A blog for the average Josh by a fellow average Josh

Episode 104 - The Internet Made Everything Feel Urgent

May 12, 2026 by Joshua Rodriguez

In this episode of The Books By Josh Audio Immersion, I reflect on how the internet has changed our relationship with time, attention, patience, and comparison. The internet has given us incredible tools to create, learn, connect, and build, but it has also made everything feel immediate. Answers arrive instantly. Videos never stop playing. Notifications pull us back in. Shopping, entertainment, advice, and comparison are always only one tap away.

This episode is not about rejecting technology or pretending the internet has no value. It is about noticing what constant access does to the mind. I talk about short-form content, doomscrolling, streaming, productivity pressure, AI, social media comparison, fake online success, and the quiet pressure to always be doing more. Somewhere along the way, convenience became expectation, and expectation became urgency.

At the center of the episode is a simple question: when was the last time you sat quietly with your own thoughts? In a world built to grab our attention, maybe patience has become something we have to practice again. Real growth, real progress, real creativity, and real change still take time. The internet may make everything feel urgent, but that does not mean everything actually is.

Episode 103 - Being Solo In All This

May 05, 2026 by Joshua Rodriguez

In this episode, I talk about what it really feels like to build creative work without a team behind you. No editor, no marketing department, no outside structure quietly keeping things moving. Just the idea, the workload, the decisions, and the responsibility of figuring it out as I go.

I reflect on the hidden side of running podcasts, writing books, testing covers, tracking metrics, managing ads, and trying to grow an audience while still doing the actual creative work. It is rewarding, but it can also be heavy, especially when the numbers do not always match the effort being put in.

This episode is about the reality of doing it alone, the pressure of wearing every hat, and the strange mix of freedom and doubt that comes with building something from the ground up.

The Books By Josh Audio Immersion is a reflective podcast focused on perspective, growth, and the quiet lessons we often overlook. Each episode is an invitation to slow down, think differently, and explore ideas that don’t always fit into neat categories.

Episode 102 - My Recent Books

April 21, 2026 by Joshua Rodriguez

In Episode 102 of The Books By Josh Audio Immersion, I take a step back and talk through the books I’ve been working on and releasing recently. This isn’t a deep dive into any one story, but more of a look at where my writing has been, the different directions it’s taken, and why I don’t limit myself to a single genre or lane.

I talk about Rehab of a Writer, a more psychological and introspective project that explores the darker side of creating, and what can happen when someone is already at a low point and tries to use the wrong things to pull themselves out of it. From there, I shift into Retirement Bloodbath, a return to mystery and suspense, along with two romance-focused stories in Beneath the Surface and Borrowed Time Together. Each book comes from a different place, and together they reflect how my ideas tend to move rather than stay fixed.

This episode is less about promoting the books themselves and more about the mindset behind writing them. I talk about following ideas when they show up, even if they don’t align with what people might expect, and why creating across different genres feels more natural than trying to stay in one. It’s also a reminder that not every project is meant to reach the same audience, and that even a small number of readers can make something worth creating.

Episode 101 - A Day As Josh

April 07, 2026 by Joshua Rodriguez

In Episode 101 of The Books By Josh Audio Immersion, I step away from the abstract idea of “consistency” and talk about what it actually looks like in practice. Not the cleaned-up version people usually describe, but the real one — the scheduling, the recording, the writing, the editing, the planning, and the constant shifting between projects that all live under the Books By Josh name.

This episode is a more personal look at the day-to-day rhythm behind everything I create. I talk about the three podcasts I produce, how I turn episodes into companion writing for my site and Medium, what book writing looks like when the words come easily and when they do not, and how other creative work like Lanternlight Tales and my design shop fit into that larger picture. It is less about productivity advice and more about showing the unglamorous middle of building something over time.

More than anything, this episode is about demystifying the work. Progress often sounds neat when people explain it from a distance, but living inside it is usually repetitive, uneven, and quieter than expected. Episode 101 is my attempt to show that reality as honestly as I can.

Episode 100 - The Part Where You Didn’t Quit

March 31, 2026 by Joshua Rodriguez

In Episode 100 of The Books By Josh Audio Immersion, I talk about the part most people do not notice when they think about quitting. It is not always dramatic. Sometimes it looks like discouragement, inconsistency, burnout, or slowly checking out while telling yourself you are still in the game. This episode is about the difference between almost doing something and staying with it long enough to become the person who actually did.

