← Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

The Day I Met My Hero: Jon Bon Jovi on Finding Joy, Overcoming Adversity, Growing Old & Spirituality #594

Nov 12, 2025 1h 22m 38 insights
Have you ever thought about meeting your own heroes and what you would actually say to them if you did? When I was growing up, I used to idolise Jon Bon Jovi. I had a huge flag of him up on my bedroom wall and would listen to every bit of music he released with his band, watch every interview that he gave and read every book I could find about him. I tried to write songs like him, grew my hair like him and even started wearing cowboy boots - just like he did. And, to date, I have seen Bon Jovi in concert on 33 different occasions. So, when the opportunity to talk to him on my podcast came up, you can probably imagine how I felt. Jon Bon Jovi is the frontman for the Grammy Award-winning band Bon Jovi. They have been together for over 40 years, have sold an incredible 130 million albums and performed in over 50 countries around the world for more than 40 million fans. In 2018, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in recognition of their longevity and impact on popular music and outside of his music career, Jon and his wife run the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to bringing about positive change and helping those in need “one SOUL at a time.” Yet, beyond the global fame, the sold-out arenas and extensive charitable work, I discovered a man who’s thoughtful, grounded and genuinely curious about what it means to live well. During our incredible conversation, we discuss: The key ingredients of a happy life: gratitude, friendship, contentment, joy and love. What Jon has learned about long-term relationships – in marriage, friendship and with his band. How losing his voice and undergoing vocal surgery became a lesson in acceptance, patience and rediscovering gratitude. The real cost of success, and why he believes it’s always been worth it. Why optimism has always been at the heart of Bon Jovi’s music, and why the world needs it now more than ever. What fame can take from you, and how to stay grounded and authentic in the face of it. Jon’s reflections on ageing, spirituality and finding peace within himself. His advice for anyone who has a dream but feels afraid to take the first step. Having this incredible opportunity to speak with Jon reminded me why his music has always resonated so deeply with me. Beneath the anthems and achievements lies a simple message – that happiness, optimism and connection are what truly make life meaningful. Perhaps Jon’s story – and this conversation – will encourage you to think about what brings you joy, who brings you meaning, and how you might share a little more of yourself with the world. They say never meet your heroes - and I understand why they do. But, hand on heart, I can honestly tell you that there is a little boy inside of me, who’s pretty pleased he got to meet his. Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.   Thanks to our
Actionable Insights

1. Pursue Dreams Relentlessly

If you have a true dream, pursue it with all your effort, not caring if you fall or fail, so that when you reflect at night, you know you gave it your all.

2. Embrace Continuous Progress

View personal growth as an ongoing process, focusing on daily progress in spiritual, mental, and physical aspects, rather than waiting for a final state of satisfaction.

3. Define Success by Soul Fulfillment

Motivate yourself by pursuing soul-fulfilling activities and creating things that resonate deeply with you, rather than chasing gratification, cash, or external validation.

4. Cultivate Core Life Ingredients

Focus on developing appreciation, gratitude, strong friendships, contentment, joy, and loving relationships, as these are identified as the keys to a good, happy, and healthy life.

5. Nurture Two-Way Relationships

Invest time and effort in nurturing long-term relationships that are worth fighting for, ensuring they are two-way streets of giving and receiving to allow for mutual growth and learning.

6. Embrace Evolution as Progress

Continuously evolve as a person and in your craft, viewing evolution as progress rather than mere change, to avoid getting stuck and to thrive through different life stages.

7. Learn from Failure, Avoid Regret

Treat past ‘bad’ experiences as learning opportunities, distinguishing failure (which is great for growth) from regret (which stems from inaction or not giving your all).

8. Strive for Excellence, Not Perfection

Aim for excellence over perfection, trust in your efforts, and continuously work on improving your physical, mental, and spiritual health daily, while also practicing letting go.

9. Grow Through Adversity

Embrace personal trials and tribulations as part of your life’s journey, recognizing them as opportunities for growth that can lead to increased joy, gratitude, and a shift from self-focus to collective well-being.

10. Act for Self-Fulfillment

Pursue personal challenges and growth for your own self-fulfillment and well-being, rather than to prove anything to others or to maintain a certain image.

11. Embrace Shared Human Fallibility

Understand that everyone, including your heroes, is a fallible human ‘figuring it out’; embrace this shared human experience with all its imperfections, rather than seeking or placing unrealistic burdens of perfection.

12. Prioritize Happiness, Optimism, Connection

To live a life of meaning and purpose, actively cultivate happiness, optimism, and connection as essential elements.

