Last updated: March 7, 2026 • 18 min read
The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett is the UK's #1 podcast and one of the most popular shows globally, with hundreds of millions of downloads across Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Since launching in 2017, the podcast has evolved from a startup founder's confessional into a wide-ranging exploration of human performance, science, business, relationships, and the psychology of success.
With 400+ episodes now in the archive, finding the right episode can be overwhelming. This guide organizes the best Diary of a CEO episodes by category so you can dive straight into the topics that matter most to you.
Unlike traditional interview podcasts that stick to surface-level promotion, Steven Bartlett's approach is defined by several distinctive qualities:
For our ranked list of the top entrepreneurship episodes, see Best Diary of a CEO Episodes for Entrepreneurs.
Some of the most popular Diary of a CEO episodes focus on health, nutrition, and longevity. Steven regularly hosts world-leading doctors, scientists, and health experts who break down complex science into actionable advice.
Stanford neuroscientist Huberman delivers protocols for optimizing sleep, focus, and energy. His "non-sleep deep rest" technique and morning sunlight protocol have become mainstream health practices partly thanks to this episode. Essential listening for anyone who wants to understand the biology behind productivity.
The founder of ZOE and professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London dismantles decades of nutritional dogma. Spector explains why calorie counting is fundamentally flawed, why your gut microbiome determines how food affects you, and what the largest nutrition science study in history reveals about what we should actually eat.
One of the UK's most trusted doctors explains his framework of four pillars — relaxation, food, movement, and sleep — and why addressing all four simultaneously is more effective than optimizing any single one. His "5-minute kitchen workout" and "3-4-5 breathing" techniques are immediately actionable.
The world's leading sleep scientist presents terrifying data on what sleep deprivation does to your brain, immune system, and lifespan — then provides a clear protocol for fixing it. Walker's conversation changed millions of listeners' relationship with sleep and became one of the most-shared health episodes of all time.
The author of Ultra-Processed People explains how 60% of the calories in the average Western diet come from substances that aren't really food. His self-experiment eating only ultra-processed food for a month — and the brain changes he documented — is one of the most alarming and motivating health conversations in podcast history.
Dr. Pelz breaks down different fasting protocols and their specific effects on autophagy, hormones, and cellular repair. She provides particular insight into how fasting affects women differently than men — a nuance often missing from mainstream fasting advice.
The original core of Diary of a CEO, these episodes feature founders, CEOs, and business strategists sharing hard-won lessons about building companies, leading teams, and navigating the chaos of entrepreneurship.
Hormozi delivers a condensed masterclass on creating offers so compelling they feel irresistible. His "value equation" framework — dream outcome — perceived likelihood — time delay — effort — has become one of the most cited business frameworks in the creator economy. This episode is essentially a free MBA in pricing strategy.
Sinek goes far beyond "Start With Why" into the practical mechanics of infinite-minded leadership. His insights on building trust, the difference between intensity and consistency, and why most leaders optimize for the wrong metrics make this essential viewing for anyone managing a team.
One of the most strategic and least performative GaryVee conversations ever recorded. He breaks down his real framework for content-driven customer acquisition, explains why "day trading attention" is the #1 business skill of the 2020s, and shares the specific content strategy that's built $300M+ in enterprise value for VaynerMedia clients.
A refreshing non-Silicon-Valley entrepreneurship story. Davies built Crafter's Companion from her university bedroom to a £35M+ global brand through bootstrapping, relentless customer focus, and old-fashioned grit. Her lessons on managing cash flow and transitioning from maker to manager are invaluable.
Sanchez makes a compelling case for entrepreneurship through acquisition — buying existing, cash-flowing "boring" businesses instead of starting from scratch. She outlines her deal sourcing process, creative financing structures, and the specific types of businesses that make the best acquisitions for first-time buyers.
The former Twitch executive and prolific entrepreneur shares his rapid-fire framework for identifying and validating profitable business ideas. His concept of the "idea maze" — studying why predecessors failed before starting — is one of the most underrated strategic tools for aspiring founders.
