541: Spare the Pity Party; My Life Is Just Restarting | Feedback Friday

Spare the Pity Party; My Life Is Just Restarting | Feedback Friday (Episode 541)

Jordan Harbinger: Welcome to Feedback Friday. I'm your host Jordan Harbinger. Today, I'm here with Feedback Friday producer, my right-hand man in a rescue, Gabriel Mizrahi. On The Jordan Harbinger Show, we decode the stories, secrets, and skills of the world's most fascinating people and turn their wisdom into practical advice that you can use to impact your own life and those around you. So we want to help you see the Matrix when it comes to how these amazing people that we profile on the show think and behave. And our mission, our greater mission is to help you become a better informed, more critical thinker. So you can get a much deeper understanding of how the world works and make sense of what's really happening, even inside your own mind. 

[00:00:38] If you're new to the show on Fridays, we give advice to you. We answer listener questions. The rest of the week, we have long-form interviews and conversations with a variety of absolutely amazing folks, spies, CEOs, athletes, authors, thinkers, and performers. If you're joining us for the first time, or you're looking for a handy way to tell your friends about this, we've got these episode starter packs. These are collections of your favorite episodes, organized by popular topic. That'll help new listeners get a taste of everything we do here on the show. And we're always here expanding those by the way. Just visit jordanharbinger.com/start to get started. 

[00:01:12] This week on the show we had Daryl Davis. This guy is amazing. Gabe, so this guy, he is a jazz musician. He's a black jazz musician. He studied under every famous rocker, jazz musician that you can think of. Like, he's worked with James Brown. I mean, the guy's amazing. And his hobby, I guess you would say is he befriends people who are in the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups and becomes their best friend. 

[00:01:36] Gabriel Mizrahi: Wild.

[00:01:37] Jordan Harbinger: Yeah. 

[00:01:37] Gabriel Mizrahi: That's insane. 

[00:01:38] Jordan Harbinger: It is. It's crazy. So he's got a whole house full of robes. He showed us some on the show full of Klan robes because when they're sort of leaving the Klan, they don't need them anymore. So they hand them off to him. And talk about charm, like this guy must really have the gift of gab and he does. You'll hear it on the show. This is a two-parter. He's a really, really interesting smart dude that has fascinating stories. And it gives you insight into the Klan. He's been at cross burning. Imagine being like a middle-aged black dude at a cross burning and people are like, "What are you doing here?" And he's like, "Oh, I'm friends with the guy who set up the cross." I mean, it's just bananas. 

[00:02:19] Gabriel Mizrahi: What an interesting hobby. 

[00:02:20] Jordan Harbinger: Yeah.  

[00:02:21] Gabriel Mizrahi: Like, "Aah, I'm going to crush it as a jazz musician, but I'm going to moonlight as a KKK deprogrammer and grab their ropes on their way out. 

[00:02:29] Jordan Harbinger: Yeah, it is a wild story. He told us how he got into that. He told us why he got into that, why he continues to do that. It really is something just absolutely extra. So make sure you've had a listen to the episodes we created for you here this week with Daryl Davis. 

[00:02:42] And thanks by the way to everyone who sends us gifts. There's snacks, there's toys, there's art, there's shoes for Jay. I try to thank everyone individually. I try to thank you individually. But sometimes these things just don't come with any info. They're shipped from somewhere or you signed the card X, Y, Z, or like, M, and I'm like, who is that? I don't know. I can't remember where we spoke Instagram, LinkedIn, email, Facebook, whatever platform. So I can't always find you to get you back because I can't really search in some of these places. So please don't take that personally. Jen and I are very thankful for everything that we get from. So if you sent us something and you didn't hear from us, it is not personal. I tried to look for you and I just couldn't find you.

[00:03:20] Before we dive in here to Feedback Friday, I wanted to quickly touch on something. That's been coming up a lot lately on the show, especially on Feedback Friday, we get a lot of emails about grief here on the show, not just from people who've actually lost a loved one, but people who are mourning the end of a relationship, a job, an identity, even a feeling sometimes. And a lot of what we talk about is how to face that grief head-on. Basically, to move through grief in a way that allows you to understand and make meaning from loss rather than denying it or running away from it. 

[00:03:50] As you probably know, Gabe and I are reading this book, it's called Grief Day By Day by Jan Warner. She wrote it after her husband already died, best friend, life partner, then loses him to cancer. And in the years since he passed away, she wrote this book based on her experience which contains a lot of her wisdom about working through grief. And in the book, Jan has a whole chapter about unhealthy coping mechanisms for mourning. And that really jumped out at me. She talks about how, when we're stressed, we tend to do the very things that make us weaker rather than stronger, even though we all know that it makes more sense to give ourselves the best odds of dealing with life's challenges. As she puts it, "It's unfortunately very common for a grieving person to try and blunt the pain of grief in unhealthy and even dangerous ways. We've not found anything to soften our loneliness." And that's why we start numbing, whether it's with food or alcohol or sex, or even television. 

[00:04:42] All of which as we know have skyrocketed during the Panny D, right? The pandemic has not been good for any of us mentally, psychologically. Maybe it's not the sex part for many of us, definitely the booze and the TV part though, for maybe more of us. But ultimately those addictions and they often do become addictions, they never work for us long. Jan puts it really nicely in the book. She says, "Addiction feels like self-care, but it's the opposite. And it can be deadly as well as deadening." These things feel like they help, but they really just shut down the process of grieving. They bury the feelings down deeper. They kick the can down the road, so to speak, which only makes the grief bigger and scarier to confront because now it's sort of like hiding under the bed.

[00:05:22] So I just wanted to share that with you guys. I think we spend a lot of time managing our grief. Whether it's losing a parent or being laid off from a job or going through a breakup because it's so damn uncomfortable when really our best bet for getting over a loss is not to suppress the feelings and suppress the loss, but to allow ourselves to move through the pain without too many unhealthy crutches. You want to be — Jan calls it — a clear-headed griever. And like the old saying goes, "The only way out is through," right? The obstacle is the way. I know it's cliche. It is true. Keep that in mind. I hope it gives you another way forward if you're going through a tough time right now. And we'll link to Grief Day By Day by Jan Warner in the show notes it's available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble. You can also check out griefdaybyday.com. We'll link to that in the show notes as well. I highly recommend it. And speaking of grief, Gabriel, we've got some kind of crazy ones today, so let's dive in. 

