Cynicism often starts as protection. It forms after systems fail, trust erodes, and disappointment stacks up. For many leaders, it feels reasonable—earned, even. But over time, that armor begins to cost more than it protects.

Dr. J.J. Peterson reflects on how cynicism quietly reshapes leadership: how it changes tone, limits trust, narrows imagination, and distances us from the very people and possibilities that make leadership meaningful. This is a meditation on disciplined hope—not naïve optimism, not denial—but the courageous choice to remain open, curious, and human when closing off would be easier.

What This Explores

• Why cynicism is often a wound response, not a personality trait
• The subtle ways cynicism erodes trust, creativity, and psychological safety
• How “emotional armor” can outlive its usefulness
• Why hope is a leadership discipline, not a temperament
• What it looks like to lead with tenderness without becoming brittle

This reflection may resonate with leaders who are tired, thoughtful, and still deeply committed—even if they feel more guarded than they used to. If this stirred something for you, consider sharing it with someone who’s been carrying more armor than they’d like to admit.

Some of the most meaningful leadership lessons don’t come from business books, keynote stages, or boardrooms.

Sometimes, they come from places you don’t expect.

In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. J.J. Peterson shares unexpected leadership insights inspired by a behind-the-scenes look at Taylor Swift and her record-breaking Eras Tour. What he expected was spectacle. What he didn’t expect was a masterclass in leadership with heart.

This episode explores what it looks like to lead at the highest level without becoming harder, colder, or smaller in the process.

You’ll hear reflections on:

• Emotional discipline and why leaders shouldn’t dump their stress downhill
• Showing up as a guide, not the hero
• How preparation creates freedom and confidence
• Why generosity and shared wins build loyalty
• What true belonging looks like on a team
• The power of owning your work, your voice, and your story

If you’re tired of leadership advice that asks you to sacrifice your humanity for success, this conversation offers a better way.

• Save it for the next time you need a reminder of the kind of leader you want to be.
• Share it with someone who feels tired of leading the “right” way and is ready for a better one.
• Or send it to a leader who needs fresh inspiration from an unexpected place.

Because the world doesn’t need more polished leaders. It needs leaders who are prepared, generous, clear — and deeply human.

That’s what being a Badass Softie looks like.

As a new year begins, many leaders feel an unspoken pressure to measure themselves against impossible standards — more growth, more output, more proof that they’re “enough.”

In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. JJ Peterson invites listeners to pause and challenge the definition of success they’ve been handed.

Drawing from his own experiences launching businesses, leading teams, publishing a bestselling book, and creating work that mattered long before it was visible, Dr. Peterson makes a compelling case for redefining success as alignment, not achievement.

He introduces the concept of a Year of Enoughness — not as a lowering of ambition, but as a way to protect it. A definition of success that doesn’t demand burnout, self-abandonment, or the loss of creativity and joy.

Listeners will explore:

• Why achievement without alignment can still feel like failure
• How leaders unknowingly hustle for worth instead of living from it
• The difference between performative success and sustainable leadership
• A simple three-question framework to redefine success from the inside out

This episode is for leaders who are deeply driven — and quietly tired of measuring their lives by what looks impressive instead of what feels true.

If this episode resonates, share it with someone you believe is a badass softie — a leader who is ambitious, values-driven, and ready to build success without losing their humanity.

As leaders, we’re often taught that joy should wait its turn.

That celebration is something you earn after the work is done, the chaos settles, and everything feels appropriate.

But what if that belief is quietly burning us out?

In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. JJ Peterson invites leaders to rethink joy—not as a reward, but as a leadership practice. Through a simple, human story and research-backed insight, he explores why joy isn’t denial, irresponsibility, or distraction… it’s how emotionally intelligent leaders stay resilient, creative, and deeply human.

This conversation is especially for those who feel the tension between ambition and tenderness—who are carrying a lot, leading through uncertainty, and wondering if celebration is allowed when things still feel hard.

Because joy doesn’t erase the heavy parts of life. It carries us through them.

✨ If this episode resonates, share it with someone you believe is a true Badass Softie—someone who leads with heart, carries responsibility with courage, and deserves permission to celebrate a little sooner than they think.

Ever been at a holiday party, networking event, or standing awkwardly near a charcuterie board when someone asks, “So… what do you do?”

And suddenly your brain short-circuits.

You ramble. You minimize. You say something vague like “I help humans” and quietly watch the conversation die.

In this episode, Dr. J.J. Peterson breaks down why leaders dread that question—and how to answer it in a way that actually starts conversations instead of ending them.

Drawing from storytelling frameworks used in Hollywood, J.J. introduces a simple, human one-liner formula designed to help leaders explain what they do with clarity, confidence, and heart.