I reflect on the realities of creating over the long term, especially when the numbers do not match the effort, the results feel delayed, and motivation comes and goes. From podcasting and writing to fitness, investing, and side projects, the real challenge is often not starting. It is finding a reason strong enough to keep going when progress is hard to measure.

This episode also explores the importance of having a real why, setting goals you can actually reach, breaking big ambitions into smaller pieces, and tracking the small wins that are easy to miss in the middle of the process. Episode 100 is not framed as a celebration as much as a reminder. The part where you did not quit may be the part that mattered most.

Episode 99 - You’re Closer Than You Think (But It Doesn’t Feel Like It)

March 17, 2026 by Joshua Rodriguez

In this episode of The Books By Josh Audio Immersion, I talk about something that can be difficult to trust while you are living through it: the idea that you may be closer to your goal than you realize, even when it does not feel that way.

As I approach Episode 100 of this show after nearly a decade of podcasting, I find myself reflecting on what slow progress actually looks like. It is rarely dramatic. Most of the time, it feels quiet, repetitive, and easy to overlook. You keep showing up, keep doing the work, and keep wondering whether any of it is adding up to something meaningful. From the outside, a milestone can look significant. From the inside, it can feel like a long road filled with inconsistency, doubt, and long stretches where growth seems invisible.

This episode is a reflection on that kind of progress. I talk about what it means to keep creating even when the numbers are not where you want them to be, why consistency matters more than intensity, and how small actions compound over time in ways we often fail to notice. I also connect that idea to other parts of life, from fitness to investing, and to the way momentum often builds quietly before it becomes obvious.

Sometimes we assume that if success has not arrived yet, then nothing is happening. But often the truth is more complicated. Sometimes the growth is real, even if it has not become visible yet. Sometimes the work is doing more than you think. And sometimes people give up just before that progress starts to reveal itself.

If you have ever felt frustrated by slow results, discouraged by your own timeline, or uncertain whether your effort is leading anywhere, this episode may resonate with you.

Episode 98 - Josh vs Burnout

March 10, 2026 by Joshua Rodriguez

In this episode of The Books By Josh Audio Immersion, I talk openly about something many of us eventually face but rarely discuss honestly: burnout.

After recently losing my job and juggling multiple creative projects, I found myself feeling mentally drained and questioning whether I even wanted to keep creating. For someone who runs several podcasts and spends countless hours writing, recording, and building new ideas, that feeling can be difficult to confront.

This episode is a candid reflection on what burnout actually looks like in real life. I share what it feels like when motivation disappears, when the numbers aren’t where you hoped they would be, and when the work you care about starts to feel heavier than usual. I also talk about how I’m approaching this period: slowing down, experimenting with new ventures, building new skills, and trying to adapt instead of forcing the same routines that no longer work.

Burnout can show up in many forms. Sometimes it comes from a job that drains you. Other times it comes from chasing creative goals that take longer to grow than expected. Wherever it comes from, this episode is simply a conversation about navigating that moment when energy runs low but the desire to build something meaningful is still there.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure about your next step, this episode may resonate with you.

Episode 97 – The Version of You That Got Left Behind

March 03, 2026 by Joshua Rodriguez

Growth is usually framed as something purely positive, but real growth comes with losses too. In this episode, I talk about the version of you that gets left behind as you evolve, even when the change is healthy. Sometimes you outgrow old habits, old motivations, old dreams, and even certain people, not because anyone did something wrong, but because life keeps moving and you do too.

I reflect on how relationships shift over time, how your “why” changes as you reach certain milestones, and why it can feel unsettling when the things that once motivated you no longer hit the same. I also talk about a kind of grief that doesn’t get mentioned enough, the quiet grief of losing familiarity, losing old versions of yourself, and losing people who were once part of your everyday world.

We also get into self sabotage, how the brain tries to keep you safe by pulling you back toward comfort, and why remembering your beginnings matters if you want to keep your voice and stay genuine. Because the goal is not to erase who you were. The goal is to honor what that version of you did for you, and still keep walking forward.

If you liked this episode, take a look at BooksByJosh.com for more podcast episodes, blog posts, and my books.