[00:06:14] Gabriel Mizrahi: Hi Jordan and Gabe, four years ago, I had a totally different life from the one I have now. I lived in London with my husband and our 10-month-old son. I was 36. Our life was good, and we were really happy. We decided to go on holiday to France. On the third day of our trip, we were driving home from the beach. And the next thing I knew we were flying through the air. When I opened my eyes, I knew that our son had died and my husband had passed out at the wheel of the car. I woke up three days later at the hospital and was told that he had died as well. We had been hit by a truck. My entire world was smashed to pieces. I had lost everything. I went through the darkest of times, but managed to focus on recovering and grieving the loss. It's lucky I wasn't mobile due to a broken pelvis, as I probably would have just killed myself if I had been able to — que Rocky style montage. A year later, I knew I wanted to have another baby. At 37, I knew that time was not on my side, but I didn't want to rush into a new relationship just to have a child. I decided to use a sperm donor and after two attempts at IVF, I got pregnant. While I was trying the IVF, I met someone and we fell in love. My partner moved in with me a month before my daughter was born and we became a family. It's not been completely smooth sailing. It's been complicated and messy, but it's working and I'm happy. That comes with guilt and all kinds of emotions but I'm working with a therapist. For the most part, life is good. Having a toddler and being outgoing, I'm starting to meet new people, especially other moms at my daughter's school. I know I don't need to explain my situation to everyone I meet, but I often find myself dodging questions and being vague about my past. How do I tell new people about how I got to where I am without them looking at me with that sympathetic head tilt and then just being the tragic woman who had a car accident and lost her husband and son. We're also British and we don't really do well with emotions. Thanks for your advice. Signed, A Woman with a Past, Trying Not to Be Typecast. 

[00:08:06] Jordan Harbinger: Well, I'm kind of speechless right now. That story, it's like a movie, honestly. It's such something that you have a hard time believing. Well, wanting to believe words, fail you in a situation like this. I'm so sorry you went through this. Talk about trauma, losing your baby and your husband, and just being in that much physical pain and then feeling guilty for surviving is truly heavy stuff. And the fact that you've come through it, that you're building a new life, that in itself is extraordinary. And I commend you for that. That could not have been easy as a parent. This is just one of many nightmare scenarios. It's interesting, Gabe, on the one hand, I don't know how you go through something like this. And then not have it be the defining event of your entire life. On the other hand, I fully and totally understand why she does not want this story to become her whole identity. 

[00:08:51] Gabriel Mizrahi: Right. It's like she has to be able to share this story with people in order to have meaningful relationships. But then she says, "You know, I lost my husband and my son in a car accident a couple years ago," and suddenly that's all they can see.

[00:09:02] Jordan Harbinger: Exactly. She doesn't just want to become the tragedy. She wants to be seen as a full person who's made it through that tragedy and has other thoughts and experiences and feelings, and is building this whole new. She doesn't want everyone to — imagine, you talk about this and then everyone just goes, "Aaaah." or like some sort of less condescending version of that, but gives you the look that says that in your head. And you're just like, "Ah, every time, it's—" so it would be annoying to deal with that. And then, you know, that the first thing they do is they go, "Did you hear about. Cheryl's accident," and it just becomes the talk of the town. And everyone you see at the grocery store is now giving you these weird puppy dog's eyes for the rest of your life. No, thanks. 

[00:09:40] Gabriel Mizrahi: It spreads like wildfire.

[00:09:42]Jordan Harbinger:  Yeah. 

[00:09:42] Gabriel Mizrahi: That's another risk. And then, they're getting the story without you being able to tell it, and then it's like taking out a whole other meaning that maybe you didn't even intend because people can't help, but talk.

[00:09:51] Jordan Harbinger: Yeah. I understand where she's coming from here. So the question is: how do you actually do that without people viewing you a certain way? Well, first of all, I think it's worth pointing out that people are going to have some kind of reaction to your story, and it might not always be the one that you want. Some people will get really sad. Some of them are going to get uncomfortable. Some of them are going to clam up. Part of owning your story is accepting that you can't completely control other people's reactions to the story. Sure, it's possible that some people might end up viewing you as that tragic woman for a period of time, that might be frustrating or uncomfortable, but that's okay because this is tragic. You have been through something terrible and to expect people to not respond to that sadness, it's not entirely reasonable, especially if you're talking to other parents. This is because this is their worst nightmare like I said, right? 

[00:10:39] Even me, reading this, hearing this, I had my own reaction. I don't know what that reaction would have been like if you were standing in front of me, of course. But to some degree you're going to have to tolerate people's pity, their sadness, their shock, whatever it is. And just know that that's not necessarily wrong or bad, it's just the way that people are processing what you're telling them. And that they're allowed to have this authentic reaction. In fact, it would be a little weird if they didn't. But then you might be able to help people wrap their heads around what you're actually telling them. Help them see you as more than just this event. You can tell them the story, however brief you want to keep it and then say something like, "So I know that's super heavy. I'm sure it's pretty intense to hear something like that, but we're friends now. So I just felt like it was time to share this with you. I'm happy to talk about it some more if you'd like." Then maybe they talked to you about it or they ask you questions or they share something intense that they've been through. And that's just how you start to really get to know each other beyond the story. It's called heaven disclosure if you're going to dissect the rapport process here. 

[00:11:35] So you might even want to let them in on your experience with this. Like, "It's hard for me to talk about this because honestly, I'm worried, you're only going to see me as somebody who's been through this one horrible thing, and I want you and the other moms to see me as more than that, I don't want it to be the only thing we can talk about." If you can call it out like that, you're going to be doing a few things. For one, you'll be sharing this very vulnerable part of yourself with the other person, which is how you can let people get to know you beyond the story. You'll also be giving them permission to treat you normally to not just pity you all the time, which is going to probably be a relief for both of you. And you'll probably feel more at ease because you'll be openly acknowledging what's so hard about these conversations. Because right now, I think you feel that your choices either remain a mystery to other people or spill my guts and have this thing just define me completely. But there's this whole middle ground between those things where you open up to people in an appropriate way, in a thoughtful way. And you do that in a way that honors what you've been through, but that also allows people to see you as more than just a woman who lost her family in a tragic accident. 

[00:12:41] Gabriel Mizrahi: Well said, Jordan, and it's also about how much she's processed this trauma on her own. If she breaks down in tears, whenever she tells this story, and honestly who could blame her if she did. I mean, I'm sure there's a long phase of that kind of reaction. But if this is still very raw for her, it might be hard for other people to see her as more than what she's been through. But if she's gotten to the point where she can say, "This is what happened to me, it was the darkest period, my life, the most horrible thing I've ever been through, but I've worked very hard on my recovery mentally, emotionally, I've met a new guy. I have a daughter. I'm building a new life now." If she can share that without falling apart or only inviting people's pity, then that sends a very different signal. 

