What happens when success arrives before you truly know who you are. How do you learn to quiet the inner critic while becoming a better partner, parent, and person in the process?

Today, Jay sits down with Nick Jonas for an intimate conversation about identity, purpose, and the inner work that comes with growing up in the spotlight. Nick opens up about what it was really like starting his career so young, dealing with rejection early on and growing up with the pressure of being labeled “the shy, creative one.”

As the conversation unfolds, Nick shares how fatherhood, marriage, and health challenges have profoundly redefined his priorities. He reflects on the vulnerability of becoming a parent, the anxiety that comes with loving someone so deeply, and the grounding practices, movement, routine, and therapy that help him stay present. Through stories of his daughter’s early days, his evolving relationship with faith, and the inspiration behind his new music, Nick reveals how creativity became both a refuge and a mirror, allowing him to heal, grow, and speak more honestly than ever before.

Jay and Nick discuss what it truly means to be a good partner, a present parent, and a kinder version of yourself, especially when life feels overwhelming.

In this interview, you'll learn:

How to Turn Life’s Hardest Seasons Into Creative Fuel

How to Stay Grounded When You’ve Lived Life in the Spotlight

How to Be a Present Partner Instead of a Defensive One

How to Navigate Anxiety Without Letting It Define You

How to Reconnect With the Fearless Version of Yourself

How to Build Emotional Resilience Through Routine and Movement

How to Show Up as a Better Parent by Healing Yourself First

Wherever you are in your journey, know that it’s okay to slow down, ask better questions, and choose compassion over criticism. You’re allowed to evolve, outgrow old labels, and rewrite the way you speak to yourself. 

Nick Jonas’ new album, Sunday Best, out February 6th: https://nickjonas.lnk.to/SundayBest

With Love and Gratitude,

Jay Shetty

JAY’S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX

Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe here. 

Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast 

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro

03:13 Who Is Nick Jonas Today?

05:02 Stepping Onto Broadway at Eight Years Old

07:00 What was It Really Like Growing Up in the Disney Spotlight?

08:40 Facing Financial Uncertainty as a Kid

11:08 Turning Deep Struggle Into Music

14:53 Finding Your Identity Beyond Labels

16:42 The Ongoing Journey of Self-Discovery

19:20 Why Early Exposure Became the Best Training Ground

22:16 Everyone Makes Mistakes

25:34 Recognizing and Quieting Your Inner Critic

31:53 Understanding the Unconditional Love of a Father

36:05 Staying Emotionally Strong for Your Family

40:18 The Moment He Fell for Priyanka Chopra

42:33 The Blending of Two Cultures 

45:45 What His Wife Really Thinks

51:45 What Does it Mean to be a Good Husband?

54:50 Seeing the World Through a Child’s Eyes

58:06 The Fears That Come With Fatherhood

01:01:34 How Movement Helps Clear the Mind

01:03:53 Navigating Stressful Moments With Grace

01:08:04 Nick on Final Five

Episode Resources:

