WEBVTT
00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:06.080
Welcome back to Inspiring Entrepreneurs.
00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:17.039
I'm Katie McNair, Communications Manager here at Inspire, and today we're going to be blowing up one of the biggest lies that students are told, and that is that you need to know everything before you make a start.
00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:19.440
Spoiler alert, you don't.
00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:27.920
With me are Johnny and Dana, chapter leagues of Fun Nights Glasgow, which is the movement where entrepreneurs share their biggest mistakes publicly.
00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:35.840
What they've learned will make you rethink confidence, failure, and why comparing yourself to others is the fastest way to feel stuck.
00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:41.280
By the end of this conversation, you're going to have tools you can actually use when self-doubt hits.
00:00:41.439 --> 00:00:42.880
So let's get started.
00:00:56.640 --> 00:01:02.000
So tell us why should we try to celebrate something that most of us would like to avoid?
00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:13.120
Yeah, I think the main reason or the main thing behind us doing what we've done is we were we're actually reading a report uh yesterday we'd we'd done a funding uh thing, so this is why I know this.
00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:19.760
And it turns out that six out of ten people in Scotland don't pursue opportunities because they're afraid of failing.
00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:21.680
But that's insane, right?
00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:26.879
So six out of ten people in a room won't pursue something because they're afraid of getting it wrong.
00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:28.319
So where's the help?
00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:30.239
Where's where's where do we start?
00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:42.959
And this is the kind of main message we behind our events if you want to encourage people to be more at ease with getting things wrong and more comfortable with trying new things and taking calculated risks.
00:01:43.359 --> 00:01:49.280
I think it's that worry about wanting to stand out or not wanting to stand out, I suppose, for the wrong reason.
00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:51.519
I remember talking about that six out of ten.
00:01:51.599 --> 00:02:00.319
I suppose if you flip that on its head, you think, well, if you're one of the four who's willing to give it a go, then you're already in the front section of the race, really, aren't you?
00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:03.760
And so if we can have more um confidence, then it's only going to help us.
00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:09.759
But I remember hearing about uh some it was uh an experiment that looked at what people would do if they're in a room.
00:02:09.840 --> 00:02:16.400
Um you had people sitting in a room and um they didn't know that they were taking part in in in this kind of experiment.
00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:19.199
They knew they were taking part in an experiment, but they just weren't sure exactly what it was.
00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:27.199
And they would sit with someone else in the room, the someone else was an actor, and smoke would begin to come under the door, or they put an alarm off or something.
00:02:27.360 --> 00:02:34.000
And if there was an actor in the room who did nothing, the person who was in the room would also not do anything.
00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:46.240
They wouldn't leave, even though it looked like there was something quite wrong with the situation it they were in, they wouldn't leave because they didn't want to be seen to make a mistake and be maybe we need to leave and show fear or or get it wrong.
00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:51.919
Whereas if they were in the room by themselves without the actor who did nothing, they would leave to save themselves.
00:02:52.800 --> 00:03:02.560
So I think it's very true that people are just so worried about getting things wrong, and that can be a really difficult thing to get over.
00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:12.479
Do either of you have your own version of the moment when you realised, well, actually, self-doubt or that fear doesn't need to disqualify you.
00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:14.479
Oh, good question.
00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:23.439
Um, I think the first time we've ever done like our uh fun nights event, we had like 60 people, roughly 60 people come along.
00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:27.199
And I was so critical of how it went.
00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:31.680
And I think looking back now, it's like 60 people came to see us.
00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:40.319
60 people came to an event that we're doing for the first time, something that's completely uh new to Glasgow and Scotland, and that's something to be proud of.
00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:48.319
So I think we need to start rethinking how we view um certain things of life and achievements that we've done.
00:03:49.039 --> 00:04:03.840
Yeah, I think often the the hardest bit is the first part, and then when you start, like we're very self-critical and self-deprecating because I think we're both perfectionists and everything has to be perfect, but in reality, that's not doesn't have to be that that way.
00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:08.400
You know, you just have to start and you have to get out there and explore new things and try new things.
00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:16.720
Sometimes they might work, like uh we both think our first event didn't work, but we had 60 people turned up, and from there we've grown and we've developed.
00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:20.000
And people are still turning up, so we're doing something right.
00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:29.839
Uh, but it just helped us to redefine things as well and get feedback because if people don't like something, they tend to give you more feedback and you learn more.
00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:32.079
So that was definitely valuable stuff for us.
00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:40.399
Um we learned a lot, and we're at each event we're making it better, but it's also reflecting on how we are as humans as well, and how we act and how we change.
00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:41.600
I think that's so interesting.
00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:54.560
So, do you think it is about reframing the idea of failure as feedback and instead a chance for you to pay attention to the things, like you say, people are more likely to notice and maybe comment on the things that they're not so happy with?
00:04:54.879 --> 00:05:00.319
And rather than take that and think, well, this means it's no good and I just have to throw it in the bin.
00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:05.920
Is it about thinking about it as feedback as opposed to um a sign that you should stop?
00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:06.480
Yeah.
00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:07.519
Yeah, absolutely.
00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:08.240
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:09.920
We were very harsh on ourselves.
00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:12.079
Personally, I was I think you were better with it.
00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:13.759
I was very harsh on myself.
00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:22.879
And if you look at our events now, it's like we've shifted it quite quite a lot, but uh it made it better, at least we think, and uh, we have a bigger audience now as well.
00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:25.279
So we're doing something right for sure.
00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:36.720
So many students, I think, feel that being confident means having it all figured out and knowing exactly what it is you want something to be, that sense of perfection that you talked about.
00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:42.160
What do you think is the biggest myth about having confidence?
00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:43.839
All right, okay.
00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:45.439
I'm gonna go off on one here.
00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:51.519
Uh so anyone under 40, confidence should be your your greatest enemy, right?
00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:56.160
You should not want to feel confident because confidence ultimately comes from doing things multiple times.
00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:58.800
Confidence comes with experience, right?
00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:05.199
And that's not something you you gain uh as a young, as a student or as somebody that's young and developing.
