On Purpose with Jay Shetty - Michael B. Jordan: How to Connect with Your Intuition & Focus on Your Path

Episode Date: March 11, 2024

Do you want to learn how to connect with your intuition?  Do you want to stay focused on your path?  In a very special episode of On Purpose, Michael B. Jordan joins Jay for an open and honest conversation. Michael is a director, actor, and producer recognized as an industry leader. Michael recently reprised the role of Adonis Creed in CREED III, which had the biggest opening weekend for a CREED film and biggest domestic opening for a sports movie ever.  In this insightful conversation, Michael sheds light into the nuances of our childhood and its lasting impact on our lives. He also talks about resilience and the importance of prioritizing family amidst the journey of life. Michael and Jay discuss the essence of intuition, authenticity, and purpose, empowering listeners to connect with their inner selves and forge meaningful paths forward. There is strength in building your own team therefore it is important that we know how to pick our own people. The same goes for showing our authenticity at all times and creating safe spaces for ourselves and the people around us. It also matters that you do not hide behind false words and to always speak your truth.  In this interview, you'll learn: How to connect and develop your intuitionHow to trust your own choicesHow to be authenticHow to be truth to yourself and to others Today, we will learn the value of shared goals, insightful stories, and guidance to inspire you to live with purpose, authenticity, and boundless potential.  With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro04:39 Why Your Childhood Environment Matters09:44 Family Over Everything12:16 Never Stop Making Yourself Better21:29 The Moments of Negativity28:00 How to Connect with Your Intuition31:17 This is Your Moment34:05 The Right Things to Obsess Over38:07 The Benefits of Sea Moss43:23 How to Build Your Team48:48 The Best Way to Bring People Together54:52 How Do You Define Authenticity?01:00:10 What is Your Purpose?01:05:43 Finding Your Own Safe Space01:09:33 Unapologetically Honest About Your Truth01:13:31 Michael on Final Five Episode Resources: Michael B. Jordan | Instagram Michael B. Jordan | Twitter Michael B. Jordan | Facebook Moss See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tune in to the new podcast, Stories from the Village of Nothing Much, like easy listening, but for fiction. If you've overdosed on bad news, we invite you into a world where the glimmers of goodness in everyday life are all around you. I'm Catherine Nicolai, and I'm an architect of Cozy. Come spend some time where everyone is welcome and the default is kindness. Listen, relax, enjoy. Listen to stories from the Village of Nothing Much on the iHeart radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Laura VanderKam. I'm a mother of five, an author, journalist, and speaker. And I'm Sarah Hart Unger, a mother of three, practicing physician, writer, and course creator. We are two working parents who love our careers and our families. On the best of both worlds podcast each week we share stories of how real women manage work, family, and time for fun. From figuring out childcare to mapping out long-term career goals, we want you to get the most out of life. Listen to best of Both Worlds every Tuesday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or

wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, it's Jay Shetty here and I couldn't be more excited to share this exciting news. You asked, we delivered. Juni sparkling tea with adaptogens made by my wife and I are now available in all sprout locations across the country. Juni is the perfect midday pick me up. With only one third of the caffeine found in brewed green tea, it provides a gentle energy boost without the crash.

It only has 5 calories and 0 grams of sugar, making it the perfect drink. Plus, it's made with a delicious blend of adaptogens and neutropics that may help boost your metabolism, combat stress, pack your body with antioxidants, and stimulate brain function. Head over to your local Sprouts or visit Sprouts.com to find the closest location near you. Being honest with where you stand and how you feel,

it's really giving another person an option and opportunity to be as honest with where you stand and how you feel. It's really giving another person an option and opportunity to be as honest with you. And whatever your fear of that is, of that outcome, is never really as big as what you make it up to be. You know, it's really not that small. It's not promised to anyone, but time will move on. You know, you will move past it. And if it tomorrow never comes,

at least you can know that you said what you needed to say. It's incredible to see all your comments, and we're just getting started. I can't wait to go on this journey with you. Thank you so much for subscribing. It means the world to me. The number one health and wellness podcast. Jay Shetty. Jay Shetty. The one, the only Jay Shetty. Hey everyone, welcome back to On Purpose,

the place you come to to become happier, healthier, and more healed. I appreciate your ears, I appreciate your eyes, I'm so grateful that you're here right now and I thank you for investing in yourself. You know that this platform is all about allowing the humans to be human, to give them a space to share their heart, share their mind

and share what's really happening behind the scenes. I think it's so easy in the climate we live in to get lost in clickbait and articles and views. And often that stops us from actually getting to understand someone and see someone for who they are. And today's guest is someone that I've been wanting on the show for years. So I'm extremely happy and extremely present

even more than ever because this has been an opportunity I've been looking forward to. Today I'm talking to the one and only Michael B. Jordan, a director, actor, producer, who's recognized as an industry leader invested in bringing social change to Hollywood through his art and philanthropy. Making his feature film, Directorial Debut,

Michael B. Jordan recently reprised the role of a Donis Creed in Creed III. I'm a big Rocky fan, so when Creed dropped, you knew I had to see it, which had the biggest opening weekend for a Creed film and biggest domestic opening for a sports movie ever, ever of all time. I just need to clarify that.

Up next, Michael B. Jordan is set to star in Ryan Coogler's next feature film for Warner Brothers, and Michael B. Jordan also was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2023. He's been recognized as People's 2020 Sexiest Man Alive. My team went on about this. And one of the New York Times 25 greatest actors of the 21st century.

And now he's got a new health drink out. And you know I'm a big fan of health and wellness. It's called Moss, the first of its kind, CMOS beverage available nationwide as you're listening and watching today. Welcome to the show, Michael B. Jordan. Mike, it's great to have you here. Oh man, J, I appreciate it, man.

That introduction was great. I just carry you around with me everywhere I go and just introduce me places. But no, I appreciate it. Thanks for having me, man. Well, I wanted to add also, like in the few moments we've spent together, even just walking in, you know, if I can add to add also, like in the few moments we've spent together, even just walking in,

if I can add to that intro, extremely humble, gracious, kind, thoughtful, it's also nice meeting that. And I love that this platform is a space that can come out. And we were just talking about that. You were saying that, you've almost been looking for a space

where you can share that because you don't do a lot of press. I don't, I don't. It's seasons for it. Obviously, when you have a project coming out or something you need to promote, it's a part of that new cycle. But for me personally, I try to kind of say to myself

a little bit and very cautious of how you want people to get to know you when you have opportunities to speak and share things about yourself. And not kind of be a part of sometimes other people's agenda, you know? So that's, but been a big fan of yours for a long time and the work that you've done and you are currently doing and it felt like this was a good time to, you know, to get out and talk and, you know,

share some things about me, I guess, you know? It's been a journey, you know? It's been a journey. So, you know, it's a nice little check-in point, I think. Yeah, I love that. Well, I appreciate the trust and I love that check-in point because it must be fascinating to look back at something and then think about where you were in life, what was going on in your mind. So I wanted to start with there was this one thing you said in an interview and we were talking

about this earlier, this idea of written versus being able to explain. Correct. And there was this great point you made that I think people wouldn't recognize with the amount interview and we were talking about this earlier, this idea of written versus being able to explain. Correct. And there was this great point you made that I think people wouldn't recognize with the amount of success you've had, the hits you've had, you know, I think people want to know about you and learn about you. But you said, when you come from where I come from and everybody doesn't get those breaks, that luck, you start the question, why am I successful in life?

Why did I go this way and everybody went that way? And I just thought that that was, you know, again, extremely humble and also representative of where you grew up, how you came up, like which way did everyone go and where did that luck begin for you? You know, I think coming up in New Jersey, coming up in that environment and, you know, having,

you know, when you're younger, you're living life. You're taking it a day at a time. You're going to basketball practice. You're going to school. You're going to church. For me, it was taking a lot of trips to New York City, going on auditions at a really, really young age and just figuring out what that is.

Having parents pretty aware and very present in my life growing up. That was rare amongst my family and amongst my friend group, having both parents that was there and very present. And aware of my environment as well, what being told to look out for these things and make good choices, to be disciplined, to be focused on things, get your school, all the positives and growing up in an environment like that. And hats off to my parents and to sacrifice so much to make sure their kids were safe and grew up in an environment that ain't easy, making ends meet.

