BENNY BLANCO: The Secret to Failing Your Way to Success
September 14, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readIn the middle of a conversation about failure, Benny Blanco casually mentions that he has never won a Grammy. He has produced dozens of the biggest pop songs of the last two decades—"Teenage Dream," "Love Yourself," "Diamonds," "Moves Like Jagger"—but he does not have a trophy. He says it without bitterness. "Someone else isn't gonna justify what's failure or success to me." That line is the quiet engine of his new book, Fck Failure*, and of this conversation with Jay Shetty. Blanco is not arguing that failure is secretly good. He is arguing that the way most people define success—and therefore failure—is built on a misunderstanding of how progress actually happens.
The stool and the tunnel
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What you'll learn
- 1 (02:37) **Welcome and Guest Introduction** - Jay Shetty welcomes back Benny Blanco, calling him one of the most influential producers of his generation, and introduces his new book on failure.
- 2 (04:54) **Why Start with "I Am a Failure"** - Benny explains the importance of embracing the label of failure as a starting point for growth.
- 3 (07:28) **Fear of Embarrassment vs. Fear of Failure** - Benny distinguishes between the two, arguing that embarrassment is what truly holds people back.
- 4 (08:57) **First Major Failure: Relationship with His Father** - Benny shares a personal childhood failure of not connecting with his dad the way his brother did.
- 5 (12:50) **The Moment His Mother Understood His Success** - Benny describes the first time his mom acknowledged he had "made it."
- 6 (13:57) **Tunnel Vision and Ignoring the Haters** - Benny explains how he maintained focus when no one believed in his dream.
- 7 (17:57) **The Three-Legged Stool: Life Balance Framework** - Benny introduces his metaphor for success: life sits on three legs — career, family/loved ones, and health.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Record producer, songwriter, and music executive Benny Blanco joins Jay for an unfiltered, hilarious, and deeply vulnerable conversation about redefining success, overcoming crippling phobias, and why embracing failure is the ultimate secret to unlocking your true creative potential.
Benny pulls back the curtain on his chart-topping music career, sharing behind-the-scenes stories with artists like Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, and Britney Spears, while diving into his candid new book on mastering life’s setbacks. Together they explore how to overcome the fear of embarrassment, build emotional resilience, protect your mental health while chasing big dreams, and maintain a grounded, loving relationship under the spotlight.
With Love and Gratitude,
Jay Shetty
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What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro
01:58 Looking Back at the Songs That Started It All
03:07 Repeat “I Am a Failure”
04:18 Overcoming Embarrassment and Taking Big Swings
06:28 Early Lessons in Failure
08:20 Choosing Non-Traditional Creative Paths
09:51 Mom’s Dreams Vs Choosing Your Own Path
11:11 Turning Doubt Into Motivation
12:05 Ignoring The Haters and Finding Your Spark
13:39 Turning Small Steps Into Big Momentum
14:59 The Success Stool: Balancing Life’s 3 Pillars
15:37 The Power of Small Daily Habits
17:12 Relationships Need Watering Too
18:46 Facing Failure, Fear and a Phobia of Flying
21:45 Taking Micro-Steps to Conquer Deep Fears
23:04 One Task at a Time
24:04 Bruno Mars’ Journey
27:13 Authenticity vs. Imitation in Creative Expression
28:35 Late-Night Songwriting with Ed Sheeran
33:41 Trusting That It Will Work Out
34:19 Finding Your Unique Sound Beyond Influences
36:23 Unfiltered Vulnerability & Asking for Help
39:19 Celebrating Wins vs. Constant Over-Achieving
40:06 Standing Your Ground: Britney Spears to Julia Michaels
43:57 Grammy Perspective and Redefining Success
48:53 When a Failure Turns Into Your Biggest Win (“Diamonds”)
50:58 Mental Health Breakdown Amid Peak Success
53:06 Priority Management, Boundaries, and Emotional Check-ins
55:32 The Power of Saying “No” to Protect Your Peace
57:22 Why Benny Wrote His New Book
58:53 Benny Blanco on Final Five
Episode Resour
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