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
From Chaos to Cambridge - Rob Henderson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:31
He was drinking by age five, shuffled through ten foster homes, and emotionally shut down by the time most kids are starting kindergarten — yet Rob Henderson clawed his way from chaos to Cambridge. In this powerful episo…
Laurie Woolever- Dark Side of Celebrity Chefs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:08
Former personal assistant to both Anthony Bourdain and Mario Batali, Laurie Woolever, opens up about the untold truths behind celebrity kitchens, toxic food culture, addiction, and what ultimately drove Bourdain to suici…
E.A. Hanks - Famous Father, Troubled Mother [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:49
In this raw and revealing episode of Reasonably Happy, author and screenwriter E.A. Hanks opens up about growing up as the daughter of Tom Hanks, surviving a chaotic childhood with an abusive, mentally ill mother, and fo…
Jane Borden- Cults Like Us | Reasonably Happy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:59
In this thought-provoking episode of Reasonably Happy, Paul Ollinger sits down with journalist and author Jane Borden to unpack her explosive new book Cults Like Us: Why Doomsday Thinking Drives America. Together, they e…
Too Woke to Joke w/ Jeff Maurer | Reasonably Happy Podcast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:04
In this episode of Reasonably Happy, comedian and writer Paul Ollinger sits down with former Last Week Tonight writer Jeff Maurer for a razor-sharp, no-holds-barred conversation on comedy, politics, and the state of libe…
Bruce Vilanch: Hollywood Stories | Reasonably Happy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:23
🎭 Hollywood stories, comedy legends, and the pursuit of happiness! 🎭In this episode of Reasonably Happy, host Paul Ollinger sits down with the legendary Bruce Vilanch—Emmy-winning writer, comedian, and one of the funnies…