[00:13:18] Jordan Harbinger: Right. The way that she handles this conversation, how she relates to people, when she tells the story, that's communicating a ton of information about her and that's the information they're going to use to decide how to make sense of it.

[00:13:29] Gabriel Mizrahi: And also whether this is the only thing she talks about. If she goes around telling this tragic story to anyone who will listen — which I don't get the sense that she does that I'm just saying, for example — then yeah. It's easy to be pigeonholed as the lady who went through the terrible thing, but if she talks about other things in her life, if she can listen to people talking about their lives, if she can be available to them, then they're going to respond to that. They'll be thinking, "Wow, this woman has been through pretty much the worst of life. But look, she's sitting here with me. I feel comfortable talking to her. She can make space for other people and other topics beside herself. I like this woman. I want to get to know her better. And I want her to get to know me." There's something bigger in the relationship than just the facts of the story. 

[00:14:09] Jordan Harbinger: Right. If she doesn't want other people to define her by this one thing, she can make an effort not to define herself by it. At least in the moment, she's having a conversation with someone. 

[00:14:18] Gabriel Mizrahi: Exactly. And look, we're not saying you can't talk about it. I'm not saying it's not unreasonable to want people to take it seriously. There will be days when it's all you want to talk about. I think that is very, very normal, but those are the days that you bring it into therapy. That's when you talk about it with your . Knowing that these new friends of yours, they'll probably need to work up to getting super deep into this with you, because it is so intense and the way that they see you in the very beginning, that will depend a lot on how you share this part of your life with them and also how often. So it's a balance. 

[00:14:46] Jordan Harbinger: So that's our advice. When you're ready in the right context, I definitely encourage you to share this part of your life with people you want to be closer with. You'll have to accept that they won't always have the reaction you want, but that they could see you differently if you invite them in a little. If you take a genuine interest in them, you can get to know people in ways that, sure, they might be informed by your trauma, but they're not always about your trauma if that makes sense. If you do that, I think this part of your life will actually help you build even more meaningful relationships. And in fact, that might also give this incredibly difficult chapter some new meaning. 

[00:15:20] And again will bump Grief Day By Day, one more time and she talks a lot about this in that book. How mourning makes you more available to connection, which can help you process and make meaning out of a loss? Again, so sorry that this has happened to you, but you should be really proud of how far you've come. You know, you found a ton of resilience and probably the worst thing that can happen to a person. And I'm sure that's made you a hell of a lot stronger, more empathic, empathetic as a human being. And those are powerful qualities. Don't be afraid to own them. Take care of yourself. Thank you so much for sharing this story with us. We're wishing you the best. 

[00:15:53] Damn, Gabe, it freaks me out when things like this happen. It's just terrifying how fragile life is sometimes. You know as a parent of one small child with another one on the way, which I think I've said this isn't a commercial by accident, but Jen is pregnant. We have a baby on the way coming in December, a girl this time. 

[00:16:09] Gabriel Mizrahi: Amazing. Amazing. 

[00:16:10] Jordan Harbinger: Yes. We're looking for a J name. A lot of people said Jayden, and we're like, okay, you clearly, don't obsessively listen to the show or you'd know already that I have a son named Jayden. So J names for girls is where we're at right now. But my point is it's scary to think they could be on their way to Target to pick up some lactose-free milk or whatever the hell my wife buys all the time. And then it's like you just get this call or like the cops show up at the door and like, that's the moment. That's like the silent scene in movies where the person's face changes and they break down and you're just like, that happens to people in real life. And it's horrible. 

[00:16:44] Gabriel Mizrahi: Yeah, it really is next level stuff. I mean, this is like the edges, edges of normal everyday life experience. I mean, this is just extreme. It's the outlier event that turns your life upside down. It's hard to even wrap your head around it, but then you hear from a woman like this, who's been through it and has made it out the other side and in a horrible way that I wish it never happened. It's incredibly inspiring. I mean, just to think that somebody could pick their life back up and build it again and carry all of this with them and make it work and build a new family. It's incredible. 

[00:17:13] Jordan Harbinger: It really is. By the way, you can reach us friday@jordanharbinger.com. Please keep your emails concise. Try to use a descriptive subject line. That does make our job a lot easier. And if you can let us know where you are, state, country, that'll help us with more detailed answers. If there's something you're going through, any big decision you're wrestling with, or you just need a new perspective on things like life, love, work, whether you should speak at your abusive siblings wedding, still wrapping my head around that one from last week. Hit us up friday@jordanharbinger.com. We're here to help. We keep every email anonymous. 

[00:17:47] You're listening to Feedback Friday here on The Jordan Harbinger Show. We'll be right back. 

[00:17:52] This episode is sponsored in part by Better Help online therapy. A lot of us are still cooped up in our kitchens like me. And honestly it is a bit of a drag and I can see how people who are stuck at home and still dealing with a lot of the COVID fallout are really feeling a little bit emotionally out of sorts. You don't have to feel super depressed or at a total loss, but if you are feeling a little bit off, your relationships might be suffering, I think you should talk to somebody. I have been doing it. I think it's super healthy. Whether you're feeling anxious or you're struggling in your career, or you're having trouble sleeping, online therapy can be a big help. Visit betterhelp.com/jordan. Fill out a questionnaire. They'll help you assess your needs and match you with a professional licensed therapist. You can start communicating in a couple of days via weekly video phone, or even live chat sessions with your therapist. And if you don't click, you can switch therapists. They're not going to be a stickler about that. Online therapy is very convenient. It's more affordable than in-person therapy. You don't have to drive. You don't have to park. And our listeners get 10 percent off their first month of online therapy at betterhelp.com/jordan. That's better-H-E-L-P.com/jordan. 

[00:18:56] This episode is also sponsored by Grammarly. When it comes to saving time and working more efficiently, it's the little things that start adding up and hogging time in your day. Grammarly Premium gives real time suggestions on your writing so you can get to the next item on your list in record time. What I like about Grammarly is Grammarly Premium helps you get your message across quickly. There's no repeated words or unnecessary words. They've got these clarity suggestions. It can look at your tone and say, "This is professional," or, "This is friendly," or, "This is informal. They also have vocabulary suggestions. And I love this because you're not searching for synonyms. Grammarly Premium offers suggestions to replace overused words and phrases. And also it shows me what things mean or where this little bit of punctuation goes. I'm learning a lot just by using it. I actually use Grammarly in my show notes and in my documents. It works right in Google Docs. It works in my browser, works in my email program. It just works everywhere. So I don't have to run something. It just sort of sits over what I'm doing and says, "Hey, you misuse this word dummy," or, "Hey, the comma goes here, not there." That's what I really like about it. I think it's a great learning tool. 