00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:13.279
You should always want to push yourself, you should always want to you know achieve new things, and as you go and do that, you're gonna be uncomfortable, right?
00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:21.439
So you have to feel you almost have to rewire your brain uh in terms of that you know, being uncomfortable, you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable.
00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:27.199
Okay, so actually you're what you're saying here is that confidence is not where you want to be.
00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:35.439
Yeah, I think you have to be in like in that state of discomfort to reach a certain level of comfortableness.
00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:39.360
Yeah, there's like a whole philosophy behind this, right?
00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:43.519
So there's like a oh, I can't remember the name of the philosopher, but basically you have to be in this zone.
00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:44.959
It's like called the stretch zone.
00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:45.199
Okay.
00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:49.920
So you can't be in the middle, which is like comfort, you can't be too far to the right, which is stressed.
00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:54.720
You always just have to be in this uncomfortable place in order to achieve maximum growth.
00:06:55.040 --> 00:07:06.639
So that's something I find really interesting, actually, Johnny, because this idea of the comfort, and I hadn't actually thought of it in terms of that way that if you've got comfort on this side, too far the other way is stress.
00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:06.879
Yeah.
00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:19.600
And it's that bit in the middle where you you can get better without tipping into it just being too much, and finding that point can be quite a tricky place to find.
00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:21.680
Do you have any tips for that?
00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:40.879
I think we watched ourselves uh grow since I was never really a public speaker, or um, I think I'm an extrovert with friends and family, but like going out in front of crowds or approaching even a person I never knew because they're like, I don't know, they're cool or they're doing a cool business.
00:07:41.040 --> 00:07:49.199
And Johnny always pushed me to like go speak to them, go network, and just doing that so many times, I got more comfortable with it.
00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:53.120
Um and then I go back home and hibernate.
00:07:53.519 --> 00:08:15.199
Uh, but Johnny was never a public speaker, and I forced him to do intros with me for our events, and I watched him grow so much as well, like from maybe being so nervous and holding a piece of paper to now just doing all these amazing events and just going out and being himself, and he's that he's can talk freer, more freely than myself now.
00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:17.759
Yeah, and it's really like a proud moment to watch all of that.
00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:23.680
Yeah, I think the thing is like so before we done this event, I had like we had a solar thing together.
00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:30.480
Uh, and basically, like I was just like this nervous wee scientist that didn't really know what I was doing, and like standing in front of people.
00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:31.680
I was like, no, leave me alone.
00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:46.480
I want to go back and like design and do whatever calculations, and you know, it's about surrounding yourself by people with people that have a different set of skills to you, and like you see Dana, Dana comes in a room and you're like, Okay, wow, okay, she's got a presence about her.
00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:51.919
Uh so like taking her and bringing her on board in a team and then pushing her out and saying, You need to go and do this.
00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:56.240
This is something I hate doing, uh, and then just kind of combining those skills together.
00:08:56.399 --> 00:09:02.480
It's ultimately made me grow as well because you know I can't let her do all the work, so I have to kind of uh help her out a little bit.
00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:17.759
It's hard work, it it doesn't get it gets easier with time, but um it's still like we I've I never feel 100% uncomfortable walking into a room because there's that pressure, but that's what helps me grow and make myself better.
00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:24.720
So it's a continuous process, you're always going to be getting that little bit better, being that little bit uncomfortable.
00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:24.960
Yeah.
00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:29.039
As you grow, you're going to be in in situations that are new to you all the time.
00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:38.639
So I suppose even past 40, which I am, there's still cause to not necessarily pursue confidence and instead pursue that discomfort, I think is what you're saying.
00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:39.200
Yeah, absolutely.
00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:40.080
I can see that.
00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:52.879
So it sounds like you two are a great team because you know, you I listened to you talking about the things, I guess, that you've helped each other with and you've you've helped each other grow and you've taken inspiration from each other and the skills that each other have.
00:09:53.120 --> 00:10:02.080
I think something that maybe students might find is, you know, we're always scrolling, we're seeing other people, their highlight reel, essentially.
00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:05.679
Uh, we were talking before we began about LinkedIn or talking about Instagram.
00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:14.080
You're seeing this highlight reel, even when you're chatting to people face to face, they're they're giving you the very best version of their lives that there is.
00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:20.559
So, how do we stop comparison from spiraling into this feeling of, I'm just never going to measure up to that.
00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:21.679
I've already failed.
00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:22.240
Yeah.
00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:31.200
I think uh I think the greatest tax young people face today in terms of growing is this imposter uh syndrome, right?
00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:36.159
Which you get from being on your phones and it's such like a massive issue.
00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:39.919
And that's this is the thing you have to pay to to grow as a person, right?
00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:42.559
You have to get over that feeling like you don't belong.
00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:58.240
And like we had it, we had that feeling maybe when when did we do the Kuro talk, maybe two months ago, we're standing in front of a room doing a public speaking event to like 250 creatives, and like being in a room in front of creatives when you come from a university settings is very, very intimidating.
00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:04.240
But it's just a case of like dealing with these pressures, and it's almost like rewiring your brain.
00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:09.440
You want to have that signal where it comes, and it's like you get nervous and you feel that pressure.
00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:17.039
That signal is actually a good thing because it's helping you grow and it's helping you develop, and it's just it's almost like trying to reframe it in your mind.
00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:19.279
It's a good thing.
00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:23.519
Um if if you don't have it, you don't grow as much.
00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:33.200
So having that I still have Boster syndrome, but I view I've started viewing it differently as something that's good and something that's again out of my comfort zone.
00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:37.519
So I'm like, okay, if this is out of my comfort zone, I need to to do it and push myself.
00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:37.840
Yeah.
00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:44.000
So and I think on entrepreneurs, like in all these business people always talk about getting to the next room and getting to the next conversation.
00:11:44.879 --> 00:11:47.039
And that's how you like it's it's a way of framing it.
00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:50.080
Like if you feel like you don't belong, it means you're getting to that next room.
00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:53.600
It means you're driving yourself forward to get to your ultimate end goal.