These episodes explore the inner game — how your psychology shapes your decisions, relationships, and capacity for success. Featuring psychologists, neuroscientists, and behavioral experts.
Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Kahneman explains the cognitive biases that silently sabotage our decisions every day. His distinction between System 1 (fast, intuitive) and System 2 (slow, deliberate) thinking, applied to business and life decisions, is essential knowledge for anyone making high-stakes choices.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Smith explains the psychological patterns that distinguish people who thrive long-term from those who implode under pressure. Her framework for differentiating between anxiety-as-signal and anxiety-as-distortion is remarkably practical. She also covers imposter syndrome, decision fatigue, and why self-awareness is the ultimate competitive advantage.
Former monk turned purpose coach Jay Shetty shares ancient wisdom through a modern lens. His framework for identifying your "dharma" (purpose) and the daily practices he uses to maintain clarity amid chaos resonated with millions of listeners. The conversation about detaching self-worth from outcomes is particularly powerful.
The bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power provides a deep reading of human psychology that's equal parts fascinating and unsettling. Greene explains how to read people's true motivations, protect yourself from manipulation, and understand the shadow side of ambition — essential knowledge for navigating business and life.
One of the most emotionally impactful episodes in DOAC history. Dr. Maté explains how childhood experiences wire our adult behavior, why addiction is always rooted in pain, and how unprocessed trauma shows up as perfectionism, people-pleasing, and workaholism. Steven's own emotional breakthrough during this conversation is unforgettable.
Former Google X Chief Business Officer Mo Gawdat engineered an equation for happiness after the tragic death of his son. His "happiness algorithm" — happiness ≥ events minus expectations — provides a mathematical framework for emotional wellbeing. This episode changes how you think about what makes life meaningful.
Researcher Bren— Brown makes a data-backed case that vulnerability isn't weakness but the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and genuine connection. Her framework for "rumbling with vulnerability" in professional settings gives leaders permission to be human — and shows why that makes them more effective, not less.
Some of the podcast's most powerful episodes explore how we connect with others — romantic partnerships, family dynamics, friendships, and the communication skills that underpin all of them.
The world's most famous relationship therapist explains why modern relationships are under more pressure than ever — we expect one partner to provide what an entire village once did. Her insights on desire vs. security, the "erotic" as a source of vitality, and how to have difficult conversations transformed how millions think about partnership.
Dating coach and author Matthew Hussey goes beyond surface-level dating advice into the deeper patterns that keep people stuck in unhealthy relationship cycles. His concept of "core confidence" vs. "situational confidence" and his framework for setting standards without building walls are immediately applicable.
Drawing on Gottman's legendary research, this episode explores the "four horsemen" of relationship destruction — criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling — and the antidotes to each. The research showing that successful couples have a 5:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions is one of the most actionable relationship insights ever quantified.
Williamson and Steven have one of the most honest conversations about the modern dating landscape — how apps have changed courtship, why loneliness is epidemic among young men and women, and what both genders consistently get wrong. This episode struck a nerve, becoming one of the most-discussed DOAC conversations on social media.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Becky shares her revolutionary "Good Inside" approach to parenting that reframes discipline as connection. Even for non-parents, her communication frameworks — especially the concept of "repair" after conflict — apply directly to managing teams, friendships, and any human relationship.
From personal finance fundamentals to billion-dollar investment strategies, these episodes demystify money.
Angel investor and philosopher Naval distills his framework for wealth creation: specific knowledge, leverage, and accountability. His distinction between "renting out your time" and "owning equity" fundamentally reframes how people think about career decisions. The concept of building wealth through "productized judgment" is life-changing.
The bestselling author explains why financial success has less to do with intelligence and more to do with behavior. His stories about Ronald Read (a janitor who died with $8M) and Richard Fuscone (a Merrill Lynch executive who went bankrupt) illustrate why the gap between "knowing" and "doing" in finance destroys more wealth than any market crash.
Sethi challenges the "cut-all-expenses" school of personal finance with a framework centered on conscious spending — cutting ruthlessly on things you don't care about so you can spend extravagantly on things you love. His concept of a "rich life" as a personal definition rather than a number is both liberating and practical.