Episode 96 - You May Be Right

February 10, 2026 by Joshua Rodriguez

There’s a difference between being right and doing things the right way. That distinction sounds small, but it quietly shapes how we move through conversations, relationships, work, money, and even personal growth.

This episode grew out of a simple line that stayed with me: you may be right, but there’s a wrong way to do right. Because truth, when delivered carelessly, can create distance instead of clarity. And sometimes we reach the correct conclusion by taking a path that costs more time, more energy, or more peace than it needed to.

I talk through how this idea shows up in everyday life. In the way we correct people. In arguments where winning the point means losing the person. In jobs where hitting numbers can come at the expense of integrity. In money habits, where doing the “right thing” without a plan quietly works against us. Even in health, learning, and creativity, where shortcuts can reach the goal but leave something unresolved.

This isn’t about moral superiority or hard rules. It’s about perspective. About slowing down long enough to ask a better question: Even if this works, is this the way I want to do it? Because the world isn’t black and white, and most of the decisions that matter live in the gray.

If this episode made you pause or rethink a path you’re on, you can find more reflections like this in the Books By Josh Audio Immersion—and if you want to support the work and keep these conversations going, you can do so through the link below. No pressure. Just appreciation for being here and listening.

Episode 95 - February 2026

February 03, 2026 by Joshua Rodriguez

After an unexpected pause due to getting sick, this episode is a candid check-in. No script. No polish. Just an honest update on where things stand and where they’re headed.

I talk about recovering from the flu, recording in the middle of a New York winter, and what it’s been like returning to creative work after being forced to slow down. I share an update on the larger novel I’m currently writing—my first full first-person project—why it feels heavier than anything I’ve done before, and the anxiety that comes with attempting something new at this scale.

We also get into how I’m using AI tools responsibly in my writing process, from maintaining continuity to handling grammar, without losing my voice. I touch on audiobooks, text-to-speech, short-form video plans, YouTube Shorts, TikTok, blog posts, and how all of this fits into the broader Books By Josh ecosystem.

This episode is less about advice and more about process—creative fear, momentum, winter isolation, long projects, and showing up anyway. If you’re building something quietly, questioning the pace, or staring at a blank page, this one’s for you.

You can find full blog posts, signed PDFs, and updates at BooksByJosh.com.

Episode 94 -The Richest Man in Babylon Why This Book Still Matters

January 13, 2026 by Joshua Rodriguez

he Richest Man in Babylon is nearly a hundred years old, yet its lessons feel strangely current. Not because the world hasn’t changed, but because people haven’t.

In this episode of the Books By Josh Audio Immersion, I reflect on why this book continues to matter. We talk about patience, discipline, and the kind of progress that doesn’t announce itself right away. The kind that happens slowly, through repeated choices and quiet structure.

This isn’t an episode about getting rich quickly or following a system. It’s a reminder that lasting change often feels boring while it’s working, and invisible while it’s forming.

Sometimes the most useful lessons are the ones we already know, but haven’t fully lived yet.

Episode 93 - Writing When No One Is Reading

December 30, 2025 by Joshua Rodriguez

What do you do when the numbers are quiet? No audience, no reads, no listens, and your work still asks to be made anyway.

In this free flow episode, I talk honestly about the anxiety of watching metrics, the temptation to chase clicks, and why I keep writing even when it is not paying the bills. I share how creating is still an outlet, how older work can find people years later, and why I would rather build something lasting than chase a quick spike.

If you are creating in the dark, this is for you. Keep going. Focus on what you can control. Celebrate the small wins. And remember, the point is not to become a millionaire overnight, it is to make something real and keep your voice intact.

I also share a quick update on my upcoming book, A New Set of Eyes, a thoughtful guide to creating with AI without losing your voice.

New episodes aim to drop weekly.

Website: booksbyjosh.com

Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/booksbyjosh

Episode 92 – Progress You Don’t Always See

December 23, 2025 by Joshua Rodriguez in podcast

When was the last time you actually celebrated a small win? Not a big milestone, not something you posted about — but the quiet progress that proves you’re still moving.

In Episode 92 of The Books By Josh Audio Immersion, Josh talks about why small victories matter more than we think, especially at the end of the year when it’s easy to feel like you didn’t accomplish enough. From writing a 50,000-word book one chapter at a time, to building a podcast, a website, or any creative project, this episode is about shifting your mindset from the finish line to the steps that actually get you there.

