John Pattyson is a multiple Emmy award-winning Director, Writer and Producer, but that is just scratching the surface of his deep experience in the Entertainment World. John’s work has been seen on virtually every network: CBS, ABC, NBC, HBO, Fox, ESPN, A&E, Discovery, Showtime, Nickelodeon, Lifetime, TLC, and TBS. He has produced and directed some of the most successful Entertainment Shows on television: Entertainment Tonight, The Doctors, Dr. Phil and The Swan.
John is a renaissance man and veteran entertainment professional who is also known as the “Inside Man.” He has experienced every facet of production: as On-Camera Talent & National TV Host and Sportscaster interviewing A-list celebrities, U.S. Presidents and the world’s greatest athletes; as a Showrunner for dozens of Network, Syndicated and Cable programs; and as an Executive Producer at an Oscar-winning visual effects company, Digital Domain overseeing some of the newest technologies available by managing the incorporation of VR, AR, AI and virtual humans into entertainment experiences.
John is a proven creative, production, marketing & business development executive with cutting edge immersive technological experience (AR/VR/XR) and winner of 3 EMMYS. He also possesses a knack for working with high-profile talent and celebrities. We had a chance to sit down with him to talk about how he lives his best life.
What are the most powerful ways of manifesting?
For me, the most powerful way of manifesting is through prayer and meditation- many times these are interchangeable. I believe when you combine prayer and manifesting is when you are closest to God/the source because it silent. Silence is when we are heard.
How do you achieve higher consciousness?
I achieve in higher consciousness when I am in faith and in gratitude. It has taken me years of hard knocks to realize sometimes you have to let things go and have the Universe take over. There is a great Buddhist saying I love: “You can’t push the river”. Such is life.
Why is gratitude so important?
“Attitude of Gratitude” is a phrase you hear often and I believe is the cornerstone of living a happy and content life. I try and live this way every day. Be grateful for what you have: your health, friends and family who love you, food on your plate and a roof over your head. Don’t worry or obsess about the things you don’t have- serves you no purpose and breeds negative thoughts and emotions.
One’s reality is achieved through the thoughts one believes in their head. How do you take a thought and manifest it into your dreams?
Comes down to single-minded focus and a 100% belief that what you are manifesting is already in your possession. You need to speak of your goal in the present tense as if you have it right now…I am love (if you’re looking for your soul mate) or I am wealth (if you are manifesting money) etc.
Everyone has a past…sometimes, it can be quite dark. How would you suggest letting go of your past so that you can achieve great results for the future?
The late great, Dr.Wayne Dyer had a great metaphor for letting go of your past. Imagine you are on a motor boat traveling at forty knots. As you look at the water, three questions come to mind: What is the wake? The answer is that the wake is nothing more than the trail left behind. What is driving the boat? The answer is the present moment energy that you are generating through the engine is driving the boat. And the most important question: Is it possible for the wake to drive the boat? The answer is obviously, no, for the wake is just the trail left behind the boat.
Now imagine, the boat is your life, and the wake is all the things that have happened in your past- what your body is like, what your parents were like, where you were in the birth order, how your mother treated you, whether your father was an alcoholic and so on.
Most people live in the illusion that their wakes are driving their lives- which is impossible. In order to nourish your soul you must “get out of the wake”
What is the best way of connecting with someone?
For me, the best way to connect with anyone is a big smile and look them directly in the eye when addressing them. A big smile drops all defenses.
How would you recommend anybody to take their career to the next level?
First, and this may sound condescending, but be serious about your work and career. Next, always educate and better yourself in your field of expertise and lastly, find a mentor or mentors-they are invaluable and can save you years of anguish by virtue of their experience.
What are your views on psychedelics?
Well, I have never tried any, so I can’t really comment on them, but from what I have read they have proven to be effective in treating depression and anxiety and for that reason alone, I say it’s worth taking a closer look.
What are 3 habits you need to change to take your life to the next level?
Hopefully, I am in the middle of that process right now. I try and work on bettering myself constantly and that takes a lot of energy to be fully self-aware and open to admitting your mistakes and faults. You don’t have to look at it as a massive process-if you change one little thing or 1% of your bad habits every day, you have had a great day because look where you will be 365 days later.
Do you have any biohacking practices that you do?
Ironically, I just finished doing my first “intermittent fasting” and it was amazing. I jumped right into it with the 16/8…16 hours of fasting and the 8- hour window in which you eat whatever you are going to eat. I supercharged it by adding two hard workouts during my fasting period: one in the morning at the gym before my fast ends and the second workout of swimming after my fast begins at 7 or 8PM. I stuck to this routine without fail and the results were incredible and mind you, I worked out every day before the fasting for years and years. I lost 22 pounds, 70 points in my cholesterol, and my doctor took me off ALL of my blood pressure medications and my resting heart rate dropped dramatically.
