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

Jay Shetty Podcast

Michael B. Jordan EXCLUSIVE: “You’re Ignoring Your Intuition! — That’s Why You Feel So Lost”

In this deeply personal conversation, Jay sits down with the acclaimed actor and filmmaker Michael B. Jordan.

Michael B. JordanguestJay Shettyhost

Mar 11, 20241h 23mWatch 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

Welcome and Why Michael Rarely Does Press
Jay Shetty introduces Michael B. Jordan and his recent work, including Creed III and the MASS sea moss drink. Michael explains he is cautious about press and sees this conversation as a check-in point on his journey.
- •Jay introduces Michael's directorial debut with Creed III and his upcoming film with Ryan Coogler
- •Michael says he is careful about how people get to know him and avoids serving other people's agendas
- •He calls the conversation a check-in point on a long journey
- •Jay praises him as humble, gracious and thoughtful
Growing Up in Newark and Questioning Why Me
Michael describes growing up in Newark with present parents, going on auditions young, and being poor without feeling it. As he found success while others around him did not, he began to question why he was the one.
- •Both parents were present and aware, which was rare among his family and friends
- •The family was poor, but his parents hid it well
- •He felt unable to share his experiences without alienating those around him
- •His parents were people of service, and their house was where everyone gathered
- •He felt guilt and doubt as he succeeded while similar people did not
Hindsight, Family Over Everything, and Calling Mom
Prompted by Jay's question about a defining childhood memory, Michael says appreciation for his upbringing came in hindsight, like the call to his mom to say thank you. He credits his parents' discipline and the lesson of family over everything with keeping him grounded. Jay shares his own call to his mother.
- •Appreciation for his childhood came in hindsight, including a call to apologize to his mom
- •His dad disciplined him and his mom explained the why
- •His parents had different upbringings but taught family over everything
- •Jay describes making the same call to his mother around age 25 or 26
From Imposter Syndrome to Embracing His Path
Asked what shifted him from feeling undeserving to seeing this as his path, Michael points to the sum of doubt, imposter syndrome, coaching and heavy attention. He says the shift came about two years ago, driven by breaking cycles for his family and by directing Creed III. Jay reflects that challenges and opportunities force us to develop.
- •The shift came from the sum of doubt, imposter syndrome and seeing others he related to
- •He works with an executive coach and a spiritual advisor to sift through noise
- •Knowing better means he feels he must do better, to change cycles for his nephew and future children
- •Turning 37 sharpened his sense of mortality
- •Directing Creed III thrust him into leadership
- •Jay says challenges make us become, and unused opportunities are a disservice
Morning Meditation, Executive Coaching, and Escaping the Talent Identity
Michael describes his daily practices: meditation with his spiritual advisor Ramona Oliver and executive coaching with Drew Kugler. He and Jay discuss how being typecast as talent brings kid gloves, and how history rhymes unless you disrupt the pattern.
- •Starting the day with meditation and intention, and reframing negativity
- •Executive coaching helped him hold meaningful conversations and accountability with his team
- •Being seen as talent for a long time creates kid gloves and a fixed identity
- •Jay cites Mark Twain's idea that history rhymes and says letting go of an identity is hard
Following Intuition Over Trends
Michael asks whether Jay reinvented himself deliberately, and Jay says intuition rather than trend-chasing guides his choices. Michael agrees that his own north star has led him to places he wouldn't trade, even when it doesn't look best on paper.
- •Jay says looking at trends only makes you feel deficient, while going inward reveals alignment
- •Michael notes that spiritual alignment doesn't always pay the mortgage
- •His intuition or north star has repeatedly proven the right move
Enduring Hard Times and Challenging Your Thinking
Asked how he copes when the cloud feels permanent, Michael says the lowest moments define you and people often quit right before getting what they want. He ties his determination to the name Michael Jordan and urges listeners to endure, think ahead and align with something.
- •The most trapped moments are character-defining moments
- •People give up right before they get what they want
- •Being teased over his name gave him a healthy chip
- •Challenge yourself to see the glass half full and think four steps ahead
- •Find something that aligns with you and be obsessed with it
What Michael Is Obsessed With
Michael says he is obsessed with getting his team right, strengthening his family, breaking generational trauma and every project he takes on. He talks about leaving a blueprint for his nephew and ends on the idea that giving your best is enough.
- •Obsessed with getting the right people on the same page and over-communicating
- •Obsessed with strengthening his family and breaking generational curses
