The speaker reflects on their experience with Mormonism, highlighting the positive and negative aspects of the culture and how it influenced their work ethic and sense of identity.
The speaker explores their experiences with online criticism, discussing the challenges of navigating negative comments and finding value within their online community.
The speaker emphasizes the importance of balancing intense work periods and rest periods, acknowledging the value of both and the need to define personal boundaries.
Deep dives
The Juniper Season and Embracing Work-Life Balance
In this podcast episode, the speaker shares their experience of going through a personal transformation in their approach to work and work-life balance. They describe their 'Juniper Season', a period of rest and reflection where they intentionally switched off from work to nourish other aspects of their life. They also discuss the importance of switching between intense work periods and rest periods, acknowledging that both are valuable and necessary. The speaker mentions their routines and practices, such as waking up at 5:30 AM to play jazz piano and embracing moments with their children in the morning. Ultimately, they highlight the need to define personal boundaries and find a balance between embracing work and embracing rest.
The Influence of Mormonism and Identity on Work Ethic
The speaker reflects on their experience with Mormonism and how it shaped their work ethic and sense of identity. They discuss the positive and negative aspects of Mormon culture, such as the emphasis on hard work and industriousness, as well as the strong presence of shame structures. The speaker shares how their mission as a Mormon missionary taught them the value of hard work, endurance, and entrepreneurship. However, they also express regret for pressuring and manipulating people to join the church. They analyze the paradox of their relationship with Mormonism and how it influenced their approach to work and journalism.
Navigating Online Criticism and Building a Supportive Community
The speaker delves into their experiences with online criticism and the impact it has had on their work and personal life. They discuss the challenges of navigating negative comments and learning to differentiate between good faith discourse and bad faith attacks. They emphasize the importance of finding value and support within their online community, acknowledging the power of individuals to provide constructive criticism and challenge their perspectives. The speaker shares how engaging in open conversations and collaborating with others who have criticized their work led to growth and development in their creative process.
Balance, Switching Off, and the Power of Therapy
The speaker explores the concept of balance in relation to work and personal life. They describe their approach of switching between intense work periods and complete rest, acknowledging that each has its own value. They attribute this ability to a gratitude towards their work and a willingness to consciously shift gears. The speaker emphasizes the significance of therapy in their personal growth, highlighting the transformative effect it has had on their understanding of themselves and their work patterns. They also discuss the importance of professional guidance in reshaping neural pathways and healing deep-rooted patterns.
Advice for Endurance and Preparation
The speaker emphasizes the importance of setting realistic expectations for endurance and preparation in any creative or professional endeavor. They highlight the need to anticipate and embrace the inevitable stages of dissatisfaction and learning that come with honing one's craft. They suggest that enduring through these challenging times and producing a significant amount of work is crucial for growth and improvement.
Serving the Audience and Embracing Feedback
The speaker discusses the significance of serving the audience and embracing feedback in the creative process. They reject the notion of defending one's art as purely artistic and instead highlight the importance of meeting the audience's demand. They argue that understanding and aligning with the audience's preferences and expectations is essential for success in a market-driven context.
Johnny Harris is an Emmy-award winning journalist known for his incredible work on his self-named channel as well as with Vox and the New York Times. You can check it out here. We discussed him leaving the Mormon church, identity, journalism, online criticism & what it takes to make it.
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro
00:48 – The "Johnny" Effect
05:36 – What Johnny Learned From the Mormon Church
