Jason Derulo's 15 Rules for Living Your Dream | Podcast Summary

In this Talks at Google episode, globally recognized music artist and TikTok sensation Jason Derulo discusses his book “Sing Your Name Out Loud: 15 Rules for Living Your Dream.” The book outlines the principles he lives by that have helped him achieve his goals, including working hard at what comes naturally, taking calculated risks, sticking to a routine, and respecting the numbers.

Derulo credits his routine for helping him through a significant setback in his life when he broke his neck in 2014.

Despite his limitations, he stuck to a routine of waking up, going to the gym, working on his craft, and sleeping at the same time every day.

This consistency helped him recover and produce one of his most successful albums.

Derulo highlights the importance of understanding and leveraging social media as a tool for brand building.

Despite initial struggles, he dedicated significant time and effort to his social media presence, which resulted in over a billion views a month on his channel alone.

Derulo believes in learning from every source, including negative comments on social media.

He actively seeks out feedback from everyone, including strangers, to improve himself.

He sifts through the hate comments to find constructive criticism that can help him become a better version of himself.

Despite his mother’s initial disapproval of his song ‘Talk Dirty,’ Derulo trusted his instincts and released it.

He understood that his mother was not his target audience and believed the song would either be a big hit or a total miss due to its unique sound.

His ability to respect differing opinions while staying true to his artistic vision was crucial in his decision-making process.

Derulo’s journey underscores that success often requires consistent effort and perseverance over time, rather than relying on a single defining moment.

Even after winning ‘Showtime at the Apollo,’ he found that nothing significantly changed in his career.

Derulo believes that it’s important to celebrate achievements but not to the point where it diminishes the drive that led to those accomplishments.

He shared an anecdote about buying a Lamborghini, a childhood dream, only to find that the joy was short-lived, reinforcing his belief that the journey is more fulfilling than the destination.

I believed in my heart of hearts that my path was to be a successful musician. I didn’t allow myself to think that there was any other route. I didn’t allow myself to think that there was any other option. It was just this. And I was going to get there by any means necessary. – Jason Derulo

Despite his success, Derulo still experiences moments of awe, such as when he saw ‘best seller’ next to his book.

These moments remind him of his accomplishments and motivate him to continue striving for more.

However, he is careful not to dwell too much on these moments, so as not to lose sight of his ongoing journey and ambitions.

Derulo believes that it’s never too late to pursue one’s passion.

He shares his perspective on how the age of social media has changed the landscape, with fans appreciating authenticity and rooting for the underdog.

He encourages everyone to share their unique story and passions.

Derulo admits that balancing multiple ventures, including a music career, a beverage line, a car wash company, and a family, can be challenging.

He values his time more than anything and focuses on doing things that move the needle and that he’s passionate about.