<p>What does rejection feel like to you?</p> <p>What do you usually do to move past that feeling?</p> <p>Today, Jay sits down with legendary filmmaker and comedian Judd Apatow for a vulnerable and inspiring conversation on life, creativity, and resilience. Known for shaping modern comedy with films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, Judd opens up about the struggles behind the success, sharing how self-doubt, early failures, and rejection shaped him into the storyteller he is today. He reflects on the power of mentorship, the lessons he learned from icons like Gary Shandling, and why finding your voice often requires patience, humility, and a willingness to fail forward.</p> <p>Together, Jay and Judd explore how comedy can be both healing and revealing, born not just out of joy but often out of pain. Judd talks about the risks he took, the creative experiments that didn’t work, and how those “failures” became stepping stones toward lasting impact. He reveals how therapy, mindfulness, and even family dynamics have influenced his work, and why the most meaningful measure of success is not box office numbers, but whether your work truly connects with people.</p> <p>In this interview, you'll learn:</p> <p>How to Find Your Creative Voice</p> <p>How to Balance Ambition with Presence</p> <p>How to Use Mentorship to Grow</p> <p>How to Push Through Self-Doubt</p> <p>How to Create With Authenticity</p> <p>How to Learn From Rejection</p> <p>How to Protect Your Flow State</p> <p>The setbacks you face today can become the foundation of your greatest breakthroughs tomorrow. Stay patient with the process, stay true to yourself, and keep moving forward with faith that your story has meaning and impact waiting to unfold. </p> <p>With Love and Gratitude,</p> <p>Jay Shetty</p> <p><strong><em>Join over 750,000 people to receive my most transformative wisdom directly in your inbox every single week with my free newsletter. Subscribe </em></strong><a href="https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe"><strong><em>here</em></strong></a><strong><em>. </em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! </em></strong><a href="https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast"><strong><em>https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast</em></strong></a><strong><em> </em></strong></p> <p><strong>What We Discuss:</strong></p> <p>00:00 Intro</p> <p>01:09 What Made You Laugh Out Loud?</p> <p>03:52 Raising Children Without Pressure</p> <p>05:22 Never Limiting a Child’s Potential</p> <p>08:09 The Most Memorable Interview</p> <p>09:44 Discovering a Personal Path</p> <p>10:27 From Fan to Friend</p> <p>11:58 Running a Show Together</p> <p>14:24 Growing with Creative Peers</p> <p>15:58 Why Failure Leads to Success</p> <p>18:00 The Power of Putting Yourself Out There</p> <p>20:27 Why Success Takes Time</p> <p>23:21 Creating Something Original</p> <p>27:00 A Sliding Doors Moment</p> <p>28:15 Realizing the Power of Choice</p> <p>30:22 Becoming Part of Another’s Success</p> <p>31:40 Confronting Creative Blocks</p> <p>34:06 Inside a Storyteller’s Mind</p> <p>35:34 Choosing to Be Part of the Solution</p> <p>38:00 Taking Creative Risks</p> <p>40:34 Silencing the Inner Critic</p> <p>43:27 The Real Formula for Comedy</p> <p>47:26 The Pitfalls of Mocking Others</p> <p>48:41 The Promise and Peril of AI</p> <p>51:39 Letting Go of a Problem-Seeking Mind</p> <p>54:13 Projecting Childhood Trauma at Work</p> <p>57:47 Separating Emotions from the Work</p> <p>01:00:09 Choosing the Right Collaborators</p> <p>01:02:58 Learning to Lighten Up</p> <p>01:05:27 What Leads to True Success</p> <p>01:07:30 The Most Impactful Self-Help Books</p> <p>01:13:13 The Pain Behind Comedy</p> <p>01:17:14 Defining True Happiness</p> <p>01:22:33 Exploring an Ayahuasca Experience</p> <p>01:24:18 The Secret to a Lasting Marriage</p> <p>01:28:05 Lessons to Share with Children</p> <p>01:30:07 Being Direct Yet Constructive</p> <p>01:31:48 Finding Drama in Good People</p> <p>01:34:07 Why Mentorship Matters</p> <p>01:38:09 Judd on Final Five</p> <p><strong>Episode Resources:</strong></p> <p>Judd Apatow | <a href="https://www.juddapatow.com/">Website</a></p> <p>Judd Apatow | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/juddapatow">Instagram</a></p> <p>Judd Apatow | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/juddapatowofficial/">Facebook</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sicker-Head-Conversations-About-Comedy/dp/0525509410">Sicker in the Head: More Conversations About Life and Comedy</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Comedy-Nerd-Lifelong-Obsession-Pictures/dp/0593595939">Comedy Nerd: A Lifelong Obsession in Stories and Pictures</a></p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>