The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

Episode: 1KHO 693: Seen But Not Known
Guest: Ben Higgins (The Bachelor)
Host: Ginny Yurich
Date: January 28, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ginny Yurich sits down with Ben Higgins—most widely known for his time as a contestant and lead on The Bachelor—to explore the realities of being “seen but not known.” Their conversation dives deep beyond the cameras, touching on Ben’s struggles with fame, faith, addiction, pain, and purpose. The episode is rich in honest reflections on loneliness, connection, resilience, and using unexpected opportunities to serve and inspire others. Through Ben’s compelling stories—both personal and of those he's met—the episode becomes a broader meditation on finding meaning and connection in a world that often values image over substance.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unexpected Path to Fame

• Ben describes his accidental route into reality TV following a nudge from a nurturing coworker (“she had those mom qualities”) who encouraged him to step out of his comfort zone.

• Fame felt weird:

  "I just really believe that no one human is meant to be famous." (Ben, 06:17)

• Recognition and notoriety as currency within reality TV:

  “Everybody’s talking about screen time … that’s how people get to know you better … having two seasons helped.” (Ben, 05:51)

2. Behind the Bachelor Curtain

• Ben shares how, even during filming, he sensed he was being kept on the show more for his potential as a future “Bachelor” than for his romantic connection with the lead.
• Reveals the producer’s approach after he was let go, offering him the lead role—a life-changing opportunity.
• Timeline:

  “All in, it felt like 8 months of my life at that time was dedicated to me being on the show.” (Ben, 10:38)

3. Faith, Fame, and Internal Conflict

• Ben’s book, Alone in Plain Sight, is informed by his experience of sudden fame (for “no talent other than just dating people”)—which was both affirming and isolating, especially within his faith community.

• Honest tension between living out faith and participating in a show built around dating multiple people:

  "My foundation has always been in the community of people that share the same faith tradition... and this community... were also the ones that were, like, the most critical, because I went on a show where I dated 30 people at once. How... are you supposed to do that and do that well?" (Ben, 11:41)

• He describes writing his book as a “love letter” to his fan base, aiming to help others realize they aren’t alone in their struggles.

4. Pain, Addiction, and Real Transformation

• Details his father’s ongoing health challenges (heart disease due to cancer treatment) and, in parallel, Ben’s own devastating sports injury, leading to a loss of identity and eventual painkiller addiction:

  “Rather than face my fears, I hid inside my addiction.” (Ben, 18:13)

• Path out of addiction was rooted in a crisis of faith:

  “I looked at myself in the mirror ... and I said, God, if you are here and you are real, I need you. If not, I can't do this any longer … God showed up.” (Ben, 18:24)

5. Feeling Like the Outsider

• Ben relates to persistent "outsider" status—a theme through childhood, college, and even after achieving celebrity status.
• On post-Bachelor relationships, he describes the surreal challenge of navigating real-world romance after TV stardom: expensive, lavish dates sponsored by Disney/ABC, then shifting to ordinary dating with his now-wife Jessica, who’d never seen the show.

6. Living with Public Baggage

• Discusses how, unlike most people whose “baggage” is private, his history is easily accessible and often a subject of public discussion—especially difficult for his wife, who had to contend with internet searches and TV flashbacks of his previous relationships.

  “At least you know my skeletons … In fact, you know too much of who I am.” (Ben, 27:32)

7. Using Platform for Good: Stories and Service

• Ben is intentional about using his unexpected notoriety to highlight stories of others and support causes he cares about.

• He shares themes and stories from Alone in Plain Sight, including:

  • Annie: A young woman facing terminal illness with courage.
  • Brandon: Paraplegic after a skiing accident, finding gratitude.
  • Avery: Battling isolation during illness.
  • Riley and Generous Coffee: Channeling business for philanthropic impact.

