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Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Silence as Medicine: How Moments of Stillness Transform Your Brain, Body & Emotional Health with Erling Kagge #551

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Health & Fitness, Medicine, Alternative Health, Mental Health

4.810.9K Ratings

🗓️ 29 April 2025

⏱️ 122 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week, I'm joined by the remarkable Erling Kagge, Norwegian adventurer, philosopher and acclaimed writer. Erling is the first person to complete the "Three Poles Challenge" - reaching the North Pole, the South Pole, and the summit of Mount Everest on foot. After this record-breaking feat, Erling attended Cambridge University to study philosophy.  He’s also the author of multiple best-selling books, including, Silence: In the Age of Noise and Walking: One Step at a Time. When Erling was 29, he did something most of us can't imagine - he walked alone to the South Pole for 50 days in complete silence, with no radio contact whatsoever. What started as a physical journey across ice became something far more profound - a journey into himself.  In our conversation, we explore  Why Erling believes silence is where "the world's secrets are hidden" and how finding quiet moments can help us get to know ourselves better - and appreciate others more Erling’s surprising relationship with fear and how being "one with the environment" creates an unexpected sense of peace even in extreme danger - like facing a charging polar bear! The three simple origins of true gratefulness that Erling found during his expeditions: feeling warm after being cold, feeling full after being hungry and resting after exhaustion – experiences most of us rarely have in our comfortable modern lives How our experience of boredom has completely changed – from being bored because nothing is happening to feeling bored because too many things are happening at once Why Erling believes we should actually "make our lives more difficult" on purpose and how this approach helps us find meaning and satisfaction Practical ideas for bringing moments of silence into our busy lives – whether it's walking without your phone, taking the stairs instead of the lift, or just standing still for a few minutes As Erling reminds us, most of us don't realise what we're truly capable of. His encouragement to break free from limiting beliefs, to move our bodies more, and to add variety to our routines offers a practical path toward a more meaningful life.  In his words, finding fulfilment is about "finding your own North Pole" – a journey that asks us to be brave enough to face ourselves in silence. I hope you enjoy listening.  Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore.  For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.   Thanks to our sponsors: https://drinkag1.com/livemore https://vivobarefoot.com/livemore https://airbnb.co.uk/host   Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/551   DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Most humans are underestimating themselves.

0:04.0

This goes through from childhood, teenage years, into adult life,

0:09.0

and all this, you know, kind of negativity shapes you.

0:13.0

So somehow you have to break free of it.

0:17.0

Somehow you have to be a little bit brutal to yourself. It's easy to say, it's difficult to

0:25.5

do, but is it worth it? Yes. Hey guys, how you doing? I hope you're having a good week so far. My name is

0:34.0

Dr. Rangan Chatterjee and this is my podcast, Feel Better Live More.

0:41.7

This week, my guest is the Norwegian adventurer and philosopher Erling Kaga.

0:49.8

Erling is a remarkable and inspirational human being who I have been wanting to speak to on my podcast for years.

0:57.0

At the age of 29, he spent 50 days walking to the South Pole by himself in complete silence.

1:05.0

And he's the first person to complete the Three Poles Challenge, reaching the North Pole, the South Pole,

1:12.9

and the summit of Mount Everest on foot.

1:16.7

He's also the author of multiple best-selling books, including Silence in the Age of Noise,

1:23.7

walking one step at a time, and his very latest, the North Pole, the history of an obsession.

1:33.0

In our conversation, we discuss why his expeditions, even though they start off being physical journeys, end up as being something far more profound, journeys inward into himself.

1:48.5

Erling believes that silence is where all the world secrets are hidden and that finding quiet

1:54.6

moments in our day-to-day lives can help us get to know ourselves better and appreciate others more.

2:02.6

We also discuss how our experience of boredom has completely changed in modern times,

2:08.6

from being bored because nothing is happening, to feeling bored because too many things now are happening at once.

2:16.6

We explore the importance of making our lives more difficult,

2:21.3

why Erling felt no fear when coming face to face with a bear

2:25.3

and the three simple things that Erling found renewed appreciation for

...

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