What are your meditation practices?
My meditation practices need to become a solid fixture of my daily life like my workout routines. Right now, I fit them in when I can. I enjoy various types of music to meditate and chimes and Deepak Chopra has some great meditation tapes.
Who inspires you?
Who inspires me the most are ordinary people who get up every day and do whatever they have to do under almost impossible circumstances to take care of their family or help a child or begin a grass root program that changes lives in their communities or around the world. People who create and act out of love not for money, but nothing makes me happier when they are rewarded with success so they can pay it forward.
What projects are you working on now?
I have quite a few, but the project I am most excited about is an online course I created called, “The Inside Man: How to Navigate Hollywood and Live Your Dreams”. This took me five months to research, write, film, edit and build the backend platform. This was created out of my desire to help people utilize my 35+ years in the Entertainment Business in which I have been fortunate to have been exposed to almost every aspect in the world of production and won numerous Emmys for producing, directing and writing. I created individual videos and a masterclass of :90 minutes that talk about everything from how to begin your Hollywood journey right now before you even step foot in California to finding various jobs to help you survive getting full-time salaries working part-time jobs.
My goal is to expand Inside Man to make it available to L.A. Unified for all students here in LA because I find it a crime that so many kids live right in LA and have no true guide or access to working in Hollywood or making a career in the Entertainment Industry. This has to change.
What does beauty mean to you?
Beauty to me is the entire being of a person- the essence of the person’s spirit and soul. You know immediately when you meet a person that just resonates love, compassion and empathy. That is beauty. You can possess physical beauty, but not be beautiful if you mistreat people or take advantage of them.
How would you describe success?
Success to me is being happy with your choices in life, surrounded by family and loved ones, having health for you and family, caring the spirit of joy everywhere you go, no true regrets and helping others whenever possible.
Who are the people in your life you need to spend more time with? Less time with? I always want and love to spend more time with my daughter, Lena. She is the reason I am alive today and I thank God every single night that he brought her into my life
Do you believe in destiny and fate?
I do believe in destiny and fate because it come from the Lord. He instills in each and every one of us the ability to do whatever we want in this world IF we believe in him and in ourselves. The real problem is that people think way too small in what life has in store for them. It’s amazing when people get stressed and full of anxiety all they want is to just pay their bills. If that is all you’re asking for, that is all you will get. Ask for the big pipe dreams because God and the Universe can’t distinguish between the little things and the big ones. They just bring what you desire IF you believe in it. It’s taken me decades to learn this fact.
How do you control your subconscious?
By repetition and good mental habits. The subconscious only goes on by what its fed on a daily basis by what you think and believe. If you think negative thoughts about yourself and your abilities- that is the message that your subconscious brings to life every day. Change you thinking and change your life. Read positive affirmations at bed and first thing when you wake up. Repeat this throughout the day and do not let negative thoughts or complaints enter your brain and do NOT speak them as well.
How do you know what you want?
I don’t always know what I want and that is the beauty of life. It may not be what I want, but many times it is what I NEED and I had no idea until it was put right in front of me.
What does it mean to live a life filled with authenticity?
It means that your life is real. It has value. You impact and affect people and you live and espouse virtues that people want to be hear and be around. You have a simple, drama free and dignified way of life. It is good!
If you are at a party, how do you spot inauthentic people? What are the signs? First tip-off to me is that they talk about themselves all the time. Secondly, they are name droppers and lastly, they are terrible listeners and are always distracted to see who they can latch onto next.
How do you sense people’s energy?
To me, that is almost instant. That goes hand in hand with a smile and a firm, sincere handshake. People want to be around positive energy and when you get a group of high-energy people. Watch out! Big things happen.
How do you recognize behaviors that do not serve you? How do you change them? I am a lot better at recognizing these bad behaviors than I used to be in my younger days. I cringe when I think back to some of the things I did and said to people that were just hurtful and painful and not called for under any circumstance. I pause now before I say anything, especially if there is any drama involved. You can say what you mean, but don’t say it mean!
If there is zero chance of failure, what would you do?
I would get married again! LOL
What are your favorite books?
I hate to admit it, but I am woefully behind in books, but, as I mentioned, I do like to constantly up my game and make sure my thinking is on a positive plane with the right mindset. A friend recommended this book: “You Too Can Be Prosperous”:The Spiritual Secrets of Abundance and Prosperity by Robert Russell. Once again, it’s an “inside job” to get rid of all the negative thinking and bring prosperity into your life on all levels.
Where can we find you?
Anywhere you want to!
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