Grew up very poor but didn't feel like it. You know what I'm saying? It was very, you know, I think they did a good job at hiding those things, you know? I think as we get older, we look back and it was like, oh man, we went through that, oh, that's why we slept in the kitchen that one time with the oven open, or, oh, that's when we stayed at Grandma's house for like, you know, a couple of weeks when, you know, so you get that reflection of how we kind of grew up. And I think for me, always having a bigger purpose,

I think, or just that optimism, that I was a big dreamer as a kid. And I think, you know, it started, not just to focus on just the work of it all, but since I was working such a young age, that's the thing that I can kind of point to of booking auditions and getting this job and traveling to this place

and experiencing these things and coming back home with these experiences and not having a lot of people who could relate or could soundboard off of. And I think in feeling like that, you don't want to alienate those people. And I think, and this is all I guess in hindsight, you don't share these stories as much, maybe you should, because you don't want somebody to feel inadequate or not being able to have that experience

that you might have had. And I think that snowballs as you get older and from stepping stone to stepping stone as I continue to be successful at a young age. You start to question, why am I being so successful and the people that look just like me that are right next to me in these everyday things aren't necessarily doing that or not choosing to,

you know, just didn't have those options that were laid out to them. And I think you start to doubt yourself for whatever reason or feel guilty for the things that you may or may not have. Even though, you know, our parents were people of service, you know, block parties or, you know, cooking church dinners or, you know, whenever, you know, my house was the house that everybody came to at some point,

whether we were gonna get pizza that night or dad was gonna take everybody camping or going to these things. Like that was kind of my house within my neighborhood and community. So I think for me, being a person of service kind of comes from how I was raised and those are the examples that I knew growing up.

I always felt lucky too. As you become more successful and you see less people look like you that are being successful in this in this realm and you end up being the one guy that looks like me that's successful or the couple guys that are the usual suspects that you see in the audition room or in things of that nature. You know, you start to sometimes question why, why, why are you? Now I can, I feel as though it was my, it was my path, you know, it was my purpose and spirituality and growing up in a, in a household that was very focused on, you know, you know, church and spiritual and meditation and, and, and, and just

being aware of the world that we live in, you know, I felt I was destined for, for something, not knowing what that was, but just something. Wow, yeah, and I mean, when I'm hearing that, it sounds like, I love what you said, you were like, you know, they hid we were poor and we didn't even see that. But this idea of like, you sound so, when I see you talk about your family

and for those of you watching, you can see it on Mike's face, but there's so much joy and there's bliss and there's like a happiness when you're looking back on that time, like I can see it on Mike's face, but there's so much joy and there's bliss and there's like a happiness when you're looking back on that time. Like I can see it's a positive experience because of how you feel you've been loved and cared for and supported even though the resources may not have been there or the access or opportunities.

And I was wondering when I was listening to you, like is there a memory or an experience from your childhood that you think defines who you are today? Like was there a memory or a story that you have in your mind of an experience you went through that you think brings out maybe that service element or brings out that purposeful element? And I think there's this bliss and this appreciation

for how I grew up comes in hindsight. You know, like, you know, the first time you have a moment where you're like, pick up the phone, you know, one morning you just call your mom and be like, thank you, I get it. I'm sorry for being that kid at some point. And I'm so sorry for not understanding. I totally get what you guys are going through.

Sheesh, I love you guys, you know? Like you have those moments when you get older, that you just can't really have that perspective when you were a kid. And I think, I was very mischievous as well. And I think there were moments when my dad disciplined me for whatever I did at that time. And then my mom would have a conversation with me

around the why. And then being also forced or pushed and nudged into a space where you had to acknowledge your siblings also, you know, in that situation and the importance of family and what that means. You know, my parents have different upbringings, you know what I'm saying? From, you know, different family structures growing up.

But one thing they've always provided us with is just a sense of like family over everything, you know, and how important that is. And that just kind of kept the groundedness to me throughout. So I think just the experiences of just family. I like your point about hindsight. I've definitely made that call to my mom. For sure. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah. I made that call to my throughout. So I think just the experiences of just family. I like your point about hindsight. I've definitely made that call to my mom. For sure. Like, yeah, I've made that call to my mom. We were around the same age. So for me, it's like, I've made that call.

And I think I made it probably like 25, 26 years, probably around then when I finally made that call. And not that I didn't love my mom before that, of course I did. But it was like that honest understanding of just how hard it was to do what she did. Cause she was raising two kids, she was dropping us to school, picking us up. She was the bread winner of the family. She made us breakfast, lunch and dinner fresh every day. Like, and you don't recognize that as a kid.

You don't realize the sacrifice, the hustle, the, and always making you feel loved on top of doing all of that. It's hard work. You've talked to, you said that now you feel like you've got to a place that it's your path. What was that switch for you that went from like, I don't deserve this,

God, like I feel out of place, I'm lucky to being like, no, actually now I see it as this was meant to be my path because I think a lot of people and a lot of our listeners will be there. Like a lot of people are like, no, actually now I see it as this was meant to be my path because I think a lot of people and a lot of our listeners will be there. Like a lot of people are like, they're making moves and maybe they're first person in their family to go to college or maybe they're the first person who started up a business and as an entrepreneur or maybe one of our listeners is trying to break generational trauma and they're the first person to spot it. And but then they all live in that space.

Like, can I do this? Like, am I the one to do this? And so what was it that space. I'm like, can I do this? Am I the one to do this? So what was it that made that switch from like, I'm not sure I'm the guy, but oh, it is my path. It's the sum of all things leading up into that point. I think it's all the doubt. It's the imposter syndrome. It's the blessings that you can't really accept fully and You listen to other people speak who are successful or you see examples that you kind of feel connected to like man that that kind of feels like me or

What he just said or what she just said I kind of resonate with that, you know, I feel like that sometimes, you know what she just said, I kind of resonate with that. I feel like that sometimes. Other people who are looking at you saying, no, Mike, this is what you have. This is what you can be. This is what you are. Nah, nah, I can't know. That's too good.

No, that ain't me. Your own presence in a situation where you have to step back and look at yourself and be like, am I this guy right now? Like, oh man, there's a room for the people who showed up because of something I'm doing and they're in service or in support of my idea, my thing. Okay?

That looks and feels like I'm the guy. Okay? You're in, I'm in the industry where, you know, you're the success of your work and your art has been, you know, dictated and validated by other people's opinions. And whether those opinions are factual or projected on you from their own individual perspective.

I think it was a combination of all those things and I've always been curious and walked towards the how do I make myself better? What are the things that I need, the tools that I need in order to improve myself, the way I think, the way, how do I maximize myself? So from I think, the way, how do I maximize myself? So from, I think, getting an executive coach, who talks to executives all day

and how to create healthy conversations, the right type of conversations to have as you're building a team around you. Because as you know, it's not just us. We have an entire team of people that surround us, that help us achieve our dreams and get the big idea done. A spiritual advisor, a spiritual coach that I have who helps me do my energy work, my spiritual work,

and help sift through the noise and find those things. And I think it wasn't until I had roles that challenged my spirit and myself in a real way that in the weight and where the attention was so loud that it was deafening and I couldn't see clearly. And these champagne problems, you know what I'm saying? You know, we're blessed, but the weight is so heavy. And people sometimes think and they see what we have

or what we're doing and it's like, oh, just be grateful, or just, what are you complaining about, you know? And, and, you know, most people wouldn't be able to walk, you know, a block in our shoes, you know, with this stuff. And I think it was, and you have moments where you, you resent things and you're angry at, you know, the feelings that you accumulate for not being clear or not understanding why

this, there's a lot of whys and you're not going to get all the answers, but you want to be able to get to a place where you're clear. So to answer your question, when did I decide, when did I feel like that? Maybe two years ago, maybe a year ago, you look at where your family has come from and look at your bloodline. You look at your community, you're like, man, there's a cycle there from generation to generation that happens when you get to yourself and you're like,

man, can I stop this? Can I change this? I could do this. Once you know better, you gotta almost do better. Once you know better, you got to almost do better. Once you see it, you can't unsee it. And I refuse to ignore it. I refuse to see it an opportunity that I had to change things and act like it didn't exist. And I think that was the thing for me that I was like, nah, I got to, if that's my purpose, if that's my path, is to just see it and I can see the pieces

and if I can just continue to do this or if I stay down the pathway on that and I might be able to make a big difference in my nephew's life or my future children's, my future grandchildren's life, I gotta do that. Because there's been so many people that might, that didn't, that it wasn't the perfect storm for them to have that opportunity.

It wasn't the right time in the world, technology wasn't there, the resources, the right social conversations are being had for us to have these platforms and speak and be successful the way we are, you gotta do it. And I think that was a big part of it, understanding my own mortality

and understanding that life isn't a forever thing. And I think that happens when you get older too. You know what I'm saying? Like, just turned 37 and it's like, wow, I'm saying? Like, you know, just turn 37. And it's like, wow, I vividly remember, you know, 15. I vividly remember 21. I vividly remember 25, 30, you know? And they used to look at 35, 37, like, I ain't shit.

