This Shocking Truth About Other People Will Change Your Life

The Mel Robbins Podcast

SiriusXM Podcasts

Education, Mental Health, Relationships, Self-improvement, Society & Culture, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 10.6K Ratings

🗓️ 29 September 2025

⏱️ 90 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What if the world became a better place by becoming better, more authentic versions of ourselves? Despite what the headlines and social media might suggest, we’re not as divided as we think. Most people want the same core things: to be a good person, to live with integrity and authenticity, and to make a positive impact. But we’re caught in a collective illusion - where the loudest voices dominate 80% of the headlines, social media, and public conversation. If there’s one episode to share with someone who’s feeling discouraged about the state of the world, it’s this one. In this powerful conversation, Mel sits down with Dr. Todd Rose, co-founder and CEO of the think tank Populace, which is on a mission to use data to ensure that all people have the opportunity to pursue fulfilling lives. He was also a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he earned his PhD and founded the Laboratory for the Science of Individuality. Dr. Rose has analyzed the largest dataset ever collected on what people actually want in life based not on what they share publicly, but what they admit privately, when they’re telling the truth. The data is clear: we are more alike than we are different. And the small, authentic choices we make every day can have a ripple effect that changes culture at scale. He also shares a remarkable moment in history that proves real change doesn’t start with the majority - it starts with a few people who dare to live honestly. In this episode, you’ll learn: - Why the world feels more polarized than it really is- What people actually want in life, according to the data - How the media and social platforms distort what most people believe- Why authenticity makes you happier, stronger, and more impactful- How your personal choices create ripple effects with global impact- Practical steps to live more truthfully and reclaim your voice This conversation will change how you see the world — and your place in it. If there’s one episode to listen to and share, it’s this one. For more resources, click here for the podcast episode page. If you liked the episode, check out this one next: This Conversation Will Change Your Life: Do This to Find Purpose & Meaning Click here to get tickets to Mel's live tour, Let Them Tour 2026. Connect with Mel: Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them Theory Watch the episodes on YouTube Follow Mel on Instagram The Mel Robbins Podcast Instagram Mel's TikTok Sign up for Mel’s personal letter Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free Disclaimer

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's your friend Mel, and welcome to the Mel Robbins podcast.
0:08.7	You know, lately, I'm just going to admit it. I've been feeling more discouraged than normal.
0:14.5	Maybe you have two. It's just that there's just so much polarization, so much negativity,
0:20.3	whether you're looking at the headlines or
0:21.7	online, it's so easy to get to a point where you're just exhausted. Haven't you wondered, how did we
0:28.0	get here? Why is everybody so far apart? But despite all this noise, here is what I choose to believe. I believe that we want the same things for ourselves and our families. I believe that we define success in largely the same way. I mean, you want to be a good person. You want to feel like your authentic self. You want to do something with your life that makes a
0:55.8	difference in the world. You want good relationships with your family and your friends. And yet somehow,
1:01.4	this truth that unites us, it has been hijacked by headlines, politics, the lies on social media,
1:08.4	the busyness and pressure of trying to fit in, that it's easy to
1:13.1	forget who you are and what truly matters to you. In fact, I think that's why you listen to this
1:17.0	podcast, because every time you listen, you are reminded that you are capable of so much more,
1:23.1	that you deserve more. You're reminded of what matters to you authentically. And that's why I cannot
1:28.9	wait for our conversation today. Because here in our Boston studios, we have an expert researcher
1:34.5	with a PhD from Harvard who's been crunching the single biggest data set on what people truly
1:41.4	want in life, how they define success, what matters to them. These are the kinds of
1:46.5	things that people admit when they're telling the truth in private, not the garbage they post
1:52.2	about online. Dr. Todd Rose is here to tell you and me there is a gigantic lie that you have been
1:58.8	told about other people and the world at large, and he is here
2:01.6	to teach you the truth. The truth is you have the power to change your life. You can make a
2:07.2	difference in the world because your brain rewards authenticity. Authenticity, you being you.
2:14.5	That is the secret to a better life and a better world. You and I are going to learn from the
2:18.8	scientist and researcher who has crunched all the data on how to live a more authentic life.
	...

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