00:11:53.919 --> 00:12:05.039
So again, it feels like you're flipping, you're always flipping this idea of rather than seeing these signals of I feel nervous, I'm not sure if I belong, looks like they're doing better than me, am I an imposter here?
00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:06.639
They're actually all good signs.
00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:07.279
They are, yeah.
00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:12.639
And because it means that you're putting yourself in that zone where you can be growing and you can be stretching.
00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:13.039
Yeah.
00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:13.840
Okay.
00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:15.360
I'm I'm going to take that away.
00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:17.440
I'm definitely going to take that away today.
00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:23.519
Um Soon we're going to talk about why failure actually can be a really good networking tool because you were you're starting to sort of lean into that.
00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:35.519
But before we do, I wanted to ask if a student or a graduate is facing self-doubt, is there something, an action that you can recommend they take to help them strengthen their mindset?
00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:40.399
I do like this is maybe a bit strange, but I do like breathing techniques like through your nose.
00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:46.960
So like if you do really short, stuff, sharp breaths like in through your nose and out through your mouth, that tends to like eradicate your nerves.
00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:47.279
Okay.
00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:53.840
And also there's like a marine technique where if you press really hard in your hands here, is supposed to like relieve stress.
00:12:53.919 --> 00:13:02.320
So sometimes like I'll be standing on stage like squeezing my hand, just like relieving the stress, like through I don't know, play almost, but yeah, do you do anything?
00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:11.440
Something I've read recently is apparently there's a technique where you have to count backwards, like five, four, three, two, one, to reset your breath in a way.
00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:26.799
So when you s go out and you're in that panic mode, or if you're um just don't know or forgot a line, you count backwards and it's yeah, it's supposed to have reset your brain and just you start from where you you from scratch again.
00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:28.320
Um apparently that's works.
00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:33.279
I forgot who whose technique that is, but um yeah, somebody can look at it.
00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:52.159
Well, maybe there's a Mel Robbins thing around that because I think that's maybe about I haven't read her book, but I I'm aware of her being talking about this kind of getting started thing of it's almost like a rocket launch, 54321, and then when you get to zero, you're going to go because that's what you do.
00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:55.200
Um I could see how that might be useful.
00:13:55.360 --> 00:14:02.159
So, as host of Fun Nights Glassgo, you've met many people who openly talk about messing up.
00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:08.799
So if a student was to say, I'm the only one without a plan, what would you tell them?
00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:12.720
Do you think that everyone to an extent is actually just winging it?
00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:28.879
Uh to an extent, but the older I've gotten, the more people I've talked to, uh you know, chaos is I view chaos as a good thing because I'm a chaotic person, but at the end of the day, there has to be some type of structure to it.
00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:32.559
There has to be some type of defined goals there.
00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:40.799
So, like, for example, myself, I set a goal every three months and it's written, we've got this board in the kitchen, and we write our three-month target on it, right?
00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:47.679
And then every day you have mind many steps, and then going so like a three-month target might be I don't know, building a website, right?
00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:51.039
And then you've got 90 days to then achieve that goal.
00:14:51.279 --> 00:15:00.960
Uh, but in those 90 days, it's chaos, anything goes like I can do whatever I want, but at the end of the three-month period, uh, you know what, that that goal has to be done.
00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:04.320
Uh, and if it's not done, then there's like a whole reflection process.
00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:05.759
Why is it not being done?
00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:08.399
Uh, that we both kind of go through and talk about.
00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:13.440
But I would say winging it is good to an extent, but there has to be some form of structure.
00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:20.720
And if a student doesn't have a plan, I would always tell them to go and try new things, go and try whatever it is you might think you would enjoy.
00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:23.919
And if it doesn't, if you don't enjoy it, go and do something else.
00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:32.240
Uh, but at the end of the day, you always have to have a uh you always have to have a plan and you always have to have stepping stones in order to go and achieve that plan or that goal.
00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:36.639
Yeah, there's beauty and chaos, and I think your chaos is structured chaos as well.
00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:40.799
Yeah, different brain wiring to mine.
00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:54.559
But there's a there's a famous I was reading this book, I can't remember, it's like the new something about like scientific data, and there's a quote from it that says, Weird people get weird results, normal people get normal results.
00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:59.279
Okay, so if you want to be normal, do normal things.
00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:08.879
And if you want to be weird and I don't know, run like a startup, which is which is a weird thing to do, uh, you know, do weird things.
00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:14.879
But it it comes with the challenge as well, like doing a weird thing, you've got a higher percentage of failing, right?
00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:20.960
So you need to be okay with that, but you've got a higher per champ a higher percentage chance of doing like extraordinarily well.
00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:33.200
So it is about being accepting of who you are and what you are, so that when the failure comes, you can think, well, that's part of this process.
00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:34.720
I've got this goal, yeah.
00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:41.360
I really like this idea of like a three-month goal, and then they're being allowed to be utter chaos on that way.
00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:41.600
Yeah.
00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:46.799
Because as someone myself, I would find it really hard to sit down each day and know everything.
00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:48.799
I would be bored quite fast.
00:16:49.120 --> 00:17:05.359
Um, to to feel like there is room for maneuver and to accept as well that yeah, you you can choose to be someone who fails because that's a useful thing, um, rather than seeing it as something that's very unpleasant.
00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:11.759
If it's part of your chaos that's gonna get you to that three-month goal, then that's not necessarily a bad thing.
00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:13.599
There's no right way to do it.
00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:31.119
And I don't know if this is controversial, but uh people say fake it till you make it, and some and there's like theories behind uh envisioning who you want to be in the future and acting the way that you you envision yourself, and that pushes you to that next step.
00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:37.519
So maybe sometimes fake it till you make it is the bad way forward as well, and the best way possible.
00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:38.319
Exactly.
00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:39.519
Yeah, absolutely.
00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:47.119
I think there's a lot to be said for well, there's talking about confidence and the faking till you make it can help you almost convince yourself for a minute.
00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:55.039
Yeah, yeah, that just get you through that conversation, and then you will actually be on the other side of it and discovering that you have made it for sure.