You know what I'm saying? And I'm like, oh man, we're here. And it's like, you got to do what you got to do while you're here and make an impact. You gotta fulfill yourself, whatever that may be, you know? And I think, so yeah, so that moment for me where it was like, okay, I can do this, I can, maybe a couple of years ago,

I think it was like, right as I was stepping into directing Creed III and the weight of that and being the captain of the ship the first time, being the captain of the ship. I've made movies before. I've done that. I know what that's like, but I've never, ever been the director, the captain of the ship. I think that responsibility, that pressure that I'm not a dad, but being a, everybody's looking to you for the answer,

for the solve, for the leadership. And I think that really thrust me into a mindset of leadership that I'd never quite had the opportunity to do before. I mean, there's so much in that. Sorry, I like it. I like it, I prefer it that way. Because I'm connecting all the dots as you're speaking

and there's so many things I want to unpack with that. One of the things that really resonated is this idea that you had to challenge yourself, you had to do something out of your comfort zone in order to even recognize that you could become, that you could be, and that you could develop. And often we're waiting to become before we take on the challenge, but it's the challenge that makes us become that person. And I think we've resist, even what you said earlier about the opportunities, this idea that if you have opportunity, and there's an Eastern spiritual teaching which talks about if you have opportunities

and you don't take them, that's a disservice to humanity. Because they're opening up to you without your, even without your will sometimes, right? Like there's some of us, and we'll sabotage ourselves because we'll say, oh, well, I didn't ask for that. I didn't know that was for me. And so I love the idea of anyone who's listening or watching

what Mike's saying, I love the idea of leaning into that opportunity that is opening up for you. And even if you don't have the skills and you don't have the talent yet or you don't have all of the tools and the abilities, it's gonna force you to develop them. For sure. And you talk about the coaching,

I wanna go back to that and ask you about that because you want to be better mentally, physically, spiritually. It's a big part of who you are. And even the projects you take on, which I want to dive into that, you said roles that challenge your spirit. Even that idea that you're looking at a role, not as, oh, what's the next movie to get me the thing? It's like, oh, that's gonna challenge my spirit. I wanted to ask, what has been your best habit or tool uniquely that you've developed for your body, your mind and your spirit individually?

What have been things that you've done with your coaches in different areas that you think has brought about new epiphanies, opportunities and ideas? What have been those tools and hacks that maybe people could lock into as well? I think there's this woman, Ramona Oliver, that've known me my entire life.

She's my spiritual advisor and coach. And I think starting the day in meditation, you're taking a moment to clear yourself and prepare yourself for the day. It's so important to step out of your home with intent and intention. A lot of times it's, what are you projecting on a situation to help it manifest instead of negatively thinking about things that can help block your blessings? I mean, that's a big thing. You know, so I think, I think, um, And we all have moments of negativity. That's part

of it. It's ying and yang. You're never going to fully get rid of that. But to practice those things in the morning, I think was a big help for me. You shoot movies and you're doing things, you're walking out. There's your stories of people, but I just can't get a break sometimes. For whatever reason, it could be from stepping off the curve, twisting the ankle to the parking ticket to the thing, to the, oh, I just can't get a break. And there's certain people that carry this cloud, you know? And I think some of that can be contributed

to the thought process and the thinking and the energy that you're putting into these things. And it's sometimes easier said than done, but to stop and to reframe and to clear yourself and to, you know, I'm walking in this light today and see how much of a difference that can make. And more on the structurally side, this guy Drew Cougler, who, no relation to Ryan Kugler,

who was an executive coach. And as my ambitions grew from a production company to brand marketing consulting companies, to just the products and the businesses, the conversations I need to have with the team, and leadership and the, everybody's coming from different backgrounds and how do you speak everybody's love language? Because everybody, you have to speak differently a little bit to everybody so they can receive it the way you meant it, you know? And I think having the quality of conversations is something

that was really helpful for me, meaningful conversations, and giving people the space to hear me and also hold them accountable to the things that I need to hold them accountable for. I think the combination of the two allowed me to look at situations and opportunities differently for people to look at me differently, because it's also a troubling thing when you're walking around as talent for a long time that's how they see you you know and have an identity I have an identity that's how that's what they're so there's this there's these kid gloves that come along with that you know I'm saying that is it's not everybody's fault that's everybody's in a role. You have to sometimes step back and look at the thing that we're in.

You know, like we're in an industry, you know, that has generations and generations of talk behavior and practices that any positive disruptor has to understand those things in order to disrupt them in a way. Absolutely. And evolve them, a way absolutely and evolve them You know and and things are evolving you see it, you know that they things are evolving in a way and if you can look at it in You know in a higher way, I think you can find your way through that. Yeah All I'm a hinted this is woman Valderama executive producer of the new podcast They my abuelita first part of I Heart Radio's Michael Tudor podcast network.

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on the IHAR radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yes, yes, the Street Stoic podcast is back. One of the quotes that came to mind here is from Drake. The lyrics that came up for me was from Beyonce. I pulled a quote from just one of my favorite artists in general, Kit Tuddy. We are combining hip-hop lyrics and quotes from some of the greatest to ever grace a microphone. In it he says, because it's just waves.

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the architect of wisdom, Maharishi of Murth goes in search of joy. I am here to help. He'll be speaking with actors, doctors, comedians and scientists, artists and athletes and people of faith in search of extreme happiness. United States of America are cram champions of the world. At last, a podcast on a mission, a podcast that wonders what is joy? Is it love, religion, drug success, money, revenge? Is it a surge of chemicals or a deeper awakening?

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history never repeats itself, but it always rhymes. And I find like when you were talking about the industry, I was thinking about how if you don't study history, you have the rhyme happening in your life, but then you can't interrupt the pattern. So if you were a young star, which you were, I love the wire as well, I've been a fan of the show. It's like, so you start in this industry early and then you could spend years trying to figure out why you still have the wire as well. I've been a fan of the show. It's like, so you start in this industry early

and then you could spend years trying to figure out why you still have the kid gloves on. Because you haven't studied that, wait a minute, that's what happens that unless you disrupt the pattern, present yourself differently, show more of yourself, people are always gonna say he's talent, he's an actor. That's what he does. As opposed to, oh, he's a director,

oh, he's an entrepreneur, oh, he's an investor, right? I know you have lots of investments all again in the health and wellness space, like sports teams and we're talking about masks as well. So it's interesting how much if you don't study the history of our industry, we get locked in the identity of the role we've played in that space forever.

And it's so easy for us to get used to feeling, and often we do it to ourself because it's comfortable playing the same role. And there's a familiar feeling of when I play this role and I felt that in my own small way, like when I went from having to create content to get my message out there, even though I wanted to do TV or film or whatever and couldn't get a break and so I went from having to create content to get my message out there, even though I wanted to do TV or film or whatever

and couldn't get a break and so I went to content. And then I launched a podcast and I told you about why we launched this podcast earlier. And then I wrote books and it was like every time it was like, oh, like, oh, we thought Jay was this, but oh, he's actually the, oh, and I've had to go through that. And I've realized the hardest part is you letting go of that identity.

And reinventing yourself. And allowing yourself, right? Yeah, no, no, definitely. I mean, have you ever like, you know, has the podcast been something you've always wanted to do? And this is me just curious, or is it something that you had to re, you forced yourself to reinvent yourself in a way

because this isn't it for you. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? I know it's not. You know, this is a stop for you. This is a chapter in your book. Did you ever think I have to reinvent myself or was that a product of the things that we're telling you know or the things that was challenging? Yeah, it's a great question.

I think it's a mix of them all, but the thing that kind of like supersedes all of them, which I try and tap into, which I think you resonate with, because I think that's the conversation we're having, is having a connection with your intuition. Like for me, it's, I'm not looking at like, oh, what's the next trend? Or like, how do I disrupt myself? Because to me, those things are still following other patterns. Got you. Whereas it's intuitively going like, what is the thing that I bring, or what do I wanna do,

or what is the missing piece of the puzzle that I believe I have a unique qualification to fill? Because if I'm always looking around, there will always be a million things. Like I always say to people, if you go to a real estate conference, you'll realize you don't invest enough in real estate. If you go to a cryptocurrency conference, you'll feel like, oh, crap, I didn't do this.

