Rick Rubin: I Have No Goals in Life, Here's Why You Shouldn't Either (Video)

In this 20 September 2026 published video, host Steven Bartlett talks with Rick Rubin, the co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, the author of the philosophical bestseller The Creative Act: A Way of Being, and has a new documentary called JAY-Z in 8 available on HBO Max and Mubi. Having collaborated with icons like Jay-Z, Johnny Cash, Adele, Tom Petty, and Kanye West, Rubin does not rely on commercial metrics or audience testing to guide his workflow. He shares practical strategies for dismantling the prisons of identity, harnessing the power of “indefensible” ideas, and cultivating a state of pure creative freedom.

Discover the spiritual and psychological creative process that legendary producer Rick Rubin uses to help the world’s biggest artists transcend and achieve greatness.

In this episode, he explains:

• The “Indefensible” Act: Why the greatest artistic breakthroughs defy logic and market research.
• The Vacuum Strategy: How walking away from obligations that no longer serve you creates an energetic void, allowing the universe to present massive unexpected opportunities.
• The Audience Trap: Why focusing on commercial incentives and audience expectations completely undermines the creative process.
• Deconstructing the Greats: The psychological traits that separate good musicians from generational icons.
• The Trauma of Success: Rubin opens up about his crippling depressive episode at age 33 after a corporate restructuring at Def Jam.

https://youtu.be/a_GiFiHXJ6g

00:00 Intro
02:33 Rick Rubin’s “Indefensible” Rule
05:19 How a Meme Became Rick Rubin’s “The Way of Code”
10:29 Why Risk Beats “More of the Same”
16:38 How Jay-Z’s 99 Problems Was Made 
20:42 Transcendental Meditation & Finding What You Love
28:55 Is Creativity Innate? 
33:46 Stop Comparing Yourself
35:42 The “Lazy Workaholic” & Avoiding Deadlines
38:18 The 4 Phases of Creativity
40:59 Should You Quit Your Job to Chase Your Dream? 
48:10 How Rick Rubin Knows an Artist Will Be Great 
54:10 Feeling Boxed In? The “Reset Button” for Your Life
57:45 Ads
59:42 Your Identity Is the Trap: How to Start Over
1:07:34 My Depressive Episode at 33 and What It Taught Me
1:17:06 How to Be More Original
1:27:47 Is AI Dangerous? 
1:29:19 Can AI Be Creative? 
1:35:04 What Makes a Great Artist in the AI Era? 
1:40:22 Studio Miracles
1:46:40 When the World Rejects Your Work
1:54:19 The Ace of Spades Story: Why Jay-Z Walked Away From Cristal
2:00:55 Ads
2:02:19 What If Your Art Isn’t Good? 
2:06:58 What Made Jay-Z Different: Inside His Writing Process
2:17:30 What Makes Kanye Brilliant + Were Great Artists Born Great?
2:22:46 The Artists Who Changed Rick Rubin
2:31:45 Why Rick Rubin Made the Jay-Z Documentary
2:42:13 Who Would You Thank?