00:17:55.359 --> 00:18:07.119
So talking a little bit about um maybe those people you talked about, oh, it can be a bit weird to want to do a startup, and yeah, it's an unconventional path, and there's plenty of people out there, and it's it's not for them.
00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:09.839
And so they might be more thinking, I need to build my C V.
00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:21.279
I actually what my path I think is I want to go out into the the world of work as I graduate, and I want to find my first step towards you know being the position in the company that I want to be.
00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:23.680
That's going to be a lot about C V.
00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:33.599
It's gonna be a lot about being able to go into a room, have a conversation with someone you don't know about why you're going to be the person to help them build their company or or their um big dream.
00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:39.440
So students might feel like failure is something that's not to put on a CV, it's a thing that might ruin it.
00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:41.920
But you maybe seen the opposite.
00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:50.880
So, can you talk about how failure can actually help you land opportunities or ways of helping you do that?
00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:59.119
Failure can act as a tool, again, going back to that idea of redefining things.
00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:12.160
So you constantly, if something didn't work out the way you wanted, or you didn't get that job you wanted, you rethink, redefine and better yourself and build character.
00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:20.400
So going back to remembering the very first job I ever wanted, I was like a big corporate and that you had to work for them.
00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:23.680
And I went through all the interview stages and I didn't get it.
00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:28.160
And I think I just was crying for the next few days thinking, okay, my life is over.
00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:32.960
Uh, but thinking back, I'm actually glad I didn't get it because I probably would be sitting here.
00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:38.480
My life would look so different, and I've learned so much and built my character.
00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:41.519
And now when I get rejected, yes, I get upset.
00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:49.599
It's um especially if you it's something you wanted, but um it's it's kind of like okay, it wasn't for me, I'll move on.
00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:58.079
So again, that but you create you you create self-awareness and um it fosters resilience.
00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:02.720
So having that, and it's a really popular thing recently, but we've seen like failure CVs.
00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:09.759
One of our speakers had a failure CB at every like stage of life, he failed at something, and that's something they're proud of.
00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:17.200
So putting that public, I think, is actually quite a cool thing just to you you own it.
00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:21.759
So own your failures in a way and say, right, I've done this, but I've learned from it.
00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:25.519
Because we always say if if you've not failed, it's a red flag.
00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:28.960
Because you've not grown, you've not learned.
00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:37.680
And if you have actually not failed, there's something maybe bigger coming that you might not be resilient enough to deal with or strong enough.
00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:38.960
Um yeah.
00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:39.440
Yeah.
00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:46.160
There is that whole saying of you know, fail fast and then move on from that.
00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:51.200
I have to assume that you guys have plenty of failures under your belt.
00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:54.480
Is there any you'd like to pull out and and tell us about?
00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:59.279
Uh I've failed pretty much most exams in school.
00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:00.480
Uh yeah.
00:21:01.119 --> 00:21:01.839
What's your one?
00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:03.680
I don't know if I share failures.
00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:05.359
Oh, you've got a good one from last week though.
00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:06.000
You should tell everyone.
00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:06.720
I'm not sure.
00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:17.599
Well, I've um told you we have uh an event in two weeks' time, and um I've went out, like scoped speakers.
00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:29.839
I told everybody it's the 21st of uh September, and then I went out telling all of our friends and family, and two of the three speakers, so it's the 24th of September.
00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:32.160
So I booked the venue for the 24th.
00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:34.400
Two of the speakers were for the 24th.
00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:37.359
I announced on LinkedIn that it was the 25th.
00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:41.440
So um that was my failure of the month.
00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:43.599
Uh it worked out.
00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:45.920
It actually worked out in our benefit.
00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:46.319
Okay.
00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:47.440
So it was great.
00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:51.519
So it's it turns out in somehow a favor.
00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:54.319
Um yeah, but we had a fair share.
00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:55.200
We've had a fair share.
00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:59.680
And university uh you're only allowed where I went to like to fail studies.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.720
Two times?
00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:01.680
No, three times.
00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:04.319
And if you fail a third time, you get kicked out of university.
00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:07.519
So I was two out of three medical.
00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:09.200
But I'm here now.
00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:10.079
I worked out.
00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:22.480
And now I think one thing that students forget, I th there's so much stigma around oh, everybody will look at your grades, or I've never had any of the internships I've done or jobs ever look at my grades.
00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:25.440
Then they're after your skill set and your personality.
00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:30.240
People invest in personalities, not in the skills.
00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:32.640
And we've learned that along the way as well.
00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:38.160
People invest in us because they like what we do and we've proven that we can do things.
00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:39.599
And as long as you keep that in mind.
00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:45.440
And I think those failures, like those failures in your life, you always remember them as that point, like that low point.
00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:47.920
And then it's like a low point at which you've grown from.
00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:52.880
There's a football manager called Alex Ferguson, he's one of the most famous of our.
00:22:53.200 --> 00:23:00.079
I mean, it's like he's doing his biography and it's an interview that he's ended, end of his career, and they're like, right, Alex, what do you remember most about your career?
00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:05.759
And it's like the bits I remember the most are the bits, the seasons that we didn't win, the seasons we failed.
00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:09.599
Because they're the times when you realize who's with you and who's against you.
00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:10.160
Okay.
00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:18.319
So like these failures are your defining moments in your life, and you should you should be looking forward to them because after them is going to be a growth period.
00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:19.920
Okay, yeah.
00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:23.680
I used to, I was talking to you about this um just before we got started.
00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:32.720
I used to do Taiko drumming, which is Japanese drumming, and they talk about being um on a journey for your whole life to be the best drummer you possibly can.
00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:44.079
And um this way that you walk along, you need to have people ahead of you on the way who are just a little bit ahead of you, because if they're really far away, you can't really see them and you can't work out how you're going to get there.
00:23:44.160 --> 00:24:02.559
If you have someone a little bit ahead of you, you can follow them, and that you will get to a point where you are looking at what you're doing and it's rubbish and you know it's rubbish, and that can be really disheartening, but actually that's the best time because you you can see what's wrong, and that means that you're better than that, you just haven't got there yet.
