Share

cover art for Jenna Kutcher | How “Are” You? No, Really.

Good Life Project

Jenna Kutcher | How “Are” You? No, Really.

When's the last time you've answered the question, "How are you?" honestly? 


Whether small talk is a good thing, a bad thing or just a thing is a matter of passionate debate. But, the bigger issue is - when it is time to get real. Both with other people, and also with ourselves? And what are we losing, what parts of ourselves, our relationships, our lives, are we forsaking when we hide behind the facade of social propriety? 


There comes a time when it's crucial to move beyond the surface level if we want to invite deeper and more fulfilled connections into our lives and find a community that will support and uplift us. So today, I'm joined by Jenna Kutcher to talk more about this idea of diving deeper below the surface in all parts of life to spark meaningful connections and, ultimately, a more authentic and rich life. 


Jenna Kutcher is a born-and-raised Minnesota wife, mom, and wildly-successful educational entrepreneur who aims for two things daily that I can totally respect: helping others wake up to life and staying in comfy pants. After leaving a mainstream, yet largely life-sucking career that was a complete misfit for her, she found her way into art, photography, and eventually creative entrepreneurship. And, she began to realize, life is just so much bigger than she imagined, and success was not what she’s always been told. 


And, as is her bent, the minute she learns something she loves to share, so she founded and hosts the now top-rated The Goal Digger podcast, where Jenna’s helped thousands redefine success and chase dreams through her decade-long work as a leading online educator. Her first book, How Are You Really?: Living Your Truth One Answer At A Time, is this deeply open guidebook to being alive that's chocked full of both provocative invitations to rethink life, as well as detailed guidance to lead you forward in a way that moves closer to your heartbeat, your people, and the good life that awaits you.


There are too many fascinating nuggets that touch on so many elements of living a good life throughout this conversation, like the importance of asking for help, how to navigate change in life and business while remaining grounded, and the difference asking that age-old question with a simple tweak, "How are you, really?" could make in all our relationships. So if you're on a mission to own your life rather than the other way around and feel more alive, good things are in store for you in this chat with Jenna. 


You can find Jenna at: Website | Instagram


If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Amanda Palmer about being open, vulnerable, and real.


Check out our offerings & partners: 


More episodes

View all episodes

  • Attention Grown-ups: If You’re Not Playing, You’re Likely Paying a Big Price. | Cas Holman

    49:23|
    Toy designer and RISD professor Cas Holman shows how rediscovering play can help adults build resilience, spark creativity, and forge deeper connections in an achievement-focused world.In this revealing conversation about her book "Playful: How Play Shifts Our Thinking, Inspires Connection, and Sparks Creativity," Holman shares practical ways to embrace uncertainty through play and explains why putting down our phones might be the first step toward reclaiming our natural capacity for joy.You can find Cas at: Website | Instagram | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Debbie Millman about designing a life through creativity and story.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes
  • Hope, Not Fear: New Conversations on Cancer Breakthroughs | Future of Medicine [Ep. 6]

    54:12|
    From breakthrough AI diagnostics to personalized immunotherapy treatments, cancer care is undergoing a revolution that's already saving lives.Dr. Ross Levine, Chief Scientific Officer at Memorial Sloan Kettering, shares how new technologies are helping doctors detect cancer earlier, treat it more effectively, and transform what was once untreatable into manageable conditions. Whether you're navigating cancer personally or professionally, this conversation offers crucial insights into the future of medicine and why there's unprecedented hope in cancer treatment today.You can find Ross at: Website | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode, don't miss a single conversation in our Future of Medicine series, airing every Monday through December. Follow Good Life Project wherever you listen to podcasts to catch them all.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes
  • The Relationship Rules Keeping You Stuck (and how to fix them) | Stephanie R. Yates-Anyabwile

    52:50|
    What if the secret to a stronger relationship is breaking the "rules" everyone says you should follow?In this paradigm-shifting conversation, renowned therapist Stephanie Yates-Anyabwile reveals why sleeping apart, living separately, and other unconventional choices might actually deepen your connection. Learn why preventative relationship work matters more than crisis management, how to navigate family resistance to unconventional choices, and why giving your partner "the benefit of the doubt" could transform your relationship.If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Julie and John Gottman about the science of lasting love and what makes relationships truly thrive.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes 
  • What Your Body is Secretly Telling You: A Guide to Wearable Tech | Future of Medicine [Ep. 5]

