In this deeply personal interview, Dr. Jordan B. Peterson sits down with Scott Adams, cartoonist and creator of Dilbert, to explore the unlikely paths that shape a life—from illustrating a nationally syndicated hit comic to fatal illness and facing the metaphysical. Adams shares stories of coincidence and perseverance, including how affirmations, setbacks, and sheer optimism propelled him from obscurity to national fame. The conversation dives into themes of malicious envy, systems versus goals, American culture, simulation theory, and the power of narrative perception. Both reflect on trauma, purpose, and survival—making this episode a profound meditation on how we author meaning in a truly absurd world. This episode was filmed on July 7th, 2025 Unlock the ad-free experience of The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast and dive into exclusive bonus content on DailyWire+. Start watching now: http://dwpluspeterson.com/yt ALL LINKS: https://feedlink.io/jordanbpeterson | Sponsors | ExpressVPN: Go to https://expressvpn.com/jordanand find out how you can get 4 months of ExpressVPN free! NetSuite: Download the free e-book “Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders” at https://NetSuite.com/JBP PreBorn!: Help save babies from abortion. Visit https://preborn.com/JORDAN Boll & Branch: Get 20% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at https://BollAndBranch.com/PETERSON | Links | For Scott Adams: On X https://x.com/scottadamssays?lang=en On Youtube, watch or listen to the “Real Coffee With Scott Adams” podcast https://www.youtube.com/@RealCoffeewithScottAdams/videos Website https://dilbert.com/ | Chapters | (0:00) Coming up (1:05) Intro (2:36) Adams wrote a comic about Jordan (5:43) Trump’s nonstop wins, malicious envy, and American culture (18:29) Studying hypnosis and breaking out as a syndicated cartoonist (34:09) The truth of affirmations: intent, talent, determination, and luck (46:21) The power of saying “Yes,” when Trump summoned Adams to the Oval Office (50:30) If you think about a goal long enough, your brain rewires itself to serve it (1:00:26) You need a goal—but you also need a working system (1:10:09) “You could have despaired," how Adams faces pain and the fear of death // LINKS // Peterson Academy https://petersonacademy.com ARC https://www.arcforum.com Books - https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/books/ #JordanPeterson #JordanBPeterson #DrJordanPeterson #DrJordanBPeterson #dailywireplus Ep. 0561