#775: Jon Batiste — The Quest for Originality, How to Get Unstuck, His Favorite Mantras, and Strategies for Living a Creative Life

Jon Batiste (@jonbatiste) is a five-time Grammy Award-winning and Academy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and composer. His eighth studio album, Beethoven Blues, is set for a November 15th release. Sponsors: Ramp easy-to-use corporate cards, bill payments, accounting, and more: https://ramp.com/tim (Get $250 when you join Ramp) AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://drinkag1.com/tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase.) Eight Sleep’s Pod 4 Ultra sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: https://eightsleep.com/tim (save $350 on the Pod 4 Ultra) Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction  [06:46] Is the secret to long life embracing the mundane? [09:28] The gift of mistakes. [10:21] Why did Jon wait until he was 10 to speak? [12:51] How music and performance entered the picture. [13:36] An early exercise in winning over the room. [15:08] Choosing the personal facets that art expresses. [16:57] From a disappointing grade school performance to the Grammys. [21:44] Cultivating suspense and shifting modes of creative expression. [27:24] When perspective drives motivation more than stakes. [32:14] Spiritual practice and grounding mantras. [40:29] Surrender, acceptance, and growth through health challenges. [43:37] The fuzzy line between blessing and curse. [46:40] Growing up bullied as the "least talented" in a musical family. [52:50] Jon's visionary mother guided him toward piano. [55:23] Parental support for Jon's relocation to New York City. [56:15] Serious setbacks that almost made Jon quit Juilliard and music altogether. [01:00:37] Jon's advice to a younger musician enduring a similar path of hardships. [01:03:11] How Jon owns what comes his way rather than allowing it to overwhelm him. [01:07:30] Cultivating generosity without being drained. [01:09:32] Jon's billboard is invisible — but with deep posts. [01:11:47] My rough draft of five deep handfuls. [01:18:21] Jon's ans