Time, Fuel, & Money
Time, Fuel, and Money is a conversation for founders, investors, operators, and high-performers who want to understand the deeper forces that shape how we live, build, lead, and make decisions. Hosted by Deborah Moorad, Karim ReFaey, and Vassili Kotlov, the show blends neuroscience, psychology, business, energy, and human behavior—turning complex ideas into practical, emotionally intelligent frameworks.
Each week, we explore what really drives progress: alignment, awareness, relationships, incentives, momentum, and the hidden energy behind ambition. Through stories from biotech, venture capital, government, aviation, engineering, and everyday life, we break down how time, fuel, and money work together—and how they quietly shape careers, companies, and character.
This is not a hustle show. It’s a clarity show.
A place to think deeper, grow wiser, and operate with more intention—without losing your humanity.
New episodes weekly. Join us and rethink the rules.
Time, Fuel, & Money
Break the Pressure Loop
Doomscrolling, dopamine myths, and choosing real connection over noise
Season 2 | Episode 2
Season 2 continues with a familiar voice back in the conversation. Deborah Karim and Vassili open the year reflecting on what has been quietly draining people’s energy and attention and why it feels harder than ever to slow down.
Deborah, Karim, and Vassili unpack why doomscrolling isn’t really about “the internet,” but about an internal need for relief—especially when pressure (from society or from ourselves) starts to feel constant. They challenge the common “dopamine = pleasure” narrative, reframing dopamine as part of the reward system—not the thing that actually creates happiness—and explore how modern commerce and social platforms exploit that loop.
The conversation also draws a line between empty consumption and real restoration. Karim shares how baking (and even making espresso) becomes a meditative process—an example of using effort to reconnect with yourself rather than numb out. Deborah adds the nuance: social media can be useful when it drives action and learning, but it becomes “brain rot” when it replaces living.
They close on relationships: the difference between community and transaction. If you’re building only to “get something,” the relationship is already on borrowed time. The alternative is simpler—and harder: show up without an agenda, reduce the pressure you’re carrying, and choose connection that gives energy back.
This episode is about noticing the loop, naming it, and breaking it—so you can feel better and build better.