Why Following Your Dreams Isn't Enough

Hidden Brain

Hidden Brain Media

Arts, Science, Performing Arts, Social Sciences

4.6 • 40.4K Ratings

🗓️ 10 November 2025

⏱️ 90 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Entrepreneurs typically have no shortage of passion, heart, and vision. But at Stanford University, Huggy Rao says there are other elements that may matter more when it comes to whether their projects succeed or fail. This week, we'll examine how this problem shapes not just individual lives, but organizations, businesses, and even public policy. Then, in the latest installment of "Your Questions Answered," sociologist Robb Willer answers listener questions about how to navigate political differences with the people in your life.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is Hidden Brain. I'm Shankar Vedant.
0:04.0	The year was 1964.
0:07.0	The legendary singer, Frank Sinatra, met Mia Farrow, an up-and-coming actress on a soundstage at 20th century Fox.
0:16.0	Despite their 30-year age difference, the two began dating and fell madly in love.
0:24.6	Frank Sinatra bought Mia Farrow a massive nine-carat pear-shaped diamond ring.
0:30.4	He proposed at his home in Palm Springs.
0:33.6	The wedding itself was a small civil ceremony, but the celebration was lavish.
0:38.7	The groom gifted its bride an expensive double-row diamond bracelet.
0:47.6	Not long after, Mia Farrow was on the set of Rosemary's baby when she was issued divorce papers.
0:58.9	Frank Sinatra didn't want her to work. He was just old-fashioned, Mia Farrow later explained.
1:05.4	They divorced just two years after saying, I do.
1:13.7	Did the couple not talk before they got married?
1:15.7	Did they not discuss their values?
1:21.0	How is it they failed to see they were not on the same page on such an important question?
1:26.4	In 2014, two economics professors weighed in on the issue.
1:29.3	They published a paper titled, A Diamond is Forever and other fairy tales.
1:32.3	They looked at how much couples spent on their engagement rings and weddings
1:36.3	and tracked how long their marriages lasted.
1:39.3	They found that the more money couples spent on their weddings or engagement rings, the less likely
1:44.9	they were to stay together over the long term. The opposite was also true. Spending less on the
1:51.0	wedding and engagement ring predicted a longer marriage. Today, we explore the many ways
2:00.3	in which our desire to focus on the beautiful
	...

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