When behavioral scientist Dan Ariely stopped shaving half his face, it wasn’t rebellion. It was revelation. After years of hiding his burn scars, he let his beard grow and discovered something deeper: when we stop covering what’s broken, we begin to heal. That small act of self-acceptance became a lesson in mindset, compassion, and freedom. In this episode, Tim Storey sits down with Dan Ariely to explore how small mindset shifts can transform how we think, choose, and live.
Dan Ariely is a behavioral economist, author, and Duke University professor known for uncovering the hidden patterns behind our decisions. After surviving a severe burn injury, he turned pain into purpose, using science to explore how mindset, motivation, and meaning shape the way we live and grow.
In this episode, Tim and Dan discuss:
(00:00) Introduction
(02:17) The Burn Accident That Changed Everything
(03:36) How Pain Sparked a Lifelong Curiosity
(04:59) The Half-Beard Experiment and Radical Self-Acceptance
(10:35) What Facing Mortality Can Teach Us About Living
(18:17) The Freedom of Choosing Your Future on Purpose
(23:41) Rethinking What Happiness Really Is
(25:49) End-of-Life Lessons About Living Fully
(32:49) Deepening Friendships by Letting Go of Shallow Ones
(39:29) Choosing Hope and Optimism for the Future
Dan Ariely is a Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University and a founding member of the Center for Advanced Hindsight. After surviving a serious burn injury as a teenager, he transformed that experience into a lifelong quest to understand decision-making, motivation, and meaning. His groundbreaking work explores why people make irrational choices and how to design better systems for honesty, trust, and happiness. Dan is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Predictably Irrational, The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, and Payoff: The Hidden Logic That Shapes Our Motivations.
Resources Mentioned:
Predictably Irrational: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0061353248
The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062183591
Payoff: The Hidden Logic That Shapes Our Motivations: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1501120042
Connect with Dan:
Website: https://www.danariely.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danariely/
Connect with Tim:
Website: https://www.timstorey.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timstoreyofficial
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MiracleMentalitywithTimStorey
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timstoreyofficial
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Self Help, Personal Growth, Mindset, Purpose, Clarity, Self Discovery, Goal Setting, Transformation, Mindfulness, Healing, Inner Peace, Renewal, Spiritual Growth, Empowerment, Self Awareness, Motivation, Faith, Resilience, Mental Health, Inspiration, Growth, Leadership, Comeback, Spirituality, Personal Development