Welcome to The Diary Of A CEO where you'll find raw, human conversations with the world’s most fascinating experts, storytellers, thinkers and business leaders.
Hosted by Steven Bartlett (entrepreneur, investor, author, and founder of Steven.com and Flight Fund) this channel was created with a simple mission: to share personal lessons that help both you live better, more fulfilling lives.
What is DOAC? Beyond Diary Of A CEO, the acronym reflects our core ethos:
- Dreamers — Dream boldly.
- Open-minded — Think without limits.
- Awareness — Expand your perspective.
- Connection — Feel more connected.
This is your corner of the internet to dream boldly, think openly, expand your awareness, and feel more connected.
The Diary Of A CEO:
◼ Join DOAC circle here - https://doaccircle.com/
◼ Buy The Diary Of A CEO book here - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/BWjLTZK
◼ Shop The Diary Of A CEO collection: https://thediary.com/collections/shop
◼ Get email updates - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/5IB1H6E
◼ Follow Steven - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/AGU9QP4
Are we secretly sleepwalking into the most dangerous 8 weeks of our lifetimes? Professor Robert Pape reveals why the coming months could trigger unprecedented political violence and war escalation, and what it means for the future of global stability. Robert Pape is a renowned political scientist who has spent the last 30 years studying global political violence and advising every US White House since 9/11. He is the author of several definitive books on military strategy and political instability, including his most recent work, Our Own Worst Enemies. His extensive research seeks to understand the root causes of violent populism and provide actionable frameworks to prevent geopolitical escalation traps. This episode was recorded on October 29, 2026. In this episode, he explains: ■ The Escalation Trap: Why international conflict is less like a strategic game of chess and more like a desperate gambler playing roulette to chase their mounting losses. ■ The "Instant Thunder" Threat: How a seemingly brief three-day aerial bombing plan could rapidly spiral into a prolonged war that paralyzes global infrastructure. ■ The Wildfire of Violent Populism: Why tens of millions of politically divided citizens currently act as combustible material waiting for a single structural spark to ignite widespread violence. ■ Invoking the Insurrection Act: The terrifying sequence of events that could legally place military troops on domestic streets to suppress protests during a transfer of power. ■ The Three Core Firebreaks: The specific demands ordinary citizens and global politicians must make to de-escalate tensions and prevent regional proxy battles from turning into World War Three. Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:14 Why Political Violence Is on the Rise 00:02:14 How Did the Current Geopolitical Crisis Begin? 00:08:47 What Happens If Democrats Win the Midterms? 00:12:45 What Could Happen Week by Week? 00:14:58 How Will the Iran War End? 00:24:01 How the Midterm Elections Could Shake Up Crypto 00:27:34 What Is the Three-Day Plan and Why Does It Matter? 00:35:09 What Is an Inspired Attack and How Dangerous Is It? 00:41:09 Ads 00:46:10 What Does Putin Really Want From Ukraine? 00:49:30 What Happens to Ukraine After the US Midterms? 00:50:13 What Is Number 7 and Why Does It Matter? 00:52:22 How Could Both Wars End? 00:52:57 What Is Violent Populism and Why Is It Rising? 00:59:09 Why Is the UK Urging People to Stock Up on Cash, Water, and Batteries? 01:02:56 Ads 01:04:01 Did US Intelligence Tell Reporters to Ignore a Cyberattack? 01:08:21 Has the US Military Ever Been Deployed on American Streets? 01:11:39 Could US Ground Troops Be Sent Into Iran? 01:11:54 What Is the Insurrection Act and When Could It Be Used? 01:15:42 Are We Already Fighting Proxy Wars? 01:16:42 How Likely Is World War 3? 01:17:20 What Can We Do to Prevent World War 3? 01:20:18 What Should the Public Be Doing to Prepare? 01:25:08 Has the White House Made Direct Contact? Follow Robert Pape: X - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/6mSph0Q LinkedIn - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/EhIzCvZ Substack - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/3Q5mHn9 Escalation Trap Substack - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/1OeEzej Our Own Worst Enemies - https://bookshelf.thediaryofaceo.com/guestbooks/robert-pape The Diary Of A CEO: ◼ Join DOAC circle here - https://doaccircle.com/ ◼ Buy The Diary Of A CEO book here - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/BWjLTZK ◼ Shop The Diary Of A CEO collection: https://thediary.com/collections/shop ◼ Get email updates - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/5IB1H6E ◼ Follow Steven - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/AGU9QP4 ◼ DOAC Bookshelf - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/400KRZk Sponsors: Fiverr - https://fiverr.com/diary and get 10% off your first order when you use code DIARY Ketone - https://ketone.com/STEVEN for 30% off your subscription order Grok Bot - Get 50% off your first month at https://x.ai/doac
