I Want It To Be True!

Summary

Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: "I Want It To Be True!"

Air Date: October 9, 2025
Host: Armstrong & Getty (Jack, Joe), with Katie and Michael

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Overview

In this candid, humorous "One More Thing" segment, Armstrong & Getty—and contributors Katie and Michael—reflect on the value of childhood responsibilities and the supposed lessons learned from working or doing chores as a youth. The main question: Do household tasks and early jobs really teach kids vital life skills and work ethic, or do most people just pick things up when they need them? Through personal anecdotes, the crew debates what actually shapes adult competence and ambition, challenging some long-held parental assumptions about preparing kids for independent life.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Learning Practical Life Skills as a Kid (00:13–02:46)

• Jack shares a recent story about his 13-year-old son cooking breakfast by himself—something he picked up in Boy Scouts. He admits his son’s initial attempts (eggshells in the eggs, overcooked bacon) resembled everyone's first efforts.

  • “That’s the way it turns out for everybody. That’s the right direction.” (00:35, Jack)

• Hosts and Katie reveal none of them did laundry or serious cooking as kids—their parents took care of it all.

  • Katie only learned to cook much later, working at Trader Joe’s.
    • "I really only learned how to cook when I started working at Trader Joe’s and I was the, the demo girl that made the samples..." (02:14, Katie)

• Reflection: All agree that while it might have eased their parents’ load, not learning these skills early didn’t hinder their adult lives—they mastered laundry/cooking quickly when forced to. The necessity of ingrained chores is thus questioned.

2. Does Hard Work as a Kid Build Character—or Does It Matter? (02:53–05:19)

• Jack contrasts his longtime labor—mowing lawns at 12, working in feedlots at 14, 40-hour weeks in the summer—with friends from wealthier families who never worked as teens, but turned out happy and successful.

  • “I would like to be able to brag about work ethic and lessons I learned, but—I’m not sure it’s true. I would like it to be true, but I’m just not sure it is.” (03:51, Jack)

• Joe observes that, for him, work as a kid was about wanting stuff, not principles.

  • “I was doing it for entirely selfish reasons. It’s not principled ones.” (04:11, Joe)

• Katie wonders if privileged kids absorbed work ethic by watching their parents.

• Reference to the "shirt sleeves to shirt sleeves in three generations" adage—the risk that the third generation, unfamiliar with struggle, will squander family gains.

3. The Role of Personality and Upbringing (05:19–07:29)

• Armstrong & Getty question whether these life patterns are less about learned skills and more about inherent personality traits.

  • Joe discusses his own kids: two are highly entrepreneurial, one doesn’t care about money at all—despite identical upbringings.
  • “Among my siblings and I, there is... a difference in our ambition, specifically financial ambition.” (06:53, Joe)

• Consensus: There's little correlation between being made to work as a kid and later drive or capability.

4. Personal Reflections on Ambition and Laziness (07:29–09:04)

• Joe reminisces about his jam-packed youth—a full day from jazz band and school to sports, a job until 10pm, then homework.

  • “I am one of the laziest people I have ever met. I am a man who craves leisure.” (08:24, Joe)
  • Jack agrees, wondering if you burn through your ambition “energy” early, leaving little for adulthood.

• They joke that maybe you only get a certain amount of “British thermal units” of ambition, and they used theirs up young.

  • “All my go-getting I used up at like 19 and then what are you gonna do after that?” (08:56, Jack)

5. Motivation: Deadline or Interest? (09:04–10:09)

• Joe recalls his late mother’s observation:

  • “Joe, you are a mystery to me. If you care about something, you work harder and longer than anybody I’ve ever known. And if you don’t care about something, you can’t be troubled to put out the least effort.” (09:10, Joe, paraphrasing his mother)

• They note that their current career—daily, public deadlines—perfectly fits their personalities, which are driven by urgency and fear of embarrassment rather than internalized discipline.

  • “That’s the beauty of this career. It’s show up and show you got the goods or... be embarrassed every single day.” (09:56, Joe)

6. Quick Takes: Laundry, Washing Machines, and Adulting (10:09–11:36)

• Michael confirms he also learned chores late, picking up laundry “in maybe 20 minutes.” (10:26, Michael)
• The “closet monster”: recollections of letting laundry pile up until nothing remains clean.
• Discussion turns comedic on modern washing machines (“firmware update... go to the moon in it”), poking fun at unnecessary complexity.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jack, on learning life skills late:
  “I figured out how to do laundry in like five minutes when I got to college and I was fine.” (01:43)

• Joe, on self-directed learning:
  “By like a plate of eggs number two, I was up to speed.” (02:03)

• Jack, on rich friends:
  “I would love it if they turned out to be drug addict derelicts who never amounted anything, but they didn’t... they’re incredibly successful, hardworking people.” (04:17)

• Joe, on being driven by deadlines:
  “It’s show up and show you got the goods or... be embarrassed every single day.” (09:56)

• Joe, reflecting on motivation:
  “If you care about something, you work harder and longer than anybody I’ve ever known. And if you don’t care about something, you can’t be troubled to put out the least effort.” (09:10)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:13–02:46: Did childhood chores matter? All agree: not really.
• 02:53–05:19: Does having early jobs make you a harder worker?
• 05:19–07:29: Personality vs. upbringing in financial and ambition outcomes.
• 07:29–09:04: Did they peak too young? Ambition as a finite resource.
• 09:04–10:09: External deadlines vs. internal discipline.
• 10:09–11:36: Doing laundry, “closet monster,” modern washing machines.

