22 episodes

We’re all looking to live smarter in a world that won't slow down. So take a deep breath, and listen to Airplane Mode. Each week, host Clay Skipper interviews the most thoughtful people we know—business geniuses, writers, fashion designers, comedians, pro athletes, artists, and beyond—and steals their secrets to creativity, success, surviving tech, and staying sane. Brought to you by GQ.

Airplane Mode GQ

    • Health & Fitness
    • 4.1 • 125 Ratings

We’re all looking to live smarter in a world that won't slow down. So take a deep breath, and listen to Airplane Mode. Each week, host Clay Skipper interviews the most thoughtful people we know—business geniuses, writers, fashion designers, comedians, pro athletes, artists, and beyond—and steals their secrets to creativity, success, surviving tech, and staying sane. Brought to you by GQ.

    Superstar Whisperer Steve Stoute on Making it Big and the Power of "Outrageous" Work Ethic [Ep. 20]

    Superstar Whisperer Steve Stoute on Making it Big and the Power of "Outrageous" Work Ethic [Ep. 20]

    What do Beyonce, Kobe Bryant, Jimmy Iovine, and Jack Dorsey all have in common? They've all worked their asses off (duh)—and they’re all connected to Steve Stoute. As a longtime advertising and music executive (and a recently appointed consultant to the New York Knicks), Stoute made a name for himself by working creatively alongside some of the biggest names in sports, music, and business. Here, he addresses the recent Spike Lee-New York Knicks controversy, tells stories from decades spent working with the highly successful, and talks about the powerful self-belief that comes from relentless hustle. 

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    • 33 min
    How to Bet on Yourself with Shea Serrano, Teacher Turned Best-Selling Author [Ep. 19]

    How to Bet on Yourself with Shea Serrano, Teacher Turned Best-Selling Author [Ep. 19]

    Shea Serrano became a writer when, as a teacher in need of some extra money, he did a Google search for jobs you can do from home. “I didn't have any journalism experience. I didn't know anybody. All I had was the computer and the internet, and I figured that shit out,” says Serrano, who's now a staff writer at The Ringer. Along the way, he wrote three New York Times bestsellers and has established himself as a perennial Twitter all-star (where, when he’s not firing off extremely funny tweets, he’s leveraging his 330K followers to do things like raise $134,000 dollars for Hurricane Harvey victims). In other words, in a world where careers and work are unpredictable and self-doubt is inescapable, Shea Serrano has some lessons on how to bet on yourself—and win big. 
    Follow:
    Shea Serrano — @SheaSerrano
    Clay Skipper — @SkipperClay

    • 45 min
    Confidence Lessons from a Stand-Up Comic with Joel Kim Booster [Ep. 18]

    Confidence Lessons from a Stand-Up Comic with Joel Kim Booster [Ep. 18]

    According to comedian Joel Kim Booster, a stand-up audience "can smell the blood in the water if you're not confident." Even though, at 31, Joel has been performing jokes for nearly a decade, he says he's only felt confident for part of that time. On this episode, he unpacks how he got comfortable being in front of a crowd, what comedy and humor have done for his confidence offstage, and why, of all the places he performs, cruise ships are the most nerve-wracking.

    • 41 min
    The Tool that Helps High Performance Athletes Unlock Mastery and Confidence [Ep. 17]

    The Tool that Helps High Performance Athletes Unlock Mastery and Confidence [Ep. 17]

    Michael Gervais is a sports psychologist who works with athletes in “high stakes or consequential environments.” The experience with his clients—which range from the Seattle Seahawks (who he helped win a Super Bowl in 2014) to skydiver Felix Baumgartner (who he helped free fall from 130,000 feet as part of the Red Bull Stratos project in 2012)—has shown him that there's one skill that proves more important to success than any other: the ability to respond constructively to the present moment. As proven by his clients' achievements, in Dr. Gervais's hands, fostering presence isn't some B.S. New Age hack. It's the key to increasing mental strength and resiliency, managing your inner world against outside stress, and finding your way to a more confident and capable you.

    • 46 min
    The "Queen of Pain" and Ultra Endurance Athlete Rebecca Rusch on the Power of Pessimism [Ep. 16]

    The "Queen of Pain" and Ultra Endurance Athlete Rebecca Rusch on the Power of Pessimism [Ep. 16]

    With a legendary resume that includes everything from rock climbing to whitewater rafting to marathon mountain biking, Rebecca Rusch isn't just an ultra endurance icon—she has also been dubbed adventure sports' "Queen of Pain." (At 38, she won the first 24-hour bike race she entered, and has since gone on to complete the Ho Chi Minh Trail and part of the Iditarod Trail on a bike.) And yet she's always doubted her abilities and felt like she has more to learn—and cites that sense of self-doubt as the source of her success. Here, she talks the power in pessimism, why good enough is better than perfect, and the lessons pain has taught her. 

    • 51 min
    How to Overcome Insecurity, According to Hollywood’s Favorite Therapist [Ep. 15]

    How to Overcome Insecurity, According to Hollywood’s Favorite Therapist [Ep. 15]

    Dr. Barry Michels has spent decades helping his clients in the entertainment industry overcome the self-doubt holding them back from delivering their most compelling performances or writing their most nail-biting scripts. Drawing on years of experience as a psychotherapist, he explains why our society is in need of a radical reimagining of the idea of confidence, and why it all begins with accepting the reality that everyone is insecure. Most importantly, he shares the tools he uses to help Hollywood's A-listers beat that insecurity—yes, they're insecure, too—and unlock their potential.

    • 56 min

Customer Reviews

4.1 out of 5
125 Ratings

125 Ratings

JustDrew34 ,

Like Oxygen

This podcast is liken to the oxygen that you need in order to live. If you don’t understand the importance of this podcast based on the sentence above; then I don’t know what else to say. 😂

@markosunasenn ,

Modern Young Adult Content - Refreshing Content from GQ

I’m a 23 year old man, and this isn’t necessarily what I expected from GQ, but oddly in a good way. Nothing really relating closely to fashion or entertainment. All the content so far is very relevant, thought provoking and feels like I’m having some deep or interesting talks with a few of my closer guy friends. I really enjoy the podcast and the candid guests that come on!

Ian Sed ,

Solid podcast

Keep this going!

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