STRIP IT DOWN TO THE CHASSIS

"Strip It Down to the Chassis" — Bob Goff of LOVE DOES

What does it look like to strip your life down to what actually matters? In this episode of B.A.S.I.C. Conversations, Brother Boston sits down with New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and founder of Love Does — Bob Goff.

Bob shares how a pellet gun, a flawed friend, and plain language changed his life forever. He talks about leaving behind his law career and speaking career to focus on what will outlast him. He opens up about his time teaching at San Quentin, what the men behind the walls taught him, and why Jesus always hangs out at the kid's stable.

This conversation is real, funny, and deeply honest. Bob reminds us that the gospel isn't a set of rules — it's a person. And that faith expressed in love is the only thing that counts.

Whether you're in recovery, reentry, or just trying to figure out who you are when everything else is stripped away — this one is for you.

Topics covered:
• How Bob came to faith through a deeply flawed friend
• Why plain language is more powerful than fancy theology
• What the men at San Quentin taught Bob about authenticity
• Leaving behind a career to focus on what lasts
• The "chassis" framework — who are you when everything is taken away?
• Bob's word to anyone hitting a wall: "It'll work, but it's gonna be a real hassle"

Connect with Bob Goff: bobgoff.com
Love Does nonprofit: loveDoes.org

Follow B.A.S.I.C. Conversations:
YouTube: youtube.com/@BrotherBoston
Instagram: @BrotherBoston

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Welcome to Basic Conversations. I'm your host, Brother Boston. Today's guest is someone who has personally impacted my life and the lives of the men around me. He's a New York Times bestselling author of Love Does, Everybody Always, and Dream Big. He's an attorney, a speaker, and the founder of Love Does, a nonprofit doing real work for kids and communities across Uganda, India, Nepal, Somalia, and beyond. He even has his personal cell phone number listed in the back of his books because that's just who he is. He's a friend to basic ministry, and I'm honored to call him my friend. Bob Goff, welcome to Basic Conversations.

SPEAKER_00 0:44

Oh man, I am your friend, Kevin. It's good to be with you, buddy.

SPEAKER_01 0:48

Man, absolutely, absolutely. So um, yeah, man, let's get into it. I want to hear, I want to hear your your journey, right? So, what I always tell people when I'm talking about you is that you show people the love of Christ without bringing up the name Christ. Like you do this in such a way that I've never seen anybody else do it. Uh, what what what is your relationship? When did it start? When was that journey, that walk with Christ?

