On Purpose with Jay Shetty

Today, Jay sits down with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Alex Warren for an extremely open and honest conversation about loss, resilience, and turning pain into purpose. Alex opens up about losing both of his parents at a young age, growing up in instability, and being forced to parent himself while he was still just a kid. Through stories of grief, homelessness, and survival, he reflects on how these early experiences shaped his worldview, his faith, and his relentless drive to keep going when everything around him felt uncertain. What emerges is a powerful reminder that our hardest chapters often become the foundation of our greatest strength. Alex shares how music became his lifeline, a way to articulate emotions he couldn’t put into words and a place to process loss without running from it. From teaching himself to sing and play guitar, to sleeping in cars while posting covers online, his journey is a testament to perseverance in the face of uncertainty. Alex speaks candidly about imposter syndrome, insecurity, and the challenge of staying grounded amid global success, revealing that even at the highest levels of achievement, the longing to feel “enough” never fully disappears. Jay guides the conversation toward self-compassion, helping Alex explore the importance of extending the same grace to himself that he’s learned to offer others. In this interview, you'll learn: How to Turn Deep Loss Into Purpose How to Keep Going When No One Believes in You How to Build Resilience After Childhood Trauma How to Find Meaning in Painful Experiences How to Forgive Without Excusing Harm How to Become the Person You Needed Growing Up You don’t need perfect conditions, unwavering confidence, or universal approval to move forward. What you need is the willingness to keep showing up, to keep learning, and to keep choosing who you want to become, especially on the hardest days. With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty Join over 750,000 people to receive my most transformative wisdom directly in your inbox every single week with my free newsletter. Subscribe here. Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 01:01 How to Navigate Success Without Losing Yourself 03:10 Remembering a Father Who Gave Everything 07:13 Growing Up Surrounded by Love 08:30 When Did You First Realize Your Life Was Different? 09:34 Parenting Yourself as a Child 10:45 The Universal Need to Belong 12:17 How Early Childhood Shapes Who You Become 15:28 Redefining What Success Really Means 19:58 Growing Up with an Abusive Parent 22:50 The Lasting Pain of Losing Someone You Love 24:10 Understanding Your Parents’ Hidden Struggles 32:02 Protecting Your Dream At All Costs 34:35 Lessons Loss Teaches You 35:49 The Fear of Being Left Behind 37:48 How Everything in Life Becomes a Lesson 41:35 How Do You Want to Be Remembered? 46:13 Living Out of a Car at 17 51:26 Surviving What Should’ve Broken You 56:45 Using Music to Process Grief 59:41 Meeting the Love of Your Life 01:02:25 Finding Someone Who Stays No Matter What 01:04:31 Why Shedding an Old Identity is Important 01:07:14 Creating the Perfect Wedding 01:10:02 Facing Your Greatest Inner Struggle 01:12:38 Becoming the Parent You Never Had 01:15:02 Learning to Live with Insecurity 01:18:44 You Don’t Have to Prove Yourself 01:23:36 Alex on Final Five Episode Resources: Alex Warren | Website Alex Warren | Instagram Alex Warren | YouTube Alex Warren | TikTok Alex Warren | Facebook Alex Warren | XSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Jay sits down with Dr. Shadé Zahrai to explore how self-doubt quietly influences our decisions, and what it takes to rebuild trust in ourselves. Shadé unpacks the psychology behind impostor syndrome, fear of failure, and the inner stories that convince people they’re not ready or not enough. Together, they examine how the brain’s need for certainty drives worst-case thinking, and why that protective instinct often keeps us stuck, even when opportunity is right in front of us. Shadé offers grounded frameworks, from shifting “should” into “could” to create more possibility, to designing simple action plans that help regain a sense of control when things feel overwhelming. Shadé reflects on purpose, care, and leaving people better than we found them, while Jay highlights that trusting yourself doesn’t mean never experiencing doubt. Together, they explore how self-image is shaped by the feedback we internalize, why criticism tends to linger longer than praise, and how healing emotional “scars” allows us to move forward without self-sabotage. In this interview, you'll learn: How to Trust Yourself Again How to Stop Letting Self-Doubt Inform Your Decisions How to Reframe Impostor Syndrome as Growth How to Turn Fear Into Forward Action How to Shift From “Should” to “Could” How to Take Action When You Feel Stuck How to Heal the Self-Image Behind the Self-Doubt Confidence isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the willingness to move forward even when fear is present. Every step you take, no matter how small, strengthens your trust in yourself and reminds you that you are capable of learning, adapting, and becoming more than you were yesterday. Pre-order Shadé’s new book, Big Trust, to dive deeper into the framework for rebuilding self-trust and breaking free from self-doubt: https://www.shadezahrai.com/bigtrust With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty Join over 750,000 people to receive my most transformative wisdom directly in your inbox every single week with my free newsletter. Subscribe here. Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 01:47 What Drives Self-Doubt? 02:58 The Power of Your Self-Image 06:54 The Four Pillars of Self-Image 08:44 Struggling With Self-Acceptance 15:35 How Lack of Acceptance Fuels Perfectionism 20:50 Shifting From Comparison to Emulation 27:55 Becoming Before You Believe 32:14 Why the Brain Craves Certainty 38:00 Do You Ever Feel Like You’re Not Enough? 44:24 Learning to Detach From Labels 56:04 The Self-Talk That Keeps You Grounded 01:01:11 Believing You’re Capable 01:06:22 Everyone Experiences Self-Doubt! 01:08:56 What Actually Replaces Self-Doubt? 01:15:20 Getting the Job Even When You Feel Underqualified 01:24:13 Understanding Key Differences Between Men and Women 01:26:53 Why Constant Complaining Signals Low Self-Trust 01:37:12 Growth After Trauma 01:43:52 Why We Focus on What We Can’t Control 01:50:42 Learning to Adapt to Your Emotions 01:56:26 Creating Your “I Could, I Will” List 02:00:07 Shadé on Final Five Episode Resources: Dr. Shadé Zahrai | Website Dr. Shadé Zahrai | Instagram Dr. Shadé Zahrai | YouTube Dr. Shadé Zahrai | TikTok Dr. Shadé Zahrai | LinkedinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**This interview was filmed on November 29th, prior to the heartbreaking and tragic events in Bondi over the weekend. Our hearts are with everyone in Australia during this incredibly difficult time. __________ Today, Jay travels to Australia to sit down with Chris Hemsworth at the Crystalbrook Byron, not the superhero the world knows, but the grounded, introspective man shaped by his upbringing in the Australian outback. Chris opens up about his early years living in an Indigenous community, the adventures that sparked his imagination, and the strong family roots that still keep him centered. Jay explores how those moments from Chris’s childhood laid the foundation for the man he is today. Chris opens up about the pressure and anxiety he faced in the early stages of his acting career and how the pursuit of excellence often came at the cost of inner peace. He talks about the constant pull between ambition and being present, the balance of preparation and surrendering to the creative process and the grounding force of lifelong friendships. In one of the most personal moments of the conversation, Chris talks about learning of his father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and how it changed his relationship with time, family, and legacy. He reflects on the emotional experience of documenting their journey together, navigating memory loss, caregiving, vulnerability, and the urgency it created to slow down and show up fully for the people who matter most. In this interview, you'll learn: How to Stay Present in a High-Pressure Career How to Reconnect With Your Childhood Self How to Build True, Grounding Friendships How to Be Fully There for Aging Parents How to Slow Down and Be Intentional With Your Time How to Balance Ambition With Inner Peace How to Bring More Curiosity Into Relationships We forget sometimes that the best parts of life aren’t about achievement or perfection. They’re about being present, staying connected, and having the courage to show up. Every challenge and moment of doubt is a chance to look inward and reconnect with what really matters. With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty Join over 750,000 people to receive my most transformative wisdom directly in your inbox every single week with my free newsletter. Subscribe here. Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 01:08 Discovering Gratitude in Childhood 05:10 First Encounters With Fame 08:24 Arriving Somewhere You Never Planned 13:40 Losing Yourself to the Role 15:34 The Weight of High Expectations 20:31 Managing Mental Overload 25:31 Naming Your Stressors 28:56 The Fear of Saying No 31:29 Passing Down Healthy Money Values 34:03 Navigating Your Way Through Grief 38:22 How Family Keeps You Grounded 41:39 What Makes a Real Friend? 44:48 The Alzheimer’s Diagnosis 54:11 Realizing How Precious Time Truly Is 57:41 Witnessing Your Parents Grow Older 01:01:55 Honoring the People Who Raised You 01:06:50 The Rare Feeling of Getting It Right 01:10:18 Messages for Your Younger Self 01:13:57 Staying Connected to Your Childlike Self 01:19:39 Lessons We Learn From Our Children 01:22:30 Being Fully Present With Your Partner 01:28:12 Helping Children Understand Alzheimer’s 01:31:18 Appreciating the Beauty in Life 01:34:24 Knowing When It’s Time to Slow Down 01:38:47 Who Takes Care of the Caregiver? 