Bali Tour Vlog (vapes, beach clubs & James Smith)
In a Nutshell
Chris Williamson reflects on a decade of personal growth from solo meditation on a Bali rooftop to selling out a super club there on his Australia-New Zealand-Bali tour, overcoming travel delays, venue challenges, and "productivity dysmorphia" by embracing rest as a pursuit. Key takeaways include detaching self-worth from performance to conquer limiting beliefs, using regret minimization for life decisions, and the joy of shared missions with friends amid new experiences like learning local slang and boxing flow states. Tour wrapped revitalized, with UK/Ireland dates in October and podcast return ahead.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
10 years ago, on a rooftop, trying to learn to meditate, figuring out life direction. Now, 10 years and a thousand podcast episodes later, sold out a super club on a Wednesday. Conquered New Zealand. Heading to New Zealand, the most southerly point around us, below it Antarctica. First time in New Zealand, excited, sad to leave Australia, then Bali, maybe stay in Bali due to war. Off to Mordor on an adventure.
Nice to meet you. No way. Yeah, I've been following you for years. It's just weird to see you in the flesh.
Jump scare people on trail walks around New Zealand. During crowdwork, ask for a local slang word and react in real time.
Fancy little meditation for 10 minutes here, Max.
Lots of sheep, playing into stereotype. Learned local slang.
Feel like a piece of shit to be the sheep on this side of the fence. In 2 days, flying to Bali to sniff vapes for a week, need regulation to offset next seven days. Day drinking on plane into sniffing vapes in Bali. Nervous system recharged by sheep. Playing in front of one of the most beautiful ceilings ever seen.
See this? See that Chris at the end? James, what's it say? My toilet. It's locked.
Headliner has own huge dressing room with private bathroom but chose to shit in mine. Plan to shit in his during Q&A and not flush. In rhythm of tour, first few shows finding groove, now in back half of 8 dates, feel good.
What's happening people?
Started talking to people on internet, now in New Zealand speaking to thousand strangers, bizarre, especially in beautiful historical places, just a bloke from northeast UK living in America.
Biggest limiting belief in business: started business at 18, not big deal, but podcast puts so much of self into it, bad night means bad person, zero distance between self and product.
Do you think your younger self that was bullied, would he be proud of you? And what would be the best advice that you could give him?
Younger bullied self wouldn't recognize current self. Felt not special in school unless being outsider is special. Tell him he's not on outside, doesn't need to fear, not alone, doing great, trying. Like one note out in chord, not his fault, in good company with millions, work harder to find tribe. Pick him up, hug, say proud.
Learned "Jaffer" in Christchurch, like Jaffa cake, just another fucker. Could've stitched up for Auckland show.
Ladies and gentlemen, I've been Chris Williamson. Thank you so much for coming to see me tonight.
Show great response, feeling dialed, venue absurdly cool, feels British. Travel day and show day tomorrow, then 9-hour flight to Bali.
No flights in/out of Auckland due to weather, might cancel. Realities of touring: one show one day, next in different city/country. Cancelled flights before, not letting land/takeoff at midnight. 4 hours delays, made it to Auckland, straight to hotel/venue, then 9 hours to Bali. Got up early, delayed longer than slept, pizza, now at show.
Here we go again. Another night out here with all my friends.
Bought big black baseball bat due to breakins, lives in bedroom. Plan: let burglars in, hide at top of stairs, say "Hello, boys. I've been waiting a long time for this, boys." Baseball bat in one hand, tiny dick in other.
Learned Auckland slur: "sheep shagger."
We don't shag sheep up in Auckland.
In life, choose regrets, unavoidable since can't rerun life. Difference between genuinely wanting and intrigued what it'd be like. Grass always greener. Heuristic: regret minimization, think what regret you couldn't bear, gives clarity on big decisions vs. nebulous wants.
Audience feedback: amazing structure, flow, storytelling, real world examples, introspective. Go into debt to see show. Helped be better partner, man, harder worker. Detaching from materialism, avoiding escapism. Role model to males. Podcast saved life, got through hard time, enabled feeling emotion.
Show seven done, awesome, Auckland fantastic. Delayed again leaving New Zealand, 9-hour flight to Bali. First gig in Asia, Indonesia. Tack on seven days in Bali with one show, great idea. Need sunlight and movement after planes/hotels.
Boxing session: love it, makes world stop in flow state, done two sessions this year.
Came to Bali 10 years ago alone for month-long trip, trying to meditate at Coad Surfer Hotel rooftop pool at sunrise over rice paddies, failing. Now sold out first event in Asia. Seeds sown figuring out who am, what want, bigger game. Met Australian friends.
Tonight is for the boys.
Last show of tour at Super Club, sold out feels bigger than Apollo in London or Sydney, middle of Asia, far from home. 10 years ago on rooftop like this trying to meditate, now sold out super club on Wednesday.
Nightclub venue not for shows, PA tuned for nightclub music, equipment issues, staff not used to spoken word, lighting cues, language barrier, don't speak English or Bolognese. Teach them, challenging, biggest show first, most challenging last, least energy but most brain power needed. Could be smooth or clunky.
Rice paddy outside backstage. Coolest venue ever, madness. Turn into party with EDM trance. Two hours massage across street after.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage Chris Williamson.
Can't jump like Steve Aoki due to no insurance.
Struggle to be present if productivity not as expected, productivity dysmorphia per Oliver Burkeman: wake up feeling behind, only flawless day drags to acceptable. Force breaks, build good rest ethic like work ethic, treat recovery as pursuit, program trips like Bali/Thailand with boys. Productivity addict, takes time, get better.
Audience: Chris puts thoughts clearly, motivated, balance productivity and not squandering time. Depth in thinking, considers variables/context. Restored faith in British men.
Full circle: last show, did all Australia including unknown cities, North/South Island New Zealand, finished 500m from where came alone when lost 10 years ago.
This is the end of tour. I fucking love you all. Thank you. Good night.
Australia, New Zealand, Bali done. Flying home, 30-hour commute to Austin, nightmare but enjoying Bali, no obligations. Enjoyed time with friends on shared mission across three countries, ton of new cities/experiences. Hanging with friends best, shared mission better. Sleep deprived, tired, ill, barley belly, sound checks, but fantastic. Three weeks ago landed with Jimmy Carr on beach after lunch with Tim Mion, Jimmy looking after kit. Three weeks without
Three weeks without recording a podcast because of work done before coming to Bali. Looking forward to getting back to it. New studio lined up. Huge guests coming up. More hanger style episodes planned.
Feels revitalized—though that word might be too gentle for what's happened. Exciting times with adventures completed. Hopes viewers enjoyed it. Another tour in the UK and Ireland in October, so back on the road soon.
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