SPEAKER_00 1:18

Um, yeah, I think we're all just figuring it out. I just know uh for each person, we all just have different communication styles. I love yours from Boston, I just like your accent and I see the uh the way that you use phrases and all that, and that's really endearing. And I think in the same way, some people, when they're talking about faith, uh, they feel like they need to describe faith in the way that it is culturally relevant for them or reflects maybe the way that they grew up in their family, or maybe some people around them that said this is what you knew. I didn't grow up in a faith community or go to church, or I didn't know anybody who did go to church. That wasn't my jam. Um, and and I've learned that for me at least, it was uh a lot more effective to communicate people in plain language. If you use really fancy words, they might mean something somewhere, but oftentimes they're just flowery words to describe. I'm not critical of it, it's just like whatever blows your hair back, and then uh whatever communicates an idea best. Um, I think you ought to go with that. So maybe there's communities where certain language, the lexicon that they have, is effective. Uh, for me, I just think plain language is good. That's one of the thousand things I like about you, is you're really plain spoken, and that sometimes is a a mark of really high intelligence that you don't have to use fancy words to describe something. Um, there was a guy that um called me up, a young man, and uh I said, Hey, so boy, what do you want? Uh and he said, Oh man, I just want God's glory. And I I get that. Like I'm uh familiar with that phrase, I'm not critical of it, uh, but I'm like, what does that even mean? Uh um, so for me at least, um, I would rather use plain language. I mean, Jesus is the smartest theologian ever, and he points to two sheep and he says, it's like when one of those gets away. And everybody knew exactly what he meant. So I think I like uh those things. Uh, Jesus had said it in Matthew 13, he never spoke to anybody without telling them a story or two. Uh, I love that because we kind of understand the stories. I bet it was frustrating, those, for his disciples, because they said, like, hey, will you pass the pass the butter? You know, about butter. It's just gonna take a while. So I think that idea of uh enjoying how to communicate ideas, being more interested in other people's stories than you are in yours. Uh, sometimes when you're talking a lot of in writing, I only use one me, my, or I. Uh, I always use words like we us an hour. Because if they talk about, I got up this morning that I mowed the lawn, that I did this, that it's like watching somebody else's vacation pictures. We're glad that they went on vacation, but it wasn't our vacation, it was theirs. But if we say, like we all have things that we need to do, whether we want to or not, uh, I've got golfers in my backyard, Kevin. Uh, and I'm a little tough on crime, uh, kind of going full Texas on this because I said, like, these are out of here, like no tolerance for golfers. But living in California, you feel kind of bad, like offing these creatures, but I hate these golfers. Uh, so I was I would there was this all this pile of dirt where I used to have a really great looking lawn, and I was so frustrated, and I put the hose down there to blow the hole open. Uh, and then I took one of these smoke bombs. I feel so bad, like PETA's gonna come protest in front of my house. I lit the smoke bomb and I put it down there just then. This couple came walking down the path. Oh no. Like, darn it. Uh, and so I really quickly put my foot over the hole because I just didn't want them to like judge me or like say something. And they stopped and they reached out their hand to shake hands with me. I'm like, darn it. And I had to lift my foot off the hole to shake their hands, and all the smoke came pouring out. I'm like, we've got a poke. So what uh if we could talk about the dilemma and the underlying thing that's going on about shame and guilt and acceptance and conformity and all that, these aren't bad words, but to understand how they're playing your life in really plain words, that's where I've understood the gospel about uh uh Jesus. And the gospel isn't a set of rules, it isn't a set of stories, it's a person, and so I kind of get that part. Uh, because uh without Jesus, the whole Christianity thing has nothing that I'm interested in. There's like zero, a bunch of people that are all as insecure as me, ricocheting off the world, and I'm like, so but the Jesus part that's keep me kept my attention held.

SPEAKER_01 6:32

When uh when was that? When when did you I don't know, did you have, you know, you know, my story, and uh I had this like encounter. It was it was undeniable. So, like, what did you have an aha moment? Was it uh you know, something that uh manifested it himself over time? Or what what was that? That turning moment where you said yes, I was following around with in uh high school.

SPEAKER_00 6:58

We went out with these high-powered pellet guns. I mean, they could shoot through lead, I'm sure. Uh, and we were walking around shooting at cans, and then all of a sudden he wasn't next to me anymore. And when I turned around, I saw the scope, and his muzzle pointed at me. I was the next can and he shot me and it went like in me, in me, like two or three inches. Like it wasn't like a little welt or a paintball gun thing, like there's a uh pellet, like a couple inches in me, and we're putting leaves and dirt and mouthwash on it. Uh, and we go to his house and he gets out some tweezers, and oh, that hurts so bad. He's like in me trying to pull this thing out, and uh, and he starts telling me about Jesus. I'm like, You shot me. I didn't think you could do that, but um, evidently you can. And so uh I learned about faith from a guy who was totally screwed up, um, uh, and he still is, and I still am. And that that is uh was a really meaningful way for me to encounter faith from person uh who is deeply flawed like I am, um, deeply in need of Jesus as I am, made stupid decisions like I do. Uh so I think that in a very real way, I've understood. I think that Matthew 25, when it talks about hungry people, thirsty people, sick people, strange people, naked people, and people in jail, these are people that are flawed in the same way we are, they have needs in the same way we do. And I think Jesus wasn't saying go be with them to do a solid for me. He said, like, go be with them to do a solid for you, because you'll understand who you are as you're with them. Because man, there's no more authentic relationships than the ones that uh where we met uh in this gated community. Yeah, there was like no more authentic relationships than those, like so, yeah. So I'm just learning. I just want to stay in close formation, learn from guys like you, and like I love your resilience, and like you'll have some setbacks along the way too, and then we just me too, and so we're just figuring it out, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:20

And I think uh speaking from my my own little uh fall a couple years ago, and you know, I think had I faced it uh sooner, I would have prevented a whole lot more misery from continuing on. And I want to encourage anybody listening like if you fall, just get back up because you know, God is going nowhere, He He's He's right where He was when you fall, and He'll be there to pick you back up.

