All Episodes

January 18, 2021 15 mins

There’s a joy and beauty in happy little accidents. At least that’s what Bob Ross taught us. 

Do you know Bob Ross? The Joy of Painting, huge afro star, who produced a whopping 31 seasons of his famous art instruction show on PBS. Bob would calmly sit on a stool and paint a landscape for an hour, yet completely entrance the viewer with his soothing voice and wisdom about the importance of happy little accidents and how “even a tree needs a friend.” 

But how did Bob Ross and his infamous afro become one of the least likely household names?

In this episode, I share some powerful principles from Bob Ross’s life as I discovered his secrets to success. 

Plus, I reveal the happy little accident that led to Bob’s signature afro look, and the secret behind how he painted so many paintings. The main secret – magicians are actually the least magical people in the room. I explain more what I mean here in this episode. 

If you’re working in the details. If you’re persevering. If you’re striving for something bigger and better, then this episode is for you. 

Success in your twenties is a lot like a Bob Ross painting. 

You start with a blank canvas. It feels like everyone is watching. You create by putting one layer on top of another. And along the way there will be many “happy little accidents” or crappy little failures, depending on what you do with them. 

Listen here about the secrets of Bob Ross’s success here and how we can learn from his life. If you want to read about this more in-depth, I write more about Bob Ross and his secrets of success in my new book 25 Lies Twentysomethings Need to Stop Believing, which you can check out here: https://bit.ly/25-Lies

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club

Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club

Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.