VCM: What sparked the idea for your podcast?

‍Rangan: When I look around. What I see. It's a lot of people needlessly suffering. Honestly, I really do. Society seems to be sick. Now. I've been a medical doctor for over two decades. I have seen tens of thousands of patients and 80 to 90% of what a medical doctor like me sees on any given day is in some way related to our collective modern lifestyles. That's why I started this podcast, to help people understand what they can do in their lives. To help people understand what they can do in their lives that's actually going to make a meaningful difference.
People are confused. They don't know which experts they should trust, which experts should they listen to. And I really hope that on my podcasts, I help cut through all that confusion because the truth is, different things work for different people. There is no one right way. And I think the reason why so many people have found my podcasts so helpful, and why so many people share it with their friends, their family, their colleagues, is because the information that I deliver on my show is done non-judgemental. It's done with compassion. I don't tell anyone what to do. I share information that I hope may resonate with them. If I'm completely honest. I would say that my podcast has probably given me the most joy as a doctor. Beyond anything else, since I qualified for medical medical school back in 2001. Because I've seen the impacts it can have. And it's also very gratifying for me that thousands of medical doctors all over the world prescribe this podcast to their patients. They trust the information. They trust me, they trust my guest to impart that information in a compassionate way that really makes meaningful change.

That's why I started this podcast, to help people understand what they can do in their lives.

VCM: Do you have a favorite moment, story, or lesson learned from the show?

Rangan: So many of these conversations have literally changed me as a person. I always think about my first conversation with Edith Eger, who taught me that you can always forgive no matter what has happened in life. And she told me that having lived in Auschwitz concentration camp and seeing both of her parents get murdered. John McAvoy was one of the most wanted men in the UK. He was locked up with two life sentences, but now he's a free man, inspiring millions across the globe. He taught me that every single one of us can change any time we like. We don't have to be a victim of our past. Dark accounting of the scientists from Berkeley taught me that. Experiencing, in nature or some other setting, just for 20 minutes can profoundly impact your health and happiness. So, although I'm a medical doctor, and on the outside, it might appear this podcast is just about health. It's also about other things. It's about meaning. It's about purpose. It's about happiness. And ultimately, it's about leading a fulfilled and happy life. Because these podcasts are published online, you can sometimes be removed from the impact that they're having. But I think this is one of the real plus points of social media. I first realized these podcasts’ impact on listeners on social media. You would see certain episodes being shared wildly. People would take quotes and things that connected with them, that they then chose to share with their friends, family, colleagues, and communities. And it was profound. In the first few episodes, I remember that one of the first ones that people started to share wildly was my first one with Dr. Gabor Mate. When I realized people were connecting with the idea that how we're brought up, and what happens to us in childhood, massively influences who we are as adults. I still remember that I would just go online and see it being shared everywhere. Maybe my first conversation with Matthew Walker, the sleep professor, was back in 2018. That was another one where people were suddenly sharing it everywhere. And I thought, wow, these podcasts are having an incredible impact. 

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VCM: 5 words to describe your show?

Rangan: Five words to describe the show. Wow. Okay, fun. Every interaction, every conversation, actually at its core, is fun. And that's important. Authentic. Every conversation is a real, authentic interaction. It's not about getting ideas out there. It's about connecting in an intimate way with my guests. Curiosity. That underpins every aspect of this show. I am curious about every single guest. I handpick every single guest, and I research every single guest myself. And that really shows I cared deeply about every single one of them. I cared deeply about every conversation, and curiosity underpins every guest choice I make. Compassion. Compassion is the energy behind every conversation. It's one of my core values in life to try to understand other people, be empathetic, and be kind. And the final word? I think agency. That’s what every conversation gives people. It gives the listener a sense of agency that they can be the architects of their health and happiness.

Fun. Authentic. Curiosity. Compassion. Agency.