Stop Setting Goals! Do This Instead | Anne-Laure Le Cunff | 084

The Nathan Barry Show

In this episode, I sit down with Anne-Laure Le Cunff, neuroscientist, creator, and author of Tiny Experiments, to explore how mindful productivity and scientific thinking can unlock calm, sustainable growth.

We talk about how Anne-Laure built a $250K business while finishing her PhD, her process for designing mental health systems, and why most creators burn out by obsessing over goals.

She shares how tiny experiments, not big plans, led to her success—and why every creator should learn to reflect, quit intentionally, and listen to stress as a signal.

If you want to grow without burning out, this is a masterclass.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:12 Why tiny experiments beat big goals
03:15 Action vs reflection for creator growth
06:05 Quitting YouTube—and why it was the right choice
10:16 Helping your team feel safe to fail
14:07 Designing your own experiment formula
19:13 Breaking the cycle of goal obsession
22:42 The “maximize brain” and how to avoid it
32:22 How Anne-Laure earned $250K working part time
38:00 The business flywheel hidden inside her $49 community
46:57 Building systems for mental health
53:20 Good stress vs bad stress
58:00 Her simple content repurposing system
01:00:49 Final advice for goal-setters

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Learn more about the podcast: https://nathanbarry.com/show

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Follow Anne-Laure:
Website: https://www.nesslabs.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neuranne
X: https://x.com/neuranne
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@neuranne

Featured in this episode:
Tiny Experiments (book): https://nesslabs.com/book
Ness Labs: https://www.nestlabs.com
Kit: https://www.kit.com