SPEAKER_00 9:50

So, man, I went up there thinking I was saying goodbye, yeah. Uh and uh and God had different plans for you. It didn't look like it from what I was saying. Uh, but I'm just so delighted that you're here and you're got your head in the game and you're saying let's do this thing.

SPEAKER_01 10:08

Yeah, for y'all that uh don't know, I was in a coma two years ago. Um, and Bob lived a couple hours away and showed up at the hospital to support my wife and I uh as I uh sat when I was in the coma, it was quite the experience, but we won't get into that. That's a whole separate uh show. But um, the fact that he showed up, uh, you showed me character that um only few people have, my friend. And that means so much to me. And it's gonna you have uh someone sold out for you. Anything you need, anytime, don't hesitate. Um, I wanted to ask you this. How you come into uh San Quentin, which is where we met, and uh what a blessing. I'm truly grateful uh that God had crossed our paths. Um, what got you into that kind of ministry to come in and bring hope to what to the outside world? We we were hopeless, like uh hopeless and helpless to a lot of accounts. And I'm telling you, the the people I've met behind the walls, some of them have more gratitude and joy and hope than I have met people out here who are loaded and you know financially stable and all of these uh material things going great for them, but they seem so empty and lost. What got you involved with that ministry?

SPEAKER_00 11:35

Yeah, at first it was uh curiosity. But the uh one of the assistant wardens, uh, I think he or his wife had read a book I wrote and then called up and they said, Hey, do you want to come to San Quentin? I'm like, Oh, heck yeah. So I was like kind of curious, but then I met you and the other guys. I'm like, oh, I'm in. Uh like that, uh, the authenticity that felt like you know, I've got more friends at St. Quentin than I have here in San Diego. Um, no, really, I've got friends in low places, and I don't mean low character, I just mean they are dealing with some real impediments and still finding joy. So it was uh it was curiosity at first, and then it turned to selfishness. Uh, that I really selfishly want to go and learn, and so yeah, and I just want to hang out with you guys and figure out life and like find out who you marry and what obstacles you hit, because I'm hitting the same ones and figuring out what do you do next. So I think that idea, but there's also an underlying uh theology behind this that hungry, thirsty six, strange naked people in jail, and Jesus said uh that if you want to meet me, you got to meet them. Like the it's almost like that is the prerequisite. It's not like a checking a box, but uh I will be found. When you find them, you'll find me. Uh, if you find other people, maybe you'll find me, maybe you won't. But if you find them, you'll definitely find me because I'm always hanging out at the kids' table.

SPEAKER_01 13:09

Yeah, yeah, that's it. Because that's it's incredible to me because you know, uh, as you know, I've been I've been in and out of uh of the justice system since nine years old. So uh I've never seen uh groups being brought in like that. Like we've seen, like you know, a priest would come in and deliver a message once a month. Um, but aside from that, there really wasn't much going on. So I saw that that was something really rare, but not just that, the guests you came in with, the humanity you guys all extended. Your guests weren't just guests that came in and then ducked out, you know. They came in and they sat with us and we laughed together. Some cases we cried together. We shared uh some of our deepest uh uh stories with one another. And this was this is transformation uh at its best, as far as I'm concerned, uh, showing people that they are human because you know, this system will definitely start to teach you that you are not human when you are stamped with a number um and suited and clothed in uh you know, not literally a striped suit, but you you get you get what I'm saying. Yeah, I guess in some prisons they are still wearing striped suits.

