You Might Also Like: No Magic Pill with Blake Mycoskie

**Joshua Bassett** (0:06)
I was basically collapsing on the floor and I got up and I felt shooting pains in my left arm. And I had this pit in my stomach that was like, you're dying.

**Blake Mycoskie** (0:13)
Wow. Today's guest is Joshua Bassett. And this might be one of the most raw conversations we have ever had on the show.

**Joshua Bassett** (0:20)
I'm just holding back tears the whole time. Just seeing the impact you can have is so beautiful.

**Blake Mycoskie** (0:25)
But it's one of the most practical because we explore the many things Joshua tried to feel better and how he came to the conclusion that there is no magic pill.

**Joshua Bassett** (0:34)
The stories are specific, but the feelings and the pain and the humanity is universal.

**Blake Mycoskie** (0:39)
A lot of people know Joshua is an actor, musician, and one of those rare young artists who seem to have the dream actually happen. But the reason I'm so excited to have him on no magic pill is because Joshua is willing to talk about what was happening underneath it all.

**Joshua Bassett** (0:54)
People started not hearing from me. I started disappearing for days. It was daily torture, and I went from begging to live to begging to die.

**Blake Mycoskie** (1:01)
In his new book, Rookie, Joshua shows a level of honesty that literally stopped me in my tracks. He talks about the shame, mental health, online bullying, addiction, faith, nearly dying, and trying to find peace after realizing that success didn't magically make the pain go away.

**Joshua Bassett** (1:19)
Sooner or later, you have two options, right? You can keep running and get run over. Or you can decide to turn around and face it.

**Blake Mycoskie** (1:25)
Joshua's story is surprisingly relatable. It's brave, and I think it's going to help a lot of people feel less alone. So Joshua Bassett, welcome to the show.

**Joshua Bassett** (1:41)
What an intro, baby. Thank you so much for having me, man.

**Blake Mycoskie** (1:44)
So I had so much fun prepping for this.
Not only because your book was so amazing, but because I just felt like I related to so much. I mean, you're 25, I turned 50 in a few months.

**Joshua Bassett** (1:54)
Oh, wow.

**Blake Mycoskie** (1:55)
So half my age, and I was like, I feel like I've lived so many of these same experiences. Yours happened in your teens and 20s, mine happened from 42 to 48

**Joshua Bassett** (2:06)
Oh, wow.

**Blake Mycoskie** (2:06)
So I'm only about 22 months in what I would call recovery, of not being severely depressed, suicidal at the end of it. So I'm super grateful to be here.

**Joshua Bassett** (2:16)
Me too.

**Blake Mycoskie** (2:17)
I'm super glad you're here. And I love this saying about when someone doesn't leave anything on the field, because they just absolutely went for it. I feel like this book, you didn't leave anything on the field. Yeah. You did. I want to hear about it because it is juicy.
Why did you decide that now is the time to write this book?

**Joshua Bassett** (2:35)
It's very hard to save someone else when you are drowning. And they say to put on your life. I'm crying two seconds in. What the heck?

**Blake Mycoskie** (2:46)
Wow.

**Joshua Bassett** (2:47)
Don't know why I'm crying.

**Blake Mycoskie** (2:47)
It's okay.

**Joshua Bassett** (2:48)
You know, when you're on a plane, you got to put on your oxygen mask first. And I don't want to be blind leading the blind.
And I'm not saying that I have anything figured out. But I finally felt like, bro, I'm crying just off the bat. I finally felt like I had some stability, you know, and still rocky. But I felt like I was really like, okay, I'm ready. And I've been on this journey since as long as I can remember, I'm trying to understand truth and trying to understand the world and how it works and why we're here. And what the hell is going on, you know, with everything. And I was always curious, always seeking. And then I went through absolute hell and I came up for air. And I thought, okay, wow, that was intense, but it's over now. And then it got worse and then it got worse and then it got better. And then it got a lot worse and then it got even worse than I thought. And it's been such a roller coaster. And it's so funny you say that with the stuff you've experienced later in life. I say in the book that I think wisdom comes from life experience. And in my short 24 years, I've lived about 10 lifetimes.