[00:19:58] Jen Harbinger: Hit send with confidence and get your point across more effectively with Grammarly Premium. Get 20 percent off Grammarly Premium by signing up at grammarly.com/jordan. That's 20 percent off at G-R-A-M-M-A-R-L-Y.com/jordan. 

[00:20:12] Jordan Harbinger: And now back to Feedback Friday on The Jordan Harbinger Show.

[00:20:17] All right, next up. 

[00:20:18] Gabriel Mizrahi: Hey Jordan and Gabe, I'm a guy in my early 30s and my fiance who's also in her early 30s, struggled with depression for a few years since her mother died. I struggled a bit to understand what I wanted in life and our relationship wasn't perfect, but it was always caring and loving. And I had a lot of confidence that we could work through anything together. At the start of the pandemic, she started acting a bit out of character, then suddenly very out of character. It came to a traumatic climax when she began hallucinating and ran out of the house at four in the morning. Calling 911 was the scariest moment of my life. She spent a couple of weeks in the hospital and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Although I knew we'd have challenges ahead of us, I felt committed to the relationship. My fiancée, however, felt that she needed to move on in order to feel better. We canceled the wedding, broke up and she moved. I was pretty devastated. I spent last year working on myself, connecting with friends and family, and working with a therapist. I began to understand the reasons we broke up aside from the diagnosis. I got a job that better fit my interests and found a resurgence of energy in my life. I found a great new relationship, which helped me create a whole new vision for my future. Unfortunately, that relationship ended a couple of months ago as I really want kids and she didn't. We parted amicably after seven months and I still felt quite strong. In general, both my ex-fiancée and I were moving in positive directions in our lives. A few days ago, she suddenly brought up the idea of getting back together. She had also entered a new relationship, but was having doubts. We talked about the life we had started to create together. I was quite close with her family, even after the breakup. And I thought back to how committed I was to making our relationship work. But I also worry about starting the relationship up again, knowing the way things ended. I worry I won't find the same love and devotion with her again. And I worry about wasting time on a relationship that might not ultimately work, but doing so feels like turning my back on a family I really loved. So what should I do and how do I accept whatever direction I do choose? Signed, Give It One More Shot or A Second Thought.

[00:22:17] Jordan Harbinger: Wow. This is some real — what's that movie, Gabe? Silver Linings Playbook with Bradley Cooper, the Hunger Games girl. 

[00:22:24] Gabriel Mizrahi: Jennifer Lawrence. 

[00:22:25] Jordan Harbinger: Yes. 

[00:22:26] Gabriel Mizrahi: Yeah. 

[00:22:26] Jordan Harbinger: I'm sorry you guys went through all of this. I'm sure it was incredibly scary for her and super unsettling for you to watch somebody you love, just have a manic. Is that the right term? Manic episode. 

[00:22:35] Gabriel Mizrahi: Sounds like it. 

[00:22:36] Jordan Harbinger: Especially one with hallucinations. I mean, good Lord. It sounds like it forced something of a reckoning for you guys. She prioritized her treatment over your relationships, smartly, honestly, in my opinion. And you've done a ton of growth since then, which is excellent. But now, you're wanting to start things up again, and that's obviously a very complicated decision for both of you. So first of all, I would get really clear, very clear on why you want to get back with your ex. I'm not talking you out of it, okay. I'm just asking. I'd be asking you this, even if she didn't have this mental health stuff that you're worried about here, do you want to get back to you? Because you feel deep down that this is your person. Or do you want to get back together out of nostalgia or loneliness or dating is really hard and you know, maybe you won't be able to do better? 

[00:23:22] You also mentioned her family, not wanting to turn your back on them. And that is very sweet, but I think you also know that's not a good enough reason to get back together with somebody. You know, you're dating her, not her parents. I also wonder what her parents represent to you if maybe you're looking for a family to take you in, in addition to finding a wife. That's obviously part of the package when you marry someone, but it cannot be your whole reason. So I would definitely explore that some more, either yourself or with a therapist.

[00:23:50] And on the other side of the ledger, you have all these concerns, you've come a long way without her. You're concerned this whole cycle might repeat it. You're concerned that you might not be able to recreate the same love that you might be chased in the past year, like some kind of bipolar Gatsby. And you also say that you came to understand the reasons you broke up aside from the diagnosis. I'm very curious about that. Have those issues been resolved or are they just waiting to recreate themselves? And I want to be clear here.  Bipolar disorder doesn't make people defective or anything. It doesn't mean they can't, or shouldn't be in relationships, not at all. It's just a challenge that they have to manage like many other challenges that we face in relationships.

[00:24:29] Overall, the fact that you found a resurgence of energy in your life, so to speak after the breakup, that's a really meaningful data point. And that tells me that a ton of your energy was being sucked into this relationship or that you were just so wrapped up in this woman that you lost sight of yourself. Either way, not a great sign. So I would ask yourself those questions and I would be very clear with yourself about why after all of this amazing growth that you've done, that you want to start things up again. 

[00:24:57] I'm not saying that automatically makes it a bad idea. People can definitely work on their sh*t and get back together, and that can be great. But I'll be honest. I think it's pretty rare. And in your case, I would be really diligent in unpacking all of the thoughts and feelings that are pulling you back to this relationship. Okay. So that you know for sure you're doing it for the right reasons, not just acting out some old programming. 

[00:25:19] Gabriel Mizrahi: My thoughts exactly, Jordan. And if you do all that and you decide that you do want to give this relationship another go, then I would be very thoughtful about how you do it as well. Really think through what you'll need to make this relationship work. You have experience now. You know what comes up. You know what could come up in the future. How are you going to be in a relationship with someone with this particular disorder? Which as I'm sure, you know, not impossible by any means, but also not always easy. And again, just to echo what Jordan said, I'm not saying people who are bipolar are automatically a liability or that you have to be afraid of what they're going to do or that they don't deserve to be in a relationship. Of course, they do. 

[00:25:53] What I am saying is that people who struggle with this disorder have a little more work to do to take care of themselves. And they owe that to themselves and they owe it to the people they're in a relationship with. So here's what I'd be thinking about. First of all, is she on medication? Does it seem to be working? Does she take it consistently? Does she have a history, for example, of going off her meds and then struggling for a period of time before she agrees to go back on them? Which unfortunately is very common and can be very destabilizing. I would ask her very directly about all of that. Tell her that you're not judging her. You're not trying to make her feel bad about any of this. You just want to understand how she takes care of herself, what you can expect, how you fit into her treatment. And maybe you talked to her parents too, since you're so close with them, maybe you can ask them how they think she's doing. They might not have the full picture, or they might not want to get in the middle of this, which I could understand. But if I were you, I would definitely be trying to get as much information as possible in advance. 