01:42:30 Chris on Final Five Episode Resources: Chris Hemsworth | Instagram Chris Hemsworth | X Chris Hemsworth | YouTube Chris Hemsworth | TikTok Chris Hemsworth | FacebookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Jay explores the pressure of the “social clock,” that unspoken timeline that tells us when we should reach certain life milestones. He unpacks research revealing that we’re never truly “late,” we’re simply measuring our progress against someone else’s schedule. Jay explains that the fear of falling behind is really a fear of losing control, and he shares how reclaiming that sense of control is far more important than hitting every milestone on time. He also unpacks the career anxiety so many people are experiencing today. With frequent job changes and a longer phase of “emerging adulthood,” he reminds us that feeling lost or stuck isn’t a sign of failure, it’s a sign that you’re still exploring. Jay reflects on what purpose truly means, and why your purpose isn’t a job title or income level but the deeper reason behind everything you do. Finally, Jay explores age, growth, and possibility, reminding us that the brain can rewire itself at any stage of life and that happiness often follows a U-shaped curve. If you feel like you’re in a low point, you may actually be standing right before the rise. In this episode, you'll learn: How to Stop Living by the Social Clock How to Feel In Control of Your Life Again How to Navigate Career Changes with Confidence How to Redefine Purpose Beyond Your Job How to Build Relationships That Truly Support You How to Grow Even When You Feel “Behind” You’re not late. You’re not off track. You’re simply arriving on your own timeline and that timeline is right on time. Join over 750,000 people to receive my most transformative wisdom directly in your inbox every single week with my free newsletter. Subscribe here. What We Discuss: 00:00 Introduction 01:04 The Societal Pressure Of The "Social Clock 02:30 Deviating From "The Social Clock" 06:42 Redefining Success On Your Terms 08:42 You're Not Lost, You're Experimenting! 13:05 Don't Measure By Goals From The Past 15:27 The Illusion Of Late Marriage 19:47 Close Relationships Lead To Better Health 24:26 You're Not Late, Start Now!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we will explore one of the most emotionally charged and misunderstood topics of our time: money. Not just how to make it, but how to build a healthy, grounded, and spiritually aligned relationship with it. You’ll hear raw insights from leaders like Scott Galloway, Jaspreet Singh, Codie Sanchez, and Lewis Howes, each offering a window into the habits, mindsets, and blind spots that keep us feeling financially stuck. From the shame many of us carry around saving to the ways our education system failed to prepare us, this episode reveals why so many people feel overwhelmed by finances and why that struggle is more normal and more solvable than we think. Scott Galloway explains why saving feels impossible today and why young people need discipline, forced systems, and a focus on building human capital. Jaspreet Singh breaks down the habits that keep people financially stuck, overspending, blind trust in the system, and not understanding how money works, and shares how he learned that real wealth comes from owning assets. Codie Sanchez simplifies the risk, reward equation, urges beginners to start with low-cost index funds, and reminds us that the highest-return investment is always in ourselves. Lewis Howes brings the spiritual side of money to life, showing how healing our relationship with money opens the door to abundance, gratitude, and new opportunities. In this episode, you'll learn: How to Build a Realistic Saving System How to Create Forced Savings That Actually Work How to Shift From Spending to Investing How to Break Free From the Poverty Mindset How to Build Wealth Through Equity, Not Salary How to Strengthen Your Relationship With Money You don’t need to have everything figured out to begin. You don’t need the perfect plan, perfect timing, or perfect background to build a healthier relationship with money. What matters is your willingness to learn, to question old patterns, and to try again even when things feel overwhelming. With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty. Join over 750,000 people to receive my most transformative wisdom directly in your inbox every single week with my free newsletter. Subscribe here. Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 00:55 Building a Framework for Realistic, Healthy Saving 06:19 Why Saving Feels Harder Than Ever 13:27 The Three Habits That Keep You in a Poverty Mindset 33:51 Why You Need Both Vision and Execution to Build Wealth 37:16 Why Investing in Yourself Comes First 41:07 Stocks and Bonds Explained Simply 43:52 Stepping Into the World of Private Investing 45:03 The #1 Shift That Can Transform Your Financial Future 48:36 Giving Yourself Permission to Explore Possibilities 54:53 How to Create a Respectful Relationship With Money 01:04:12 The Power of Living Beneath Your Means 01:06:54 The Hidden Costs of Chasing Easy Money See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.