00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:17.359
Um, and so rather than being disheartened by how rubbish you are, the fact you're failing, that is the moment when you're actually about to make a leap and move forward, and because you can see where you're trying to get to the next step to make, and so the next step will come because you can now see it.
00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:27.519
Um and I always thought that that was a very useful way of thinking about everything, not just learning to become a good drummer, but learning to become really good at anything you want you want to be good at.
00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:36.559
If you had to teach one skill for turning a mistake into momentum, self-reflection.
00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:46.400
Uh being able to reflect on the mistakes you made and being able to realise where you've gone wrong and what you need to do to improve is so important.
00:24:46.640 --> 00:24:56.799
Like uh like people sometimes get uh the wrong idea of what we're doing with uh fun nights in terms of like everybody we're just putting failures out there, that's not the case, right?
00:24:56.880 --> 00:25:06.240
We're putting failures out there so you learn from them, so you can reflect upon them, and that's so important because we don't want everybody just to go out and fail all the time because that's not the idea behind this.
00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:11.359
We want you to be able to deal with the failures better, and a huge part of that is self-reflection.
00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:15.359
For me, adaptability.
00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:22.880
So I'm a person that tends to be really harsh on myself as things didn't go the way I put them in my mind.
00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:24.319
I don't really know them.
00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:32.799
Uh so being able to, when things change, adapt quickly to it is a it's a strong skill to have.
00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:40.640
So especially if you fail at something, being able to just okay, right, that's that's how it was supposed to be the move on quickly.
00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:54.160
Fantastic adaptability and having that realization that a failure on its own isn't very useful, but a failure that you can adapt to or a failure that you can learn from is the thing that is going to help.
00:25:54.400 --> 00:25:59.359
Okay, I feel like we have really gained a lot of knowledge and insight for me here.
00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:02.960
So I'm gonna do some very just rapid fire uh questions.
00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:07.680
So can you give me one sentence definition of confidence?
00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:11.359
Confidence is finding comfort and discomfort.
00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:12.319
Perfect.
00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:17.839
Okay, can you give me one way to stop comparison right now?
00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:20.079
I would say go out there and do it.
00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:20.720
Right.
00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:24.960
Stop comparing and go out and get some action.
00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:34.799
Go and out, go out, speak to people, and go and try the thing that you're comparing yourself to, whether I don't know what that may be, footballer, makeup artist, whatever it is.
00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:36.640
Uh you know, go out and do it.
00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:37.920
Thank you.
00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:47.279
And one thing every student should remember when they fail always reflect.
00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:49.440
Don't just fail for no reason.
00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:50.319
Why did you fail?
00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:51.200
Find out why.
00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:52.079
What were the reasons?
00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:56.480
What can you do to improve and implement that moving forward?
00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:58.079
Thank you so much.
00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:02.960
We did ask our listeners if they have any questions for you.
00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:10.000
And Yu Shuen contacted us to ask, how do you build a strong heart when you receive failure?
00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:11.119
Do you have any advice?
00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:14.640
I mean, it's difficult initially if you've not experienced failure before, right?
00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:17.839
It's going to be a new feeling and you will feel overwhelmed.
00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:23.039
But it's just like what we talked about earlier, it's about rewiring that signal to be a good thing.
00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:24.079
It is a good thing.
00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:27.680
You've failed, you've got something wrong, but you're going to learn from it and you're going to get better from it.
00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:29.759
So it's just about rewiring that in your brain.
00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:31.200
It's actually a good thing, it's not a bad thing.
00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:32.160
It's not the end of the world.
00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:33.839
You're getting better, you're going to improve.
00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:34.799
So just keep going.
00:27:35.119 --> 00:27:38.319
The fact that you were talking about brain as well compared to heart.
00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:41.519
I wonder they feel it in their heart.
00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:56.480
And maybe we need to think less about feeling things in our heart when it comes to failure, and more thinking of it in terms of what it can give us rather than how it can wound us, I guess.
00:27:56.799 --> 00:27:57.359
Yeah, good.
00:27:58.160 --> 00:28:12.880
The more exposure you get to failure, the easier it gets through all these uh fun nights and we've done, we've heard so many stories that I think we they unintentionally get wired into our brains and we go through life.
00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:16.480
Just seeing failure as a normal thing.
00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:21.200
Uh, we just take take that easier too hard and pray.
00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:38.000
So maybe talking about it as well, coming along to Fun Night, hearing other people who are probably highly successful talking about the ways in which they also have made mistakes and they've learned from them might help you feel less, might help you feel less alone.
00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:44.240
Can you tell us a little bit how people can connect with you or how they can get involved with Fun Nights Glasgow?
00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:48.160
We run Fun Nights events quarterly.
00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:54.480
Uh, best way to reach out to us is probably over LinkedIn, Instagram, um, to keep up to date.
00:28:55.759 --> 00:28:57.759
Yeah, we are both PhD students.
00:28:57.839 --> 00:28:59.359
So Dan is a PhD student at Glasgow.
00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:01.119
I'm a PhD student at Strathclyde.
00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:04.400
So if you see us walking around, just come up and have a chat more friendly.
00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:08.160
And here's what I really hope that anyone who's listening today will take away.
00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:11.440
And I guess that's that confidence isn't about certainty.
00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:19.440
And it's about really showing up and giving something a go, being willing for it to go wrong, being willing to sit in that discomfort.
00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:26.240
And that everyone around yourself who you may be comparing yourself to is probably also figuring it out behind the scenes.
00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:29.519
Failure is not the end, it's just a training ground.
00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:36.799
So if you love this conversation, please do share it with a friend who might be struggling or stressing about the future.
00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:41.359
And just remember that you don't really need a map, you just need to take a single step.
00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:42.160
Thank you very much.
00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:46.319
Thank you so much for listening to the Inspiring Entrepreneurs podcast today.
00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:51.279
If you did enjoy what you heard and found it useful, please take a moment to rate and review us.
00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:53.200
It helps other listeners find us.
00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:59.839
And stick around for the rest of this mini-series, which is dedicated to helping students reach their personal and professional goals.
