Legendary Harvard Scientist On The Study That Reversed Aging | Dr. Ellen Langer

2025-07-01

In 1979, a group of elderly men walked into a retreat center. One week later, they walked out stronger, faster — even biologically younger. There was no medication. No surgery. The only thing that changed was the way they saw themselves. That study launched one of the most groundbreaking research careers in psychology — and it changed how we understand aging, illness, limitations, and the possibilities that are available to all of us. Dr. Ellen Langer is a Harvard psychologist, the first tenured woman in Harva...

In 1979, a group of elderly men walked into a retreat center. One week later, they walked out stronger, faster — even biologically younger.

There was no medication. No surgery.
The only thing that changed was the way they saw themselves.

That study launched one of the most groundbreaking research careers in psychology — and it changed how we understand aging, illness, limitations, and the possibilities that are available to all of us.

Dr. Ellen Langer is a Harvard psychologist, the first tenured woman in Harvard’s psych department, and one of the most cited scientists in her field.

She’s widely recognized as the GOAT of mindfulness research — not the meditation kind, but a radically different approach rooted in active noticing and the restoration of personal agency.

In this episode, we explore:
— The now-famous Counterclockwise Study that challenged aging itself
— How our mindset shapes everything from stress to disease outcomes
— The quiet ways we limit ourselves through language, labels, and expectation
— And what happens when we stop blindly trusting “the facts” — and start trusting what we feel

Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
2:49 - Sponsor (Magic Mind)
3:52 - The Counterclockwise Study
7:42 - We Live In Mental Prisons
14:43 - The Definition of Mindlessness
17:30 - Are We Making Ourselves Sick?
28:42 - Our Perception of Getting Older
36:35 - Stress is the Biggest Killer
45:56 - Dealing With Mental Health Issues
54:20 - Is There a Negativity Bias In The Brain?
58:49 - Labeling Theory
1:06:22 - Dealing with Relational Conflict
1:15:19 - Are Emotions Choices?
1:25:16 - Social Comparison
1:32:52 - Do Mind-shifts Get Easier?
1:42:53 - Feeling Like You’re Behind
1:54:21 - Dr. Langer’s Greatest Challenge

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Dr. Ellen Langer Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellenjlanger/
The Mindful Body (Book): https://amzn.to/4ke6nf5

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