    58:05|
    Imagine a tattoo that changes color to warn you of health issues, or a watch that knows you're getting sick before you do.In this fascinating episode, we explore breakthrough biosensor technology with Imperial College's Ali Yetisen and precision medicine pioneer Michael Snyder, who reveal how real-time health monitoring is transforming from science fiction to reality. Learn how new technologies like smart tattoos, wearable devices, and advanced blood testing are revolutionizing healthcare, shifting us from treating illness to preventing it entirely through continuous, personalized health tracking.Episode TranscriptYou can find Michael at: WebsiteYou can find Ali at: WebsiteIf you LOVED this episode, don't miss a single conversation in our Future of Medicine series, airing every Monday through December. Follow Good Life Project wherever you listen to podcasts to catch them all.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes
  • A Guide to Living Fully After Loss | Spotlight Convo

    01:17:44|
    Three wisdom-keepers reveal how to navigate life's most devastating losses and emerge transformed.Death doula Alua Arthur, grief therapist Claire Bidwell Smith, and community builder Cyndie Spiegel share powerful insights on finding meaning after loss, creating healing rituals, and discovering unexpected moments of joy even in darkness. Learn practical tools for processing grief, supporting others through loss, and transforming pain into deeper connection with life.Episode TranscriptYou can find Alua at: Website | Instagram | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with AluaYou can find Claire at: Website | Instagram | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with ClaireYou can find Cyndie at: Website | Dear Grown Ass Women | Instagram | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with CyndieCheck out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes
  • Beyond Diet & Exercise: Radical New Ways to Protect Your Heart | Future of Medicine [Ep. 4]

    58:56|
    Discover how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing heart disease prevention and treatment with Dr. Ami Bhatt, Chief Innovation Officer at the American College of Cardiology.From AI-powered early detection tools to personalized risk prediction, learn how new technologies are making quality cardiac care more accessible while preserving the essential human element of medicine. Dr. Bhatt shares fascinating insights about the innovations transforming cardiovascular health today and her vision for even more remarkable advances coming in the next five years.You can find Ami at: Website | LinkedIn | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode, don't miss a single conversation in our Future of Medicine series, airing every Monday through December. Follow Good Life Project wherever you listen to podcasts to catch them all.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes
  • Elizabeth Gilbert | The Weekly Practice That Changed Her Life

    01:05:16|
    In this soul-stirring conversation, bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert reveals the transformative practice of "Letters from Love" - a simple yet profound writing ritual that helped her emerge from her darkest moments and has since touched thousands of lives. Liz shares how to access unconditional love through pen and paper, offering a practical pathway to self-compassion that cuts through the noise of self-judgment and opens the door to genuine self-acceptance.You can find Liz at: Website | Letters From Love with Elizabeth Gilbert | Instagram | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Elizabeth Gilbert about navigating love and loss and finding lightness again.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes 
  • Introducing: No Small Endeavor: Joy Harjo on Poetry and Pursuit of the Common Good

    49:06|
    Sharing an episode of the No Small Endeavor podcast.These days, our culture is marked by political unrest, polarization and anxiety. Beauty and art feel like a luxury, or even a distraction.In a special series, No Small Endeavor is asking: What if art, beauty, and poetry are exactly what we need to face the crisis at hand? Can poetry help us protest, pray, lament, and even hope? Host Lee C. Camp talks to poets like Haleh Liza Gafori, a poet, musician, and acclaimed translator of the Persian poet Rumi; and Pádraig Ó Tuama, poet, theologian, and host of Poetry Unbound. Their conversations evoke thoughtfulness about how to fight for beauty in the current culture, and how to make it through the fires of our time together.In this episode, Lee talks to Joy Harjo, a musician, author, and three-term U.S. Poet Laureate. Camp and Harjo explore how poetry can act as a form of justice, a practice of self-development, and a tiny experiment in healing.You can listen to No Small Endeavor at https://link.mgln.ai/goodlifeproject
  • The Body's Secret Repair Kit: Peptides, Stem Cells, and Regeneration | Future of Medicine [Ep. 3]

    52:42|
    Dr. Adeel Khan reveals why many current stem cell therapies may be based on outdated science, and introduces a revolutionary discovery from Japan that could transform medicine: Muse cells.From cutting-edge peptide therapies to gene treatments that could reverse aging, this episode explores how regenerative medicine is making science fiction real, and why these breakthrough treatments might soon be accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy.You can find Adeel at: Website | Instagram | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode, don't miss a single conversation in our Future of Medicine series, airing every Monday through December. Follow Good Life Project wherever you listen to podcasts to catch them all.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes