Eric Zimmer is an author, teacher, speaker, and the creator of The One You Feed podcast—an award-winning show with over 50 million downloads across 800+ conversations exploring meaningful living. At 24, Eric was homeless, addicted to heroin, and facing prison. His journey from those depths sparked his lifelong inquiry into human transformation and resilience. Through his behavior coaching, workshops, and mentorship, he has guided thousands worldwide in creating sustainable habits that last—not through willpower or epiphany, but through steady change. His approach combines cutting-edge science with timeless wisdom, providing practical pathways to greater integrity and deeper meaning. His story and his work have been featured in the media, including TedX, Mind Body Green, Elephant Journal, the BBC and Brain Pickings. His new book is How a Little Becomes a Lot: The Art of Small Changes for a More Meaningful Life.
Today on the show we discuss: how addiction creates an internal battle between who you are and who you want to be, why real transformation comes from stacking small daily wins instead of chasing big moments, how to rebuild self-trust after relapse by focusing on actions not identity, the danger of emotional spirals and how to neutralize them to extract lessons from setbacks, why comparing your current self to your past or others keeps you stuck and how to reframe it, and how purpose is found by using your pain to help others move through what you’ve already survived and much more.
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