#78: If you’ve ever felt stuck in the rinse-and-repeat cycle of life, this episode is your wake-up call.
Jodi Wellman, author of You Only Die Once and founder of Four Thousand Mondays, joins me for a conversation that’s as deep as it is energizing. We talk about how grief, boredom, and near-death wake-up calls (literal or not) can be the ultimate invitation to actually live your damn life.
We cover:
— What it means to live like you mean it
— Why “someday” is a dangerous trap
— How small joys and everyday novelty can change everything
— Bucket lists, regrets, and why the Grim Reaper might actually be your BFF
This episode isn’t about fearing death; it’s about using it to spark something real. You only die once. But how many Mondays do you have left? (Seriously. Count them.)
FIND WHAT YOU NEED FROM THIS EPISODE:
00:00 — Kicking things off with clavicle compliments & existential TEDx talks
01:02 — The origin of “4,000 Mondays” and why Jodi became obsessed with death (in a good way)
02:10 — Her mom’s desk full of dreams and the wake-up call that followed
03:14 — The corporate stapler epiphany that changed everything
04:16 — Feeling stuck vs. making the leap (and why we don’t)
05:17 — Why your dreams feel good to imagine… but rarely get done
06:26 — The trap of the bucket list and why a date matters
07:36 — Living astonishingly alive (doesn’t require skydiving)
08:30 — What if your “heyday” isn’t behind you?
09:33 — Turning 29, 39, 49—why “9” years are weirdly motivating
10:43 — Death as the ultimate accountability partner
11:36 — How Jodi reframed regret and created “The Year of 49”
12:28 — Why we’re all pretending death isn’t coming (and how to stop)
13:53 — The difference between those who go for it… and those who don’t
15:00 — Book of Bad Calls: why even your mistakes are worth remembering
16:30 — The case for doing something new just because
17:57 — Why entrepreneurship can trick you into living one-dimensionally
18:50 — “Meaningfully bored” — when life has meaning… but no juice
20:00 — What does “alive” feel like to you?
21:26 — Creating a cheat sheet for joy: Jodi’s 30 things exercise
22:56 — The courage to try hobbies (and quit them too)
24:14 — Why variety might be your secret weapon
25:34 — Letting go of shame and sampling the buffet of life
27:03 — A final reminder: you only die once. So how do you want to live?
LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:
Get your copy of You Only Die Once
Get Jodi in the room at your next event
CONNECT WITH JODI:
On Instagram @fourthousandmondays
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