[00:26:45] Another thing to consider: is she in therapy? Is she doing what you're doing? Does she seem to have a good handle now on how her mood works? Does she have a support system in place? If she experiences a manic or depressive episode? I would want to know all of that before you're having to call 911 at four in the morning, again, because she's hearing voices or imagining people spying on her through the window or whatever it is. And these are just very stock examples, but very common ones. I'm not making light of any of this. You've been here before. This is literally what you described in your letter. And just to be fair, it could happen again. 

[00:27:15] But honestly, the most important thing you can do is to get very clear on what you expect from her, taking her medication. I imagine that that's probably one of those non-negotiables. That seems fair. Maybe you have other ones like talking to you pretty openly when she feels a mood swing coming on, going to therapy regularly, maybe approving major decisions with you in advance. You might also have to protect yourself here in certain very practical ways. For example, a lot of partners of bipolar people, we've actually talked about this on the show before they choose to keep separate bank accounts so that their partner doesn't — I don't know, drain their IRA and buy a bunch of jet skis for an expensive trip to the Florida Keys on a whim or whatever. I don't know what your girlfriend's particular manic behaviors are. For some people, it's going on a spending spree. And for other people, it's having a lot of rapid thoughts or becoming intensely religious. I mean, that's a common one or having a heightened sex drive, whatever it is I would get clear on that.

[00:28:07] Consider the worst case scenario and then take the necessary steps to make sure that you're mitigating the risks to both of you. In other words, you're going to have to draw some very good boundaries to make this work. And also just something to consider couples counseling could be super useful. A therapist can help both of you understand this disorder better. They could help you work through any conflicts that come up, maybe even help you set some of these boundaries. We're also going to link to a bunch of resources for you in the show notes, including an old Feedback Friday episode about a woman who was in, shall we say, a challenging relationship with a bipolar guy who, if I remember correctly, Jordan, he was not taking very good care of himself. Probably not taking nearly as good care of himself as this woman is in the story. But I do think that'll be interesting, helpful for you to listen to, right now.

[00:28:49] Jordan Harbinger: That's exactly what he's going to have to do to make this work and get clear with himself, what he's going to do if she doesn't live up to that agreement. That's important too. Where are you going to stay? Will you leave? Will you help her work through it? All of that, like you have to kind of have a backup plan or at least an emergency plan. What happens if she's like, "I don't need the medication and you can't make me take it," and things go off the rails? So basically, if you decide to get back together with your ex, you have to accept her as she is, and you have to set strong boundaries that you're prepared to hold. I would also continue all of this great self-care stuff that you've been doing so that you don't get lost in this relationship again. People do manage to make these relationships work. So it is possible, but when it does work, it's because both parties are being super responsible for themselves and respectful of each other. 

[00:29:38] But if you aren't prepared to do all of that, then I would advise you to think twice here. Your life has moved in such a positive direction since the break up. I have to wonder, what's pulling you back here, your ex, she might be an absolutely incredible person. She might in fact be your incredible person, but then your person is coming with a major challenge that you will have to manage on top of all of the other problems that existed in the relationship before. And if you're not up for that, then I'm not sure that you are her person. 

[00:30:06] All right. Next up. 

[00:30:08] Gabriel Mizrahi: Hey guys. When I started a new job in artificial intelligence, a few months ago, I was assigned to a few machine learning projects, which I was really excited about. After they were completed, I was told to work on something completely different, which I wasn't expecting. In short, I had to learn a new programming language and build this thing I knew nothing about. I asked my managers why they wanted me to work on this project and they said it would help with the other machine learning projects down the line, so I stuck it out. I think I'm doing well, but I hate it. Now, they've introduced other projects for me to work on after this one is complete, but none of them are even related to machine learning. So I feel like there's truly no point to me working on it. Should I tell the CEO that I don't like the work I'm doing? Is it better to just do it and hope my next project is more to my liking or should I start to look for a new job? Signed, Real Frustrated With This Artificial Nonsense. 

[00:30:58] Jordan Harbinger: It's frustrating, but it happens all the time. A company hires you for one thing, and then it turns out they need you for something else. And their needs are not in alignment with your interests. All part of the corporate dance. So here's what I do if I were you. You just joined the company. It's only been a few months. You're still building your street credit at this place. So I would spend about six to nine months, absolutely crushing anything they assign you. Earn their loyalty, build up some capital, social capital or otherwise, then have a conversation with the CEO. And in that case conversation, you can say, "Listen, I joined you guys because I was super excited to work on machine learning. I know you need me for other stuff from time to time. I was happy to help you out there. I do feel that I've learned a ton. I'm grateful for that, but what I really want to be doing is machine learning. That's why I'm here and that's where I can be most useful to you. So, what do you think about me getting back to that kind of work?" a chat like that is totally fair, but it is so much easier if you've shown that you're not a diva, you're a team player who was happy to roll up his sleeves on something new, but really wants to be doing what he was hired to do. 

[00:32:04] Gabriel Mizrahi: Agreed. That's exactly how I would do it. I also think there's something to be said for doing some work outside of your wheelhouse, just for a short period of time, even if you're not super pumped about it. You never know how those skills will pay off down the line. You know, one day you might be managing a project and you'll need to understand that new programming language that you picked up or you'll be working on a weird problem and obscure technical issue and that experience will help you come up with a cool solution. You might not have thought of otherwise. I don't really think there's any such thing as time completely wasted. It'll always pay dividends somewhere down the line. So as annoying as the situation is, and I get it, I would also try to open the aperture here just a little bit. 

[00:32:41] Jordan Harbinger: Okay. I agree. But what if the CEO says, "Sorry, too bad. I need you to work on this other stuff that you hate for the next three years." 

[00:32:49] Gabriel Mizrahi: Then I would start looking around for a new job and there are probably two scenarios there. Scenario one is you get an offer for a machine learning position and you take it totally fair, in my opinion. Scenario two is you get that competing offer, go back to your CEO and you say, "Listen, I wasn't planning on doing this, but I got an offer from this other company to work on machine learning, which as you know, is what I really want to do. I'd love to be able to stay. I want to do that with you, but if I can't, then I have to take this offer seriously. What do you say? Can we get back to machine learning now?" And then the ball is really in their court, but either way, you win.  