Is political corruption and extreme inequality pushing the working class to the breaking point? Representative James Talarico reveals the hidden systemic forces dismantling the American middle class and shares his radical blueprint to fix a rigged political system. James Talarico is an 8th-generation Texan, former public school teacher, and current Democratic State Representative. As the potential first Democratic Senator elected in Texas since 1988, he campaigns on a progressive platform rooted in comprehensive political reform and unrigging the economy. This episode was recorded on September 8, 2026. In this episode, he explains: ■ The Rigged System: Why the last 50 years of “trickle-down economics” is not an economic theory, but a deliberate theft designed to transfer wealth from the middle class to the ultra-rich. ■ Crony Capitalism: How monopolies in healthcare and lax campaign finance laws allow corporations to essentially purchase politicians, eliminating true competition and driving up prices for average citizens. ■ The AI Threat: Why leaving the development of artificial intelligence entirely to profit-driven billionaires threatens to create mass unemployment without any shared public benefits or worker protections. ■ False Immigration Choices: How politicians use extreme border rhetoric to divide voters, when the real solution requires simultaneous border security and clear, legal pathways to citizenship for undocumented residents. ■ Systemic Overhaul: Why simply electing new politicians changes nothing unless we first dismantle the corrupt incentive structures of gerrymandering, the two-party system, and unregulated corporate lobbying. Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:24 Growing Up With a Single Mom Who Escaped Abuse 00:07:45 Why He Won't Run for President 00:14:08 Who Should the Democrats Run in 2028? 00:15:51 The Rise of Democratic Socialism and the Powell Memo 00:20:42 How to Rebuild the American Middle Class 00:25:07 Is the Texas Governor Corrupt? 00:27:54 Is It a Spiritual Sickness to Be a Trillionaire? 00:31:50 How Do You Tax Wealth That Isn't Cash? 00:36:01 Will Billionaires Just Leave the State? 00:38:30 Breaking Up Healthcare Monopolies 00:40:33 Ads 00:42:37 The 3 Things He'd Prioritize to Regulate AI 00:47:09 Should Billionaires Write the Rules for AI? 00:49:39 Will Self-Driving Cars Wipe Out Driving Jobs? 00:52:02 Is AI Headed Toward 30% Unemployment? 00:56:03 Did Woke Politics Hurt the Democrats? 00:57:40 Why Did Democrats Lose to Trump? 01:01:03 What Does He Really Think of Trump? 01:02:16 How to Fix Immigration Without Extremism 01:05:29 Ads 01:06:37 How Does America Get Out of the Iran War? 01:13:37 His Advice to Trump and Hopes for the Midterms 01:17:07 The Good Samaritan and the Faith That Shapes Him 01:20:36 Does He Love His Rival Ken Paxton? 01:23:13 Why He Went to Seminary at 31 01:27:33 Where Does His Faith in God Come From? 01:31:09 How Is He Different From Other Politicians? 01:34:33 His Biggest Challenge: Winning Texas Follow James Talarico: X - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/DWpLDxD Instagram - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/9QJd2c5 TikTok - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/EdwWBpg Facebook - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/4iwFlgP YouTube - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/G7H9N44 The Diary Of A CEO: ◼ Join DOAC circle here - https://doaccircle.com/ ◼ Buy The Diary Of A CEO book here - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/BWjLTZK ◼ Shop The Diary Of A CEO collection: https://thediary.com/collections/shop ◼ Get email updates - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/5IB1H6E ◼ Follow Steven - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/AGU9QP4 ◼ DOAC Bookshelf - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/BBnuCf6 Sponsors: Function Health - https://functionhealth.com/DOAC Cometeer - http://cometeer.com/steven use code STEVEN for $30