And if I sit with a group of actors, I'll be like, oh, man, I shouldn't have studied it. You're always going to feel the deficiency of the trend that you study. Correct. And so if you live that way around, it gets really complicated because then you're like, well, do I do this or do I do that? Like, whereas when you go inward, it's like, oh, I feel alignment with this right now

because it lets me express myself, it lets me connect with people in a certain way. I feel I'm at the right evolution in my journey where it can manifest as opposed to like, oh, let me just figure out what the next big thing is. Which makes so much sense, bro. And I think that's what it is, is like your alignment with where you feel truthful.

Yeah. And sometimes that always doesn't mean you're gonna be financially okay. Totally. As well. You know, you can feel as if you're lying and everything and mortgage is due. Rent is due.

You feel me? So there's that element of it as well that you have to find your way through. Yeah, that intuition, that North Star is something that has led me all types of places that I wouldn't trade in for the world. You know, just that feeling of this feels right. And I know, does it make sense?

Probably, there's probably some other things on paper that seems like the better option or choice, but this feels right. And more often than not, it's been the right move. Yeah, I love what you were saying earlier about how the thought process is such a powerful way of breaking out over the cloud over your head. And I think we all have moments

where the cloud feels like it's never moving. It's constantly raining on you. And I think a lot of people who are listening may feel that way. Like, have you ever been in that place and how have you, what has helped with your thought process is you've been tuning that, what's worked for you at least? That's your moment.

That's your moment. It's not the all is lost. When you're feeling the most trapped and down and nothing can't go right, I feel like those are the moments that define you. Those are those character cannon moments that are like, what am I gonna do now? How do you respond to that? And thinking your way, feeling your way,

working your way through those things on the other side. It's like, I don't know who said the saying, but usually you're the closest to getting what you want. It's always the hardest. It's always the feeling when you're getting ready to, people give up right before they get what they've always wanted to get, people quit and they give up. And I will not be the person who quit before I got

what I wanted or what I needed or what I felt I was supposed to have, you know? Like, and if that wasn't for me, it wasn't for me. I'm gonna keep grinding, I'ma keep knocking on the door until I get what I feel. That's been something I've always felt since I'm having the name Michael Jordan and understanding that there was another guy out there

named Michael Jordan that was the best ever to do something. And being teased and picked on about that and made me for a moment not wanting to play sports. But then it was like, nah, I'm actually gonna make sure I'm gonna compete. At least I'm gonna compete. You're gonna at least see me. I'm gonna be somebody that it's not gonna be,

oh, his name is this, it's gonna be, oh no, but he can play. Or oh no, he can, oh, he has something about him, something that is formidable, that is above average, that is unique to him. And it gave me a healthy chip, you know? So, and for the people who are listening, who do have, you know, that doesn't feel like

they can change the circumstances with the way they think or they feel, just hold on, just endure, endure. You know, look at things differently. Challenge yourself to look at things as the glass half full. Challenge yourself to think four steps ahead. Think your way through it. Like now we have so many tools, we have so much information. There's a lot of misinformation out there, but there's so much information to be curious.

Find something that does resonate with you, even if it's not in the world that you ever thought you would be in. Find something that you align with, because everybody aligns with something. That's not an excuse I'm willing to take from anybody. Align with something and find your positivity, find your intuition within that thing and be obsessed about it. What have you been obsessed with lately? Like what would you say is the thing you're most obsessed with right now or that you have been

in the past couple of years that has kind of just attracted and- I've been obsessed with getting my team right. I've been obsessed with getting my team right. I've been obsessed with getting the right personnel on the right brain frequency and getting everybody on the same page to accomplish these things that we need to go accomplish because I truly believe it's gonna be better for everyone.

I think it's really gonna make an impact, you know? And so there's a's a there's a Obsessiveness that you got to have to over communicate to follow up to be redundant to be consistent You know that you need and and I'm obsessed about it, you know Strengthening my family. I'm obsessed over it, you know to lead by example You know and break generational trauma and curses obsessed over it, you know, to lead by example, you know, and break generational trauma and curses, obsessed over it. And I'm obsessed over every project that I lend myself to. So this next movie that me and Ryan's doing,

I'm literally, you know, I'm growing all my stuff out, you know what I mean, my hair and stuff like that now, I'm becoming obsessed with it, you know? And that character and it's an addictive feeling to have a thought and see it come to fruition, to create something out of an idea and to be persistent and to see it and to manifest it, you know? Manifest manifestation. I just love it, you know what I mean? It's cool. So that's something that I've been really, really locked in with and I think it's also something

that is gonna help people, you know? There's always a, I don't want anything that's not multi hyphen. I want anything that I'm involved in, it has to have layers to it. How do you help? How do you educate? What's the leave behind?

What blueprint am I leaving for the next generation? I got a nephew now that is looking up at me constantly. Yes, because of height, but also because of the example. And he's mimicking everything I do. He mimicking anything. I can say something, do something like a sit-a-certain type of way. I was like, who's doing it too? It's crazy. So it clarifies your intention when you do things because you want it to have purpose and intention. So those are the things, and I'm obsessed with being the best version of myself. And that's a daily thing.

You know, and some days are better than others, finding myself in a world where there's so many seen opinions about yourself when everybody's telling you who and what you are, learning how to live, growing up in it. And it's so wild. I've been doing this for 25 years straight. And that's a wild thing to think about. Man, more than half of my life has been my identity,

was been through the work that I've been doing. And growing up in with social media didn't exist. And now it does, at a point where I'm old enough to understand what that can do. So I'm obsessed with finding myself now after, and not having to prove anything to anybody other than myself and my family, you know, but really myself and realizing that that is enough. You know what I'm saying? Like that, like, given your best is enough and sometimes we lose track

of that, you know, and yeah. so for anybody out there, you know, you're enough, man. Absolutely, let's toast to that. Let's toast to that, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Shake it up. Shake it up. Yeah, man. And this is the pure, so we have three flavors right now,

the mango ginger, the pomegranate, but this is the... Cheers, man. Ah, cheers, man, I appreciate it, bro. I'm excited to try this. Mm-hmm. Oh, that appreciate it, bro. I'm excited to try this. Mm-hmm. Oh, that's good. That's easy. Easy. It's easy.

And anybody that's had like Refreshing, yeah. Seamoths in the past, they might not have had a good experience because they either they, like they kind of, you know, tried to clean it and process it themselves. It's so smooth.

Smooth. Yeah. Don't taste like the ocean, but it tastes a little, you know, it's a little heightened. It's like, it's refreshing, it's smooth, and it's easy. That's how I feel about it. I love it.

Yeah, I'm like, this is like... And it's a great mixer, you know? You know, I don't know if you know what you want to do. We call it moustails, but like if you want to do like mocktails, moustails, you know what I'm saying? Or if you want to mix them like with drinks, like with spirits and stuff like that, it's a really good... Yeah, man. or if you want to mix them with drinks, like with the spirits and stuff like that, it's a really good, yeah man,

I just, this is five years of obsession. Obviously when health scares all over the place, people, not a lot of information on what's really going on, what can help, what cannot help. I was finishing up a movie in Berlin and doing my own stunts, not sleeping a lot, in a foreign place, food wasn't really my thing as much. And I was looking for something to kind of just help me

get through my shoot days. And I was just chug Seymour. Like I mean by the jar, just to, because I mean, I was, it's gotta be doing good. I know it's doing good, just by the jar. And then the flight home, it was like, it's gotta be a better way. know it's doing good. You know, just by the jar. And then, you know, on the flight home, it was like, it's gotta be a better way. So I started making smoothies, started, you know,

blended them in and my sister was pregnant with my nephew, Lennox at the time. So, you know, at that point, everybody was in their own bubble, you know, and you know, it wasn't able to kind of visit many people. So we would just blend up smoothies, drop them off at the front door, you know, that was my little care package that I would do.

I would do, I would do CMOS and I would do like a, you know, a homemade little pasta. And that was my active service for my family, you know? So that labor of love, that kind of, it started from a place of just trying to help my family, just like, you know, stay healthy during a pandemic. And it slowly evolved into something that I wanted to get, you know, stay healthy during a pandemic. And it slowly evolved into something that I wanted to get, you know, make it accessible to everyone.

Yeah, for people who don't know the benefits of CMOS, what are some of the things and the properties? It's that cognitive brain, you know, it's that clarity, your immune system. So being able to harvest them in a way that gets those nutrients inside of this drink and your daily dose of moss. It's something that I was really, really exciting me

about just like making a beverage about it. The aftertaste is great too. It's just there. It makes you want to drink more of it. Yeah, 100%. And yeah, it's good, man. It's good, man. It's good.

