By playing, you agree to uListen's Terms and Privacy Policy and YouTube's Terms of Service.

Jay Shetty Podcast

JOE JONAS ON: If You Want To COMPLETELY CHANGE Yourself In 2023, WATCH THIS! | Jay Shetty

Today, I am talking to Joe Jonas. Joe rose to fame, alongside his brothers Kevin and Nick, as a member of the pop rock group Jonas Brothers.

Joe JonasguestJay Shettyhost

Nov 21, 20221h 1mWatch on YouTube

Summaries, chapters, transcripts, and FAQs on this page are made by uListen, not YouTube.

Great conversations run long. Their best ideas don't have to.

uListen is free on iPhone, iPad, Android, Chrome, and Claude.

CHAPTERS

Jump to publisher timestamps

Chapter summaries

Therapy breakthrough: writing letters to his younger self
Joe describes a powerful therapy exercise: visualizing himself as a child, writing a letter to his younger self, then writing back as his eight-year-old self. He shares how emotional it was and how the framed letter reminds him to stay “a kid at heart” and be less harsh on himself.
- •Joe explains being asked to visualize himself as a child in an empty chair exercise
- •He writes a supportive letter to his younger self about being “a weirdo” and not worrying about being picked on
- •He then writes a letter to his adult self from the child’s perspective and breaks down crying
- •He writes with his non-dominant hand to embody the childlike experience
- •He frames the letter at home as a reminder to be kinder to himself
How Jay and Joe’s friendship formed through a recurring meditation group
Jay introduces Joe and shares how they met during a virtual charity event where Jay led a meditation. Joe explains how that led to weekly Zoom meditations with friends that grew into a supportive community and lasted for many weeks.
- •Jay shares the origin story: a charity event meditation led Joe to request a private group session
- •Joe describes starting with a small group that grew to larger weekly calls
- •They emphasize connection and emotional openness during lockdown
- •Jay highlights the consistency of running the sessions for roughly 75+ weeks
- •Joe says the group created a safe place for friends to share feelings without embarrassment
Choosing presence over “Zoom party” distraction
Joe explains why the meditation group worked when other online socializing felt draining. He describes how keeping cameras and audio on created accountability and real presence compared to typical Zoom behavior.
- •Joe contrasts the group with Zoom parties and games that stopped feeling meaningful
- •He notes accountability came from staying present on camera rather than multitasking
- •Joe emphasizes the emotional connection of meditating together in real time
- •Jay transitions the conversation toward Joe’s personal growth journey
A solo album disappointment that triggered anxiety and the start of therapy
Joe traces his self-work back to releasing his solo album and feeling crushed when it didn’t meet expectations. He describes developing physical anxiety symptoms, repeatedly visiting doctors, and finally being encouraged to see a therapist—where he recognized the pain and pressure he’d been carrying.
- •Joe describes expecting solo success to mirror the Jonas Brothers’ momentum
- •He says poor reception led him to internalize the label of “failure”
- •He recounts feeling physically ill and becoming a frequent doctor visitor
- •A doctor suggests therapy after finding nothing physically wrong
- •Joe admits he used long bike rides to escape, but symptoms returned afterward
Reframing “failure” and reconnecting with creating for himself
Jay reflects that taking a creative risk at a young age required courage. Joe explains how he later re-listened to the music, realized he’d lost touch with doing it for himself, and reframed the experience as growth rather than identity-defining failure.
- •Jay highlights the courage of leaving a proven formula to try something new
- •Joe describes how a headline word like “failure” became his identity at the time
- •He says he avoided listening to the songs for years before returning to them
- •Joe emphasizes the leap mattered regardless of public reaction
- •He notes therapy helped him reconnect with why he creates
Family support and the challenge of seeking help outside the family
Jay asks how Joe’s family reacted to him starting therapy. Joe explains his father’s role as a trusted adviser, how parents may need time to adjust to outside guidance, and why professional credentials mattered in earning comfort and trust.
- •Joe describes his dad as someone he could go to for almost anything
- •He notes the shift from his dad being their manager back to being “Dad” again
- •Joe suggests parents may need time to accept external support systems
- •He says his parents respected medical professionals and qualifications
- •Joe warns it’s easy to pick the wrong help and values vetted expertise
Evolving creativity: DNCE, writing separately, and respecting each brother’s process
Joe explains how his creative approach changed through DNCE and later returned to the Jonas Brothers with more maturity. He describes learning to respect each brother’s writing style, working in separate rooms, and building albums collaboratively instead of arguing for spotlight moments.
- •Joe says DNCE helped him explore a different musical style and grow as a writer/producer
- •He describes bringing that growth back into the Jonas Brothers’ creative process
- •Joe explains they now respect individual approaches and combine the best ideas
- •He contrasts the past: arguing in sessions and competing for choruses
- •He notes being in similar life stages (all fathers) improved empathy and collaboration
Venturing into acting: from childhood interest to committing on a major set
Joe shares he always wanted to act, but music dominated until lockdown created time to audition. He recounts telling the director of the film he’d work hard despite lacking credits, and describes learning from the intensity of being around committed actors on set.