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Tone & Style

True to their style, Armstrong & Getty keep it light, self-deprecating, and skeptical, balancing nostalgia with wry observations about success and “adulting.” The conversation is peppered with jokes, honest introspection, and the dry wit fans expect—making for a relatable and thought-provoking listen.

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Transcript

[A]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[B]

I want it to be true, but it's not. It's one more thing. Armstrong and Getty.

[A]

One more thing.

[B]

So I got a couple of examples here of growing up and responsibilities as a youth that are at cross purposes. So I don't know what I think about this here. So be interested in your alls experience. So my 13 year old right now is really big on cooking himself breakfast in the morning, something he kind of picked up in Boy Scouts from doing it at camp. But he's been frying himself up eggs and bacon for breakfast every morning. And he did it the first time yesterday and I asked him how he went and he said, well, I overcooked the bacon a little bit and there was an eggshell in my eggs. I said, first time, I said, that's the way it turns out for everybody. I said, so that'll be fine. Said the right direction. But the idea being in theory, and this is all in theory, as I will point out, that, you know, you learn to do stuff for yourself and that will blah, blah, blah, something when you're older, blah, blah, blah. And I think often about how like I had never done any laundry in my life until I left my home as an 18 year old. My mom did all my laundry, all our laundry, as a mom, my whole life and, and, and cooking too. I never cooked anything ever did any laundry. And the, the, the story I hear from people is, you know, they won't know how to take care of themselves. I figured out how to do laundry in like five minutes when I got to college and I was fine. So I'm not sure, I mean, other than it would have helped my mom to not have to do it. I'm not sure it hurt me any and any way that I didn't do.

[A]

It really, other than that first time or two, like the cooking eggs thing. You're exactly right. Yeah, I remember that.

[B]

Oh, oh.

[A]

You got to be more careful when you crack the eggs or you get a little bit in there. And, and by like a plate of eggs, number two, I was up to speed.

[B]

All right, before I go to my second example, that is it kind of counter purposes to this. What was your experience, Katie? Did you do some stuff for yourself as a kid?

[C]

Not really. I mean my mom did the laundry and cooked for us and all that stuff. And I really only learned how to cook when I started working at Trader Joe's and I was the, the demo girl that made the samples and that didn't.

[B]

That's interesting that three of us had that similar experience because I hear a lot from people and then they'll go off and they won't know how to do anything themselves. I always think, yeah, but I picked up those things like immediately. I mean again, you could make the argument that my mom didn't need to work that hard. She could have had me doing it. But from a life lesson standpoint, I don't know. I don't know, I don't know. I don't actually know.

[A]

I think there's a value to it. Probably, probably is like a self discipline in general.

[B]

So. Okay, but here's the other one, the other example I have that I, this is why I started with I, I don't want this to be true, but it is. So the flip side of that is I worked a lot. I started working when I was like 12 mowing lawns and then I started working in feedlots when I was 14 and I worked a lot. I worked 40 hour weeks or longer in the summers for four summers. I got up at 5 o' clock in the morning. I did weekends through the school year. I worked a lot. And, and I would like to believe that I learned some sort of work ethic and blah blah, blah blah blah. But I have plenty of examples of rich kids who never did a lick. I worked all through college too. Full time job all the way through college. I have plenty of examples of friends who never worked a lick in high school or a moment in college and then they got jobs and they busted ass and they're successful and they were fine. They just worked less than I did in their lives, which sounds like a plus to me. Again, I would like to be able to brag about work ethic and lessons I learned, but I'm not sure it's true. I would like it to be true, but I'm just not sure it is.

[A]

Yeah, I was okay with the bargain that if you want stuff you need to earn money and buy it.

[B]

Yeah, well, yeah, I mean I was.

[A]

Doing it for entirely selfish reasons. It's not principled ones.

[B]

Oh, no doubt. That's the main. That was the entire reason I'd asked my dad. Did you talk to him today? Did you talk him today? When I was wanting to get a job, I wanted money, which I made and then I bought a motorcycle. But my friends who had their stuff given to them, I would love it if they turned out to be drug addict derelicts who never amounted anything, but they didn't. They're incredibly successful, hardworking people who went off into Life and did well. So I don't know what to do with those stories.

[C]

If they came from a well off family, they probably saw how hard their parents worked.

[B]

Could be, could be. Maybe I caught that second generation, the old saw that is shirt sleeves to shirt sleeves in three generations or workbooks to work boots in three genders. You have the generation that made the money and then their kids saw dad make the money and work hard. But that next generation is the one that blows.

[A]

Never known anything but affluence.

