Mental Health & Anxiety
238 episodes · 2018–2021 · 112 debates · 194 pieces of advice · 228 stories · 241 quotes
The Daily Talk Show — Australia’s daily podcast, hosted by Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen — discussed mental health & anxiety across 238 of its 1,022 daily episodes between 2018 and 2021. This page collects what was actually said: 241 verbatim quotes, 194 pieces of advice, 228 stories told on air, 112 on-air debates, each linked to the exact moment in the episode and on YouTube.
Where they stand
Moments where the table disagreed, straight from the transcripts.
References a graph suggesting non-drinkers have higher anxiety than moderate drinkers, and wonders if drinking a little could make him less anxious.
Argues it depends on mindset — some people can use addictive things like alcohol or social media in moderation without issue, while others cross a line into harmful use.
The decision mainly stems from personal burnout, mental-health strain from feeling responsible for the business, a loss of focus from running two businesses at once, and a sense that unless there were huge uncontrollable wins, the stress would only continue or worsen.
The difficulty is that stopping something while it still shows external traction can look confusing, but if the internal metric (how it feels) isn't matching the external success, that's reason enough to stop; most people wait until both internal and external signs fail before quitting.
Advocates operating from presence rather than dwelling on the future or past, arguing that most mental pain comes from worry about what's next or regret about what's happened, and that presence brings peace and better functioning as a father, husband, and business partner.
Argues that thinking about and strategizing for the future is necessary and productive — framing stories and future-thinking as what moves people forward and helps decisions (e.g., buying a house), and finds total detachment from narrative hard to relate to.
usefulness of formal business plans
Ep 10007:25States The Daily Talk Show never had a business plan and believes it wouldn't have suited their way of testing and learning as they went.
Made a short business plan early on but found that actually following through was the harder and more valuable part, suggesting plans are a starting point rather than a fixed roadmap.
Favors ease and comfort over pressure; wants to avoid unnecessary anxiety and complexity, preferring a seamless celebration.
Enjoys the anxiety that comes with ambitious production and tinkering, finding it part of the fun and leading to euphoria afterward.
Prefers the can because restaurant soft drink from a gun/tap is often too watered down and syrupy.
More neutral, focused on wanting lots of ice and a big cup experience rather than can vs glass specifically.
Cites other YouTubers' claim that thumbnails are so important you shouldn't make a video without knowing the thumbnail first.
Matt D'Avella
Disagrees, arguing the title is more important than the thumbnail because it represents the core idea/elevator pitch of the video.
whether entrepreneurs get a double standard on 'recklessness' compared to average people
Ep 967▶ 32:51Believes society puts entrepreneurs on pedestals, celebrating risky/reckless financial behavior (like Tesla's near-collapse) as 'innovative,' while an average friend or family member doing the same thing would be criticized as reckless.
Agrees, adding that the freelance/entrepreneurial lifestyle is often romanticized (e.g., taking a Friday off) while the hidden costs—working weekends, no annual leave, constant uncertainty—go unacknowledged.
Leans on Adam Grant's framing that 'family' rhetoric is unrealistic and that 'community' is a healthier, more honest description of the relationship with listeners.
Agrees the family framing can be used as an excuse for businesses to manipulate individuals, but notes much of the disconnection stems from things that were simply never discussed upfront.
Says he's usually quick to film things but chose not to film the fake raid because he was too rattled, and is glad he didn't because it would be etched in his mind either way.
Says his default instinct is to grab the camera immediately since he feels he'd otherwise be useless, but acknowledges there's a difference between filming from safety versus being in the middle of a dangerous scene, and that filming injury feels more distasteful than filming property damage.
Questions how one avoids the temptation to tell people how to live their life once something (like meditation) has worked well personally.
Jokingly acknowledges he has 'created a business around it,' while elsewhere emphasizing he tries not to speak from a place of being an expert, just sharing personal experience.
Advocates stopping now before a 'blow-up' happens, framing it as recognising growing pain versus injury pain and prioritising sustainability for next year.
Agrees with stopping, noting there's been no real blow-up all year and crediting suppression/storytelling as a coping mechanism that got them through, but says it's time to rest.
Advice from the show
all 194pieces →What was actually said, attributed and linked to the moment.
Is a formal business plan necessary when starting a business?
Crystal and the hosts agree that while a business plan can provide some initial direction, it's the ongoing process of testing and learning in practice that matters most, and a rigid plan may not reflect the unpredictable early stages of a new venture.
Is it safe to buy an apartment off the plan?
Off-the-plan buyers can get a discount and perks (like a free coffee table book or gym membership), but there's real risk: if the development goes under, buyers can lose their entire deposit.
How should you approach planning a big milestone event without excessive pressure?
Tommy suggests celebrating what's been built without 'burning down the house,' favoring ease and seamlessness over grinding or crazy pressure to make something work.
How can you cope with anxiety or negative thinking without medication?
