Why Too Much Freedom Is the Enemy of Success artwork
Plain English with Derek Thompson

Why Too Much Freedom Is the Enemy of Success

May 1, 2026 · 49 min

Freedom is one of the few ideas everyone agrees on. Surely more choice and autonomy is a good thing, right? But what if our endless pursuit of freedom is actually making us more anxious, less creative, and holding us back from reaching our full potential?Today, Derek Thompson talks with bestselling author David Epstein about the surprising upside of constraints. After arguing for breadth in 'Range…