Nick Jonas | https://nickjonas.com/ 

Nick Jonas | https://www.instagram.com/nickjonas 

Nick Jonas | https://www.tiktok.com/@nickjonas 

Nick Jonas | https://www.youtube.com/user/NickJonasVEVO 

Nick Jonas | https://x.com/nickjonas 

Nick Jonas | https://www.facebook.com/nickjonas 

Nick Jonas | https://nickjonas.tumblr.com/ 

Nick Jonas | https://www.snapchat.com/@jicknonas

What happens when success arrives before you truly know who you are. How do you learn to quiet the inner critic while becoming a better partner, parent, and person in the process?
Today, Jay sits down with Nick Jonas for an intimate conversation about identity, purpose, and the inner work that comes with growing up in the spotlight. Nick opens up about what it was really like starting his career so young, dealing with rejection early on and growing up with the pressure of being labeled &ldquo;the shy, creative one.&rdquo;
As the conversation unfolds, Nick shares how fatherhood, marriage, and health challenges have profoundly redefined his priorities. He reflects on the vulnerability of becoming a parent, the anxiety that comes with loving someone so deeply, and the grounding practices, movement, routine, and therapy that help him stay present. Through stories of his daughter&rsquo;s early days, his evolving relationship with faith, and the inspiration behind his new music, Nick reveals how creativity became both a refuge and a mirror, allowing him to heal, grow, and speak more honestly than ever before.
Jay and Nick discuss what it truly means to be a good partner, a present parent, and a kinder version of yourself, especially when life feels overwhelming.
In this interview, you'll learn:
How to Turn Life&rsquo;s Hardest Seasons Into Creative Fuel
How to Stay Grounded When You&rsquo;ve Lived Life in the Spotlight
How to Be a Present Partner Instead of a Defensive One
How to Navigate Anxiety Without Letting It Define You
How to Reconnect With the Fearless Version of Yourself
How to Build Emotional Resilience Through Routine and Movement
How to Show Up as a Better Parent by Healing Yourself First
Wherever you are in your journey, know that it&rsquo;s okay to slow down, ask better questions, and choose compassion over criticism. You&rsquo;re allowed to evolve, outgrow old labels, and rewrite the way you speak to yourself.&nbsp;
Nick Jonas&rsquo; new album, Sunday Best, out February 6th: <a href="https://nickjonas.lnk.to/SundayBest">https://nickjonas.lnk.to/SundayBest</a>
With Love and Gratitude,
Jay Shetty
JAY&rsquo;S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX
Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe <a href="https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe">here</a>.&nbsp;
Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! <a href="https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast">https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast</a>&nbsp;
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro
03:13 Who Is Nick Jonas Today?
05:02 Stepping Onto Broadway at Eight Years Old
07:00 What was It Really Like Growing Up in the Disney Spotlight?
08:40 Facing Financial Uncertainty as a Kid
11:08 Turning Deep Struggle Into Music
14:53 Finding Your Identity Beyond Labels
16:42 The Ongoing Journey of Self-Discovery
19:20 Why Early Exposure Became the Best Training Ground
22:16 Everyone Makes Mistakes
25:34 Recognizing and Quieting Your Inner Critic
31:53 Understanding the Unconditional Love of a Father
36:05 Staying Emotionally Strong for Your Family
40:18 The Moment He Fell for Priyanka Chopra
42:33 The Blending of Two Cultures&nbsp;
45:45 What His Wife Really Thinks
51:45 What Does it Mean to be a Good Husband?
54:50 Seeing the World Through a Child&rsquo;s Eyes
58:06 The Fears That Come With Fatherhood
01:01:34 How Movement Helps Clear the Mind
01:03:53 Navigating Stressful Moments With Grace
01:08:04 Nick on Final Five
Episode Resources:
Nick Jonas | <a href="https://nickjonas.com/">https://nickjonas.com/</a>&nbsp;
Nick Jonas | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nickjonas">https://www.instagram.com/nickjonas</a>&nbsp;
Nick Jonas | <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@nickjonas">https://www.tiktok.com/@nickjonas</a>&nbsp;
Nick Jonas | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/NickJonasVEVO">https://www.youtube.com/user/NickJonasVEVO</a>&nbsp;
Nick Jonas | <a href="https://x.com/nickjonas">https://x.com/nickjonas</a>&nbsp;
Nick Jonas | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nickjonas">https://www.facebook.com/nickjonas</a>&nbsp;
Nick Jonas | <a href="https://nickjonas.tumblr.com/">https://nickjonas.tumblr.com/</a>&nbsp;
Nick Jonas | <a href="https://www.snapchat.com/@jicknonas">https://www.snapchat.com/@jicknonas</a>

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace.

I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace.
I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

My name is Jay Shetty, and my purpose is to make wisdom go viral. I’m fortunate to have fascinating conversations with the most insightful people in the world, and on my podcast, I’m sharing those conversations with you. New episodes Mondays and Fridays. Please rate and review the podcast if you enjoy it. Live life today ON PURPOSE.

My name is Jay Shetty, and my purpose is to make wisdom go viral. I’m fortunate to have fascinating conversations with the most insightful people in the world, and on my podcast, I’m sharing those conversations with you. New episodes Mondays and Fridays. Please rate and review the podcast if you enjoy it. Live life today ON PURPOSE.

NICK JONAS: The REAL Story Behind a Lifetime of Fame, His Inner Critic, and How Fatherhood Changed Everything

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/339a118d-1dd2-478f-87ab-b3e700620792/transcript