If you’re familiar with Jason then you know he’s an incredibly unique human. And if you’re not, then I’ll do my best– but you really just need to check out his work. He’s a brilliant and insanely insightful creator whose work sits at the intersection of philosophy, personal development and film much like my own work. You may know him as the host of Nat Geo’s “Brain Games,” from his short film series “Shots Of Awe” or his latest show “Origins” which is in its debut season. It’s really tough to put a label on his work, so instead of trying I’m simply going to echo his words – he calls them “espresso shots of philosophy” and while that’s a bit of a mouthful it’s also a very accurate characterization.
To say that Jason has a lot to say would be the understatement of a lifetime — he’s a sponge for information with a rare talent for absorbing information and ideas from wildly disparate sources, then synthesizing them into something distinctly his own. He also has the rare and incredibly valuable ability to operate at multiple altitudes– in both the incredibly abstract realm of philosophy, metaphysics and so forth and in the here and now, pairing all that with really tactical, pragmatic thoughts on how to put this stuff to work in your own life – how to get your career off the ground, maximize your creativity, and get yourself in the right headspace.
Today on the podcast,
- We talk about how Jason got his start on Al Gore’s cable channel Current TV
- He explains why the “one man band” approach is the best way for him to work and how technology has made that possible for an entire generation of creators
- In the tail end of this episode we get into a bunch of heady, somewhat esoteric stuff that you will absolutely love if you’re a fan of Jason’s YouTube stuff – everything from transhumanism to psychedelics to metaphysics
Enjoy!
That existential fire in the belly is what fuels creativity
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Some Questions I Ask:
- What’s your origin story? [1:44]
- What was it like to be a part of one of the first tv channels that targeted millennials? [3:47]
- How did you use your TV hosting gig as a lever for your next endeavors? [6:50]
- So Current TV didn’t work out? [8:45]
- It’s both daunting and empowering to be a hyphen in today’s work culture; how do you feel about being a hyphen? [18:30]
- What’s your view on how to cultivate creativity and where does it come from? [22:00]
- What do you do with anxiety? [26:50]
- What about the 3am anxiety? [32:00]
- What are your thoughts on the notion that everyone is creative? [35:00]
- What’s your view on the taboo vs the opportunity of using psychedelics to treat PTSD? [38:20]
- Are there any other messages about mental health that you can share? [45:20]
- What are some books, films, etc that you like? [48:48]
- Can you explain what the singularity is? [50:00]
- What’s next for you? [53:00]
- Are there any habits that drive you? [54:00]
- Do you have some sleep habits? [55:20]
- Is it a daily habit for you to review your notes? [59:00]
- What’s something that you haven’t shared that people would be surprised to find out? [1:04:00]
- How do people find you online? [1:07:17]
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
- How Jason got involved in the first tv channel that welcomed user generated content… pre-YouTube. [3:00]
- Jason threw caution to the wind and put himself all the way out there in a documentary that explored the search for transcendence and the search for pleasure and got his first job at Current TV. No resume needed. [5:40]
- The beginning of both Jason’s and my own personal brand. [7:16]
- Jason’s transition from comfy job with a side project to traveling the world to pursuing his side projects on his own dime to National Geographic. [9:40]
- How timing + opportunity + hustle =7 year overnight success including Emmy nominations for Brain Games. [12:25]
- How Brain Games gave scientific authority to philosophical ideas. [14:30]
- If you like beautifully shot and epic TV, check out Jason’s new show: Origins: The Journey of Humankind. [16:55]
- How Jason defines himself and how today’s generation of creators are creating like never before. [19:45]
- How your creativity is like a border collie. [22:40]
- Three ways to deal with the idea of death, from the book by Ernest Becker; The Denial of Death. The healthiest outlet may be the creative outlet. [23:00]
- Anxiety: how you can use it to fuel you and what happens when you let it get out of hand. [27:00]
- What the flow state is and how Jason uses it to fight off anxiety. [29:50]
- A quick fix for anxiety; distract yourself. [33:20]
- If you don’t feel like you’re creative, make a list of what you’re curious about. [36:00]
- Mark Cuban’s advice for how to find your passion. [37:30]
- How psychedelics can break the default mode network, which is what keeps your mind separated from the world and the amazing powers of psychedelics when used responsibly. [39:00]
- How both the iPhone and meditation help us transcend our natural limitations. [45:50]
- How even the most well adjusted of us may be able to benefit from using mind altering substances. Check out Qualia and The Hedonistic Imperative. [46:50]
- Why Jason recommends TechGnosis by Erik Davis, Ray Kurzweil’s The Singularity is Near. [49:07]
- How Ray Kurzweil predicted the growth of The Human Genome Project. [50:57]
- Exponential growth explained. [51:50]
- If you want to understand the human condition and psychotherapy, read The Denial of Death and Therapy with Substance. [52:30]
- Jason’s two most important habits are prioritizing sleep and exercise because he knows who he becomes when he doesn’t get enough sleep. [54:36]
- Jason’s caffeine rules, his daily chase for the unknown unknown, and how he uses Facebook Lives and improvisation to combat the inner critic. [56:40]
- Jason’s version of a commonplace book, inspired by Where Good Ideas Come From. [58:30]
- The most common thread from all the guests in Tools for Titans was a meditation practice. Get one if you don’t got one. Why I like Transcendental Meditation; it’s so easy a fool can do it. [59:36]
- How Jason prepares for speeches. [1:01:00]
- How I learned to use the power of my mind and incorporating senses to excel at sports and how I’m using it now in business. [1:01:50]
- How Jason is surprisingly shy, introverted, and a bit of a hypochondriac. [1:05:05]
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