13. Find Light in Darkness

In the darkest of times, make a conscious effort to find and focus on the light and hope, as without it, failure and darkness are inevitable.

14. Shift from “Me” to “We”

To overcome division and anxiety, consciously shift your focus from individual concerns (‘me’) to collective unity (‘we’) to find common ground and progress together.

15. Create from Personal Depth

When creating, focus on expressing your deepest, most personal feelings and experiences, as this approach often leads to the most universal and impactful work.

16. Create with Lasting Passion

Before committing to a creative endeavor, ensure it deeply moves you and holds personal significance, imagining if you would still want to engage with it decades later.

17. Value Honest Feedback

Actively seek and deeply value honest, candid feedback from trusted partners, as this rare input is crucial for personal growth and improvement.

18. Cultivate Value-Driven Culture

Build a strong organizational culture by hiring individuals who align with your values and empowering them to act with pride, ensuring they represent your core identity.

19. Value Deep Roots & Support

Cherish and maintain deep personal roots, including long-term, supportive partnerships, as they provide essential emotional support and authenticity through life’s challenges.

20. Tame Smartphone Influence

Actively manage your smartphone usage to prevent it from hindering creativity, self-esteem, and critical thinking, considering deleting apps or curating your feed to avoid negative influences.

21. Prioritize Healthy Habits & Adapt

Maintain healthy habits like good eating, sufficient sleep, and morning routines including journaling and exercise, adapting your physical activities as you age to find spiritual fulfillment.

22. Prioritize Sleep, Hydration, Pliability

Prioritize sleep and hydration as universal keys to well-being, especially during demanding schedules, and focus on pliability and stretching for physical health rather than aggressive adjustments.

23. Develop Post-Event Wind-Down

After stimulating events, develop non-alcoholic wind-down routines such as meditation and reading to help quiet an active mind and facilitate sleep.

24. Recognize Indulgence’s Mental Impact

Understand that indulgences like alcohol can cause physical tiredness and negatively affect your mental state, leading to self-doubt, so learn to distinguish these effects from genuine problems.

25. Manage Painful Criticism

When facing painful criticism, acknowledge the hurt but actively disengage from it, focusing instead on self-belief and the process of gradual improvement.

26. Age Gracefully, Care for Self

Approach aging gracefully by actively taking care of your health through consistent exercise and proven methods, rather than pursuing unverified or extreme anti-aging fads.

27. Tame the Influence of Fame

Recognize fame as a deceptive and potentially destructive force, and actively work to ’tame’ its influence to prevent it from leading you astray or causing loss.

28. Cultivate Gratitude-Based Spirituality

Develop a personal spiritual connection centered on gratitude and humility, believing that everything happens for a reason, rather than focusing on asking for favors or strictly adhering to traditional practices.

29. Engage in Empowering Philanthropy

Engage in direct, hands-on philanthropic efforts that empower individuals, such as volunteering for a meal, allowing you to see the immediate impact of your contributions and foster dignity.

30. Contribute for Personal Satisfaction

Actively seek opportunities to contribute to the well-being of others, as direct philanthropic actions provide a great sense of satisfaction and pride from creating a positive ripple effect.

31. Define Happiness: Joy, Selflessness, Fearlessness

Cultivate happiness by focusing on being joy-filled, thinking less about yourself, and regaining a fearless mindset, while actively spreading optimism to others.

32. Finish What You Start Joyfully

Commit to finishing what you start, not for victory, but for the satisfaction of completion, approaching the task with joy, good health, and a focus on the present moment, free from external expectations.

33. Recognize Universal Human Desires

Understand that everyone universally desires basic needs, love, the opportunity to dream, and freedom from oppression, which can serve as a common thread for connection.

34. Seek Collective Joy Experiences

Actively participate in events like music concerts that foster collective effervescence, bringing people together with shared purpose to experience joy and connection.

35. Export Optimism and Belief

Be an unashamed optimist, believing that if others can achieve their dreams, you can achieve yours too, and spread this positive outlook.

36. Live a Truthful, Proud Life

Strive to live a good and truthful life, making choices that allow you to look in the mirror and feel proud of who you are.

37. Embrace Support in Life’s Journey

Understand that a good life requires hard work, learning to love and be a friend, and accepting help from others, as you cannot carry life’s burdens all by yourself.

38. Heroes Reflect Inner Potential

View heroes not as mythical characters, but as people who reflect back something you already possess within yourself.