Jay Shetty - Macklemore

1)      Macklemore discusses how he tries to stay true to himself and tune out outside opinions despite being in the public eye. He notes the importance of cutting out the noise and not getting wrapped up in how people perceive him or his art, but rather creating from a genuine place of love and passion for the craft. Macklemore also recognizes that staying grounded and true to oneself is a daily practice that involves shedding outside opinions and remaining focused on his own fulfillment and creative process.

2)      Macklemore reveals that his addiction took hold of him during the peak of his success after Thrift Shop and Can’t Hold Us became number one hits. He explains that he didn't know how to handle the success and was at the mercy of critics and scathing reviews. This led to a paralyzing fear in him, which made him turn to drugs to cope, making matters worse. He believes that his addiction is a progressive disease and describes the first time he drank alcohol, which turned into a very unhealthy relationship from the start. He compares his addiction to an allergy, where once he had a sip, hit or sniff, he couldn't turn off the urge to have more.

3)     Macklemore talks about how addiction can stem from a collection of things rather than just one thing and how it's crucial to find a sense of community to overcome it. He says he was lucky enough to have been to rehab before he realized that addiction is an incurable disease that he will live with forever. He went back to the origin of his music and found his community by going to his home group where he made coffee for other addicts and alcoholics, ultimately feeling a sense of accountability and community. Macklemore also shared how he found himself returning to drugs after winning four Grammys and getting a pill from someone at an after-party, but detoxed in India and found his community again.

4)      Macklemore talks about his fascination with India and how it helped him to overcome addiction. He notes that India has a unique spiritual undertone that can be felt energetically, and he cites extreme poverty as an example of how happiness and fulfillment can be achieved without material possessions. Macklemore also credits service as a significant pillar of his recovery, explaining that it helps him to get outside of himself and think about others. Finally, Macklemore emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between self-care practices and service toothers. He suggests that society's focus on self-care has overshadowed the necessity of serving others.

5)      Macklemore discusses the balance between self-improvement and serving others. He emphasizes the importance of slowing down and showing up for others, which in turn helps with personal growth. He mentions that the cycle of pouring out into people and then refueling can be a beautiful journey, as it helps with purification. Macklemore admits that he still feels waves of depression, but channels those emotions into making art. Jay Shetty shares his own experience with depression and how he used to think people with everything couldn't be depressed. They both agree that talking more about these issues can help destigmatize mental health problems.

6)      Jay Shetty discusses his experience with depression and how he overcame it using the tools he learned as a monk. Whilehe still has depressive thoughts, they don't last as long as before and he sees them as useful for personal growth. Instead of avoiding or labeling them as negative, he accepts them as part of being human and has found skills and tools to help him process them differently. He compares it to the weather - you can't stop it from raining, but you can choose to have an umbrella and rain coat to stay dry. Jay Shetty also discusses society's view of addiction and recovery, saying that the language of "recovering" perpetuates the idea that one can never fully overcome addiction.

7)      Macklemore reflects on his addiction experience and explains that he would turn to drugs seeking a sustained period of happiness. However, he notes that clearing the mind through meditation and having a practice of doing so is the most effective way to achieve long-term peace. The artist shares a near-death experience with opioid addiction where he felt hopeless, had no future, and saw no happiness. He emphasizes that the most terrifying state is when one no longer cares and does not want to be in their physical space. Macklemore concludes by talking about his supportive partner and wife, who has been instrumental in helping him in his journey to overcome addiction.

8)     Macklemore discusses how his wife has supported him through his addiction and how he can ask for her help in those difficult moments when he is struggling. He explains that addiction is insidious and it starts before the first drink or drug, with little lies that eventually lead to a place of emptiness. He says that when he's in active addiction, he doesn't want to tell anyone, but his wife helps hold him accountable and encourages him to get outside of himself and attend meetings, call his sponsor, and engage in his recovery community. She helps him in an exceptional way, even when he hasn't helped the situation.