- •Growing out his hair for the next film with Ryan Coogler
- •Wants everything he does to have layers, help and leave something behind
- •After 25 years in the work, he realizes he doesn't have to prove anything except to himself and that he is enough
MASS Sea Moss Drink: Origin and Benefits
The two toast with MASS and discuss its taste, smoothness and use in Moss tails. Michael recounts how years of sea moss use, starting during a Berlin shoot and continuing in pandemic smoothies for family, became the drink. Jay compares it to his own tea brand with his wife.
- •Michael describes the pure flavor and three flavors available
- •He chugged sea moss by the jar during a Berlin shoot, then began blending smoothies
- •Smoothies dropped off for family during the pandemic became an act of service
- •He cites cognitive clarity and immune support as benefits
- •Jay shares the story behind his own adaptogen drink with zero sugar
Building a Team on the Same Frequency
Jay asks how Michael senses whether someone fits his team. Michael cites gut instinct, conversation, ego, onboarding and transparency, and Jay adds humble champions and working with people he'd share meals with. They agree a team becomes extended family.
- •Michael uses intuition and how people answer questions as a first litmus test
- •Ego gets in the way of joining an established team, and existing members must onboard newcomers
- •He wants people who are there because they believe in the mission, not just for a check
- •Jay prefers humble champions and people he'd have breakfast, lunch or dinner with
- •Best ideas can come from hangout moments
Public Perception, Misconceptions, and Authenticity
Jay asks what people get right and wrong about Michael. Michael says he stays out of the way and ignores false narratives, and that the biggest misconception is that his community isn't his priority. They also discuss authenticity as consistent energy rather than sharing everything, and how being triggered points to something within.
- •Jay says people assume he gets everything right and never has bad days
- •Michael has stayed quiet and out of the comment section rather than correcting false narratives
- •He says his love for his community is often misunderstood
- •Authenticity for him means people who know him see the same person with the same energy
- •Jay says what triggers us can reveal something within, illustrated by a friend's mentor story
- •Michael likens quiet change work to Shawshank Redemption and chess
Michael's Purpose: Leading by Example and Sharing Knowledge
Michael says he has his purpose right now: leading by example as a Black actor who goes where others haven't, and passing on business knowledge he stumbled upon. He describes learning about ownership, investing, sports teams and venture structures, and wants to leave a blueprint for the next generation.
- •Looks up to Will and Denzel for opening doors
- •Invested in a Bournemouth football club with partner Bill Foley
- •Learned about real estate, joint ventures, venture funds, retirement and wills that he was never taught
- •Wants to share this information with hungry people and leave a blueprint
- •Notes you can't help everyone but can leave a blueprint for everyone
Japan, Gaming, Cooking, and Finding His Safe Space
Asked what he does when everything gets too much, Michael says he escapes to Japan, a place he idealized through anime and where he can move more freely. At home he plays Call of Duty with friends and cooks. He also mentions wanting to visit Ghana, and Jay jokes about FIFA.
- •Japan is one of the few places he feels he just exists, shaped by his love of anime
- •People there are respectful of his space
- •He wants to visit Ghana, where his dad spends time
- •At home he plays Call of Duty with friends and cooks, calling food a love language
- •Jay suggests a FIFA match with Bournemouth
The Lesson He Wished He Learned Earlier: Honest Communication
Michael says he wishes he had learned earlier to be unapologetically honest about what he wants while staying respectful. He argues that fear of the outcome is usually bigger than the reality, and that he is flawed and has felt heavy pressure to meet people's expectations of perfection.
- •Fear of someone's reaction often stops us from saying what we mean
- •Being honest gives the other person the chance to be honest back
- •Jay says holding back honesty hurts people more in the long run
- •Michael says he is flawed, fails often at communication, and has felt weight from expectations of perfection
Final Five: Advice, Childhood Photos, Loneliness, Love, and One Law
In the Final Five, Michael shares best and worst advice, reflects on childhood photos, and names being Uncle Mike as the best part of his life and loneliness as the worst. He talks about finding love and the one law he would create.
- •Best advice: take a moment when unsure; worst: buy it now, you'll get it back
- •Looks at photos of his dad's Marine dog tags and his grandmother's kitchen with his sister
- •Best part of being himself is being Uncle Mike; worst is the isolating weight and loneliness
- •On love, he wants a family eventually and needs someone who understands everything that comes with him
- •His law would ban intentionally killing or causing bodily harm, with a wish to level the economic playing field

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.