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.