- •Joe describes early performance instincts: a basement “Joe Show” and admiration for a kids sketch show
- •He references past Disney work and wanting to act but staying focused on music
- •During lockdown, he begins auditioning and has direct conversations with a director
- •Joe says he told the director he’d prove himself through hard work
- •He describes being inspired by another actor arriving in character and how it pushed him to immerse himself
Discipline on set: training, downtime, and using meditation as a performance tool
Joe describes how acting demanded fitness, patience, and mental focus due to long stretches of waiting. He shares how he built workouts into the day, used meditation techniques in scenes and performances, and even joined group meditations while on location.
- •Joe says seeing other actors’ fitness motivated him to train harder
- •He describes military training, group runs, and working out during downtime
- •Joe emphasizes that film work involves a lot of waiting unless you’re top of the call sheet
- •He credits meditation tools for helping him reset quickly and prepare for scenes
- •Joe mentions using breathing techniques in different contexts, from set to stage
Work ethic and gratitude: learning from his parents and staying hungry
Jay asks where Joe’s consistency comes from. Joe credits his parents’ relentless work, shares that he keeps a gratitude list, and explains why he continues pushing to improve creatively rather than coasting on past success.
- •Joe describes his dad juggling multiple jobs, commuting, and serving as a minister while supporting the band early on
- •He says gratitude motivates him, including being thankful he can do what he loves for a living
- •Joe notes intense competition in music and acting makes him value opportunities more
- •He rejects the idea of coasting and emphasizes improving the music and connection with fans
- •He says he chooses projects he feels passionate about
Humility, fame, and grounding through brothers and partnership
Jay praises Joe’s groundedness and asks about ego. Joe acknowledges stage energy can distort reality, but says having brothers created accountability and his upbringing mattered; he also describes keeping his relationship private early on and valuing a partner who keeps him humble.
- •Joe compares the “larger than life” feeling of performing to a constant high-stakes win
- •He says having brothers helped keep him accountable and grounded
- •Joe emphasizes the importance of not forgetting humble beginnings
- •He describes separating personal happiness from career identity
- •Joe credits his wife as supportive, trustworthy accountability in navigating fame
Marriage and fatherhood: best-friend partnership and staying playful with kids
Joe describes his relationship as built on forgiveness, friendship, and mutual support through heavy experiences. As a father, he shares the recurring advice to savor how fast childhood passes and emphasizes protecting imagination—encouraging parents to stay playful and curious with their kids.
- •Joe calls his marriage a best-friend relationship focused on growing together
- •He recounts a rocky phase where his partner’s understanding deeply affected him
- •He says he’s incredibly grateful to be a dad
- •Joe shares parents’ repeated message: enjoy every moment because it goes quickly
- •He argues imagination matters, using the example of letting kids explore (like jumping in puddles)
Daily routines and mental tools: mantras, meditation, gratitude, and learning Italian
Joe shares small practices he’s collected that keep him focused and present. He describes a mantra from a film set—“What do you want them to feel?”—and outlines his morning routine including meditation, gratitude journaling, and practicing Italian inspired by his honeymoon experience.
- •Joe adopts a set mantra to reset before performing: focusing on what the audience should feel
- •He links the mantra to empathy for fans who prepared and waited to see the show
- •Joe describes meditating first thing in the morning, sometimes as a moving meditation
- •He writes a gratitude list ranging from small comforts to big-picture health
- •He practices Italian after feeling embarrassed relying on a translator during a trip
Keeping friendships and family healthy: reaching out, face-to-face time, and non-work bonding
Jay asks how Joe maintains strong relationships despite a hectic life. Joe emphasizes in-person time, checking in when others struggle, and making space for family connection beyond business—sharing how the band learned to separate work from brotherhood after past strain.
- •Joe says his circle has stayed consistent and naturally tightened with age
- •He values real face-to-face connection rather than only phone contact
- •Joe shares advice: people often hesitate to reach out during someone’s hardship, but a text or call can matter
- •He reflects on the band breaking up when everything became business and rebuilding by working through issues
- •Joe emphasizes doing non-work activities together to keep family relationships healthy
Disconnecting from social media, staying present, and the Final Five reflections
Joe shares he recently deleted social media apps to regain presence, while still checking messages occasionally. They close with Jay’s rapid-fire questions, where Joe reflects on humility, purpose, and a simple guiding principle for how people should treat each other.
- •Joe says deleting social apps helped him be more present with friends and family
- •He jokes that the main downside is missing memes and notes TikTok has been fun for expressing his personality
- •In the Final Five, Joe shares his dad’s advice about living like you’re at the bottom even if you’re at the top
- •He says he values social media less now because it can fuel anxiety, comparison, and distraction
- •Joe defines his purpose as learning and growing while making people feel good, and proposes a “be nicer” rule

Publisher timestamps

Get more out of YouTube videos.

Read along on your phone, search it beside the video, or ask your favorite AI app what was said.