Tommy mentions the book 'Feeling Good' by David D. Burns outlines techniques to lift mood and develop a positive outlook without drugs, based on taking things with grace rather than getting angry, though he found the audiobook format hard to follow since it references diagrams.
How much sleep do you need to feel good the next day?
Tommy says he needs at least 7.5 hours of sleep or he feels like nothing good is going to happen, and he panics if he sees time ticking by without being in bed.
How do you cope with feeling burnt out or like you've disappointed people during a long-term project?
Accept that success isn't linear and that quick wins are often overvalued; view struggles over a long time horizon (e.g., a 10-year commitment) as still constituting a win, rather than measuring yourself against those who had quicker success.
How should a content creator deal with negative comments and feedback?
Look at feedback only in the first day or two when it's mostly from loyal, encouraging viewers, and avoid weighing negative comments equally against positive ones, while still using feedback to avoid making bad content.
How can a creator avoid burning out from checking their own content metrics?
Set a personal boundary by removing yourself from the upload/metrics process entirely — Matt has his brother upload his videos so he doesn't see view counts or analytics.
How should you set goals when the future is highly uncertain (e.g., during a pandemic)?
Frame goals around a process, practice, or identity statement that isn't dependent on a specific environment or circumstance—for example, 'do meaningful work with interesting people'—rather than tying your identity to a specific activity like coaching or speaking, so the goal remains achievable even if external circumstances change drastically.
What should you do when you wake up feeling low or melancholy?
Try to get fresh air—go for a walk or swim—even if it doesn't always immediately fix the feeling; sometimes you just have to accept it as a 'melancholy day' rather than forcing yourself to feel better.
How can you tell if someone wants to talk about something they're not saying out loud?
Josh suggests that even without words, people unconsciously signal their emotional state through behavior (like being easily frustrated), and partners can learn to recognize these signals as a prompt to check in.
How can meditation help manage difficult emotions?
Use Sam Harris's approach via the Waking Up app of trying to dial back the intensity of a reactive emotion by roughly 30%, recognizing it as 'reaction thought' rather than an unchangeable response.
How can you reduce self-consciousness or negative spiraling thoughts?
Practice meditation regularly to build the habit of noticing when you're consumed by a thought spiral, then intentionally redirect attention to your breath and present bodily sensations rather than trying to stop thinking altogether.
How should you handle feeling burnt out while also supporting a team?
Tommy advises addressing your own burnout first ('put your mask on before you help other people') rather than only focusing on fixing others, since over-prioritising others can be a way of avoiding your own issues.
How do I enjoy doing mundane chores like the dishes instead of resenting them?
Bring full attention and presence to the task itself rather than mentally dwelling on other things you'd rather be doing; the resentment comes from being mentally elsewhere, not from the task itself.
How should you think about death to find peace rather than fear?
Tommy suggests engaging with teachings on mindfulness and presence (citing Ram Dass) rather than avoiding the topic, arguing that finding peace comes from being present in each moment rather than waiting for bucket-list achievements.
What would you do if you found out you only had six months to live?
Tommy says he would go deep into meditation and practice rather than rushing through a bucket list, since the teachings suggest peace is found in presence, not in chasing experiences.
How much effort should you put into a new venture early on?
There's roughly a 2-year period where you should go all-in on a new venture to establish its footing in your own mind before others define it for you, even if that means working extremely hard.
How can you reduce the mental load of constant problem-solving?
Give yourself a daily moment to imagine 'what if I have nothing to solve,' even though in reality you may still have real problems; the point is to notice how much background problem-solving (e.g., deciding what's for dinner) you're doing without realizing it.
How do you deal with social anxiety about keeping a party or event going?
Adopt a 'hashtag not my problem' mindset and consciously choose not to lead or manage the room, even though it can feel uncomfortable or 'weird' at first.
How can you stop overthinking small social interactions like ordering coffee?
Josh plans to work on simply being direct and not worrying about what the barista thinks or whether he'll bump into someone, framing it as a 2021 resolution influenced by 'the subtle art of not giving a f*ck'.
What's a good, impressive-feeling last-minute gift idea?
A custom tote bag designed on Vistaprint with inside-joke quotes or sentences can look high-effort and personal without requiring much lead time, though it should be ordered a few days in advance.
What's an easy fallback gift if you're put on the spot?
Everyday household items like an indoor plant, a cushion, or even office supplies can work as a thoughtful-enough last-minute gift if nothing else is available.
How do you figure out if something (like coffee) is causing anxiety?
Recognise when you're in a certain internal state, identify what's bringing it on, and if that cause is controllable, try eliminating it entirely for a period and observe how you feel without it.