And it's, yeah, I'm proud of it. I'm proud of it. Congratulations. That tastes great, man. Now we know we got to go to yours, man. What's up? No, we left it on.'m proud of it. Congratulations. That's great man. Now we know we gotta go to yours man. What's that? No, we left it to a must-tell now. We're doing junior must.

Yeah, yeah. But I love it because Ashwanda, we got Ashwanda and ours as well and Gensink. So I mean, you got all the adaptogens in it. So that's great. Yeah, yeah, no, it's been a labor of love for us too. It's like me and my wife always talked about it as our COVID baby.

It's like, this is what we were working on because we were the same. We've been addicted to tea our whole lives and we did a hot tea as well. But we were like, you know, for a lot of people their hot drink is coffee. And we're like, well, wait a minute. What if your soda could be healthy for you and good for you?

And you know, how could we do it where it has, you know, zero grams of sugar? Like how do you still get it to taste great with no sugar? Cause me and my wife are both off of refined sugars and you can try to be healthy and all the rest of it. And then you realize that all the sodas you're drinking are full of it. So how do we make it easy for people to understand these

herbs and these adaptogens? And you know, because a lot of people, we grew up with it, we were lucky in our culture, in Indian culture, you grew up with a lot of these herbs and spices in your daily food. Exactly. And, but a lot of people don we grew up with it, we were lucky in our culture, in Indian culture, you grew up with a lot of these herbs and spices in your daily food. Exactly. And, but a lot of people don't have access to that. So it's like, how do you make it easy

when people may not have it in their kitchen? So yeah, man, I'll send you some to try later as well. No, please do, man. I see you got the agave in there and everything, and I love this, man. I was loving what you were saying about the building of teams. Because, and something you said was like, how do you keep everyone on like the same frequency

and like attract those people? And I went through a big thing for that in a certain part of my work around two years ago. A lot of people that are in my sphere today, some of them have been around since the beginning and some of them came on in the last two years and it has been life changing. Like absolutely life changing from an energy standpoint,

from a spirit standpoint and from a productivity effectiveness standpoint. How have you been trained or how do you sense beyond like someone being able to do the job obviously, how have you been able to learn how to sense or understand whether someone's on that same brain wave and as you said, or brain energy as you are, and has that same value set that you have.

I think it's a lot of conversations and sometimes trial and error. I think my intuition and my gut is the first, you know, litmus test is the first kind of line of defense, you know, that I have of like energy's defense, you know that I have like energies vibe You know I'm saying like okay that that that you feel on par how you know how you answer a question What are the things that you're saying, you know? Are you speaking from ego? Are you speaking about you know? What what is the what is the thing?

You know you you know we're used to we meet so many people we have to use quick Judgments and who gets our time, who do you open up to, who do you not? And I think when it comes to building into a team, especially nowadays, you're coming into something that's well oiled. You're coming into a machine already. So you have to fit, not just with me, but you have to kind of fit with everybody.

You have to know how to communicate the things you need to know how to communicate to. You have to, the ego is something that can get in a lot of people's way when joining a team and joining something that's already really established. And I think coming to a place of learning and listening is really important and not taking things personally.

And then it's something to the people that's already been in the team to understand that there's going to be additions. And there is a process of, there's an onboarding, there's a thing that you have to bring people into the fold in a way to get the best out of them. So I think there's been those learning things along the way that really helped me identify people who fit and work well within the circle, you know? And yeah, I think that's been my kind of process thus far.

And then yeah, I always want to create an environment where people want to be. Yeah. You know, you're not here for a check. Yeah. You're here because you believe in what we're doing and what we want to do. And I'm pretty transparent about those things, you know? So I think just being extremely transparent and forward with those things

and know that there's nothing personal if this isn't it, you know? Like I'm the best, I'm the God that's always gonna give you a great recommendation, you know what I mean? Like I want people to win. You know, at the end of the day, I want people to win. And seeing somebody in their strengths, you know, and being like, okay, I can use that.

This would be helpful in this way. And if that works out, it works out. And if not, then man, I wanna see you do well. Yeah, I love that. Yeah, I remember years ago I was listening to Eric Schmidt who was the CEO of Google for a bit. And he was talking about how they were looking for smart creatives.

And I love that they had two words that kind of summed up what they looked for. They looked for were looking for smart creatives. And I love that they had two words that kind of summed up what they looked for. They looked for people who were smart creatives. And for me, it became humble champions. I was like, I want humble winners. I want the people who want to win and have that ambition but are able to put their ego aside because then we're going to speed up getting there

because the thing that slows you down from winning is ego. Like the thing that stops you from passing the ball is ego or you know, bowing out and saying it's your turn is ego. And so, but you still have to have that champion mind ship because it isn't just about, oh yeah, no, no, no, you do it your thing. Like, and that was a big thing. And then the other thing that worked for me was I was like,

I need to work with people that I could go to breakfast lunch or dinner with if we didn't work together. Yes, man. Do I actually want to go to breakfast lunch and dinner with this person? Because I probably will be when I'm traveling or on the road.

That means I like spending time with them, which means I'm happy to coach them and I'm happy to learn from them. Exactly. Whereas if I don't want to, and initially I was like that, I used to just hire people who are great at what they did, we didn't really have chemistry.

Like we didn't, we couldn't hang out. And that wasn't because they were wrong. It was also because I wasn't aware. Got you. And then of course, yeah, the mission, the purpose is, I mean, that's core and central. Because even for you, I mean, you're spending time from your family.

With, you know, your team becomes your extended family. They are your family. You're eating, like I said, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You know, like there's a part of you that, you know, it has to feel like I said, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There's a part of you that, it has to feel like I'm getting a little bit of my family here. And if it's not that, it's really hard for me. And obviously, you have a bigger company

and there's employees and you're not gonna be as personal with everybody within the company. You're not having breakfast, lunch, and dinner with everybody. But there's a feeling of, I'm gonna have to do it with everybody. But there's a feeling of, I don't mind on a Sunday everybody at my house watching the game, spending time.

Cause that's when not the nine to five time to be creative or the nine to five time to do the job. That's the extra mile. That's the, oh, I had this idea and I was just thinking, oh, we're looking at something together and this would be great. The best ideas sometimes come from those just hangout moments and those moments where you're just spending time

with people that you work with. So yeah, I think that, yeah, you're right. That's really important. Yeah, for sure. Before the obsession point that came up, which was fascinating, I'm glad I asked you that and you went into it. You're talking about like, you live in an industry

and you talked about social media where people have an opinion of you. People, even an opinion is that people have a lens because they've seen you in a particular light. And I was wondering like, what do you think something that people get right about you and what's something that people, something that's get wrong about you?

Like what do you feel like when it comes to that? Like I'll tell you mine, like I feel like for me, a lot of people think that I get like often because of what I teach and what I'm sharing and what I'm guiding, it's like, oh, well, Jay must get everything perfect all the time. And like, you know, he's like super deep and like always just saying profound things.

And that's not true, obviously, because as much as that is who I am and that is my heart, I'm not always like that. Like I have bad days, I have bad moods, I have off days, I have days when I'm not feeling that way, right? And so that's something that people get wrong about me sometimes in that perception because,

but I'm dedicated to this work. I'm obsessed with it. I'm obsessed with being better, but that doesn't remove me from having flaws and weaknesses. And so yeah, yeah. You should do a blooper reel. You should do a blooper reel. You should do a blooper outtake reel of those moments. You got your team catching you in these little moments

and you should pull one out. That'll be fun. That'll be fun. That'll be fun. That'll be fun. Yeah, I like that. I like that. That'll be a good one.

I think for me, it's like, I think I've intentionally stayed out the way so much where I'm not giving anybody anything to go off of, other than what I want you to know. I think that's been it for a long time. I've always had the approach of like, not speaking on things and not giving them life. There's gonna be perspectives and this things about you

that just aren't true. Do you care to correct somebody or not? Because most of the time people's minds are made up no matter what you say. It is what it's going to be. Stay out the comment section. You get some great entertainment in there, but then you can get a lot of stuff that is just people who want to project the thing that's going to get the most attention. And the issue that I have with a lot of that is they can be completely false. And we have an industry of, we were talking earlier, the lack of journalism, the skill

of that, that will run with those things, knowing that there is no basis to them. But now that's a narrative that's attached to you that you have to be strong enough and strong-minded enough to ignore knowing it's not true or this human nature feeling of wanting to know that's not true, I want people to know this about me. And I've always walked on that line of, you know, not caring, trying not to care, and knowing that I'm enough, and knowing my truth,

and the people who know me know me. I am about my community and my people wholeheartedly. And a lot of the choices that I make and the things that I wanna do and be a part of is in the service of that bigger picture of helping that, my community in a big way. So I think the biggest thing sometimes if they ever feel like that they're not my top priority is maybe one of the biggest misconceptions. The love I have for my community.

