I’ve listened to all the self-improvement, betterment, and personal development podcasts out there, trust me.

These podcasts listed below are the podcasts that I’ve stuck with over time, and I feel have brought some genuine value back into my life, and continue to do so. I’ll explain exactly how I feel each podcast has helped me improve below.

In short, though, the best self-improvement podcasts, to me, are the ones that are helpful, but not preachy.

Without Fail - In Without Fail, Alex Blumberg, Cofounder of podcast powerhouse Gimlet Media, has open conversations with folks who have gotten to where they are through a heck of a lot of hardship. They’ve typically succeeded in spite of, or because of, that struggle.

They talk about what they learned through their journey, and ultimately whether they feel their struggles catapulted them towards success, or kept them down in the mud for longer than they would have liked. Plenty of lessons here to learn from but on the whole, the guests’ sheer perseverance tends to be more inspiring than anything else.

The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish: I will be totally honest, when I first started listening to The Knowledge Project, I just wasn’t in love with Shane’s voice. But, listening closer, I realized I was in love with his line of questioning.

There are few interviewers I listen to regularly that manage to cover more ground with more depth, and it’s crystal clear that Shane carefully curates his guests. The podcast loosely aims to “help you master the best of what other people have already figured out.” I’m an avid listener, and if you’re keen on learning like me, I wouldn’t miss the chance to subscribe to the once weekly newsletter, either.

The Side-Hustle Show: This, not surprisingly, is indeed a podcast about how to start a successful side-hustle, but I think the enduring lesson of the show is that thinking outside the box can often pay serious dividends.

The host, Nick Loper, is honest, open, and manages to draw out exactly what you’d want to know from each guest. Being self-employed myself, listening to this podcast has been highly effective at keeping my mind in that “entrepreneurial zone.”

The Unmistakable Creative Podcast: I came across this “self-improvement podcast” somewhat recently, actually, and I was instantly hooked. The host, Srini Rao, sources a unique array of guests that I find genuinely interesting.

He also doesn’t hesitate to share a lot about himself, often in a vulnerable way, which I can appreciate, and that’s something I also strive for in both my writing and on podcasts. You guys know by now that I’m all about harnessing my creativity, so I love a podcast like this, which is explicitly dealing with that very notion to help lift us all up.

The School of Greatness: I like this podcast a lot, but I do have to objectively admit that it’s geared towards men. A lot of the language has that “bro-esque” touch to it about achieving your dreams, and the guests are predominantly male. Yet, through all that, I do think the host, Lewis Howes, is spreading a lot of know-how and positivity throughout the world.

Again, I think that’s something I’m trying to do - to be selfless in my content production - so that’s probably why I’m such a fan of The School of Greatness.

On Being with Krista Tippett: If you’re someone who doesn’t like a lot of fluff in your podcasts, and want to get to heart of the matter and dive deep, then this is your podcast.

On Being aims to answer the central question, “what does it mean to be human, and how to we want to live?” Not shockingly, a broad spectrum of conversations fit under that umbrella, and many of them are deeply thought provoking. This isn’t a classic “uplifting podcast,” but I think using our brains right now in meaningful ways is, on a macro level, a big positive, so I’ll file it under “uplifting.”

The Tim Ferriss Show: The Tim Ferris Show, believe it or not, is the first business/interview podcast to cross the one hundred million download mark, and that doesn’t surprise me. I’ve read many of his books, and I don’t always love all aspects of his content, but he’s spot-on as a podcast host.

He somehow manages to make an interview interesting for two hours straight, and he’s highly perceptive. There’s a reason that people who don’t usually sit for interviews end up sitting with Tim, and then proceed to give the interview of their lives. It’s undeniable, he sets the benchmark in a lot of ways when it comes to producing a consistent and quality podcast.

Mental Health Podcasts to Take Note Of