[00:33:19] Jordan Harbinger: That's the move definitely. Because if they're like, "No, we really need you to be programming," I don't know, whatever it is, the internal accounting software, then you go, "Okay, well, I've got a better, more, maybe even more highly paid offer elsewhere doing something that I like. So, peace." That's definitely, definitely the move. The bottom line is yes, it's important to listen to that voice telling you that you're not happy. You have to advocate for yourself in your career if your company is not doing right by you, but it's also valuable to pick up some new skills even if it's by doing something you don't love. 

[00:33:52] And when you're here for just a few months into a new job, it really is important to build capital and deepen your relationships before you start pushing for major changes. And I give that period six months, maybe nine tops. It sounds like a long time, but it really isn't. After that, speak up for what you want. Be collaborative about finding a solution. And if you can't, then it might not be the company for you. It's time to jump ship, totally fine. It happens all the time. And if you stick it out for this time, and then you have to get another offer and leverage it, then you left after a year, not after six years, which looks bad, you know, pretty bad when your job jumping. 

[00:34:30] And Gabe, this reminds me of when I was working in big law firms, there were lots of stories like this, but when I remember very clearly was one of these lawyers she really wanted to be doing — I don't know, let's just say real estate work. I don't remember exactly what it was and they kept giving her some other kinds of corporate contracts or derivatives work. So instead of doing that, she just read detective novels for nine months. She did no work. 

[00:34:57] Gabriel Mizrahi: Oh, wow. 

[00:34:57] Jordan Harbinger: None. 

[00:34:58] Gabriel Mizrahi: But what was the point? What was the goal? 

[00:34:59] Jordan Harbinger: I think her goal was — well, and they confronted her about not billing anything because you know, you have to bill hours as an attorney. 

[00:35:05] Gabriel Mizrahi: Yeah. 

[00:35:05] Jordan Harbinger: And she said, "Well, I told you I only wanted to do this kind of work and you're sending me this other kind of work, so I'm not going to do it."

[00:35:11] Gabriel Mizrahi: Oh wow. 

[00:35:11] Jordan Harbinger: Can you believe that? I mean, that was what the market was like. 

[00:35:14] Gabriel Mizrahi: So she won  — like, I don't understand. 

[00:35:16] Jordan Harbinger: She kind of won that, but I assume that everyone went, "She's terrible," and fired her as soon as they could replace her. Yeah, I mean, that's a— 

[00:35:23] Gabriel Mizrahi: That is such a power move. 

[00:35:25] Jordan Harbinger: It's a power move, but it also only works in the 2007 legal market where they're printing money and every person that they hire for 180 grand a year, makes them 500 grand, so they're just getting as many as they can. In today's market, that wouldn't fly, but it's just — lawyers are weird, man, especially the people who go to big law firms. A lot of those people are just kind of, they come with quirks. Let's put it that way. 

[00:35:48] Gabriel Mizrahi: I like that she's like, "I don't want to work on this financial instruments thing. That's going to make you guys a ton of money. I'm just going to be over here curling up with my Agatha Christie. 

[00:35:55] Jordan Harbinger: Yeah. She literally did no work. She just read novels. And when they were like, "What's going on?" HR was like, "Why aren't you billing any hours?" And she's like, "I told you I wanted real estate work and you're sending me derivatives work and I don't want to do it. 

[00:36:05] Gabriel Mizrahi: And also Miss Marple is about to crack this case. 

[00:36:08] Jordan Harbinger: Also, also I'm on the letter, like I — who's that author that every novel starts with another letter of the alphabet? And it's like, M is for murder or like A is for alibi. And it just goes through the whole alphabet. 

[00:36:22] Gabriel Mizrahi: Sue Grafton. 

[00:36:22] Jordan Harbinger: Sue Grafton. That's right. Sue Grafton, she's like, all right, I'm on letter Y. I'm not stopping now. Give me another two weeks. 

[00:36:34] This is The Jordan Harbinger Show, and this is Feedback Friday. We'll be right back. 

[00:36:39] This episode is sponsored in part by Babbel. This summer, get the most out of your travels by learning the language of your destination with Babbel, the number one selling language learning app. Now, if you're going somewhere, I think it's going to be great to know a little bit of the local tongue from ordering in restaurants or asking for directions to getting a deeper understanding of the culture. Babbel makes the whole process of learning a new language addictively fun and easy. With bite size lessons, just 15 minutes each and even some for five minutes, you can actually use this stuff in the real world. So Babbel's a great travel essential and learning a new language, obviously, it's a daunting task, right? But Babbel breaks things down, so they're not oversimplified or complicated. I personally get a little bit bored easily when I'm studying. So what's great about Babbel is that they vary the learning tactics to keep you engaged. So you might spell, you might match to a picture. You might be shown a photo. You might listen to a dialogue. You might have to type words and some of the exercises. You might even speak into your device's microphone to practice pronunciation. I find that all handy. 

[00:37:33] Jen Harbinger: Right now when you purchase a three month Babbel subscription, you'll get an additional three months for free. That's six months for the price of three. Just go to babbel.com and use promo code Jordan. That's B-A-B-B-E-L.com code Jordan for an additional three months free. 

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[00:39:35] Jen Harbinger: Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. National Annual Average Insurance Savings by New Customers surveyed in 2020. Potential savings will vary. Discounts vary and are not available in all states and situations.

[00:39:45] Jordan Harbinger: Thanks for listening and supporting the show. Your support of our advertisers keeps us going, who doesn't love some good products and/or services? You can always visit jordanharbinger.com/deals for all the details on everybody that helps support the show. And now for the conclusion of Feedback Friday. 

[00:40:03] All right. Next up. 

[00:40:04] Gabriel Mizrahi: Hey, Jordan and Gabe. I graduated two years ago with a master's in English. The goal was to become an English professor and continue working through the department. But the closer graduation came, the more I realized I didn't enjoy it. Seeing students grasp the point of a lesson was always amazing, but I found myself dreading class rather than looking forward to it. I felt like I wasn't doing a good job and that my students all secretly hated me. After trying to figure out what else I could do, I applied on a whim to an administrative assistant position at a therapy services company. And it's the best job I've ever had. Nothing too fancy, but it's stable. And I honestly love working for a company that helps people. But I sometimes feel a bit guilty about not using my master's degree, especially around my parents. They don't particularly shame me, but I sometimes feel like I let them down for not becoming an English instructor and wasted the time I spent in the program. I know past experiences can help with future ones, but should I feel guilty or ashamed for not using my degree, even though I absolutely adore my current position. Signed, Breaking Grad. 