9)     Macklemore talks about the importance of breaking the secrecy surrounding addiction and talking about it. He believes that opening up about his own truth has allowed other people to share their truth and helped the disease dissipate. He talks about societal roles and addiction, stating that society tries to create these identities for us, and it's not easy to disconnect from them. Macklemore says that getting off social media and his community in recovery have helped him with the disconnect.

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10)   Macklemore discusses the importance of doing personal work to understand who you are at the core. He explains how small acts throughout the day, such as exercising or picking up the phone, can help clear the mind and make you realize the fleeting nature of all things in life.He also talks about the challenges of divorcing oneself from media when you are part of it, and how long-form podcasts or conversations can help reshape how we view certain people. Jay Shetty adds to the conversation by discussing how being a spiritual being having a human experience can be challenging, and how he had to make peace with his material possessions and figure out their use without letting them define him.

11)   Jay Shetty talks to Macklemore about the dangers of social media and how it leads to depression, anxiety and addiction. Jay asks Macklemore how he balances the game he has to play online with the spiritual and mental health sides he has to live. Macklemore explains that he started doing what he does today offline when he was 18 and spent time with monks. He created a society called Think Out Loud and would facilitate sessions dissecting movies on a philosophical, psychological and spiritual level. He did this for 10 years before he went big, and he is aware of what connects with people and resonates with them, but Macklemore doesn't base his self-worth on analytics but on how he feels about himself, how his wife thinks of him, his monk teacher, his best friends and community.

12)   Macklemore talks about how he separates his professional success from his self-worth and identity, emphasizing that it's essential to understand the difference. He highlights the issue with not differentiating album sales and social media following from self-worth and identity, leading to individuals' inability to understand and cope with professional failures. He defines happiness and success as two separate lanes, adding that he feels fulfilledcwhen he has meaning, purpose, and sustained fulfillment in his life. Macklemore also expresses how he would like to win, but when he can't, he gets to a place of acceptance that what's supposed to be will be, offering him true meaning and fulfillment in his spiritual life.

13)   Macklemore and Jay Shetty discuss the idea of how painful experiences can be a blessing and lead to beautiful moments. They talk about not attaching themselves to the pain or damage, but instead focusing on the things they care about and fixing the problems, rather than interpreting the problems as personal defects or flaws. They also emphasize the importance of being spiritually centered and focusing on authenticity in art rather than manufacturing music for the sake of commercial success.

14)   Macklemore talks about the importance of creating with intention and how it relates to the four motivators or intentions outlined in The Vedas. He explains that creating from a place of fear or insecurity will only lead to more fears and that the goal or target must be for the right reasons. Macklemore discusses how difficult it is to maintain the top two intentions when under financial stress, but writing in that space helps him get to a place of fulfillment and joy. He wants his art to remain sacred and not sold out, and to make something out of service or to improve people's lives.

15)  Macklemore discusses the importance of being true to oneself and creating meaningful art with pure intentions. He emphasizes that “success is a bonus and that true artists have no choice but to create because their art is like breathing”. He acknowledges that the fear, insecurity, and the goal of survival can be great motivators in the beginning, but he believes that once you have a platform, you must upgrade to keep momentum. He also talks about the values that govern his personal and professional life, such as honesty, transparency, vulnerability, and integrity. Lastly, he emphasizes the importance of being present with his family despite his chaotic creative lifestyle, as time goes by so quickly.

16)  Macklemore talks about leaving a lasting impact on the world by making art that resonates with people, even if it's just a couple of individuals. He emphasizes that this doesn't have to be on a massive scale, but through impacting even one person's life that music could then have a ripple effect on the next generation. Macklemore reflects on the importance of being present with his family and not losing sight of what is right in front of him. Finally, he shares his purpose in life is to create, explore, and show up for other people, and if he could create one law that everyone in the worldfollowed, it would be that all people have empathy for one another and accept them for where they're at.

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