Regardless of people's approach, I think everybody has a different strategy and approach to how they affect and make change. Everybody, it doesn't all look the same. And because it may not be typical or the average voice because the package is different and the craft in my field is different. So I have a different set of boundaries that exist in my lane that I maneuver without in

and out of. Like I love playing chess. I love strategy. I love reverse engineering and out of. I love playing chess. I love strategy. I love reverse engineering and building things. So I think that's one of the biggest things. And sometimes ignorance and a laugh or a joke or a like or a thing, we've encouraged the behavior of negativity and things and loudness is the thing. And that's just not what I'm into.

I'm into the love of things. I'm into the humanity and bringing people together the best way and also I'm human. No, I appreciate that. I mean, I also think we've put a false pressure on the definition of authenticity, meaning you share everything with everyone. And I'm not sure I vibe with that definition

because I think authenticity by nature is you sharing what you feel comfortable with each person. That's what it means to be authentic. And you could argue that authentic just means being however you wanna be in any given situation. And so I think there has become a false pressure of, are you gonna show your authentic by showing every part of yourself?

And I don't know if that triggers anything for you. It's like, what's the definition of authenticity for you? Or for me, that's what it is, but what is it for you? I think it's, but then in hindsight, there's a piece of it that not even just to go back, but there's also like, maybe that's my insecurity framing what the loudness of the things that I'm most sensitive of. Is this noise somehow?

Yeah, it triggers us for a reason. You know what I'm saying? There's some stuff that you just go, oh yeah, whatever. But it's like, man, why does that bother me so much? Like, there's something about that that because I know what that does in the biggest, like I'm always thinking bigger picture.

It's very rarely that I really focus on the thing. It's always about what's the cause of that in a bigger conversation, you know? The authenticity to me is being able to sleep at night, being able to go talk to my mom and knowing that the people that know me, every fiber of my being, my intention knows my heart through and through that they see the same person.

They're able to connect with the same energy and the same vibe and the same spirit. My energy has never changed. I think being authentic to that frequency is super important to me. No matter where I go, no matter how I evolve and have to mature and grow up, I want my energy to always feel the same. That's why when you meet certain people and it's been years that go by and you pick right

back up where you left off, it feels like no time is lost. The energy is always the same. And I love when people I haven't seen in a long time are coming to me like, man, whoa, it's always the same. And I love when people, I haven't seen it in a long time or come in and be like, man, whoa, it's the same. And that just lets me know that I'm not losing myself. I'm not losing track of who I am and where I come from. And I am always gonna be an agent of change. Trojan horse or not, you know what I'm saying?

And yeah, just continue to lead by example. I know the path that I'm on isn't easy. Sometimes it may look easy for the successes or whatever, but it's behind closed doors. I'm doing the work. So closed doors, I'm doing the work. So the future generations have it a little bit easier or have a little bit more tools to use. And they can ask for certain things that won't be like what it'd be almost standard form. And from my vantage point, I'm able to see a lot of the role blocks that exist within systems, you know, and paperwork and precedence. I've been chipping away at those where I can in places. And there's so many, look, I say I a lot in this interview, there's so many people out

there doing that type of work, you know, that exists, men and women in these places that are breaking down dooryers that are chipping away. Say Shawshank Redemption, rock at a time, gravel at a time. Eventually that hole is gonna be open. I said eventually it's gonna be open, but just chipping away. And unfortunately everybody can't be the loudest one in the room. You gotta be sometimes, you gotta the loudest one in the room. You know, you

gotta be, sometimes you gotta be the quiet guy in the room. You gotta listen and look and pay attention and move how you need to move. There's chess pieces that they have different rules and different movements for a reason. You know, and they're on the board in different places for a reason and I know my place on the board. Tune in to the new podcast, Stories from the Village of Nothing Much. Like easy listening, but for fiction. If you've overdosed on bad news, we invite you into a world where the glimmers of goodness in everyday life are all around you.

I'm Catherine Nicolai, and you might know me from the Bedtime Story podcast, Nothing Much Happens. I'm an architect of Cozy, and I invite you to come spend some time where everyone is welcome, and kindness is the default. When you tune in, you'll hear stories about bakeries and walks in the woods, a favorite booth at the diner on a blustery autumn day. Cats and dogs and rescued goats and donkeys. Old houses, bookshops, beaches where kites fly

and pretty stones are found. I have so many stories to tell you and they are all designed to help you feel good and feel connected to what is good in the world. Listen, relax, enjoy. Listen to stories from the Village of Nothing Much on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Something about Mary Poppins? Something about Mary Poppins. Exactly. Oh man, this is fun. I'm AJ Jacobs and I am an author and a journalist and I tend to get obsessed with stuff. And my current obsession is puzzles. And that has given birth to my new podcast, The Puzzler.

Dressing, dressing. Oh, French dressing. Exactly. Ha, ha, ha. Oh, that's good. That's good. We are living in the golden age of puzzles. And now you can get your daily puzzle nuggets

Delivered straight to your ears for ten minutes or less every day on the puzzler short and sweet I thought to myself I bet I know what this is and now I definitely know what this is. This is so weird This is fun. Let's try this one Listen to the puzzler every day on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. That's awful. And I should have seen it coming. And I think that's that's what it comes down to, right? It's like, I appreciate you bringing out that point around how things that trigger us give us somewhere to

focus on within ourselves. I feel like that too. Like I'm like, there's certain things that just don't phase me at all. And I can look like the most detached guy and like, I'm bulletproof. And there's something that gets through that vest.

And you know it's because there's a part of it that feels true. And there's a part of it that feels true. And there's a part of you that you've allowed for it to feel true because it could be that you are... There's a part of your self-esteem you haven't worked on. There's something you took from your childhood and made true for you. And now when someone else says it and you didn't even know where it came from, but I was talking to a friend the other day and we were talking about how one of his mentors

was letting him down. And we discovered in that, I've been friends with this guy for like 20 years with best mates. And it was like 20 years later, we figured out that he'd made his mentor his father figure. And he didn't really put two and two together until just now and neither did I for him.

And he was like, wait a minute, no wonder I'm feeling so much pain with this mentor of mine because I'd made him a father figure and gone through that feeling of he's Superman and now realizing he's not even though I'm a four year old man. And so it's just so interesting how the stuff that gets under our skin, it can just be hidden there and it gets stale and stuck and then you don't look at it because you're like, oh no, no, it's nothing, it's nothing. But at one point when you feel safe enough, you have to kind of like look under the hood

and go, you know, why is that there? But coming onto the point you were just making around paving the way for others and setting an example and the responsibility that comes with and like you said, there's so many people doing that. I feel like how would you define your current purpose? Like how do you define with everything you're doing? Cause you talked about purpose being a big thing for you

and you talk about the mission of your company. Like what is the purpose of that work? Which doors are you trying to open? Which paperwork are you trying to shift? What systems are you trying to affect? I think I have my purpose right now now Yeah, that's what I mean. Yeah, I think I have a chapter 25 years acting You know producing you know being in front of the camera being talent

Learning so much about the world about myself about the industry, you know, I think being a Representative as a from my community in a way that places that a black actor hasn't gone, you know? Obviously you have the greats, you have the wills and the denzels, you know what I'm saying? That I look up to in a big way that, you know, that through their talent, the business and the craft

has extended to a new height. So they've opened up doors for me that I didn't even know was possible. That now it's like, oh wow, now we have this and that. Now I can do that and do that. So they've kicked the door down in a way that's like, you know, internally grateful. So like leading by example is a big purpose, you know,

for people to be able to see it. Cause it was big for me to see it and think that I can do it too. So, that's that part of it. There's the business side of things that I've got an opportunity to learn from investing your money. What do you do with the savings and the things that you do have? I'm a big sports guy.

I've always wanted to own a team. I'm competitive. I wanted to be involved in that, in that environment, that energy of sports. And I found a football team in Bournemouth, and a great park. As in football in my world. Yeah, football in your world.

