Dan Harris – Taming The Voice In Your Head
From Skeptic To Meditator. Dan Harris Shares How He ‘Tamed The Voice In His Head’ & How You Can Too
Dan Harris is co-anchor of Nightline and the weekend editions of Good Morning America. He is a correspondent for ABC News and regularly reports for 20/20, World News with Diane Sawyer and weekday editions of Good Morning America. He has travelled extensively as a news correspondent including Iraq and Afghanistan.
He is also the bestselling author of 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Truly Works.
In this interview Dan talks candidly about his own journey into mindfulness and how he went from being a skeptic to being a very public advocate of meditation.
You’ll also learn about…
- How the voice in your head can be ‘tamed’ through mindfulness practice.
- Why meditation won’t make you lose your edge. How it makes you more focussed and productive
- The practical benefits of mindful living (that every A-type needs to hear).
Language warning. There is a bit of swearing in this one.
Show Notes
Join The Mindfulness Summit Journey here
Come and join the community discussions at any time on our Facebook page
Together with Joseph Goldstein, Dan has created a mindfulness app for every day people which you can check out here
His book can also be found here
Audio
Video
Transcript
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Purchase a full access pass to unlock downloads for the full interview transcripts, audio, video and separate audio meditation tracks.
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Purchase a full access pass to unlock downloads for the full interview transcripts, audio, video and separate audio meditation tracks.
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Thanks for sharing Dan
I love Eckhart Tolle’s’ books.
I agree with Dan…they got me interested but gave me no clue how to silence the voice in my head..
I’m with you 110% on that. I think you must be ready for them though. If he was talking about A New Earth maybe he can try again another time in his life.
I meant im 110% with Saras comment above. I too love Eckhart Tolles book A New Earth. It has changed my life in much the same way it seems as meditation has changed others. its funny that really it is the exact same thing. Eckhart shows you how to practice being present throughout the day, which brings the same learning situations into the light. He also explains a lot about why people think the way they do and and how to notice your own thughts. Maybe his teachings have more of a spiritual aspect to it than meditation does, but either way you really cant help but know a deeper power is helping the world to become a more peaceful place.
I love Echart Tolle too. His calmness and ability to be in the moment at all times is what draws my attention most.
Thank you Dan for sharing your ideas. I am hopeful that soon mindfulness will be mainstream and this world will be a happier, calmer place to live in.
Thank you as always to our lovely host, for doing this.
I would like to add that one aspect of mindfulness is to watch your thinking and feelings with acceptance and compassion not judgment.
another great interview thank you so much
Great interview with Dan Harris! I really made me think about that voice in the head I could so well related to. I loved what he said about mediation.! Especially if you only do something for 5 minutes, just stick to it everyday. Great advice.
Thanks.
Cecelia
Really enjoying the summit. Each speaker has been useful in different ways, I’m enjoying the variety. Also enjoying Melli’s presentation, her enthusiasm and humility. Thanks so much.
I would like to thank Dan for his book. It is what got me started on the path to mindfulness. Great interview!
Thank you Dan for being so honest about your experience. Since we are all energy and the law of cause and effect is at work (since energy is not lost) it is easy to see that a shift in the energy we bring to our relationships can change our world – and that of others. We have a responsibility to ourselves and to those who come in contact with our energy field to practice mindfulness and kindness. It is the path.
Looking forward to reading your book, Dan. Thanks again for your contribution here!
Thank you .. i enjoyed this and think it is great to get a different angel from angle from someone who is still in his ‘reality’ but using mindfulness to his advantage and is so open about his path.
Rather poignant testimony by Nightline co-anchor and ABC News Correspondent Dan Harris, on overcoming personal frailty in a public setting, particularly when reporting from locales with admittedly higher religious journeys (Hadj), that exemplify or reward life after death. Respectfully, Zara Ellis, QUALLA BOUNDARY
Good job with this interview with Dan Harris. It certainly is more friendly and intimate with the give and take of two people and there were far fewer interruptions on the part of the interviewer. Not an easy task. Well done.