• Roots of service traced to Ben’s youth volunteering in Honduras:

  “We were trying to figure out…not in a way of going down and telling them what they need … but getting behind them as brothers and sisters and saying, okay, how do we do this together?” (Ben, 35:01)

• Story of a Honduran woman who, after years of suffering due to lack of clean water, was transformed by access to clean water—shaping Ben’s commitment to “do for others.”

8. Generous Coffee: Business With Impact

• Generous Coffee is a for-profit business founded to support non-profits. 100% of profits go to charity.

  “Eight years later, that's still what we're doing. Generous Coffee is still moving and grooving. It's still my main focus…” (Ben, 38:53)

• Coffee selected as the vehicle because it creates community and connection.

9. Processing the Arc of Fame

• Discusses the challenge in “grasping at significance” post-Bachelor and avoiding the temptation to cling to fleeting fame.
• Encounters with fans remain odd and humbling:

  “It's hard to process just how many people love that show... It really started to feel like I had friends everywhere.” (Ben, 44:11)

10. Advice, Fatherhood, and Living Presently

• On being a new dad:

  “Be where your feet are... be present in the moments that you get to have, because these moments are so special. And it flies by, and everybody says it, but it does.” (Ben, 50:02)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fame:

  “No one human is meant to be famous.” (Ben, 06:17)

• On Faith and Connection:

  “There’s only one name that should be famous.” (Ben, 12:13)

• On Overcoming Addiction:

  “God, if you are here and you are real, I need you. If not, I can’t do this any longer... God showed up.” (Ben, 18:24)
  “I wanted to get in the dirt, I wanted to wrestle with God.” (Ben, 19:29)

• On Platform and Service:

  “Use this to enhance the life you've already had, not change your life completely.” — advice from Chris Harrison (Ben, 30:23)

• Impact Story (Honduras):

  “[She said] in 22 years of my life, I've never woken up a day without diarrhea. In the last six months, I don’t have diarrhea.” (Ben, 36:11)

• On Public Baggage:

  “At least I'm not in here… I can’t deceive you. They’ve done background checks on me. … In fact, you know too much of who I am.” (Ben, 27:41)

• On Podcasting Life:

  “It has been one of the biggest blessings… I spend about five to six hours a week on the podcast and it pays me like a full-time job after 11 years.” (Ben, 46:53)

• Advice to New Dads:

  “Be where your feet are. ...Slow down. Take some deep breaths… It is scary and it should be wild, but it’s nothing you can’t overcome.” (Ben, 49:19; 50:02)

• On Outdoor Childhood Memories:

  “My grandpa had this pond that was stocked full of fish… The pride my grandpa, my dad, had in me catching that fish... I’ll never forget that moment of feeling like I did something super cool.” (Ben, 51:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Ben’s Reality TV Origin Story – [03:51]
• Becoming the Bachelor & Behind the Scenes – [08:16]
• Life After Filming, Book Release, and Faith Tension – [11:41]
• Addiction, Recovery, and Faith – [15:25], [18:24]
• Outsider Status & Transitioning to “Normal” Life – [22:26]
• Navigating Public Baggage with His Wife – [23:53]
• Using Fame for Service & Sharing Others' Stories – [28:21], [29:25]
• Founding Generous Coffee – [38:30]
• Struggles with Fame and Identity – [42:22]
• Podcasting and Career Update – [46:30]
• Advice for New Dads/Being Present – [49:19]
• Favorite Childhood Outdoor Memory – [51:20]

Closing Thoughts

Ginny and Ben’s conversation is less about celebrity and more about the human need for connection, honest reckoning with pain, and the transformative power of vulnerability and service. Ben’s journey from “plain sight” to deep self-awareness invites listeners to step out from behind their own screens and reclaim real, meaningful connections—inside and outside.

Recommended for:

• Listeners interested in reality TV, but especially for those seeking encouragement about overcoming struggles, finding purpose, and living authentically.
• Anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider or wrestled with their past—or is simply seeking a thoughtful, faith-informed take on fame and meaning.