What is a Good Life?

About What is a Good Life?

What is a Good Life? is a podcast that invites us to question what we’ve been told makes for a good life, and to pay more attention to what really matters: our relationships, the moments that make us feel more human, and the experiences that connect us to one another. After more than 300 conversations over five years, I’m increasingly convinced that the good life we are sold and how people actually experience it are very wide apart. These conversations offer another way of seeing the world, and an invitation to live a little differently. New episodes every Tuesday.

Publisher

Mark McCartney

Category

education · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

8 Jan 2023

Latest episode

27 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

195 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Oct 2026

   The Pacifist Who Went to War with Dmytro Dokunov | EP 195

   I recently watched a documentary that blew my mind: Where Everything Disappears. It was hard to hold the beauty and the grief it shared at the same time. It follows Dmytro “Doc” Dokunov, a documentary filmmaker who was living in a countryside eco-community, practicing yoga, breathwork and meditation, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion. He joined the Ukrainian army, became a commander, and kept his camera rolling. This is one of the most fascinating conversations I’ve had in this series. We talk about: Leaving a community built around nature and connection for the front line Using mantras and the Bhagavad Gita in a war zone Why he saw going to war as a form of love The bonds formed when there are no masks left Losing friends, and the weight of commanding others Why he still believes in humanity’s future A really moving conversation about presence, connection and keeping our hearts open, from a remarkable life. Dmytro “Doc” Dokunov is a Ukrainian documentary filmmaker, photographer, digital artist and Armed Forces veteran. For over 20 years, he has explored human stories, the beauty of everyday life, and the relationship between people, nature, and technology. As a co-founder of Pixelated Realities, he has worked on preserving cultural heritage through photography, 3D scanning, and digital art. When Russia's full-scale invasion began, Dmytro became a soldier, continuing to document life through his camera. His personal footage and experiences became the heart of the documentary Where Everything Disappears, directed by Oleksandr Tkachenko. Today, he is developing a nature-based creative and rehabilitation space for veterans and their families in Ukraine. To support the podcast: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/whatisagoodlife? (https://www.patreon.com/c/whatisagoodlife?) For more from Mark McCartney: The Podcast's Newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/ (https://www.whatisagood.life/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife (https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife)

2. 

   20 Oct 2026

   What is a Good Life? #194 - Living Fully While You Wait with Matt Hoffar

   What does a good life look like when your health is uncertain? Matt was born with a bone condition and has broken more than 40 bones. He’s had a liver transplant, and he’s now waiting on open heart surgery. He’s also one of the most positive, curious people I know, and I wanted to find out how he lives so fully. Matt has been a basketball coach, an equipment manager for the Vancouver Grizzlies in the NBA, a stockbroker, and a boxing promoter. He still trades and invests, and today he’s a writer and creator in animation, developing a comedy series. In this conversation, we talk about what living with medical uncertainty has taught him, and why he doesn’t let his health or his job define him. We also cover how saying hello to strangers has shaped his career and friendships, why you should change your mind when the facts change, what he learned from a boxing venture that didn’t add up, and his rule for new opportunities: if you can’t think of a downside, give it a go. It is a conversation about curiosity, relationships and keeping an open mind. To support the podcast: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/whatisagoodlife? (https://www.patreon.com/c/whatisagoodlife?) For more from Mark McCartney: The Podcast's Newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/ (https://www.whatisagood.life/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@whatisagoodlife3875⁩ (https://www.youtube.com/%20%E2%81%A8@whatisagoodlife3875%E2%81%A9)

3. 

   13 Oct 2026

   What is a Good Life? #193 - Living Life With Open Arms with Philippe Birker

   What happens when a hard-working founder is told by “the spirit world” to slow down and become a father? Philippe Birker is the co-founder of Climate Farmers, an organisation supporting the transition to regenerative agriculture across Europe. In this conversation he shares the question he’s living by: What do I want to leave behind? We talk about: A transformative ayahuasca retreat, and the messages that reshaped his work and family life Moving from 70-hour weeks and near burnout to trusting the flow of life What teenagers in a South African township taught him about money and happiness Falling in love with regenerative farming, and the farmer who changed what he eats Replanting a burned Portuguese hillside and what it means to increase a place’s “life-holding capacity” Love, friendship, and the unconditional love of fatherhood Originally from Germany, Philippe now lives in Portugal with his partner and two young sons. He also runs the social music label Hug Records and is rebuilding an abandoned village with friends. This episode is filled with inspiration to pay more attention to how we live, to whom we love, and the power of working at something you find meaningful. If you'd like to check out more of Philippe's work: Climate Farmers: www.climatefarmers.org (http://www.climatefarmers.org/) To support the podcast: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/whatisagoodlife? (https://www.patreon.com/c/whatisagoodlife?) For more from Mark McCartney: The Podcast's Newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/ (https://www.whatisagood.life/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@whatisagoodlife3875⁩ (https://www.youtube.com/%20%E2%81%A8@whatisagoodlife3875%E2%81%A9)

Who has been a guest on What is a Good Life?

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Karimu Samuels
• Steven D'Souza
• Marc Cinanni
• George Thompson
• Kimbra

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

4.8 / 5

22 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 65 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

99

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

77

Contact What is a Good Life?

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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