Best known for The 4-Hour Workweek, Ferriss shares his actual investment approach — including why he avoids public markets, how he evaluates startup deals, and his "fear-setting" exercise for making financial decisions under uncertainty. His framework for "asymmetric bets" — limited downside with unlimited upside — is how the best angel investors think.
For listeners fascinated by cutting-edge research, AI, space, and the future of humanity.
The Sapiens author presents a measured but deeply concerning analysis of artificial intelligence's potential to reshape civilization. Unlike clickbait AI doom predictions, Harari grounds his argument in historical patterns of technological disruption and the specific qualities that make AI different from every previous tool humans have invented.
The US Surgeon General presents data showing that loneliness is as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Murthy explains the neuroscience of social connection, why technology has paradoxically made us lonelier, and specific interventions that individuals and communities can implement. A critically important conversation for the digital age.
The astrophysicist brings his trademark enthusiasm to a wide-ranging conversation about cosmic perspective, scientific thinking, and why understanding the universe makes you a better human. His argument for scientific literacy as a civic duty — not just an intellectual pursuit — is more relevant than ever.
Some of the podcast's most powerful episodes feature Steven alone, sharing hard-won lessons from his own entrepreneurial journey with raw honesty.
Steven's most vulnerable solo episode. He details the real story of building Social Chain to a $600M+ valuation — including the depression, the equity mistakes, the co-founder tensions, and the moment he realized success without self-awareness is a prison. This episode has helped thousands of founders feel less alone in their struggles.
A companion to his bestselling book, Steven breaks down the core principles he's distilled from hundreds of podcast conversations and his own entrepreneurial experience. From "you must out-fail the competition" to "the first rule of business is never to sell to a stranger," each law is illustrated with real stories.
An early episode where Steven shares the story of his lowest point — broke, sleeping on floors, questioning whether entrepreneurship was worth it. The contrast between this story and his current success makes it one of the most motivating episodes for anyone in the difficult early stages of building something.
The Diary of a CEO is available on every major platform, completely free:
New episodes drop twice per week, typically Monday and Thursday. Most episodes run approximately 1.5 hours.
One of the most distinctive features of Diary of a CEO is the "last guest question." At the end of every episode, the guest leaves a question in a book for the next guest to answer. This creates an unbroken chain where a neuroscientist might answer a question posed by a rapper, or a billionaire responds to a question from a psychologist. It's become one of the most beloved elements of the show, and many listeners consider the last 5 minutes the best part of each episode.
Steven Bartlett is a British-Nigerian entrepreneur born in 1992 who dropped out of university at 18 to build Social Chain, a social media marketing company valued at over $600 million. He became the youngest-ever Dragon on BBC's Dragons' Den at age 28, and his podcast has become one of the most influential media properties in the world. For a full profile, read our deep dive on Steven Bartlett's Net Worth in 2026.
As of March 2026, there are over 400 episodes of The Diary of a CEO. The podcast launched in 2017 and has released episodes consistently, ramping up to twice-weekly releases in recent years.
For a general introduction, start with any episode in a category that interests you most. If you're an entrepreneur, Simon Sinek or Alex Hormozi are perfect entry points. For health, try Dr. Andrew Huberman. For relationships, Esther Perel. Steven's solo episodes are also great for understanding the show's ethos. Check our top 15 episodes for entrepreneurs for a ranked starting guide.
No — while the podcast started with a business focus, it has evolved into one of the broadest-ranging interview shows in the world. Health, psychology, relationships, science, money, and culture are all covered extensively. The name "Diary of a CEO" reflects Steven's personal journey, but the content serves anyone interested in self-improvement and understanding the world.
Most episodes run between 1 and 2 hours, with the average being approximately 1.5 hours. Steven intentionally keeps episodes long-form to allow conversations to go beyond surface-level talking points into genuine depth and insight.
Yes, all episodes are completely free on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major platforms. There is no premium or paid tier — Steven has chosen to keep the full archive accessible to everyone.
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