[00:41:05] Jordan Harbinger: Interesting question and super relatable for a lot of people. As you probably know, I went to law school. I worked as an attorney before I started this show. I kind of mentioned that earlier. I had a similar change of heart along the way. And no, I wasn't the one reading Sue Grafton novels and refusing to do the work. And I got to say, even though I'm a hundred percent happy that I left the law, I don't regret going to law school. Look, I didn't have to go to law school. I probably — if I had to do it over again, I wouldn't go to law school. So let me be clear there. It was a flawed assumption, but I still grew a lot. I learned a ton about myself. I learned a ton about the world. I learned a ton about how to think. I learned a ton about how the financial markets work and how legal decisions are made. So it's expensive entertainment and expensive learning, but I'm not thinking like, "Wow, that was the biggest mistake of my life." Most importantly, I learned that I really didn't want to be a lawyer.

[00:41:53] And the show I started, which became the show you're listening to now, it actually grew out of what I was learning at the time, what I wanted to understand better. So I wouldn't be doing what I love living my best life over here, if I hadn't gone down the "wrong path". So should you feel guilty or ashamed for not using your degree, even though you absolutely adore your current position? Absolutely not. It sounds like you really didn't love teaching. If you don't genuinely enjoy something and you have the ability to try something new, that is absolutely fair. In fact, I think you have an obligation to yourself to build a life that you're excited about professionally, personally, emotionally, all of it.

[00:42:32] Also, you love your new job. You didn't give up teaching and then land in a company you despise doing work that makes you want to jump out the window. You listen to that voice and the voice was right and you wouldn't be where you are right now if you hadn't gotten your master's degree and realized you didn't love teaching. So it's all a part of your story.

[00:42:48] Gabriel Mizrahi: Also, who's to say, feel this conflict if you had stayed in academia. I mean, you might have felt guilty for ignoring that voice, telling you that teaching wasn't for you, or maybe you would feel ashamed for not pursuing a career that really fulfilled you. And if you'd have those feelings either way, I feel like when you rather be working them out while you're building a life, you actually enjoy. I know I would, for sure, personally. I guess the real question is where are these feelings coming from really? If they're coming from your parents, then you might want to talk to them about it. Maybe you tell them that this decision wasn't easy for you. It took a lot of work and effort on your part to make sure that this was your path, but you know that it was the right move to make. You can share a little more about why you left academia. You could tell them how unhappy you were. Maybe you could help them see, in other words, what you're doing now is more aligned with who you really are. 

[00:43:34] But honestly, just based on what you've shared, it's possible that there is a little bit of projection going on here. I think maybe you feel some of this guilt and shame about yourself and you might be locating those feelings in other people like your parents. And look, maybe they're not totally thrilled about this career move. I'm not gaslighting you or whatever, not at all, but even if they did feel that way about your choice, it probably wouldn't affect you this much if you didn't on some level wonder if these things were true yourself. So when you notice this guilt and the shame coming up, here's an interesting question you could ask yourself: are you feeling ashamed because you studied one thing and now you're doing another? Or are you feeling ashamed because you believe that if you study something, you have to do it for the rest of your life, even if it makes you totally miserable. 

[00:44:17] Jordan Harbinger: That's a good one, man. You're saying, is it the situation itself or is it her thoughts about the situation? 

[00:44:23] Gabriel Mizrahi: Right. Because if she investigates those thoughts a little more, she might find a more helpful lens on her story. You know, you don't have to do the same job forever for it to be worthwhile. Where you have been — academia. That has led you to where you are now. So maybe take a moment to see how those dots connect in a cool way. They're starting to connect in a cool way. And also maybe try to appreciate what you did pick up in academia that's carrying over into your new job. I bet that the way you talk to people, the way you learn a new subject, maybe just your overall curiosity. I feel like that's all part of the same journey. It's like the machine learning guy from the previous question, right? Like what we think of as time wasted is rarely time wasted. Something always carries over. And sometimes like with Jordan and the law or with me and management consulting, which is what I did before I did all of this, or that guy with the programming language, it's just the realization that there's something better for you out there. And what could be more valuable than that? That realization alone, that can give a previous chapter a ton of meaning. 

[00:45:17] Jordan Harbinger: Well said, Gabe, I totally agree there. So keep listening to that voice. Don't beat yourself up for wanting to evolve. Try to enjoy the ride. I'm pretty sure that you'd rather be helping people feel better than reciting Milton to a bunch of zonked out 19 year olds who are doomed scrolling on their phones under the desk during your lecture. So it sounds like a win to me. Good luck.

[00:45:36] All right next step. 

[00:45:37] Gabriel Mizrahi: Hey guys, I'm planning a wedding next year, about three and a half hours north of where I and most of the guests live. I want to invite my parents' best friends who were basically my second set of parents growing up. Our families do everything together and they're extremely close. Here's the thing. They have a daughter, let's call her Danielle who's 20 years old, still lives at home and has a two year old child. My mom describes Danielle as a social misfit, which is being polite. Danielle slept with my younger sister's boyfriend a few days after their super nasty breakup. And just recently, Danielle told my straight older sister that she's into girls now and has started making romantic advances toward her. Danielle's child is also extremely poorly behaved and my mom is worried that she's going to act out throughout the entire intimate ceremony. No one in my family wants Danielle and her child to come. They're willing to sacrifice a wedding invite for the parents in order to prevent them from coming because they know the parents will bring her and her two-year- old along. My question is this: is there a way for me to invite the parents and make it clear to them that their daughter and granddaughter are not invited? Or should I just do what my family asks and forego the invitation altogether. Signed, Managing the Blacklist. 

[00:46:46] Jordan Harbinger: Ugh, that old, who-do-we-invite-to-the-wedding rigmarole. I'm so glad that I never have to think about that again. 

[00:46:54] Gabriel Mizrahi: Right. Sounds so stressful. 

[00:46:56] Jordan Harbinger: My second, third, and fourth marriages, I'm not inviting anyone. That's just got to be the most stressful part of planning a wedding. 

[00:47:01] Gabriel Mizrahi: Smart move, yeah. 

[00:47:03] Jordan Harbinger: So this is a tough one because you're super close to Danielle's parents and you want them there and they're definitely going to be hurt if you don't invite. On the other hand, you're saying you can't invite them and say, "Sorry, but you can't bring hurricane Danielle and her tropical storm offspring."

[00:47:19] Gabriel Mizrahi: Yeah. That sounds like a category five sh*it storms right there. 