You’ll learn:

• Why most leaders accidentally confuse or bore people when talking about their work
• The 3-part one-liner formula (problem, solution, success) and why the brain remembers it
• How starting with someone else’s problem builds instant connection
• Why clarity isn’t just good marketing—it’s good leadership
• How a strong one-liner makes it easier for others to remember you and refer you

This episode is for leaders who are unapologetically ambitious—but still deeply human. The ones who want their words to open doors, not shut conversations down.

Because a great one-liner doesn’t pitch. It honors the person you’re talking to. It sparks curiosity. And it gives people a reason to ask the next question.

👉 Download the one-liner worksheet - https://www.drjjpeterson.com/one-liner

If this episode resonated, share it with someone you think is a Badass Softie—a leader who wants to lead with clarity, heart, and confidence.

Dr. J.J. Peterson sits down with author and speaker Jen Hatmaker for a candid conversation about courage, integrity, and what happens when the life you’ve built no longer fits who you’re becoming.

Jen Hatmaker has navigated public success, private heartbreak, theological transformation, and the painful cost of choosing integrity over approval. Through every rise and collapse, she has remained tender, honest, grounded, and fiercely aligned with her values—modeling a different kind of leadership rooted in both strength and humanity.

Together, Dr. J.J. Peterson and Jen Hatmaker explore what unfolds when long-held roles begin to crack, when praised identities no longer fit, and when inherited values prove too small for the person emerging on the other side of growth.

This conversation explores:

• the moment Jen Hatmaker’s 26-year marriage shattered
• how she examined the “faulty bricks” her life was built on
• which values endure—and which must be released
• the cost of living out of alignment
• the cost of choosing integrity instead
• what it takes to rebuild a life that finally fits
• how pain can soften rather than harden

There is humor woven throughout—AC/DC youth group myths, country music fangirling, and a Grand Ole Opry moment that lingers—but at its core, this is a conversation about truth, courage, and the lives leaders claim when they stop pretending.

The central reminder is clear: There is always a cost to staying in a life that no longer aligns with who you are becoming—and the longer you stay, the higher the cost becomes.

In the end, this is the work of a badass softie—allowing courage and compassion to guide the way toward a more honest, expansive life.

Everywhere I go lately, people are asking me the same thing: How do I stay human when everyone is using AI? And honestly, I get it. We’re living in a moment where content is being produced faster and more generically than ever before and leaders are wondering how to keep their voice from disappearing into the noise.

In today’s conversation, I’m sharing something I’ve learned after years of helping leaders craft clear, meaningful messaging: AI can create, but only you can curate. AI doesn’t have a point of view. It doesn’t have lived wisdom. It can’t tell the story that shaped you or the moment that changed your leadership. Only you can do that and that’s exactly what makes your voice irreplaceable.

Inside this episode, I walk you through the two practices that will help you stand out in an AI-saturated world: personal stories and paradigm shifts.

I’ll show you how your stories build trust, how your perspective sets you apart, and how you can start developing a stronger point of view this week — not by being louder, but by being more you.

And because I want you to leave this episode with something you can use right away, I give you three simple assignments that will help you clarify your voice, connect more deeply with your audience, and create content that feels human again.

If this conversation resonates and you want help shaping your message or your thought leadership, you can always reach out at drjjpeterson.com — it’s the work I love most.

And if this episode speaks to you, share it with someone in your life who is both ambitious and deeply human — someone you’d call a Badass Softie.

In this episode of The Badass Softie Podcast, Dr. J.J. Peterson sits down with creative business mentor and coach Laura Higgins for a heartfelt, grounded conversation on what it really means to lead as a creative.

Laura opens up about her journey from “generalist” uni dropout to running a successful business coaching over 1,000 creatives — and the mindset shifts, courage, and leadership skills she had to build along the way.

Together, they explore the tension so many creatives feel:

• Can I be ambitious without losing my softness?
• Can I lead boldly without abandoning my heart?
• Can I be an artist and an entrepreneur?

Laura makes the case that leadership isn’t a personality type — it’s a learnable skill. And when creatives pair structure with soul, something powerful emerges: sustainable success without losing the magic.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why creatives often struggle with self-worth and visibility
• The real reason imposter syndrome hits heart-led leaders so hard
• How to balance your “artist self” with your “entrepreneur self”
• Why leadership is a set of skills — not an identity change
• How to protect your creativity (your greatest currency)
• Practical steps to get more leads, sell confidently, and scale with intention
• Why kindness and boundaries can (and should) coexist

Connect with Laura:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurahiggins/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@laurahigginsofficial

Send this episode to the creative friend who keeps saying “one day.” Today could be the day they finally go for it.