Michael Bublé: How He Overcomes Self-Doubt Daily & The Ugly Truth About Fame
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
In this deeply personal episode of the School of Greatness, host Lewis Howes sits down with Grammy-winning artist Michael Bublé for an intimate conversation about the realities of fame, fatherhood, and faith. Bublé opens up about his struggles with breaking through in today's music industry, sharing how even successful songs don't always reach the heights he envisions. (01:00) The conversation explores how becoming a father transformed his priorities, leading him to choose family time over career advancement, even if it means leaving money on the table. (15:36)
- Core themes include the tension between career ambition and family priorities, the evolution of the music industry, the importance of authenticity over perceived success, and how faith serves as a guiding foundation in both personal and professional life
Speakers
Michael Bublé
Michael Bublé is a Grammy-winning Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor who has sold over 75 million records worldwide. Known for revitalizing jazz and swing music for modern audiences, he has been the face of Rolex for many years and currently serves as a coach on The Voice. Bublé has built a career bridging the gap between classic American songbook traditions and contemporary music, while maintaining his commitment to family life in Vancouver with his wife, actress Luisana Lopilato, and their four children.
Lewis Howes
Lewis Howes is the host of the School of Greatness podcast and a New York Times bestselling author. A former professional athlete turned entrepreneur, Howes is expecting his first child and is actively pursuing a spot on the USA Olympic team handball team. He focuses on interviewing high-achieving individuals to extract lessons about success, relationships, and personal growth.
Key Takeaways
Family Will Transform Your Definition of Success
Bublé explains how becoming a father fundamentally shifted his perspective on career success and personal fulfillment. (12:11) He describes how parenthood creates an irresistible pull toward home, making extended tours feel unbearable. Rather than viewing this as a limitation, he frames it as discovering what truly matters. The artist admits his career has suffered financially because he refuses to tour for the traditional six-week stretches, instead limiting himself to three-week maximum tours. (15:52) This decision cost him significant revenue and market presence, but provided him with daily moments he treasures - like watching movies with all four children in bed, giving them tickles, and carrying them to their rooms when they fall asleep.
Create an Alter Ego for Professional Performance
Bublé reveals his strategy of developing a performance persona he calls "the Batsuit" that allows him to separate his private self from his public image. (45:28) This alter ego is confident, charismatic, quick-witted, and "Teflon" - everything he feels he's not in real life. He developed this approach as early as age 14 when performing in jazz clubs, learning to channel different influences from Frank Sinatra to Elvis Presley. The alter ego serves as emotional protection while making him more attractive to audiences than his naturally insecure, sensitive personality would be.
Consistency Across All Interactions Defines Your Brand
According to Bublé, authentic branding isn't about the products you endorse or the image you project, but about the consistency of every single relationship and interaction you have. (23:27) He emphasizes that your brand is your reputation, built through how you treat everyone from fellow celebrities to janitors in bathrooms. This philosophy has guided his approach to staying grounded in Vancouver, surrounded by childhood friends who keep his ego in check, rather than moving to Los Angeles where he might have been influenced by Hollywood culture.
Embrace Vulnerability and Imperfection in Leadership
Bublé demonstrates how acknowledging insecurities and imperfections can actually strengthen leadership and connection with others. (06:21) He admits to being driven by insecurity, focusing on the one person in an arena of 15,000 who isn't engaged rather than the thousands who are enjoying the show. Rather than hiding this sensitivity, he uses it as fuel for better performance and deeper empathy. On The Voice, he teaches contestants to embrace their alter egos while being honest about their own struggles, creating authentic mentorship relationships.
Individual Actions Have Profound Ripple Effects
In his three truths, Bublé emphasizes that individual human beings have tremendous power to impact others, even through seemingly small actions. (63:34) He advocates for simple acts like saying good morning, complimenting someone's shoes, or showing basic kindness, explaining that you never know how much these moments can change someone's life. This philosophy extends to his faith-based approach to life, where he believes in spreading light and kindness without pushing beliefs on others, simply modeling the behavior he wants to see in the world.
Statistics & Facts
- Michael Bublé has sold 75 million records worldwide throughout his career, establishing him as one of the most successful contemporary jazz and swing artists. (13:13)
- Bublé's tours now consist of maximum three-week stretches away from home, compared to the industry standard of six weeks to two and a half months that he used to do before having children. (14:53)
- The artist has over one million subscribers on his Spanish-language YouTube channel, demonstrating his significant international appeal, particularly in Latin American markets. (42:03)
