#16: Thinking Patterns of CEOs, Tech Founders, and the Top 0.01% | Dr. Julie Gurner

Dr. Julie Gurner has a two-year waiting list. The Wall Street Journal calls her the real-life Wendy Rhoades (the psychologist from the show Billions). Though her clients are CEOs, founders, billionaires, and elite operators, she actually started her career inside a supermax prison. In this episode, Michael Easter sits down with Dr. Julie Gurner to unpack what actually separates the top 0.01% from everyone else: audacity, what-if-it-goes-right thinking, and using anger as fuel. She also explains why "be humble" might be the worst career advice you have ever received.

Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. This episode was edited by Ryan Mulhern. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager.

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— CHAPTERS —

00:00:00 - Cold open & intro

00:01:47 - From Supermax Prison to billionaires: Julie's origin

00:08:49 - Audacity, imaginary rules, the side path

00:11:10 - What if it goes right?

00:14:11 - The repetitive reflex

00:19:06 - Haunting agitation: the whisper that becomes a scream

00:25:18 - Why money does buy happiness

00:27:57 - Survival mode and the J.K. Rowling story

00:30:59 - Helping people get out of their own way

00:33:28 - In defense of billionaires

00:35:49 - Stoicism's blind spot: anger as fuel

00:38:14 - Bezos got laughed at for wanting to go to space

00:40:13 - Losing a dog, loving fleeting things

00:42:57 - Why "be humble" is bad advice

00:45:36 - Reframe, lean into your quirky self

00:50:12 - Farmhouse in Amish country: the cognitive break

00:52:42 - The moment that unlocked Julie's range of vision

00:56:28 - The whole game is exposure

00:57:18 - Five years from now

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