We break down how focusing only on the end result can kill momentum, why comparison steals motivation, and how chunking big goals into smaller, trackable wins helps you stay consistent. Real progress is quiet — and most of the time, you don’t feel it while it’s happening.

This episode also celebrates a small win from someone I know: the launch of ReliveInColor.com — a creative site where you can upload your own photos and turn them into printable custom coloring pages or even a custom puzzlemade from your image. It’s not sponsored, I wasn’t paid to mention it — it simply fits the theme of building something and putting it into the world.

Challenge: Pick one small win from today. Say it out loud. Write it down. Let it count.

If this episode helped you, share it with someone who’s been grinding quietly.

More episodes and writing: booksbyjosh.com

Support the show (optional): buymeacoffee.com/booksbyjosh

Episode 91 - How Josh Deals With Holiday Blues in 2025

December 09, 2025 by Joshua Rodriguez

In this episode of The Books by Josh Audio Immersion, I open up about how I’m dealing with the holiday blues in 2025 and the practical strategies I’m using to stay grounded during a tough season. I break down the different outlets that help me manage stress—from music and books to long walks, background noise, and simple creative escapes—and explain why each one plays a unique role in keeping my mindset steady this time of year.

You’ll hear honest insights into what the holiday blues feel like, how real-life challenges can stack up at the end of the year, and why it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed or stuck. I also share the healthier coping methods I turn to, the habits I avoid, and the small but meaningful actions that help me reset when things get heavy.

Whether you’re going through the holiday blues yourself or just curious about how others navigate this season, this episode offers a real-world look at staying balanced, finding outlets that work for you, and taking things one day at a time.

Tune in to learn how I’m handling the holidays this year—and maybe discover a few strategies that can help you get through your own rough moments too.

Episode 90 - Josh Vs AI

December 02, 2025 by Joshua Rodriguez

In this episode of The Books by Josh Audio Immersion, I dive deep into the world of AI and break down exactly how I’m using artificial intelligence in my daily workflow. I explore the four main AI tools I rely on, why I chose them, and what role each one plays in boosting productivity, creativity, and problem-solving.

You’ll hear honest insights into the biggest advantages AI has offered me so far—as well as the challenges, limitations, and unexpected surprises I’ve encountered along the way. Whether you’re an author, entrepreneur, creator, or simply curious about how AI can fit into your life, this episode provides a clear, real-world look at practical AI adoption.

Tune in to learn how these tools can streamline your work, enhance your creative process, and help you stay ahead in an increasingly digital world.

Episode 89 - Here’s What Happened

November 24, 2025 by Joshua Rodriguez

In this episode of the Books By Josh Audio Immersion, I share a long overdue status update and talk about what has been happening behind the scenes. A lot has changed since the last episode, and I walk you through the highlights. I talk about the two new books I released over the past two months, give a fresh update on the progress of my next novel, and open up about dealing with holiday depression. I also break down why I create and what keeps me going as an author and storyteller.

Episode 88 - Leaving The Comfort Zone

February 10, 2025 by Joshua Rodriguez in podcast

In this episode of The Books By Josh Audio Immersion, I go over how I’m leaving my comfort zone. I know it’s hard to step out of your comfort zone, but sometimes it’s necessary to make progress and reach your goals. This episode is more motivational than a rant. I hope you enjoy it.

Episode 87 - It’s Been A While

January 27, 2025 by Joshua Rodriguez in podcast

In this episode of The Books By Josh Audio Immersion, I give a little update on my situation. I started to create content again and I want to thank everyone for sticking around for the ride.

Episode 86 - Always Starting Over

November 05, 2023 by Joshua Rodriguez in podcast

In this episode of The Books By Josh Audio Immersion, I go over some stuff going on in my life. I might have to start over and it can be scary. This was an unscripted episode and is straight from the heart. Hope you enjoy it.

Episode 85 - Routines and Habits

August 01, 2023 by Joshua Rodriguez in podcast

In this episode of The Books By Josh Audio Immersion, I go over Routine and Habits. I know this topic has been covered relentlessly but I’m approaching it a bit differently. This topic is being covered by someone who knows how important they are but at the same time knows it's almost impossible to follow them.