Mike Posner on Life Beyond Fame and Fortune

Mike Posner on Life Beyond Fame and Fortune

Author: Paul Ollinger May 28, 2024 Duration: 45:10
Mike Posner is a Grammy-nominated rapper, singer, songwriter, and music producer from Detroit. His Spotify channel has generated over 3 billion plays and his song 'I Took a Pill in Ibiza' reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100. Mike "had it all" at a young age and captured his lifestyle in the lyrics of his biggest hit: “A real big baller (who) made a million dollars and...spent it on girls and shoes.” But Mike wanted more—he wanted to live a life of meaning and purpose - to become the person he was supposed to be. As he shares in his recent TED Talk, '5 Lessons on Happiness – from Pop Fame to Poisonous Snakes,’ he began a 3,000 mile on-foot trek across the United States, starting in New Jersey and making it all the way to Colorado where he was waylaid by a rattlesnake bite. After a few weeks of recovery, he set back out on the road, completing his walk with a run into the Pacific Ocean at Venice Beach, CA. In this joyous conversation, Paul and Mike cover:

Mike's journey from pop star to becoming his own person

Mean things people said about him on social media

What he rapped about when he was 8 years old

Mike’s youthful collaboration with Big Sean 

The duality of human nature and how we all have good and bad within us

Self-awareness and the importance of compassion

Following one's own path, rather than relying on external validation. 

Why we must embrace our mortality, and the reason others want you to forget it

The importance of faith

Check out Mike’s TED Talk: 5 Lessons on Happiness and his Spotify profile.


💰Rate and review Crazy Money here. 💰

🔥 Register for Paul’s incredible newsletter here.🔥

🎤 See Paul LIVE for telling of comedy jokes here. 🎤



About Paul Ollinger and Crazy Money
After working as one of Facebook’s first 250 employees, Paul retired from the corporate world at 42, only to find himself bored, lonely, and driving his wife crazy. Today, he’s a standup comic, captivating audiences with his unique blend of humor and insight, performing alongside a diverse group of comedy powerhouses and iconic musicians, including Daniel Tosh, Dave Attell, Chelsea Handler, Norm Macdonald, Styx, and Collective Soul.
In 2019, Paul started this podcast, Crazy Money to explore the connection between money, happiness, work, and meaning. In one-on-one conversations with some of the world's most interesting people, he helps uncover the true sources of happiness in life and what wealth, success, and fame can (and can't) do for us. Previous guests include LL COOL J, Judd Apatow, Moby, and winners of the Nobel Prize, Heisman Trophy, PGA Championship, and Olympic gold medals.
Paul is always on tour and coming to a comedy club near you. Check dates here.

Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe

Paul Ollinger has worn a few different hats-stand-up comedian, tech executive, and now, the curious host of Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger. This isn't a lecture series or a dry self-help guide. Instead, it feels more like pulling up a chair for a series of genuinely engaging talks that wander into the places where our daily lives, careers, and inner worlds collide. The conversations, which feature authors, thinkers, and various creatives, are refreshingly candid. They dig into the practical and philosophical questions about what it actually means to build a life that feels both successful and satisfying. You'll find that each episode of this podcast approaches big themes-money, purpose, and the pursuit of contentment-with a blend of wit and thoughtful depth. The underlying idea isn't about finding a perfect, Instagram-ready version of happiness, but something more grounded and attainable. It's for anyone who's ever wondered if there's a smarter, more meaningful way to navigate the pressures of business and culture without losing sight of what matters. Tuning in, you get the sense that Paul is figuring it out alongside his guests, making the insights feel earned and relatable. The result is a consistently interesting exploration of how we can all aim for a life that feels reasonably, and authentically, well-lived.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger
Podcast Episodes
A.I. Facts, Fears and Fiction (w/ Bryan Reimer) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:16
AI will have at least as big an effect on society as the invention of electricity. That’s the prediction of MIT’s Bryan Reimer. Bryan is the co-author of the new book ‘How to Make AI Useful’ in which he explores AI’s pow…
From Apartheid to Atlanta w/ Robyn Curnow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:38
My guest is Robyn Curnow, a native South African who spent over two decades at CNN, where she hosted CNN’s Newsroom, and anchored The International Desk with Robyn Curnow. Prior to that, she served as the network’s Afric…
Rewrite Mental Illness w/Laura Delano [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:27
Laura Delano is the author of Unshrunk: A Story of Psychiatric Treatment Resistance. Laura was fourteen years old when she saw her first psychiatrist, which was not something openly discussed at the time in her wealthy h…
Find your Essential Intent w/ Greg McKeown [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:33
Welcome back to this holiday conversation with ‘Essentialism' author Greg McKeown (see his very impressive resume below). As you set your goals and intentions for 2026, Greg’s insights will be a great way to think throug…
High Net Worth Divorce with Laura Wasser [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:56
People magazine called Laura Wasser “the celebrity of celebrity divorce attorneys,” which makes sense considering she has—according to Wikipedia—handled cases for A+listers like Angelina Jolie, Kim Kardashian, Johnny Dep…
Surviving the College Application Process w/ Jeffrey Selingo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:16
As the father of two prep school students, I was very eager to meet this week’s guest. Jeffrey Selingo has written about college admissions for more than 25 years and is a New York Times bestselling author of four books,…
Paul’s Insights into NYC, Email, and Estate Planning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:19
Hello friends. On this week’s episode, I read to you—like a daddy rocking his baby to sleep—the most recent posts from my Substack newsletter, which you can find here. (You can subscribe for free or pay a few bucks, if y…
Confronting Mortality with Thad Reichley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:04
Imagine being told you have a terminal illness. Would it change the way you approach each day? Two years ago, Thad Reichley went to the doctor because he had the flu. When initial attempts to address his symptoms were un…
Walking Away from Fame and Money with Rachel Heck [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:47
Rachel Heck was a golf prodigy who qualified for the US Women’s Open at age 15 and made the cut. As a freshman in high school, she committed to play at Stanford University, where she went on to win both individual and te…