00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:15.599
We've got some really great speakers talking about topics such as what employers really want when you're trying to find your first step into graduate recruitment and how to move your side hustle into a startup that can bring you exactly what you're looking for from life.
00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:06.080
Welcome back to Inspiring Entrepreneurs.
00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:17.039
I'm Katie McNair, Communications Manager here at Inspire, and today we're going to be blowing up one of the biggest lies that students are told, and that is that you need to know everything before you make a start.
00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:19.440
Spoiler alert, you don't.
00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:27.920
With me are Johnny and Dana, chapter leagues of Fun Nights Glasgow, which is the movement where entrepreneurs share their biggest mistakes publicly.
00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:35.840
What they've learned will make you rethink confidence, failure, and why comparing yourself to others is the fastest way to feel stuck.
00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:41.280
By the end of this conversation, you're going to have tools you can actually use when self-doubt hits.
00:00:41.439 --> 00:00:42.880
So let's get started.
00:00:56.640 --> 00:01:02.000
So tell us why should we try to celebrate something that most of us would like to avoid?
00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:13.120
Yeah, I think the main reason or the main thing behind us doing what we've done is we were we're actually reading a report uh yesterday we'd we'd done a funding uh thing, so this is why I know this.
00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:19.760
And it turns out that six out of ten people in Scotland don't pursue opportunities because they're afraid of failing.
00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:21.680
But that's insane, right?
00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:26.879
So six out of ten people in a room won't pursue something because they're afraid of getting it wrong.
00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:28.319
So where's the help?
00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:30.239
Where's where's where do we start?
00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:42.959
And this is the kind of main message we behind our events if you want to encourage people to be more at ease with getting things wrong and more comfortable with trying new things and taking calculated risks.
00:01:43.359 --> 00:01:49.280
I think it's that worry about wanting to stand out or not wanting to stand out, I suppose, for the wrong reason.
00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:51.519
I remember talking about that six out of ten.
00:01:51.599 --> 00:02:00.319
I suppose if you flip that on its head, you think, well, if you're one of the four who's willing to give it a go, then you're already in the front section of the race, really, aren't you?
00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:03.760
And so if we can have more um confidence, then it's only going to help us.
00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:09.759
But I remember hearing about uh some it was uh an experiment that looked at what people would do if they're in a room.
00:02:09.840 --> 00:02:16.400
Um you had people sitting in a room and um they didn't know that they were taking part in in in this kind of experiment.
00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:19.199
They knew they were taking part in an experiment, but they just weren't sure exactly what it was.
00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:27.199
And they would sit with someone else in the room, the someone else was an actor, and smoke would begin to come under the door, or they put an alarm off or something.
00:02:27.360 --> 00:02:34.000
And if there was an actor in the room who did nothing, the person who was in the room would also not do anything.
00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:46.240
They wouldn't leave, even though it looked like there was something quite wrong with the situation it they were in, they wouldn't leave because they didn't want to be seen to make a mistake and be maybe we need to leave and show fear or or get it wrong.
00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:51.919
Whereas if they were in the room by themselves without the actor who did nothing, they would leave to save themselves.
00:02:52.800 --> 00:03:02.560
So I think it's very true that people are just so worried about getting things wrong, and that can be a really difficult thing to get over.
00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:12.479
Do either of you have your own version of the moment when you realised, well, actually, self-doubt or that fear doesn't need to disqualify you.
00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:14.479
Oh, good question.
00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:23.439
Um, I think the first time we've ever done like our uh fun nights event, we had like 60 people, roughly 60 people come along.
00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:27.199
And I was so critical of how it went.
00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:31.680
And I think looking back now, it's like 60 people came to see us.
00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:40.319
60 people came to an event that we're doing for the first time, something that's completely uh new to Glasgow and Scotland, and that's something to be proud of.
00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:48.319
So I think we need to start rethinking how we view um certain things of life and achievements that we've done.
00:03:49.039 --> 00:04:03.840
Yeah, I think often the the hardest bit is the first part, and then when you start, like we're very self-critical and self-deprecating because I think we're both perfectionists and everything has to be perfect, but in reality, that's not doesn't have to be that that way.
00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:08.400
You know, you just have to start and you have to get out there and explore new things and try new things.
00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:16.720
Sometimes they might work, like uh we both think our first event didn't work, but we had 60 people turned up, and from there we've grown and we've developed.
00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:20.000
And people are still turning up, so we're doing something right.
00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:29.839
Uh, but it just helped us to redefine things as well and get feedback because if people don't like something, they tend to give you more feedback and you learn more.
00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:32.079
So that was definitely valuable stuff for us.
00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:40.399
Um we learned a lot, and we're at each event we're making it better, but it's also reflecting on how we are as humans as well, and how we act and how we change.
00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:41.600
I think that's so interesting.
00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:54.560
So, do you think it is about reframing the idea of failure as feedback and instead a chance for you to pay attention to the things, like you say, people are more likely to notice and maybe comment on the things that they're not so happy with?
00:04:54.879 --> 00:05:00.319
And rather than take that and think, well, this means it's no good and I just have to throw it in the bin.
00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:05.920
Is it about thinking about it as feedback as opposed to um a sign that you should stop?
00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:06.480
Yeah.
00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:07.519
Yeah, absolutely.
00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:08.240
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:09.920
We were very harsh on ourselves.
00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:12.079
Personally, I was I think you were better with it.
00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:13.759
I was very harsh on myself.
00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:22.879
And if you look at our events now, it's like we've shifted it quite quite a lot, but uh it made it better, at least we think, and uh, we have a bigger audience now as well.
00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:25.279
So we're doing something right for sure.
00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:36.720
So many students, I think, feel that being confident means having it all figured out and knowing exactly what it is you want something to be, that sense of perfection that you talked about.
00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:42.160
What do you think is the biggest myth about having confidence?
00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:43.839
All right, okay.
00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:45.439
I'm gonna go off on one here.
00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:51.519
Uh so anyone under 40, confidence should be your your greatest enemy, right?
00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:56.160
You should not want to feel confident because confidence ultimately comes from doing things multiple times.
00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:58.800
Confidence comes with experience, right?
00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:05.199
And that's not something you you gain uh as a young, as a student or as somebody that's young and developing.
00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:13.279
You should always want to push yourself, you should always want to you know achieve new things, and as you go and do that, you're gonna be uncomfortable, right?
00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:21.439
So you have to feel you almost have to rewire your brain uh in terms of that you know, being uncomfortable, you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable.
00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:27.199
Okay, so actually you're what you're saying here is that confidence is not where you want to be.
00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:35.439
Yeah, I think you have to be in like in that state of discomfort to reach a certain level of comfortableness.
00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:39.360
Yeah, there's like a whole philosophy behind this, right?
00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:43.519
So there's like a oh, I can't remember the name of the philosopher, but basically you have to be in this zone.
00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:44.959
It's like called the stretch zone.
00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:45.199
Okay.
00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:49.920
So you can't be in the middle, which is like comfort, you can't be too far to the right, which is stressed.
00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:54.720
You always just have to be in this uncomfortable place in order to achieve maximum growth.
00:06:55.040 --> 00:07:06.639
So that's something I find really interesting, actually, Johnny, because this idea of the comfort, and I hadn't actually thought of it in terms of that way that if you've got comfort on this side, too far the other way is stress.
00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:06.879
Yeah.
00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:19.600
And it's that bit in the middle where you you can get better without tipping into it just being too much, and finding that point can be quite a tricky place to find.
00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:21.680
Do you have any tips for that?
00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:40.879
I think we watched ourselves uh grow since I was never really a public speaker, or um, I think I'm an extrovert with friends and family, but like going out in front of crowds or approaching even a person I never knew because they're like, I don't know, they're cool or they're doing a cool business.
00:07:41.040 --> 00:07:49.199
And Johnny always pushed me to like go speak to them, go network, and just doing that so many times, I got more comfortable with it.
00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:53.120
Um and then I go back home and hibernate.
00:07:53.519 --> 00:08:15.199
Uh, but Johnny was never a public speaker, and I forced him to do intros with me for our events, and I watched him grow so much as well, like from maybe being so nervous and holding a piece of paper to now just doing all these amazing events and just going out and being himself, and he's that he's can talk freer, more freely than myself now.
00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:17.759
Yeah, and it's really like a proud moment to watch all of that.
00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:23.680
Yeah, I think the thing is like so before we done this event, I had like we had a solar thing together.
00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:30.480
Uh, and basically, like I was just like this nervous wee scientist that didn't really know what I was doing, and like standing in front of people.
00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:31.680
I was like, no, leave me alone.
00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:46.480
I want to go back and like design and do whatever calculations, and you know, it's about surrounding yourself by people with people that have a different set of skills to you, and like you see Dana, Dana comes in a room and you're like, Okay, wow, okay, she's got a presence about her.
00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:51.919
Uh so like taking her and bringing her on board in a team and then pushing her out and saying, You need to go and do this.
00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:56.240
This is something I hate doing, uh, and then just kind of combining those skills together.
00:08:56.399 --> 00:09:02.480
It's ultimately made me grow as well because you know I can't let her do all the work, so I have to kind of uh help her out a little bit.
00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:17.759
It's hard work, it it doesn't get it gets easier with time, but um it's still like we I've I never feel 100% uncomfortable walking into a room because there's that pressure, but that's what helps me grow and make myself better.
00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:24.720
So it's a continuous process, you're always going to be getting that little bit better, being that little bit uncomfortable.
00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:24.960
Yeah.
00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:29.039
As you grow, you're going to be in in situations that are new to you all the time.
00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:38.639
So I suppose even past 40, which I am, there's still cause to not necessarily pursue confidence and instead pursue that discomfort, I think is what you're saying.
00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:39.200
Yeah, absolutely.
00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:40.080
I can see that.
00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:52.879
So it sounds like you two are a great team because you know, you I listened to you talking about the things, I guess, that you've helped each other with and you've you've helped each other grow and you've taken inspiration from each other and the skills that each other have.
00:09:53.120 --> 00:10:02.080
I think something that maybe students might find is, you know, we're always scrolling, we're seeing other people, their highlight reel, essentially.
00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:05.679
Uh, we were talking before we began about LinkedIn or talking about Instagram.
00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:14.080
You're seeing this highlight reel, even when you're chatting to people face to face, they're they're giving you the very best version of their lives that there is.
00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:20.559
So, how do we stop comparison from spiraling into this feeling of, I'm just never going to measure up to that.
00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:21.679
I've already failed.
00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:22.240
Yeah.
00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:31.200
I think uh I think the greatest tax young people face today in terms of growing is this imposter uh syndrome, right?
00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:36.159
Which you get from being on your phones and it's such like a massive issue.
00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:39.919
And that's this is the thing you have to pay to to grow as a person, right?
00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:42.559
You have to get over that feeling like you don't belong.
00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:58.240
And like we had it, we had that feeling maybe when when did we do the Kuro talk, maybe two months ago, we're standing in front of a room doing a public speaking event to like 250 creatives, and like being in a room in front of creatives when you come from a university settings is very, very intimidating.
00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:04.240
But it's just a case of like dealing with these pressures, and it's almost like rewiring your brain.
00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:09.440
You want to have that signal where it comes, and it's like you get nervous and you feel that pressure.
00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:17.039
That signal is actually a good thing because it's helping you grow and it's helping you develop, and it's just it's almost like trying to reframe it in your mind.
00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:19.279
It's a good thing.
00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:23.519
Um if if you don't have it, you don't grow as much.
00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:33.200
So having that I still have Boster syndrome, but I view I've started viewing it differently as something that's good and something that's again out of my comfort zone.
00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:37.519
So I'm like, okay, if this is out of my comfort zone, I need to to do it and push myself.
00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:37.840
Yeah.
00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:44.000
So and I think on entrepreneurs, like in all these business people always talk about getting to the next room and getting to the next conversation.
00:11:44.879 --> 00:11:47.039
And that's how you like it's it's a way of framing it.
00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:50.080
Like if you feel like you don't belong, it means you're getting to that next room.
