00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

00:39 Welcoming Dr. Eric Mazel

01:03 Discussing 'Why Smart People Hurt'

02:17 The Concept of Resistance

02:40 Autobiographical Insights

03:18 Existential Beliefs and Early Influences

04:27 Military Service and Resistance

06:21 The Challenge of Meaning

07:56 Paradigm Shifts in Understanding Life

09:11 The Nature of Meaning and Purpose

10:36 Smart People and the Burden of Clarity

20:55 Dealing with Meaning Leaks

25:16 Embracing Multiple Life Purposes

32:51 Creative Process and Allowing Messiness

35:02 Letting Go of Perfectionism

35:34 Identifying Good Ideas

38:13 The Importance of Daily Practice

40:03 Harnessing Sleep Thinking

41:36 Balancing Input and Output

43:35 Evolving Creative Work

58:14 Fighting Against Psychiatry

01:06:46 A New Mental Model: Serene Readiness

📩 Subscribe to the Gifted & Grown Up newsletter for tools, insights, and support—for gifted adults and the people who love them. 👉 Join the newsletter

📄 In this episode of Gifted & Grown Up, I’m joined by Dr. Eric Maisel, existential psychologist and author of more than 50 books, including Why Smart People Hurt and Redesign Your Mind.

We explore the inner lives of gifted adults—their sensitivity, creativity, intensity, and the unique challenges they face trying to make meaning in a chaotic world. Dr. Maisel offers no-nonsense advice and practical frameworks for managing the mental chatter, perfectionism, and existential dread that often come with a gifted mind.

This is a powerful conversation about taking responsibility for your inner world and choosing to become the author of your own experience.

🔑 What We Talk About:

• The myth of the tortured genius


• Existential depression and meaning-making


• Why gifted adults often feel like outsiders


• How to “redesign your mind” and quiet mental chatter


• Dr. Maisel’s definition of meaning and how to create it


• The role of creativity in the life of the gifted adult


• How smart people get stuck—and how to get unstuck


• The difference between coaching and therapy for gifted folks

📚 Resources Mentioned:

Why Smart People Hurt on Amazon

Redesign Your Mind on Amazon

Eric’s Website

Find Eric on LinkedIn

Find Eric on Facebook

✨ Want more?

Listen to the companion reflection episode where I unpack my reactions to this conversation and how Dr. Maisel’s work is influencing my thinking.

🔗 Reflection Episode – Eric Maisel

💬 Submit your questions, comments and reflections to Chad and Eric here.