[00:47:22] Jordan Harbinger: But why can't you say that, right? They can. Okay. They're just afraid. All you have to do is address the invitation to the parents, not allow them any plus ones. That means D and mini D are not invited. And if they ask you why you politely tell them that you had to make some tough choices on the guest list, but you definitely wanted them to be there. Or maybe you get the parents to deliver the message since they're the ones who are such good friends with them in the first place. Maybe if they explain the situation delicately, then their friends will get it. But it sounds like they kind of tried that or they're afraid to try that, so theyI think it won't work. But if you're really afraid to tell them, here's an idea, what if you say, "Listen, we're keeping the wedding pretty small. And unfortunately, we have to keep the guest list really small. We really want to invite you guys. You're basically family, but unfortunately we don't have enough room for D and mini D. We're super bummed. I hope you understand." You know, just blame it on your budget and venue size. Maybe you even blame it on the venue's COVID rules. "Ugh, you know, they got this limit now and it just happens to be two people less than we wanted." So there we go. You know, come on. This can't be that hard. 

[00:48:29] Gabriel Mizrahi: Yeah, that's definitely the safest bet, but the only thing is that'll work if the wedding is actually pretty intimate, but if they roll up to the island and there are like 300 guests there. 

[00:48:38] Jordan Harbinger: The limit is 300, all right, they can't have 302. 

[00:48:43] Gabriel Mizrahi: There can't be 301. Yeah, exactly. 

[00:48:45] Jordan Harbinger: Yeah, that's true. 

[00:48:46] Gabriel Mizrahi: It's going to get tricky at that point, I think. 

[00:48:49] Jordan Harbinger: That's true. But you know what? Then it's too late for them to get mad. Also, as my grandma used to say, "Tough kishka, it's not their freaking party." She didn't say the freakin party part. She just said tough kishka. 

[00:48:58] Gabriel Mizrahi: Tough kishka. Yeah, I like that. 

[00:49:00] Jordan Harbinger: But ultimately my opinion is this. It's your wedding. You get to decide who's there. You don't need to be a dick about it, but you're allowed to say, "I'm sorry, this is the guest list. It might ruffle a few feathers, too bad." And any way, it doesn't sound like you care, if you piss off Danielle, I mean, she moved in on your sister's ex and banged him. She's hitting on your sister who's not interested. She's raising a demon's bond. I just don't know how much you owe this person. So do what you feel is right. Try to make her parents where you're coming from. If they press you, it sounds like it won't be very hard for you to make the case. Just try not to let other people get to you too much and congrats on the wedding, by the way, that's a joyous occasion. 

[00:49:38] Honestly, Gabe, these people, they have to know their daughter is a train wreck. They might be in denial, but they have a clue. They first sure have a clue and they know that their granddaughter is misbehaved and they just feel bad. So they excuse the behavior, they might not even like it. And they might just feel at some level that they can't do anything about it. But at some level I feel like they got to understand where our writer is coming from. "Hey, we don't want the kid knocking over the cake and throwing food during the ceremony and the reception and tripping the waiters and my sister-in-law who was in the party getting hit on by your daughter." People whose lives are like this, who are otherwise normal, they know that something is wrong. They have to. 

[00:50:22] Anyway, hope you all enjoyed that. I want to thank everyone who wrote in this week and everyone who listened. Thank you for that. Go back and check out Daryl Davis if you haven't yet, you will not regret that episode. I promise. 

[00:50:32] If you want to know how I managed to book all of these great guests, I've got a great network. I use software, systems, and tiny habits to create and maintain that network. I'm teaching you how to do so for free. The Six-Minute Networking course is where you'll find it. It's over on the Thinkific platform at jordanharbinger.com/course. I'm teaching you how to dig the well before you get thirsty. These drills are amazing. They've changed my life. They've changed my business. Find it all for free at jordanharbinger.com/course. 

[00:51:00] A link to the show notes for the episodes can be found at jordanharbinger.com. Transcripts are in the show notes. There's going to be a video of this Feedback Friday on our YouTube channel at jordanharbinger.com/youtube. We also have clips channel at  jordanharbinger.com/clips. I'm at @JordanHarbinger on both Twitter and Instagram, or you can hit me on LinkedIn. You can find Gabe on Twitter at @GabeeMizrahi or on Instagram at @GabrielMizrahi. 

[00:51:25] This show is created in association with PodcastOne. My amazing team is Jen Harbinger, Jase Sanderson, Robert Fogarty, Ian Baird, Millie Ocampo, Josh Ballard, and of course, Gabriel Mizrahi. Our advice and opinions, those are our own, and I am a lawyer, but not your lawyer. So do your own research before implementing anything you hear on the show. And remember, we rise by lifting others, share the show with those you love. If you found this episode useful, please share it with somebody else who can use the advice that we gave here. In the meantime, do your best to apply what you hear on the show, so you can live what you listen, and we'll see you next time. 

[00:51:59] Here's what you should check out next on The Jordan Harbinger Show. 

[00:52:03] A.J. Jacobs: What I tried to do was thank a thousand people who had even the smallest role in making my cup of coffee possible.

[00:52:11]Jordan Harbinger: Thousand? You go, "Oh, that's not a lot." That's a lot of people. 

[00:52:14] A.J. Jacobs: Oh my God, it was a lot! 

[00:52:16] Jordan Harbinger: A hundred people would be a tedious process. 

[00:52:18] A.J. Jacobs: It was way more than I anticipated. 

[00:52:21] Jordan Harbinger: 10 times that many. 

[00:52:23] A.J. Jacobs: Everything we do requires hundreds, thousands of interconnected people, and that we take for granted. And just making this mental switch just from a selfish point of view is very good because it really does help you appreciate the hundreds of things that go right every day, instead of focusing on the three or four that go wrong. There's a great quote. I wish I'd come up with it myself, but it says, "It's easier to act your way into a new way of thinking than to think your way into a new way of acting." So I had to fake it for a long time. You know, I would wake up in a grumpy mood, but I'd be like I have to spend an hour calling or visiting people and thanking them. 

[00:53:05] Jordan Harbinger: And I'm not in the mood to do that. 

[00:53:06] A.J. Jacobs: No. So it was like acting, it was like method acting and I would force myself to do it, but I'll tell you, by the end of that hour, your mind, the cognitive dissonance is too much. Your mind will switch over to gratefulness. There's a great quote that happiness does not lead to gratitude, gratitude leads to happiness. Having that mindset really will make you happier. 

[00:53:31] Jordan Harbinger: For more with A.J. Jacobs and his fascinating journey to thank everyone involved in his cup of morning coffee and an inside look at just how complex the supply chain of our lives really is, check out episode 174 of The Jordan Harbinger Show.