SPEAKER_00 14:29

So, but um, yeah, so there was one person that I brought, Kevin, that yeah was in your small group when you were getting together, and this person had been through like 25 years of therapy and all that, had accomplished a lot in the marketplace, but had had some really deep wounds. And I remember uh that person telling me that just the hour that they spent hanging out with you and the guys in that circle uh meant more. It just was such a trajectory shift, and now we're years later, and that's still true. So it wasn't just like this emotional, like, wow, what a great experience, but it was like this lasting, deep kind of tectonic shift in the way that they saw their life, their world, hope. Um, and so I just think about that. There's a um when you were starting at the beginning talking about not talking about Jesus, um, like I cannot have a conversation uh or two without mentioning dip and dots because I just love those things. Have you had any of those before? I have cost more than drugs, but they are so worth it. Um, but the uh I you just talk about the stuff you love, and uh and faith is an important thing. Uh, religion isn't an important thing, is not an important thing to me, but this idea, the centrality of like this Jesus, there could be somebody who actually uh is interested in doing life with us, that is really compelling, and uh, and I just think it's just gonna come up. You talk about the stuff you love, but uh it comes up in these natural ways, it doesn't feel contrived. Yeah, uh, you know, when somebody has an agenda, like they're trying to, and people uh try to turn me into a Christian every once in a while. Uh I always have a uh bucket or uh a bucket, a couple sponges, and some dish soap. Uh, and so when somebody comes to straighten me out on something, I grab a bucket, we fill it with water, and we go wash somebody's car. Uh like at least somebody's gonna get a clean car out of the thing. I don't know if anything's gonna happen in our conversation, but let's just do something while we're having the conversation because the a conversation about theology does not light me up. Um, because that isn't, I mean, Jesus picked fishermen. I'm glad there's theologians, I'm just not one of them. Um uh, but to do things where you put your faith in play, Galatians 5, 6, the only thing that counts is faith expressed in love. So let's go wash a car, let's go do something. I see guys like you that have encountered some real impediments, but then you uh are scrappy and you say, like, no, no, no, I know why I'm doing what I'm doing. And even if you do have a setback or two like me, you'll probably have less of them than me, but nobody's counting. Uh, but the but the idea is that that tenacity to continue to pursue God, that's the follow the track of every hero in the scriptures, and it looks a lot more like your life than it looks like somebody who's living kind of squeaky clean or uh appearing to.

SPEAKER_01 17:51

Yeah, yeah. Um, it's it's pretty incredible. I wanna I wanna uh talk about this amazing wife of yours because my wife, uh what a blessing, and your wife, sweet Maria. My goodness. Um, what is that? You guys have been uh you're coming on 30 30.

SPEAKER_00 18:10

Oh, it's uh 39 years, nine months, eight days. I'm counting up, she's counting down.

SPEAKER_01 18:17

Oh my lord, that is so incredible. Uh what talk about that, man. What is it like? Like your so I know your career shifted, and and what did that what did that look like? Like, man, you know what? I want to go do the will of God, and like what did how did that play out?

SPEAKER_00 18:39

Because a lot of people I think you know, you know what struck me, Kevin, when you were introducing me at the beginning, you said uh he's a lawyer, and I'm like, actually not a lawyer anymore. I used to be, and then he's a speaker. I actually used to be a speaker, but I'm not anymore. I just decided in November I'm not doing that anymore. Or if I speak somewhere, I'm not gonna charge anybody, I'll just do it for nothing. Uh, and it's not because I'm critical of people that are charging to that, and it's a great living. Go to 110 cities a year for a couple of decades, you'll like talk to a million people a year. Um, and it's uh it's it's okay, there's nothing wrong with that. But I think the this idea of what's going to be lasting that's one of the advantages that the guys in blue have is that if everything else is stripped away, you just strip this thing down to the chassis, then you can see what really matters and doesn't. And it's not like that speaking is bad or say it's great. Like who would want to go to a big room full of people and everybody's having a good time? And you say something, then maybe there's something that lands with that. Um, but I know what's going to actually outlast me will be my grandkids. Um, and so I spend my time at the pool holding towels, they don't even know I'm there, I don't think, but I know I'm there. Uh there's so that's what I'm doing. I'm at uh level 67, I'm not age 67. Doesn't level 67 sound cooler? Like there's a level 68 after that, maybe uh depends on how the other guy's driving. But like this idea of to uh level up, uh, and if you think of this concept, if you uh take away everything that you're known for, whatever is left is who you are. So even in your darkest time, if you were known for what are things that you've been known for in the past?

SPEAKER_01 20:39

Who me? Uh pretty much all negative, but if I think about the positive, uh been the let's take away the negative before you leave that.

SPEAKER_00 20:47

Take away all the negative, whatever's left is who you are.

SPEAKER_01 20:51

I like it.

SPEAKER_00 20:51

Yeah, I like who I am then. Uh insert whatever. Now think of your most positive attribute or the uh an accomplishment. Let's say what's an accomplishment that you're actually really good at.

SPEAKER_01 21:04

Um, I would say um the ministry. Uh the I'm I'm really proud of basic ministry and getting that up and running. It might be on pause for now, uh, but I'm something I'm very proud of.

