The James Altucher Show
James Altucher
James Altucher interviews the world's leading peak performers in every area of life. But instead of giving you the typical success story, James digs deeper to find the "Choose Yourself" story - these are the moments we relate to... when someone rises up from personal struggle to reinvent themselves. The James Altucher Show brings you into the lives of peak-performers: billionaires, best-selling authors, rappers, astronauts, athletes, comedians, actors, and the world champions in every field, all who forged their own paths, found financial freedom and harnessed the power to create more meaningful and fulfilling lives.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 24, 2026 • 1h 31min
From Wakanda to Jamaica: Dr. Sheena Howard on Black Panther, Abduction at 19, Abuse, and Owning Your Creative Destiny
Dr. Sheena Howard, scholar, Eisner Award winner, and comic book writer, discusses Black Panther, comics, race, and storytelling. She examines Wakanda as an image of an uncolonized nation and the tension between nationalism and isolationism. They unpack why Black stories sell, gatekeeping in publishing, audience ownership, and Sheena’s personal survival story about being abducted at 19.
13 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 2h 3min
The Skills School Never Taught You - Train Your Brain with Jim Kwik
Jim Kwik, brain performance coach known for memory training and speed reading, shares how attention, habits, and decision frameworks shape learning. He talks about why we forget most of what we read, how digital overload erodes focus, using Six Thinking Hats for clearer choices, and practical routines for memory, sleep, and high performance.
Mar 17, 2026 • 1h 17min
How to Improve Memory & Delay Alzheimer's with Nelson Dellis
Nelson Dellis, six-time USA Memory Champion and author who turned a family Alzheimer’s scare into a mission to train memory. He talks about visualization and turning numbers into vivid stories. He explains focus reading versus speed reading. He describes memory palaces, spaced review, and surprising experiments that blur memory, intuition, and perception.
9 snips
Mar 14, 2026 • 59min
From the Archive: Lori Gottlieb — What Your Therapist Is Really Thinking
Lori Gottlieb, psychotherapist and bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, peels back the curtain on what happens in therapy. She talks about why therapists need therapy, how therapy edits your life story, the difference between content and process, and whether clinicians ever Google or judge their patients. Short, candid, and full of clinical anecdotes.
Mar 10, 2026 • 1h 16min
Fab 5 Freddy: How Hip-Hop Was Born
Fab 5 Freddy, a central figure who connected graffiti, DJs, downtown art, and early hip-hop culture. He recounts digging for breakbeats, the rise of subway tagging, Wild Style uniting music, dance, and art, and the crossover moment when Blondie helped bring hip-hop mainstream. He also warns about oversharing in the digital age and reflects on AI, sampling, and sustaining artists today.
Mar 7, 2026 • 50min
From the Archive: Tony Hawk: Mastery, Failure, and the Trick That Changed Skateboarding
Tony Hawk, legendary skateboarder and entrepreneur who turned skating into a global culture and business, shares stories of fear, failure, and relentless practice. He recounts learning to fall safely, the long grind to land the 900, building the Pro Skater games, and turning passion into companies and tours. Short, candid tales of risks, brand control, and staying hungry for mastery.
11 snips
Feb 27, 2026 • 25min
Crypto's Quantum Challenges & Optical as the True Quantum-Class Winner – Martin Shkreli
Martin Shkreli, entrepreneur and investor with roots in finance, biotech, and programming. They discuss Bitcoin’s vulnerability to future quantum computing and why stablecoins matter for real payments. Optical (photonic) computing as a successor to silicon comes up, plus how AI-driven compute demand could create massive energy constraints and shift data-center architecture.
22 snips
Feb 25, 2026 • 1h 13min
Martin Shkreli: From Most Hated Man to Optical Computing Visionary – Curiosity & Defiance
Martin Shkreli, entrepreneur and former biotech exec known for controversial pharma pricing, gives a first-person look at media narratives and why public perception diverged from patient experiences. He talks about learning technical fields from scratch, the economics behind neglected drugs, optics vs. quantum timelines, and how conviction, publicity, and prosecutors shaped his trajectory.
34 snips
Feb 21, 2026 • 28min
Keeping the Spark Alive – Long-Term & Aging (a/k/a How to Maintain Great Sex) | Dr. Nicole McNichols Part 3
Dr. Nicole McNichols, clinical psychologist and sex researcher focused on sexual wellbeing and relationships. She explores why desire fades and how intention and personal passion reignite attraction. Topics include novelty, sex toys as collaborative tools, pleasure’s health benefits, aging and hormones, and practical communication strategies that keep intimacy playful and present.
24 snips
Feb 19, 2026 • 1h 1min
The Science & Mechanics of Pleasure (a/k/a How to Have Great Sex) | Dr. Nicole McNichols Pt. 2
Dr. Nicole McNichols, clinical psychologist and sex educator who studies the science of pleasure. She breaks down biology and anatomy, explains dopamine and why anticipation often beats the act, and explores responsive vs. spontaneous desire. Practical topics include warming techniques, why consistency matters for orgasm, the clitoral complex, and how scheduling and simple positions can boost long-term desire.
