningful work.
0:12.5	Workday, moving business forever forward.
0:15.1	Love gang, welcome to The Greatness Machine. I'm your host Darius from Shazda. I'm so pumped to have you here with me.
0:19.4	Now listen, the greatness machine, we're about two things. Number one, people were living their passions. And number two, those who are creating greatness in the world and doing both of these things despite the odds against them. Each episode, we're going to feature interviews with game changers, business leaders, you know, telling us their origin stories. what made them tick what got them to where they are now why so can help you step into your
0:39.9	greatness within your life your You know, telling us their origin stories. What made them tick? What got them to where they are now?
0:54.2	Why? So it can help you step into your greatness within your life, your business, and your career. Occasionally, you might hear a few solo episodes from myself. As I say, as I leverage my 20 years of entrepreneurship as a CEO and founder to help you grow and level up in your journey to scale your life and your business. So, come be a fly on the wall, enjoy the conversation, and I'm stoked to have you here with me.
1:00.8	What's up, everybody? Welcome to this episode, The Greatness Machine. I'm your host. There we
1:04.1	is my shaz today, and I'm flying solo here. And today we're doing a really, uh, I'm normally like
1:09.3	my, my episode titles are like super positive. And this one's going to sound negative, but really, I mean, normally like my episode titles are like super positive.
1:12.1	And this one's going to sound negative,
1:13.6	but I said,
1:15.1	why you should never assume best intent.
1:17.2	And so I'm going to tell you this.
1:18.4	I'm a lifelong,
1:20.2	lifelong best intent assumer.
1:22.9	Okay.
1:25.0	And so I know that might be like a controversial title to the podcast, but I've come to the conclusion that that is not the best way to go through life.
1:34.7	And I've come to this very hard learned conclusion that it's not to assume best intent.
1:40.9	The best thing to do is assume true intent.
1:45.0	So I'm now a assume true intent person, assume real intent person.
1:51.0	I don't need to assume best intent.
	...

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