[B]

Yeah, I could be. Maybe I just saw that second round with my friends when I was young. So I don't know. I don't know what I think about either one of those things. Like I went off and learned how to do laundry and cook an egg pretty quickly and my life was fine.

[C]

But you still can't grill.

[B]

But did I benefit anything from working all. I don't know. I don't know.

[A]

Hey, you should ask your dad about the grilling technique. Then you could be a full man. Yeah. Card carrying men. Yeah. I got married young so I'd never have to learn any of that stuff.

[B]

A loophole. Yes, exactly.

[A]

Not true. Although our, our current washing machine which I have used occasionally is. I think you could climb in it and go to the moon in it if you needed to. It's got so many settings and dials and digital readouts and everything. I mean it's an incredibly sophisticated piece of machinery that allegedly saves water and stuff. I'm not sure the clothes are any cleaner.

[B]

No, I think what they like about that is if something breaks, you can't possibly fix it yourself. You have to.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Either buy a new machine or call somebody to come fix it. Oh, the other.

[A]

Replace the brain is $500.

[B]

The other thing is called.

[C]

You were the one who said you have to like do updates on your washing machine.

[B]

Right, right. Software update.

[C]

Software update.

[B]

Firmware update. How? Firmware is very annoying. Oh, the other example I was going to use is. And I don't want this to be true either. I've known lots of people that, that, that worked starting at a young age and they got to adulthood and their layabouts, they just benefit to it. So I, I don't know, I think it might have more to do with your personality. I don't know.

[A]

Yeah, well, yeah, 100%. I was just going to say, having raised three kids to adulthood, I have two who absolutely have the entrepreneurial spirit. I want to make money, I want to be independent, blah blah, blah. And then one who just doesn't give a damn about money. Having grown up with significantly more money than, than I did, for instance. And among my siblings and I, there is a. Definitely a difference in our ambition, specifically financial ambition. I just, I don't, I don't know how much correlation there is between, you know, you busted your ass as a kid, worked part time after school, blah blah blah. I just don't know.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

Well, I. For instance, you know, as long as we're telling stories. Gladys, tune up the harp, would you babe? The woman is 90. I mean, it's just. I think she probably appreciates it. She appreciates hearing that she is still an attractive woman.

[B]

Right? Exactly. The gams on her. 90 year old.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh please. Yeah, like Betty Grable. Anyway, I was I gonna say oh, I would go to. I would get up very early, go to jazz band before school, then do school, then go to baseball practice or golf practice, get home from. I'm sorry get back to school from there, go directly to my job, work till 9:45, 10 o' clock at night and then do my homework. What homework? I did at night, get barely enough school, asleep, rather rinse, repeat, do it again the next day. And I am one of the laziest people I have ever met. I am a man who craves leisure.

[B]

I've often wondered that too because I had a similar schedule. If you just have so much of those, you know, I don't know, widget, energy. However, however you measure that in your life, right? I spent it all young. Yeah. I used it all up.

[A]

British thermal units or whatever it is. Yeah, I wonder.

[B]

So you hit your peak and then it was all downhill. All my go getting I. I used up at like 19 and then what are you gonna do after that?

[A]

You know what? Serious note. And I've mentioned this on the air before. My late sainted mother once said to me I was probably 15 years old or something like that. She said, joe, you are a mystery to me. If you care about something, you work harder and longer than anybody I've ever known. And if you don't care about something, you can't be troubled to put out the least effort. And, and I thought, you know, that's true, that's true. And so I don't think it's an accident that I found a fair level of success we have. And Jack, I know you can relate to this by. Through a career where we have a deadline every single day. Every single day. It's either do the work and show up prepared or be humiliated. That's really the only thing that can get me going. If there's some big sales report that has to be done next Wednesday, guess what I'm doing next Tuesday night. And that's the beauty of this career. It's show up and show you got the goods or. Or be embarrassed every single day. That's why it works for me.

[B]

Driven by humiliation. The Armstrong and Getty show. Michael, you didn't weigh in on that. Did you do laundry or anything when you were a kid, or did your mom do it all? Mom did it all. I learned how to do it when I got older. And how long did it take you to catch on to the whole laundry thing?

[A]

Not.

[C]

Not too bad.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Maybe 20 minutes.

[B]

20 minutes? It's not rocket science, so. I don't know. I hear that regularly from people. Then they'll go out in the world. They won't know how to do anything.

[A]

All right. You know what I wish I had a picture of, speaking of college, is the legendary closet monster, where you just wear everything you have and all of your clothes are dirty down to, like, one sock with a hole in it, and the rest of it and everything you own is dirty, piled up in the closet. The closet monster, we used to call it.

[B]

I may have been that guy. Yeah, but it's not like you go off to, you know, whatever you do after you get out of high school, and you're just wearing soiled clothes for years at a time. You can't even imagine what's.

[A]

Oh, and just you just crunching on eggshells every day, not sure which part of the egg to eat.

[B]

No, no, I never cooked eggs as a child. You know, if you don't like these smart washing machines, go old fashioned. Find a nearby creek, put your clothes in there, and just start scrubbing. There you go. Well, I guess that's it.

[A]

This is an iHeart podcast.