At Sea with Justin McRoberts

Why the AI conversation is bigger than functionality The hidden story underneath productivity and efficiency When accomplishment becomes a measure of human worth Why peace should be the source of work, not the reward for it Navigating religion when the rest of life is falling apart Spirituality as something that encompasses the whole person Signs that a religious system may be functioning like a cult The danger of institutions claiming exclusive access to God What healthy spiritual practice should actually produce Phoebe Bridgers and the power of familiar-yet-challenging art Why great artists invite rather than demand Art, friendship, and love as forces that meet us where we are and move us forward Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

Nihilism is not the same as apathy Why nihilism can become a justification for inaction The pain and personal cost of continuing to care How information overload creates paralysis Why the systems feeding us outrage benefit from our inaction Turning down global noise without abandoning social responsibility Why meaningful action is usually local Art-making as an antidote to reactivity and overwhelm Becoming generative rather than merely responsive The controversy around casting choices in The Odyssey Why audiences increasingly approach art as propaganda The artist’s job is not to reinforce conclusions we already hold How propaganda sacrifices craft to deliver its message Why much so-called religious art is actually political propaganda Beauty as an invitation into discomfort, growth, and transformation Why “wokeness” and “anti-wokeness” are both too small for what art can do Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

Starting with the surprisingly complicated question, “Does a book ever actually feel finished?”, they wander into the deeper realities of creativity, friendship, identity, vulnerability, and hope. Together they explore: Why is releasing creative work emotionally complicated? The people who quietly shape our work behind the scenes. How trusted relationships help us become better artists and better humans. Why uncertainty is an essential part of every creative process. Living as a “border walker” between certainty and mystery. The importance of staying curious instead of rushing toward resolution. Why does making art ultimately become a way of making a life? Whether you’re writing a book, starting a business, raising a family, or simply trying to become more fully yourself, this conversation offers an invitation to embrace the unfinished nature of the creative life. Pick up Jess's new book, "The Table Where we Meet," here - https://www.jessjanz.com/book Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

This episode is a listener Q&A covering some surprisingly connected themes: ambition, gratitude, creativity, faith, neurodivergence, and artificial intelligence. Justin explores: Why “being held back” isn’t always something to overcome. How gratitude changes our relationship with ambition. What to do when your faith feels like it’s falling apart. ADHD, executive functioning, and practical ways to get unstuck. Why creativity begins with play rather than performance. Whether AI can actually participate in the creative process. Why the tools we use ultimately shape the people we become. Referenced: Austin Kleon – Don’t Call It Art C.S. Lewis on beauty The Atlantic AI Search Database Spiritual direction as a practice of discernment Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

Justin sits down with Charles Lee for a deep conversation around meaning, implementation, purpose, and the future of human fulfillment. Drawing from Charles’ new book framework, the conversation moves beyond surface-level productivity into the deeper questions most people avoid: Why are you doing what you’re doing? What kind of life are you actually building? What happens when achievement no longer satisfies? Together they explore: Why implementation builds confidence The emotional cost of unfinished ideas Community as an intentional practice Contribution vs self-platforming Creativity, meaning, and human flourishing Why the modern world is making it easier to avoid purpose The growing existential crisis hiding underneath productivity culture This episode challenges the idea that success alone leads to fulfillment and argues for a more intentional, deeply human way of living. Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble