James Brackin started coaching people twice his age at 17. At 21, he’s hosted over 300 episodes of the You Can Too Podcast and built a life completely on his own terms — without college, without a corporate job, and without waiting for permission.
In episode 93 of The Grateful Podcast, we go deep on what it really takes to live with intention in your early 20s — from investing in yourself with money you don’t have, to navigating self-doubt, to redefining success outside of social expectations.
We talk about:
• The Be-Do-Have mindset
• Escaping the trap of chasing outcomes
• Why most people are just not “f*cking around enough to find out”
• How to build credibility as a young creator
• Why true success is internal, not external
Whether you’re 18 or 38, this conversation will challenge the way you think about ambition, balance, and what it means to live a life worth living.
Timestamps:
00:00 Breaking the Mold: Early Success and Self-Investment
03:43 Navigating the Balance: Fast-Paced Living vs. Slow Reflection
06:56 Building Connections: The Power of Community and Environment
09:53 Unlocking Opportunities: How to Attract Influential Guests
12:51 Defining Success: Internal vs. External Validation
16:05 Finding Your Own Path: The Challenge of Societal Expectations
19:15 Investing in Yourself: The Value of Personal Growth
22:11 Emotional Intelligence: The Key to Personal Development
25:15 The Journey of Self-Discovery: Embracing Change and Growth
29:27 The Power of Presence and Anticipation
33:24 The Duality of Gratitude and Ambition
38:31 Redefining Happiness and Expectations
39:15 Designing a Life of Enjoyment
43:33 The Role of Environment and Beliefs
49:06 Embracing Imposter Syndrome
52:54 Trusting Intuition and Discernment
57:04 The Importance of Honesty and Self-Awareness
🔗 Connect with James:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesbrackiniv/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jamesbrackiniv
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-brackin-iv-506069216
🎙️ Listen to You Can Too Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/44fMq0nBTx7YUg0oxXfCeC
📺 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. 🙏
⸻
🧠 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.
⸻
🎙️ 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.
#GratefulPodcast #JamesBrackin #SelfImprovement #YoungEntrepreneur #PersonalGrowth #BeDoHave #LifeDesign
Popular Podcasts
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.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.