Stories told on air
Josh and Tommy recall buying the domain 'When I Drink' around 2017 to make a documentary exploring alcohol and culture, including filming vox pops on Smith Street, but they never finished it, reportedly because they 'got too drunk to finish it.'
told by Josh Janssen and Tommy Jackett
Tommy describes being fully immersed in play with his son Bodhi the previous night, using it as an example of children's total presence compared to adults' cluttered minds.
told by Tommy Jackett
The Real Story Behind 'Bad Pork Roll'
Ep 100012:49While trying to find why an old episode was called 'Bad Pork Roll,' Josh reveals he and Tommy recorded it after Tommy's Bali trip fell through and Tommy was visibly upset, though the two now aren't sure if the title really referred to food poisoning or just mood.
told by Josh Janssen and Tommy Jackett
Josh describes picking up a newspaper at a café and reading an article about Iran, feeling proud of appearing like 'an interested guy,' then becoming hyper self-aware of his own face and body while reading, which leads into a discussion about consciousness.
told by Josh Janssen
Tommy recounts a video in which reformed addict Steve-O, after years of heavy nitrous oxide ('nangs') use, visits a celebrity voice specialist to fix his damaged, unusual-sounding speech.
told by Tommy Jackett
Josh describes struggling to swallow and speak during a work call, which he traces back to a similar episode a few nights earlier lying on his bed talking to a friend, leading him to suspect anxiety or a panic attack.
told by Josh Janssen
Josh describes going to the Twelve Apostles over the weekend as a high point, illustrating the emotional oscillation between highs and lows he's been experiencing.
told by Josh Janssen
Matt describes making a video literally titled 'I Have Anxiety' after experiencing a severe anxiety episode where he thought he was being poisoned by carbon monoxide, which he attributes almost entirely to self-imposed YouTube pressure.
told by Matt D'Avella
Tommy and Josh recount a story about Jason Calacanis, a long-time friend of Elon Musk, who learned Tesla had only days of payroll runway left during the 2008 financial crisis while developing the Model S. Calacanis wrote two $50,000 personal checks to help fund the car's development and ended up as the first official Model S order.
told by Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen
Josh reflects that during roughly 10 weeks of a 'Friday Night Drinks' community format, he was foregoing his own comfort and values for the audience, which eventually led to a blowup (referenced alongside 'DJ Precious').
told by Josh Janssen
Tommy describes waking at 3:30am to sounds of men pounding on a neighbour's door shouting 'Frankston Police, open up, search warrant,' threatening to shoot the resident's dog, then smashing a window to get in. After the men left and real police/paramedics arrived, it emerged the intruders were impersonating police. Tommy has since struggled with anxiety and disrupted sleep, and says he was never told what actually happened or who the perpetrators were.
told by Tommy Jackett
Josh describes waking at 2am feeling like 'the world's ending' after watching YouTube before bed, and how he talks himself down by telling himself things will look better in the morning.
told by Josh Janssen
Tommy describes drinking for the first time in six months at a Friday night Christmas party at Cork and Canvas, ending up badly hungover with a cold sore, texting his brother who was similarly wrecked, and facing silent head-shaking from his parents.
told by Tommy Jackett
Josh and Tommy reflect on how at the start of 2020 their team was barely formed, and it's taken nearly three years of all-in effort to get the business (and show) to a stable footing with new full-time hires.
told by Josh Janssen and Tommy Jackett
Josh describes his Christmas Day routine of wearing a new collared shirt, feeling pressure around leaving on time, and recalls one Christmas a few years back where he got distracted working on his YouTube channel instead of being present.
told by Josh Janssen
Tommy recounts a woman complimenting his work (while he was giving her a massage) and telling him off for deflecting the compliment, leading to a discussion about discomfort with gratitude.
told by Tommy Jackett
Josh recalls spending around $400 printing a black-and-white metallic photo of his brother Jake looking like a rock star as a birthday gift, calling it one of the coolest presents he's given.
told by Josh Janssen
Tommy describes attending a Zoom-based parent-teacher interview at his son's daycare, including early technical difficulties, and learning about informal home learning expectations for a 3-year-old.
told by Tommy Jackett
In their words
“I love my mummy, I'm so thankful.”
“Gym, tan and laundry. That's the day.”
“For me, I think it's just a feeling of burnout that I have.”
“All these things that are just if, if you, if you can't break the spell of the thought, you are the thinking, and that is your identity, and that is operating from a place of ego.”
“And the past was always, always better than it was. And the future will be brighter and better looking than the current time.”
“I think there can always be another way to get to where you want to go.”
“I feel like the amount of coffee that sometimes I consume and it's just on my breath, I'm a diesel car.”
“It feels like we gave everything and we have given everything. We continue to give everything, but it wasn't enough. And there's something pretty depressing about thinking it wasn't enough or, yeah.”
“if you're gonna swing your dick, you gotta joke joke about it.”
“It's, it's so underrated to say this stuff out loud.”
“how do you dial back the intensity 30% from whatever you're feeling?”
“Most times to cope with anything, you like tell yourself a storey that it's not that bad.”
“I love chores. And no, but I actually do! He does say that? No, this isn't me doing shtick.”
“I would, I would, I would go so deep into the meditation space.”
“It was tough the 7 months. It was like I've come back from war.”
“what if I have nothing to solve”
“You're really dumbing down on poo-poo, by the way.”
“Nothing says panic more than a Coles cake.”