One big question at a time. Explored, untangled, and (possibly) solved.
Self-improvement is everywhere but most of it's overly simplistic, shouty, and backed by vibes, not evidence.
I'm Ed Stott, former BBC & ABC journalist turned independent audio doco maker, obsessed with figuring out how to live better. (That obsession once led to 50 stand-up gigs in 6 months… but more on that later.)
Each month, I tackle one big, messy life question like "What's my purpose?" or "Should I quit my job?" and get real answers from the world's sharpest minds.
Big ideas, explored creatively, to help you make sense of your life.
(Formerly 'That's Helpful'.)
Thinking about quitting, but not sure if you’ll regret it? This episode will help you work out whether it’s time to leave, or if there’s still something worth holding onto.
We’ve all been there: lying awake at night, weighing the costs of staying against the risks of walking away. Do you push through and hope it gets better, or cut your losses before you waste more time?
In this episode, I’ve brought together Ash Ambirge, Julia Keller, Simone Stolzoff and Monique Ross to help you figure it out.
We’ll explore the hidden traps that keep us stuck, the real benefits of quitting, and the surprising strategies that can make staying a lot better than it feels right now. Plus at the end, I’ll give you five questions that can bring your answer into focus, fast.
💡 You’ll learn:
When grit and perseverance become harmful
Why the sunk cost fallacy makes quitting so hard
How to spot your own version of a “good enough job”
Simple shifts to make your current role work better
Why sometimes the smartest move isn’t quitting or sticking — but something in between
📖 Chapters
00:00 – Should I quit my job?
03:40 – Ash Ambirge: quitting as growth
11:20 – Julia Keller: rebranding quitting
20:00 – The sunk cost fallacy
26:30 – Simone Stolzoff: the “good enough job”
34:10 – Monique Ross on job crafting
40:00 – The secret third option: quasi-quitting
42:00 – Five questions to guide your decision
🔗 Helpful Links
Confused Math Lady Meme
Ash Ambirge’s The Middle Finger Project
Julia Keller’s Quitting: A Life Strategy
Simone Stolzoff’s The Good Enough Job
Monique Ross’ This Working Life
📬 Get in touch
Email me at: biglifequestions @ edstott.com
22 Aug 2025
Why Can I Never Just Have One? 🍪
What if that “can’t stop eating” feeling isn’t about willpower, but design?
Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Michael Moss has spent years inside the boardrooms, factories and labs where our food is being engineered, and what he’s discovered will change the way you think about food.
In this full conversation, we dig into how processed food is crafted to override your appetite, what food giants don’t want you to know about nutrition “research,” and why breaking free from these cravings is harder than you think.
💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:
How the food industry deliberately designs products to be irresistible
The tricks companies use to shift blame for overeating onto you
Why “health halos” and marketing slogans keep us confused
The science behind food addiction and whether we can break it
What Moss believes has to change for us to eat more freely
🎧 Featuring:
📚 Michael Moss, Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter and New York Times bestselling author of Salt, Sugar, Fat and Hooked → mossbooks.us
If you’ve ever felt like you can’t stop eating certain foods, or you’ve wondered why your willpower never seems enough, this episode will change the way you think about what’s on your plate.
Loved the episode?
Follow the show, share it with a friend, and know that every listen is a tiny act of resistance against unqualified men with microphones.
📬 Get in touch
Email: edwina @ edstott.com
Instagram: @biglifequestionspodcast
12 Aug 2025
Why Can't I Stop Thinking About Food? - Your 20 Minute Listen
From grandma’s kitchen to Ozempic - how eating got so complicated.
This condensed version of the full-length documentary unpacks the surprising history behind food confusion, the tricks used by the diet and processed food industries, and what GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic really mean for the way we eat.
💡 In this quick listen, you’ll learn:
The surprising moment eating stopped being simple
How “healthy” food marketing rewired your appetite
The one thing food companies can’t sell you (and why it’s the answer)
📖 Chapter Timestamps:
00:00 Why food feels confusing now
02:00 The moment diet culture took over family meals
06:00 How processed food became addictive by design
11:00 The wellness halo and misleading “healthy” marketing
14:30 The Ozempic question
17:00 Why listening to your body is the radical act food companies can’t monetise
🎧 Featuring:
🔬 Prof Marion Nestle on how food companies shape what we believe about health → foodpolitics.com
📚 Michael Moss, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Salt Sugar Fat & Hooked (https://mossbooks.us/)
🧠 Christy Harrison, dietitian and journalist behind Anti-Diet & The Wellness Trap (https://christyharrison.com/books)
💉 Dr Nick Fuller from Interval Weight Loss on how GLP-1s like Ozempic actually work
📖 Dr Lauren Samuelsson, food historian, on how The Women’s Weekly shaped modern diet culture → UOW profile
If you’ve ever felt confused about food, struggled to trust your appetite, or wondered why eating feels so fraught, this one’s for you.
💌 Related episodes:
Ditch Food Guilt with Dr Emma Beckett
Raising Kids with a Healthy Relationship with Food (even if you don't have one) with Leslie Schilling
The Secret to Motivation & Exercise with Leah Barron
Ditch the Diet & Become the Healthiest You EVER
How to Empower Your Kids with Body Neutrality with Taryn Brumfitt
Loved the episode?
Follow the show, share it with a friend, and know that every listen is a tiny act of resistance against unqualified men with microphones.
📬 Get in touch
Email: edwina @ edstott.com
Instagram: @biglifequestionspodcast
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
Spotify
4.9 / 5
107 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 65 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
91
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
96
Contact That's Helpful with Ed Stott
Guest appearances
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