I really enjoyed this talk. I wish it could have been longer.
Dan, what a refreshing voice and confidence to share yourself – a real inspiration to an A-type person as myself.
Thank you for sharing your ideas for alternate titles for your book. “The Voice Inside is an Asshole” is one that many of us and our clients can relate to! And Dan’s wife’s idea of 90% Still a Moron speaks to how it takes time and practice, and with persistence, it as Dan says, gets incrementally better.
I also appreciated the conciseness of the talk today, so us Type As can get back to work and the enjoyment of the weekend!
appreciate your honesty
Having problems accessing this talk. Every few minutes, it’s cutting out
This was a super, down-to -earth talk. Thank you, Melli and Dan.
Truly believe that mindfulness practice will be able to calm the world, allowing us to make better decisions and treating ourselves and others in a better way ! Thank you for Day 3 !
Summit is great! My Saturday was much more relaxed than usual and I’ve got a feeling it’s to do with all the great ideas and concepts these talks are providing . well done to the team that organized this!! And thank you !!
Thank you Dan. Great interview. I also love the mindfulness videos you’ve created and I’m looking forward to reading your book.
Seeing that Dan was gonna be in on this is what made me sign up! I’d read Tolle, Dyer, Thich, etc & about 4mo ago came across his book & read it and laughed bc it’s the exact path I was having – catalyst event, read into meditation and mindfulness but skeptic and struggling to accept it. It was his book that got me back into the process again & has helped me to re-embrance the process. Loved this interview & thank you melli for providing us with this interview with Dan!
I was very excited about this Mindfulness Summit. I am on day 3 and can not make it though any of the videos due to the interview techniques of Melli. All the extra noise is so distracting!
So agree.
Truth!! This was a much more manageable daily length too.
Thank you Dan for sharing your story and embracing the vulnerability of being so honest. Great interview Melli.
This is such a great one, a really honest take on the whole practice. It clearly highlighted the potential benefits: Being able to interact better with your thoughts, have more control over your reactions. It again emphasizes the continual nature of the meditation practice! Thank you very much, it was a wonderful!
Great interview!
I wish Joseph Goldstein offered me to be my teacher 🙂
But that would be craving, I guess 😉
Gassho
Really happy with this summit, it’s so inspiriring! Thanks a lot!!
This summit means a lot to me. Thank you. From South Africa
Good talk, thank you. As a Type B I was initially assuming there would be nothing here for me, but that was not the case. I’m glad mindfulness is reaching the mainstream and Dan is proof of that. It takes courage to make those changes. Appreciated his candidness and intelligence and dedication to his own practice. Loving this summit. Many thanks!
definitely enjoying the summit so far ✌however logging in hasn’ t been user friendly a little confusing at times
Namaste to folks who have previously posted some how to instructions ????
Wonderful insight. Thank you for sharing.
Many blessings!
Oh Guys the talk keeps freezing on me after four minutes and was really enjoying it. Has this happened to anyone else? Dont want to miss out on it !
This has happened to me as well. Not sure why but decided to try sitting right next to the wireless router and this has worked, The recording has not cut out so far. Was laughing with the thought of it cutting out during one of the meditations and I might remain deep in meditation for a bit of time.
Simple,practical and straight up – great!
Hi. We only have 24 hours to view these and during that time we are supposed to be able to see the transcripts and what not. However, I live in the US and am trying to stay within that 24 hours, but for example, it is 3 October where I am, but all of the comments on here say 4 October. Also, it’s giving me a hard time accessing transcripts and what not – as if I’m past the 24 hour period. I think that maybe the system that is being used isn’t calculating in the international dateline, so people in my part of the world are coming up as “outside” of the allowed time when we actually aren’t. I was wondering if anyone could help.
Greetings from Stockholm/Sweden
Thank you very much for the Mindfulness Summit.