Football in my world, yeah. I've literally had to bite my, I cannot say soccer anymore. No, say football. Hey guys, say football. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And great partner, Bill Foley, and he owns the Las Vegas Golden Knights,

and really trying to turn that program around, and just amplify it in a big way. But learning how to invest in those things, oh, there's gonna be a new stadium. Oh, there's opportunity to invest in real estate. Oh, wow, now you're investing in real estate and something that's gonna be around for however many year lease and this and that, okay, cool, I could take that and,

oh, wow, invest in and start a JV for underneath an umbrella company to have your own product. And then from there, you can create another JV. Oh, you can invest capital or you can have a venture fund. Oh snap. Okay, wow. This is a whole other game. This is a whole other nuance of acquisitions

and investment and capital that I'd never even knew exist. I'm used to, you know, W9 forms and taxes. You know what I'm saying? On the talent side, there's a whole other game to be played. And taking that information, just the information that that exists and what that would do to the next generation, knowing what's available to him, knowing that there's other ways to maximize my brand,

your brand, creating things, ownership of things as streamers and studios. And there's so many other platforms that people are content crazy, podcasts. It's become a business as well, a new venture that people are be able to monetize their own, their own following, their own likeness in a real way. Retirement.

What does that look like really? You know, really a will. Well, we're leaving a will behind. Like what? I mean, there's things that you just don't get taught. There's nobody, so I've stumbled on it upon it, these things within my success and my intuition and my partnerships and my relationships that

But again, it goes back to like the why me this one guy, you know, that has gotten has gotten access to all these things and My man over here or my guy over there Nope that you guys would never know about none of these things because of how whatever your life path has taken you has not been in These areas or nobody's had the opportunity to say those things to you. So I put that on me as a purpose to be able to give that information in a real way. And identify the, you know, we're hungry enough and you know, that want it, you know, that want it, they gotta want it and they gotta be able to come on, let's go figure it out. All right, let me, All right, let me figure out how to help set you up with the right people, so you got the right conversations.

And then you also gotta be careful of who you help to. You wanna help everybody, but you can't help everybody. But you can leave a blueprint for everyone. Sometimes that's all a person should need sometimes is seeing it and being in the thought. Then you got to leave it on the person to do their part of the work, to lift that part of the weight, to put on that burden, to go do that for themselves, their family, their people within their circle.

Yeah, for sure. I like that and that's, I mean, it's super powerful because I think, yeah, so many people don't have access, don't understand, don't have the language, don't have the vocabulary. Mm-hmm. It's a huge purpose. What do you do when it all just gets too much

when you're like, it's a lot. It's a lot. You know, you're on shoot days, you're busy, you got this going like, what do you do when it all gets too much? What's the first thing? I try to go to Japan. I try to get on the first thing,

smoke into Japan, I'm out of here. It's one of the few places that I've been that I feel like I just exist. Yeah. You know what I'm a part of? Why Japan? Growing up, I've been obsessed with anime. I'm a big anime guy.

So since I was like, 11, 12 years old, it's been anime, you know? And that's been my cartoons, counting books, anime. I mean, that's just like my, you know, escapism, which I'm in that. And, you know, growing up watching those shows, there's so much of their identity and their culture in the dialogue and the messaging and all that stuff. So I just had this idea, this place in my head

that was full of respect and it was hospitable and hard work and tradition. And I mean, thousands of years of, a couple thousand years of tradition, you know what I'm saying? That exists. And I was like, man, I wonder what at this place gonna live up to the expectation.

I was at the food and the culture, all that good stuff. And yeah, when I went, it was everything that I thought it would be more. And obviously I went the right type of way. I created anime as well. I wanted to like, cause they're so loving and welcoming in a really big way. And yeah, for me, going there,

there's not a million phones being out, everybody, they're very respectful of your space. And people are gonna obviously come up and say, what's up, that's what's gonna happen. But it's in a way where you don't feel like I have to hide as much. I feel like I could walk down the streets there a little bit more loosely.

And that's something that I don't really have as much here in LA or New York. You get a little bit more of it. You can kind of like, because people in East Coast sometimes they really like, eh, whatever. Keep pushing. But it's a different thing. But something about Japan that was awesome and in another place that I can't wait to really go is Ghana as well. Dad's been spending a lot of time there. I haven't like, for whatever reason, every time I'm trying to go,

something that I cannot change pops up. But that's a place that people tell me stories of the similar feeling of going there in the love and infinity of being in that place and really want to go there as well. So if I can't get to Japan, I'm usually at the house, I'm either cooking or playing Call of Duty. I'm playing Call of Duty online, you know what I'm saying?

With my boys back from all over. And it's a place where you can just, it's fair game. He's even playing field, you know what I'm saying? Some mindless, kind of camaraderie with your boys and stuff. I love cooking. Food is a love language for me. So being able to find a recipe or try something new and combine flavors is probably, you never thought,

would go together and just creating those moments. It's another form of art too. And I like enjoying people eating my food, you know, like serving people and be like, you know, I normally don't like lamb, but have you had it like this? Yeah. And then, and it's having people just, you know,

react to that is something that I enjoy doing too. Now with Bournemouth, we're gonna have to get you in the FIFA as well. The FIFA, yeah, I gotta get on FIFA. That's the best one. That's my good pleasure. That's my good pleasure. Easy wins at first, so we'll start off.

I'll be boomer. You'll be boomer? Okay, all right, cool, got it. Yeah, you pick. Yeah, we good. Dude, you've been amazing today. I've got a few more questions to ask you before I let you go.

This question is like, what has been a lesson you wish you learned earlier in life? Like is there a lesson that you learned recently that you're like, I wish I learned this one earlier? I think being unapologetically honest with what you want. And that goes across the board. I was trying to think of something that kind of across the board. I was trying to think of something that kind of

crossed the board. If you can communicate your truth and not worry so much about how somebody is gonna react to what you say. Cause a lot of times the fear of how somebody is gonna react to what you really wanna say is what stops you from saying it sometimes and you find another way or you put it off or you don't say it and maybe the situation doesn't change and you get frustrated and upset but why this thing doesn't change because you kind of maybe

might not have said it the way you wanted to say it. And I think there's a way to be unapologetically and still be respectful and speak your truth. If I think I would have done that earlier, what's that in? I would have been further along in relationships that I have with people I care about. And not intimately, I mean, across the board, work relationships, business, family, female friends, whatever

it may have been, I think being honest with where you stand and how you feel, it's really giving another person an option and opportunity to be as honest with you. And whatever your fear of that is, of that outcome, it's never really as big as what you make it up to be. It's really not that. So I would say maybe just being honest and living with the results, and tomorrow is not promised to anyone,

but time will move on. You will move past it. And if it tomorrow never comes, at least you can know that you said what you needed to say. Yeah. You know, so I think that's one thing that I feel like earlier on, if I could, if I had that, it might have been better.

Yeah, that's a thoughtful answer. I was thinking when you were saying that, it's like we're so scared of our honesty hurting someone. Not realizing that us holding back our honesty is, and them even more, as long as term. It is. It's a hard one because when you have to be honest, it makes you look worse, it makes you feel bad,

it makes that person feel bad, it gets messy on so many levels. But what if that person needed to hear it? Yeah. You know, what if that person never heard that note or that thought or perspective, and then they go on in life, continuing to move and act and speak in a way,

without that, you're doing almost a disservice. It goes back to knowing, if you know better, you gotta do better, right? Like so, I think that maybe speaks to a bigger thing with me of wanting to just be better and wanting people around me to be better and grow. Because I guess going back to the other misconceptions, like, you know, think of people looking at me

and think I got everything I got at all. You know, it's not true, man. Like I'm flawed, you know, and I'm actively trying to get better daily, you know, and I fail all the time. And I come up short all the time on even how to communicate no matter how much coaching I go through and you know in practice and And and running conversations through my head, you know in the shower and like alright, I'm gonna say this

I'm gonna say that I want to hit that point. Okay, you know I'm saying and you know, I'm just in the I'm trying to do my best You know, and I think the weight to try to live up to everybody's perfect expectation of me has been really, really heavy for a long time. And I think the last couple of years I've been trying to maneuver out of that. Mike, we end every episode of On Purpose with a final five. These five questions have to be answered in one word to one sentence maximum.

So it can be one sentence. I will ask you to explore it further if there's something that hits me. Alright, so Mike, these are your final five. The first question is, your ones have two parts. I've never done this before, but with you I'm about to do it because I think there's some things I really want to know. So the first question is, what is the best advice you've ever had and the worst advice you've ever had? Best advice is if you're unsure about something, take a moment.

If you're unsure, don't answer right away. Take a moment, think about it, it's okay. Don't answer just because you feel like you gotta be out and be quick and be fast about it, cause you end up stumbling over your words and or not something that you're words, saying something that you don't really, really mean. So I would say that's probably some of the best advice

I got. Worst advice? Buy it now, you'll get it back. Just do what I just said now, you'll make it back. I think that's right. I think that's probably something that works if I suck at it. That's not a mess.

