Dr. Tali Sharot: Are you bored, stuck, or just... not excited by life anymore?

Why do we stop noticing the most meaningful parts of our lives?

In this episode of The Nick Standlea Show, neuroscientist and author Dr. Tali Sharot joins Nick to discuss her new book, Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always There. They explore the science of habituation, the secret to revitalizing relationships, reigniting joy, and making everyday life feel vibrant again. From midlife malaise to marriage monotony, Tali explains how small changes—like disrupting routines or traveling differently—can help us rediscover wonder.

We also unpack:
* Why we become desensitized to even the best parts of life
* How novelty recharges the brain
* What brain science says about risk-taking, lying, and truth-telling
* Tips for keeping long-term relationships exciting
* Why TikTok is easy—but snowboarding is better

Stick around to hear Dr Sharot's ideas for a future tech tool that could measure confirmation bias—and maybe even help break our online echo chambers.

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations that challenge your thinking and sharpen your curiosity.

📚 Get the book: Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always There - https://amzn.to/3YxJEmf

🎙 More from Tali Sharot: 
The Affective Brain Lab - https://affectivebrain.com

TED Talks: 
How to motivate yourself to change your behavior - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp0O2vi8DX4

The optimism bias
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8rmi95pYL0

🔗 Support This Podcast by Checking Out Our Sponsors:
Huel (Get $15 off your first order!): 
https://huel.com/pages/loudcrowd-ambassador?utm_medium=influencer&utm_source=loudcrowd&lc_ambassador_id=Y3VzdG9tZXI6NjEyNDkyNQ

Test Prep Gurus: https://www.prepgurus.com
Instagram: @TestPrepGurus

Connect with The Nick Standlea Show:
YouTube: @TheNickStandleaShow
Podcast Website: https://nickshow.podbean.com/
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nick-standlea-podcast/id1700331903
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0YqBBneFsKtQ6Y0ArP5CXJ
RSS Feed: https://feed.podbean.com/nickshow/feed.xml

Nick's Socials:
Instagram: @nickstandlea
X (Twitter): @nickstandlea
TikTok: @nickstandleashow
Facebook: @nickstandleapodcast

Ask questions, 
Don't accept the status quo, 
And be curious.

00:00 – Intro: Who is Tali Sharot?
01:03 – The U-curve of happiness & Nick’s midlife story
03:19 – Why happiness dips in midlife
07:23 – What is habituation and why it matters
10:13 – Why routine dulls life—and how novelty revives it
11:50 – Habituation, lying, and risk-taking
20:52 – How to revive long-term relationships and marriages
24:00 – The balance between explorers and routine-seekers
27:23 – Why even novelty needs contrast to feel new
28:03 – Travel tips to make experiences more memorable
30:45 – Nick’s Amazon honeymoon story (and why luxury feels better after hardship)
34:09 – Can habituation explain the midlife crisis?
39:32 – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, flow, and the difficulty of starting meaningful activities
41:00 – Small changes vs. big shake-ups—what really works?
43:38 – Nick on how the podcast adds challenge and learning
45:08 – Tali's tips: easy changes that fight habituation
48:30 – What’s next for Tali Sharot’s research
52:24 – Could we measure confirmation bias with tech?
54:07 – Why echo chambers are dangerous
55:06 – Where to find Tali Sharot and her work
55:29 – Final thoughts: Be curious