As someone who has had panic attacks (fortunately not on live TV) I understand where you are coming from and I am glad you found peace. You met Eckhart Tolle, have you read any of his books? His books were helpful to me.
Thanks for the “Voice in my head is an asshole” comment Dan. It immediately clicked a shift in my own thoughts and provided a different perspective. Thanks for your honesty and your path.
Melli & co: G’Day! Loving this immensely. Each day has been remarkable in its own way, of its own voice. This is a great and noble thing you are doing Melli, one step closer to the ‘tipping point’ where mindful people are of such a number that the world changes (for the better), ‘peace with every step’ as Thich Nhat Hanh says. Loving the dialogue approach, split-screen (though some commenters don’t like it) and imo Melli’s authenticity and mindful speech come across very well to me. Looking forward to the next one! From Newark, Delaware USA.
This is a very simple question, but I would like to know if I´m right when I say that mindfulness ir a kind of meditation?
Yes you are right. One of the best definitions of mindfulness comes from Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Kabat-Zinn said that mindfulness is, “paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally, to the unfolding of experience moment to moment.” So mindfulness meditation involves paying attention to the breath and body and thoughts that arise and nonjudgmentally bringing the meditative focus back to the breathing
I would read a book entitled, “The Voice in my Head is an Asshole.” Where 10% Happier just passed by without my even noticing. Thanks for sharing Dan’s path.
I just finished the 10% Happier course from Dan and it was amazing. I also loved the book. He is so honest and down to earth. Thanks to Dan for giving me the incentive to finally sit down and do this.
I have read the book and it lead to my practice. Happy to see Joseph and Dan back to back here since Joseph was one of his teachers. I had not heard the “90% still a moron” or the original title “The Voice in my head is an Asshole.” I think Dan’s “swearing” adds to the authenticity and I appreicate his cussing! I will strive to ask myself on the 17th time a rumination comes into my head if it is useful.
Thanks, Dan. The way I explain how meditation benefits me is that it creates a space of choice between stimulus and response, at least 95% of the time.
Wonderful interview, feeling truely blessed to be part of this summit!
Thanks Dan and Melli, hearing you clearly in NZ! It occurs to me how wonderful it would be if instead of tuning in to the news the same number of people listened to a broadcast like this once or twice a week…
Day 3: another informative talk, truly enjoyed listening. Thank you Dan for sharing your experiences of your journey and your take on meditation and mindfulness. And once again thank you Melli for the dialog, love your style and engagement. And thank you so much for allowing the past talks to be available for us to access anytime, I fined myself going back and reviewing them. Gratitude from California, USA.
Great interview. I really enjoyed Dan Harris’ candid and open style. Will certainly get his book !
my voice in my head is an ARSCHLOCH too!! But while meditating I get a good distance to it and I can handle having it on board, as I encounter all the other positive aspects of my being at the same time…thanks once again to the summit-team, I have joined in every day from Switzerland and I wish more people in my country will also choose the mindful path.
i have enjoyed all 3 presentations. Can you please give me more information about the 8 week class Mark Williams was referring to from the first day?
Really enjoying every word. Thank you
Love the length of this one
Thank you Sounds True for this wonderful Summit. It is heartening to know that when each of us make change in some small way, the whole world could change. I like when Dan Harris says “happiness should not be confused with complacency” and that” commitment to meditate is an important habit- even if for a few minutes”. It as helped me curb judgment, resistance & useless chatter in my mind & instead I find myself being more accepting, compassionate & at peace.
Great effort Melli!…Good on you for really sticking your neck out and getting this online event organised!…????
This was the best interview so far. Thank you Dan for your honesty and down to earth style. I enjoyed listening and learned a lot as well. I will definitely check out the book.
Thank you! Great honest talk. Dan mentioned something about an online course on Buddhism. Is it possible I can get a link or something?
Thank you!
I would be very curios to learn about this link too!
https://www.bcbsdharma.org/online-learning/