SPEAKER_00 21:19

Yeah, take that away. Like, take away basic, no shame, just like take away that. Whatever's left is who you are. And go, like at the end of the day, it's just you and Jesus. Take the people you love, don't take them out, just take them away for a moment. So you can take out a couple enemies, but like if you take away the people that are closest to you that inspire them, take them away. No shame, no guilt, no drama. Um, it's just that idea of stripping it down. I had uh my first car was an old MG, uh, and I think I paid a thousand bucks, and I think I paid about a thousand bucks too much for it. And I put a bunch of Bondo on the dance and all that. Uh there, that's a really different outcome than a frame off restoration. Like the other version, you like take it right down to the chassis.

SPEAKER_01 22:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:13

And then with a lot of care build it up. And I feel like some of the men in blue have been stripped right down to the chassis. Even people that haven't uh been in San Quentin, like that have encountered a health issue or tremendous loss, it just takes you down to the chassis. And I think I want to do that without the drama of having to go down to the chassis. So I'm just constantly taking away, like I'm just out as a lawyer, I'm out as a speaker, I'm out, not because I'm sad or bummed or anything. I just wonder what might be possible if I strip this thing down to the chassis and just start showing up for swim practice.

SPEAKER_01 22:52

Man, I love it.

SPEAKER_00 22:53

It's a really expensive experiment.

SPEAKER_01 22:56

It's probably, yeah, I'm sure, I'm sure it is. It's probably freeing, though.

SPEAKER_00 23:02

Yeah, totally. Yeah, yeah, because then you don't over-identify with what everything and kind of keep you out of the fray. Uh, these days, with a lot of the high emotions on every different camel angle on even faith. Um, you can stay with it. It's uh this out of uh one of the letters Peter sent. It said, always be ready to make a defense for the hope that's within you. And a lot of people stop reading there and they miss the second, the back nine, which said, but do it with kindness and respect. So we got a lot of people who want to be Jesus' lawyer, but not a lot of people want to do it with kindness and respect. And I realize I need to piece out of all this public stuff so I could be kind and respectful.

SPEAKER_01 23:55

I like it, I like it. Um, well, uh, this was uh scheduled for 30 minutes, unfortunately. But um, I do have a question, Bob. First of all, man, thank you so much for coming.

SPEAKER_00 24:08

Oh, are you kidding me? This is a treat. You're making my buddy.

SPEAKER_01 24:11

Yeah, um, so the the question I ask everybody, the closing question is if you could go back and say something to your younger self, what would you say?

SPEAKER_00 24:22

Yeah, it'll work, but it's gonna be a real hassle. I heard people uh say this, like, you know, if I could talk to my younger self, I'd say, just do it. And I think Nike got dibs on that. Um, which is actually if you research like the the background of that phrase, just do it, is a really dark. Uh it's like a guy in a firing squad and all that'll be like yikes. So, what I want to do is um strip it down uh and say it'll work, but it's really gonna be a hassle. And so when you overcome or encounter a difficulty along the way, I would tell that young person, don't act surprised, don't think that God's closed the door, don't think that uh this must not be God's will. You just you had this dream, you had an ambition, and you applied for the job and Billy said no. Don't think, well, God closed the door. The only thing that happened is Billy said no, lose Billy. So to just be aware, it's gonna work, it's just gonna be a real hassle to get there. And then when you bump up in the house, you go, like, oh, I knew it'd be a real hassle to get there. So I think that's what I'd do. I'd tell that guy. So I wouldn't start uh attributing everything the beautiful that you have sought out in your life, and then you hit an impediment or setback and think, oh, God's done with me, or we've uh like I missed the shot or whatever. But like, no, no, it just can be a real hassle to get there.

SPEAKER_01 26:03

Amen. Bob, thank you. Thank you, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 26:08

Boy, this has been a blessing time, and I will continue to sit at your feet, Kevin. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 26:13

Praise God.

SPEAKER_00 26:15

You just keep living life, keep it super real. Let us know what's working, let us know what's not working, and your authenticity is your superpower. It really has always been that way for you, it always will be that way.

SPEAKER_01 26:28

Amen. Thank you so much, Bob. I I appreciate you more than you know, buddy. Yeah, um, and uh we'll we'll talk soon, my friend. All right, man. Okay, and God bless you. You heard it here on basic conversations, and that was Bob Goff. Till next time, Jesus loves you, and I love you.