563 Achieve the Unthinkable with Naveen Jain

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Lewis Howes interviews entrepreneur Naveen Jain about his mission-driven “moonshot” mindset across Moon Express and Viome. Jain argues scarcity is a mindset, problems are business opportunities, and exponential tech can create abundance in space, health, and education. He emphasizes curiosity, integrity, and building for impact over money.

Main Topics: Moonshot vision and multi-planetary future: Jain explains Moon Express as a step toward a multi-planetary society, framing the moon as a practical business frontier and a way to expand human possibility beyond Earth. Scarcity vs. abundance mindset: He argues scarcity is largely psychological, pointing to space resources, water, energy, and minerals as evidence that abundance can be created through technology. Space commercialization and economics: Jain discusses the regulatory, financial, and technical path to moon missions, including resource ownership, low launch costs, and future moon commerce such as tourism and mining. Preventive health and the microbiome: He presents Viome as a way to make illness optional by analyzing the gut microbiome, personalizing diet and nutrition, and preventing chronic disease rather than treating symptoms. Education reform and intellectual curiosity: Jain compares healthcare and education as outdated systems needing reinvention, arguing that the future should focus on learning how to learn, not memorizing facts. Leadership, entrepreneurship, and enrolling others: He explains how big visions attract top talent and investors, and why entrepreneurs should focus on impact, not just profit, while preserving integrity. Family, values, and personal growth: Jain credits his parents—especially his mother’s persistence and father’s integrity—for shaping his resilience, humility, and commitment to giving back.

Key Arguments: Problems are opportunities for innovation; every hard problem can become a business if approached creatively. Scarcity is not fixed in nature but often a mental constraint; space and technology can create abundance of land, energy, food, and water. Going to the moon is no longer just symbolic or governmental; it can be commercially viable and privately executed. Microbiome science suggests many chronic diseases begin in the gut, so personalized nutrition could prevent rather than merely treat illness. There is no universal healthy diet; people need dynamic, individualized nutrition based on changing biology. Education should shift from teaching static skills to building curiosity, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities in a world where knowledge is already accessible. Big, even “crazy,” ideas attract exceptional people because they create a mission worth dedicating a career to. Profit is not incompatible with doing good; scalable social impact often requires a for-profit engine. Integrity and continuous learning are essential to greatness and long-term success.

Data Points: Episode number: 563 - School of Greatness episode identifier Founding/mission timeframe: 7 years - Jain says he spent seven years on Moon Express before nearing launch Cost to send a rocket to the moon: under $10 million - Jain says Moon Express estimates a lunar mission including the rocket at under $10 million Historical Apollo-era cost: $25 billion in 1960 dollars; about $100 billion in today’s dollars - He compares private lunar launch economics to the Apollo program Future moon ticket estimate: $10,000 - Jain speculates moon travel could become affordable within 10 years Possible moon-born child timeline: next 20 years - He predicts a baby may be born on the moon within two decades Personal move to the U.S.: 35 years ago - He says he came to the United States 35 years earlier with very little money Money on arrival: $5 - Jain describes arriving in the U.S. with five dollars in his pocket Microbial gene count: 5 million to 10 million genes - He contrasts gut microbial genes with human genes Human gene count: 19,000 genes - He says human DNA produces about 19,000 genes Microbial/genetic proportion: 99% microbial, less than 1% human - He summarizes the human body as largely microbial Viome test price: $399 - Current price for one test Additional tests during year: $199 - Price for subsequent tests during the year Number of companies founded: 7 - Jain says this is his seventh company Daily work schedule: 18-19 hours, 7 days a week - He says he works extremely long hours and wants more time

Pivotal Quotes: "We chose to go to the moon, not because it's easy, because it's a great business." — Naveen Jain: He reframes lunar exploration as an entrepreneurial opportunity "The scarcity comes in our mind because we believe it's not possible." — Naveen Jain: Explaining his abundance mindset and view of space resources "The day you stop learning is the day you die and we become a zombie." — Naveen Jain: Discussing curiosity, learning, and personal growth

Implications: The episode encourages listeners to think bigger, treat problems as opportunities, and use technology to create abundance in health, education, and space. It suggests future winners will be mission-driven builders who combine curiosity, integrity, and scalable impact.