Lead a happier, healthier, and more ethical life with Andrew Leigh

Lead a happier, healthier, and more ethical life.

The Good Life now playing on the CBAA's Community Radio Network

In The Good Life: Andrew Leigh in Conversation, Andrew Leigh chats with some of the world’s wisest souls on what it takes to life a happier, healthier, and more ethical life. Our society places a lot of emphasis on ‘smarts’, and not enough on wisdom. So, Andrew seeks out wise individuals to discuss life lessons about living life to the full, with humour, pleasure, meaning and love, and how you can set yourself up for the same.

Andrew grew up in Malaysia, Indonesia, Melbourne, and Sydney. Prior to being elected in 2010, Andrew was a professor of economics at the Australian National University. He holds a PhD in Public Policy from Harvard, having graduated from the University of Sydney with first class honours in Arts and Law. Andrew is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences, and a past recipient of the 'Young Economist Award', a prize given every two years by the Economics Society of Australia to the best economist under 40.

His early life gave him a profound sense of how important inclusive communities are. His grandparents took the view that if there was a spare room in the house, it should be used by someone who needed the space. Andrew’s experience at his grandparents’ home with Indigenous families and newly arrived refugees helped inform his life-long passion for Australia’s multiculturalism.

"I will strive to strengthen community life, not only in Canberra, but across Australia. In doing so, I hope to follow in the footsteps of my grandparents – people of modest means who believed that a life of serving others was a life well lived."

For five years, Andrew and guests have been covering issues such as friendship, mental health, success, finding identity and how to accept it. He has chatted with experts in their field, ranging from one of the biggest living names in philosophy Alain de Botton, to Bruce Pascoe, author of award-winning ‘Dark Emu’. He has spoken with athletes like Craig Foster, and former Prime Ministers Julia Gillard and Malcolm Turnbull. He has talked to community builders like Astrid Jorgensen, founder of pub choir and scientists Alan Finkel and Michelle Simmons.

Andrew started The Good Life because he wanted the chance to stop, sit down with someone and just chat about what drives them, inspires them, interests them and why. He loves the fact that he learns something new every single episode.

We asked him a couple of questions about the show…

What is your favourite part about making The Good Life?

It is an immense privilege to get insights into other people’s philosophies. I learn something new every single episode. From chatting with former Prime Ministers, activists, sports stars anthropologists, social psychologists, musicians, and authors.

What is the one thing you would like people to take away from the Good Life?

Live with gratitude. Those whose company I most enjoy are people that take pleasure from their art, sport, and family. We are granted only about 30,000 days on this planet – a blink of an eye in the big sweep of things. So, make each of those days count, by being kind, curious and positive. And do your bit to make the place better. As the Rabbinical saying goes, ‘It is not your responsibility to finish the work of perfecting the world, but you are not free to desist from it either’.

Andrew believes that reform will only succeed if there is a will for action; if we believe in our hearts that we cannot enjoy the good life without a fair society and a healthy planet.

So, tune in to get insights into how to live a good life with some of the world’s wisest minds!

Broadcasters - get The Good Life on your station!

Subscribers to the CBAA's Community Radio Network can access this content immediately by ordering Extras 1 or getting in touch with the team for the bulk download link. If you are not currently subscribing to the Communtiy Radio Network and would like to broadcast The Good Life, be sure to get in touch with the Community Radio Network team about access.

Email us at crn.cbaa.org.au or call us on 02 9310 2999.