Hugh Jackman on Best Decisions, Daily Routines, The 85% Rule, Favorite Exercises, Mind Training, and Much More (#444)
Photo by Ben Watts“Everyone takes a shower every day, and we don’t complain about it. We do it out of discipline. There will always be an excuse not to meditate.” — Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman (@TheHughJackman) is an Academy Award®-nominated, Golden Globe- and Tony Award-winning performer, who has made an impression on audiences of all ages with his multi-hyphenate career persona, as successful onstage in front of live crowds as he is on film.
I’ve wanted to have Hugh on the show for nearly a decade, and—even with my sky-high hopes—he absolutely over-delivered. In our conversation, we dig into lessons learned, routines, favorite books, exercises, intuition, meditation, and much, much more. Hugh was very gracious with his time, and this is one of the longest interviews he has ever done.
Trust me—Hugh delivers the goods, and we had a blast. Enjoy!
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.
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You can find the transcript of this episode here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.
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#444: Hugh Jackman on Best Decisions, Daily Routines, The 85% Rule, Favorite Exercises, Mind Training, and Much More
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What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…
Want to hear the podcast episode that turned Hugh on to a cornucopia of new books for his daily morning reading routine? Check out “Books I’ve Loved” with Seth Godin and Esther Perel.
#402: Books I've Loved — Seth Godin and Esther Perelhttps://rss.art19.com/episodes/5a004c1f-c9ba-4124-95a1-61bd9fbfabd3.mp3Download
SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE
Connect with Hugh Jackman:
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
PortraitPuzzles.com
X-Men Film Series In Order | IMDb
Star Trek: The Next Generation Synopsis | Star Trek
Books I’ve Loved — Seth Godin and Esther Perel | The Tim Ferriss Show #402
The 4 Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss
Watch Hugh Jackman Audition for Wolverine, the Role that Would Change His Life | IGN
The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life by David Brooks
No Kid Hungry
Share Our Strength
Here is New York by E.B. White
This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life by David Foster Wallace
This is Water by David Foster Wallace (Full Transcript and Audio) | Farnam Street
The Overstory: A Novel by Richard Powers
Transcendental Meditation
How to Cage the Monkey Mind | The Tim Ferriss Show #175
Peloton
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis | Cleveland Clinic
Kim Swims | Prime Video
Chariots Of Fire | Prime Video
Hugh Jackman to Star in The Music Man on Broadway | Playbill
Mantra: Om Paramatmane Namah with Anuradha Choudry | YogaAnytime
Waking Up with Sam Harris App | Waking Up
Hugh Jackman on Marriage and Family | Good Housekeeping
What is the Origin of the Christian Fish Symbol? | Christianity Today
Adopt Change
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA)
Neighbours | Prime Video
Royal Shakespeare Company | RSC
University of Technology Sydney
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
Sliding Doors | Prime Video
Ken Burns — A Master Filmmaker on Creative Process, the Long Game, and the Noumenal | The Tim Ferriss Show #386
The Civil War: A Film By Ken Burns | Prime Video
The Vietnam War: A Film By Ken Burns and Lynn Novick | Prime Video
Baseball: A Film by Ken Burns | Prime Video
The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife (FNPW)
Tamarama Rock Surfers | Wikipedia
Stoicism Resources and Recommendations | tim.blog
Hugh Jackman in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast as Gaston | Repeat Attenders
Hugh Jackman in Sunset Boulevard | Repeat Attenders
Oklahoma! | Prime Video
Hugh Jackman in The Boy From Oz | Broadway JLM
Playing Shakespeare with John Barton | Prime Video
The Greatest Showman | Prime Video
The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai | Prime Video
Oprah Interviews Hugh Jackman
Rowing Machine Model D | Concept2
Australia | Prime Video
The New Interval Strategy in Workout: Employ 85% Rule | Furthermore
Quality Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles | Wentworth Wooden Puzzles
Custom Photo Jigsaw Puzzles | Portrait Puzzles PortraitPuzzles.com
Hugh Jackman Puzzles His Fans Live on Instagram with Unexpected Move | The Best Social Media
SHOW NOTES
Hugh and his wife have a tradition of reading books — sometimes to each other — every morning. From whom did this idea originate? [07:25]
What books has Hugh gifted most? [11:44]
What does Hugh’s regular meditation practice look like, and what benefits does he enjoy from it? [15:22]
How does Hugh summon and maintain the emotional and physical energy necessary for performing — particularly when he has to give his all multiple times per week on stage in front of a live audience? [19:42]
As someone who’s performed across countless stage and screen productions, why was Hugh nervous about coming on this podcast? [27:34]
What lessons did Hugh’s father teach him about being an example to others by way of action, making decisions, and always keeping his word? [29:41]
To what does Hugh owe his eloquent (or, as his wife might say, “too verbose”) communication skills? [39:16]
Hugh’s relationship with journalism, journalists, and a newfound love for the work of Ken Burns. [44:13]
Hugh talks about the contract he made with himself at the end of drama school about pursuing acting — and being wary of the word “career” in relation to that pursuit. [46:28]
Some of the best decisions Hugh made in the first years of being an aspiring/working actor. [51:26]
Why does Hugh think he was extended the kindness of auditioning for Sir Trevor Nunn — one of his idols — even though he had no intention of accepting a part in the musical he was directing? [57:02]
How has Hugh learned to trust his intuition — even when it leads him in unexpected directions? [58:52]
Can Hugh recall any times when the purpose of a nudge from intuition wasn’t easily fathomed — when the dots didn’t connect in an obvious way, but paid off in a big way when it was heeded? [1:06:29]
Am I talking to Hugh Jackman, or Perfect Tommy? [1:10:57]
Hugh elaborates on one of his daily morning practices — the design of the day — pondering the efficacy of manifestation and how it played into a major career decision. [1:12:16]
Hugh puts discipline in perspective, talks about the importance of incorporating relaxation into physical activity (or possibly any activity) for best results, the types of exercises he’s found to be most effective, and a Viktor Frankl quotation that he finds especially inspiring. [1:18:33]
Hugh is a connoisseur of puzzles and games. So what does he recommend for someone who needs to unwind from taking themselves and their work too seriously? Furthermore, what is it about puzzles that keeps him occupied all night if he doesn’t remember to set an alarm for himself? [1:27:46]
Parting thoughts. [1:33:51]
PEOPLE MENTIONED
Deborra-Lee Furness
Patrick Stewart
Professor X
Esther Perel
Seth Godin
Wolverine
David Brooks
Billy Shore
E.B. White
David Foster Wallace
Gary Hart
Kim Chambers
Eric Liddell
Lisle Jones
David Attenborough
Sam Harris
Christopher Jackman
Grace McNeil
Billy Graham
Brené Brown
Queen Elizabeth II
Kylie Minogue
Guy Pearce
Margot Robbie
Ian Jackman
Ralph Jackman
Michael Jordan
Ken Burns
Ryan Holiday
Gaston
Sir Trevor Nunn
John Burton
Jesus
Joseph Campbell
Lauren Zander
Dr. Mark Hyman
Michael Gracey
Beth Lewis
Baz Luhrmann
Viktor Frankl
Carl Lewis
Roger Federer
Luciano Pavarotti
