Support The Grateful Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2302168/support
You’ve been taught your whole life that joy comes after success.
Get the job → feel proud.
Hit six figures → feel fulfilled.
Hit the goal → finally feel enough.
But what if that formula is broken?
In this solo episode, 18-year-old podcast host Jack Wagoner breaks down the real reason so many people feel lost, disconnected, and burnt out—even when they’re doing everything “right.”
You’ll learn:
• Why your entire reward system is rigged against your joy
• How to stop outsourcing your peace to a future version of yourself
• The surprising Buddhist insight that will change how you think about time
• Why ambition without gratitude guarantees emptiness
• How to wake up excited—even if nothing changes externally
This episode will reprogram the way you think about success, happiness, and identity. If you’re stuck in the cycle of chasing and still don’t feel “there,” this is the conversation you need.
Chapters:
00:00 Embracing Gratitude and Joy
03:20 The Journey is the Goal
08:03 Living in the Present Moment
10:08 Finding Your Unique Path
13:25 The Balance of Gratitude and Ambition
📺 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-grateful-podcast-with-jack-wagoner/id1725776061
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5EsTEpQAjU4BxUrDoFyZ6b
Subscribe for more deep conversations with thinkers, seekers, and soulful creators. 🙏
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🧠 More from Jack:
Newsletter (Magic, Meaning & Momentum): https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/aa6b0945-43aa-43c8-b320-0fde6998f852?email=%7B%7Bemail%7D%7D
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jack_wagoner_/
1:1 Coaching & Dream-Chasing Guidance: jackcwagoner@gmail.com
💬 If you found this conversation meaningful, send it to a friend and leave a review. It really helps more people find this kind of soul-nourishing content.
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🎙️ About Jack:
I’m an 18-year-old high school student with a big dream: to show the world that you can be grateful and ambitious at the same time. Through The Grateful Podcast, I explore what it means to live a meaningful life—one deep conversation at a time.
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