Yeah, yeah, it's going to get you back. I think at the time, it was close. Yeah, yeah, yeah. At the time, it was close. It was close. And I wasn't even really a big close guy at the time. I was like, eh, whatever, but it was like, yeah, you're right. You know, I'll make it back. Don't worry about it. Yeah, it's cool. We was like, eh, whatever. But it was like, yeah, you're right. You're my, I'll make it back.

Don't worry about it. Yeah, it's cool. We have, of course I will. You know, like, yeah. And then, you know, growing 7-Eleven diet for the next, you know, two months. Yeah. I love it.

Good answers, good answers. All right, I'm gonna give you a choice. You're gonna pick one of these. You gotta choose. You choose. Oh, and that's, back out. Whichever one, which I, yeah, yeah, all right. Oh man. I want to know what the other one is.

I'll let you talk about this one first. This is my dad's dog tags from the Marines that linen jacket says all my children. I'm saying maybe 16, 17, maybe like Disney, like Super Soap Weekend or something like that. I think it was like one of those things where like the soap operas had this weekend and I think it was in California, yeah, yeah, yeah, Disney and I want to say this is from that.

Is that? No, no, no, no, no, yeah. I want to say that. What advice would you give to him? Savor those moments of being a teenager. I think, you know, looking back at the teenage years, you know, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry,

we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry,

we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have a worry, we have those years, man. You know, of just the purity of it. You know, I look back and I was like, man, this is a pretty pure, it's a kid.

Yeah. What would he say back to you now, looking at you now? Maybe I knew you could do it. You know, I think I would tell myself that you could do it too. Yeah. I think, you know, nobody thought, I mean, I didn't at that time, I think what could have been, what is,

he had a, I had an idea of what could be, I had a fowl, I had the optimism of what could be. It was just like, is is follow that more, maybe? I love that, man. This is the other one. Ooh! Ah, this is dope. We got plenty, we just picked these two.

These are the two that the team loved. I don't know if this is my birthday or my sister's birthday, but this is my grandmother's kitchen and this is my sister's right there. And I think she was helping me cut a cake or something but yeah that's my guardian, that was my bodyguard, that was my sister. That's a good one.

I love it man. Alright question number, I don't know which question we want now because I totally ignored my own format. That's the best, that's when it's the best. That's the best one. It's the best. What's what's the best part of being Michael B. Jordan and the worst part of being Michael B. Jordan? Being Uncle Mike. Man, it's a feeling of like with my nephew and my niece that I've never had.

I've never loved something so much in like, wow, like, whoa. Like, I think being Uncle Mike right now is the best part of that right now. Worst part I love multitasking I love I love I love the juggling the better the balancing act of the things that I do I love that and the worst part is the loneliness that comes with that. I think there's a loneliness that I have. The responsibility that you have is isolating and the weight is isolating. So I think the worst part of that is the feeling

like nobody really understands and sometimes falling into the spaces of like just, you know, being alone, feeling alone. Thanks for sharing everything today. I mean, okay, question number four, we're nearly there four and five. Question number four, you talked about knowing your team's love language.

This question is my team's love language. Okay, okay. How does being the sexiest man of life find love? From the girls of my team's love language. How does being the sexiest man in life find love? From the girls in my team dedicated to you. I revert back to the last question. It's very lonely. I go back and forth between wanting partnership and then not knowing what's the best partner for me.

Like bringing them into my world, what I got going on isn't easy. And it's not just, I love you, you love me, that should be enough, right? It's not quite that simple. I think finding the right person to understand, A, all of me, but then all that comes with me as well. And understanding that balance between wanting to be available and therefore that person while I'm juggling everything else

and feeling okay to put the other part of my businesses down and, you know, there's sacrifice and compromise that comes with a partnership and a relationship. And what is, and understanding how to make that all work is sometimes gives me anxiety and pause, you know? And then also there's a part of me that has not really lived life yet. I haven't really traveled as much for fun or just like Japan has been a few times that I went where I didn't have a schedule, where I didn't have to be somewhere for press.

I didn't have to be these mo- I had to put the other hats on, you know? There's so many different places and people I've never had an opportunity to happily meet that I might connect and vibe with that might be a person that my soul connects to, you know? And I think, you know, those things, I'm looking forward to that part of my life, you know, I think the last couple of years I'm starting to get to a place where it's like, you know what, I got to start living.

I've been sacrificed and I've been in locked, zoned in for so long. I owe it to myself a little bit to do that. And I think that's a byproduct of being a little bit of a, I'm a delayed satisfaction, delayed gratification person. Like I can, I've always wanted to lock in for the first half, do what I got to do, get to I need to get to, make sure everything's straight and set up, and then be a little bit more, have the freedom to move how I want to move and or whatever. So that's the long-winded answer of, I'm not, I'm not looking, but it would take a very special person to understand and grow with me. You like that better? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

That's the wrong question. I thought I was reading you. I was like, yeah. No, I mean, my type. I don't know. I wasn't asking you for a while. Okay, great, great. How was that?

We can, we can, we can, we can, we can. We can, we can, we can, we can, we can, we can, we can. Yeah, I wasn't asking. I was about to switch. Fifth and final question. Yeah. If you could, we asked this to every guest who's ever been on the show.

If you could create one law that everyone in the world had to follow, what would it be? A law that you couldn't intentionally kill or cause bodily harm to anyone. I think that covers a lot of stuff. I mean, you still have, you gotta leave room people for humans to be humans and everybody's not gonna be good. You mean, you gotta leave room people to be humans, to be humans, and everybody's not gonna be good.

You know, everybody's not gonna have all of that in there, but if we can eliminate the senseless killing and, you know, the bodily harms, you know, of other people's bodies in a real way, I think there's, but then there's like the systemic thing I'm trying to get out of, because like, you know, I'm trying to eat, I'm trying to level the playing field.

Yeah. You know, so just the economic opportunities that disparity, those, those systematic oppression, the systematic oppression that does exist is the thing that I most, I most want to change. So I'm trying to think of. That's a good question, man. You keep thinking about it.

You didn't tell me later. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because I like your one, because it also applies to, like, you couldn't develop products. Mm-hmm. Like, your question, I mean, your answer applies to food, drugs, medicine, which is kind of what keeps a lot of people stuck in the system.

Because if they can own, like bodily harm to me isn't just physical violence, it's also the kind of things we ingest and consume. And that is what keeps a lot of people stuck because they're eating unhealthy food because that's all they have access to and that's all they can afford. And that plays with the, I mean, that's what I was hearing too on a sub level. Okay. All right. I'm with that. I love it hearing too, on a sub-level. I don't know, yeah. All right. I want that.

I love it. Michael, we enjoyed a mic. It has been such a joy and honor. We gotta do a part two. I've got, I can talk to you for hours. I've got so many questions, man. Like, that we could get into, but I wanna thank you for your honesty, your openness,

the fun we've had. Bringing masks along, everyone, if you're not drinking already, make sure you drink a mask while you listen to it on purpose. And thank you so much for coming by. I want audience, please tag me and Mike with your favorite moments. I know you guys cut the best clips on TikTok and Instagram.

Do that for this episode. There was so many moments where he was just downloading and I think it's gonna have a big impact. Mike, thank you again. Very grateful, man. Thank you so much for having me, bro. It's been an honor. It was worth the wait, man.

So I appreciate you having me at any time. I appreciate you at any time. If you love this episode, you'll love my interview with Kobe Bryant on how to be strategic and obsessive to find your purpose. Our children have become less imaginative about how to problem solve. And parents and coaches have become more directive

in trying to tell them how to behave versus teaching them how to behave. Tune in to the new podcast, Stories from the Village of Nothing Much, like easy listening, but for fiction. If you've overdosed on bad news, we invite you into a world where the glimmers of goodness in everyday life are all around you.

I'm Catherine Nicolai, and I'm an architect of Cozy. Come spend some time where everyone is welcome and the default is kindness. Listen, relax, enjoy. Listen to stories from the Village of Nothing Much on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Laura VanderKam. I'm a mother of five, an author, journalist, and speaker. And I'm Sarah Hart Unger, a mother of three, practicing physician, writer, and course creator. We are two working parents who love our careers and our families.

On the best of both worlds podcast each week, we share stories of how real women manage work, family, and time for fun. From figuring out childcare to mapping out long-term career goals, we want you to get the most out of life. Listen to Best of Both Worlds every Tuesday on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts,

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