00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:53.600
It means you're driving yourself forward to get to your ultimate end goal.
00:11:53.919 --> 00:12:05.039
So again, it feels like you're flipping, you're always flipping this idea of rather than seeing these signals of I feel nervous, I'm not sure if I belong, looks like they're doing better than me, am I an imposter here?
00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:06.639
They're actually all good signs.
00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:07.279
They are, yeah.
00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:12.639
And because it means that you're putting yourself in that zone where you can be growing and you can be stretching.
00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:13.039
Yeah.
00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:13.840
Okay.
00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:15.360
I'm I'm going to take that away.
00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:17.440
I'm definitely going to take that away today.
00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:23.519
Um Soon we're going to talk about why failure actually can be a really good networking tool because you were you're starting to sort of lean into that.
00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:35.519
But before we do, I wanted to ask if a student or a graduate is facing self-doubt, is there something, an action that you can recommend they take to help them strengthen their mindset?
00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:40.399
I do like this is maybe a bit strange, but I do like breathing techniques like through your nose.
00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:46.960
So like if you do really short, stuff, sharp breaths like in through your nose and out through your mouth, that tends to like eradicate your nerves.
00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:47.279
Okay.
00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:53.840
And also there's like a marine technique where if you press really hard in your hands here, is supposed to like relieve stress.
00:12:53.919 --> 00:13:02.320
So sometimes like I'll be standing on stage like squeezing my hand, just like relieving the stress, like through I don't know, play almost, but yeah, do you do anything?
00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:11.440
Something I've read recently is apparently there's a technique where you have to count backwards, like five, four, three, two, one, to reset your breath in a way.
00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:26.799
So when you s go out and you're in that panic mode, or if you're um just don't know or forgot a line, you count backwards and it's yeah, it's supposed to have reset your brain and just you start from where you you from scratch again.
00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:28.320
Um apparently that's works.
00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:33.279
I forgot who whose technique that is, but um yeah, somebody can look at it.
00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:52.159
Well, maybe there's a Mel Robbins thing around that because I think that's maybe about I haven't read her book, but I I'm aware of her being talking about this kind of getting started thing of it's almost like a rocket launch, 54321, and then when you get to zero, you're going to go because that's what you do.
00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:55.200
Um I could see how that might be useful.
00:13:55.360 --> 00:14:02.159
So, as host of Fun Nights Glassgo, you've met many people who openly talk about messing up.
00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:08.799
So if a student was to say, I'm the only one without a plan, what would you tell them?
00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:12.720
Do you think that everyone to an extent is actually just winging it?
00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:28.879
Uh to an extent, but the older I've gotten, the more people I've talked to, uh you know, chaos is I view chaos as a good thing because I'm a chaotic person, but at the end of the day, there has to be some type of structure to it.
00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:32.559
There has to be some type of defined goals there.
00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:40.799
So, like, for example, myself, I set a goal every three months and it's written, we've got this board in the kitchen, and we write our three-month target on it, right?
00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:47.679
And then every day you have mind many steps, and then going so like a three-month target might be I don't know, building a website, right?
00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:51.039
And then you've got 90 days to then achieve that goal.
00:14:51.279 --> 00:15:00.960
Uh, but in those 90 days, it's chaos, anything goes like I can do whatever I want, but at the end of the three-month period, uh, you know what, that that goal has to be done.
00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:04.320
Uh, and if it's not done, then there's like a whole reflection process.
00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:05.759
Why is it not being done?
00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:08.399
Uh, that we both kind of go through and talk about.
00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:13.440
But I would say winging it is good to an extent, but there has to be some form of structure.
00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:20.720
And if a student doesn't have a plan, I would always tell them to go and try new things, go and try whatever it is you might think you would enjoy.
00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:23.919
And if it doesn't, if you don't enjoy it, go and do something else.
00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:32.240
Uh, but at the end of the day, you always have to have a uh you always have to have a plan and you always have to have stepping stones in order to go and achieve that plan or that goal.
00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:36.639
Yeah, there's beauty and chaos, and I think your chaos is structured chaos as well.
00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:40.799
Yeah, different brain wiring to mine.
00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:54.559
But there's a there's a famous I was reading this book, I can't remember, it's like the new something about like scientific data, and there's a quote from it that says, Weird people get weird results, normal people get normal results.
00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:59.279
Okay, so if you want to be normal, do normal things.
00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:08.879
And if you want to be weird and I don't know, run like a startup, which is which is a weird thing to do, uh, you know, do weird things.
00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:14.879
But it it comes with the challenge as well, like doing a weird thing, you've got a higher percentage of failing, right?
00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:20.960
So you need to be okay with that, but you've got a higher per champ a higher percentage chance of doing like extraordinarily well.
00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:33.200
So it is about being accepting of who you are and what you are, so that when the failure comes, you can think, well, that's part of this process.
00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:34.720
I've got this goal, yeah.
00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:41.360
I really like this idea of like a three-month goal, and then they're being allowed to be utter chaos on that way.
00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:41.600
Yeah.
00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:46.799
Because as someone myself, I would find it really hard to sit down each day and know everything.
00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:48.799
I would be bored quite fast.
00:16:49.120 --> 00:17:05.359
Um, to to feel like there is room for maneuver and to accept as well that yeah, you you can choose to be someone who fails because that's a useful thing, um, rather than seeing it as something that's very unpleasant.
00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:11.759
If it's part of your chaos that's gonna get you to that three-month goal, then that's not necessarily a bad thing.
00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:13.599
There's no right way to do it.
00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:31.119
And I don't know if this is controversial, but uh people say fake it till you make it, and some and there's like theories behind uh envisioning who you want to be in the future and acting the way that you you envision yourself, and that pushes you to that next step.
00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:37.519
So maybe sometimes fake it till you make it is the bad way forward as well, and the best way possible.
00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:38.319
Exactly.
00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:39.519
Yeah, absolutely.
00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:47.119
I think there's a lot to be said for well, there's talking about confidence and the faking till you make it can help you almost convince yourself for a minute.
00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:55.039
Yeah, yeah, that just get you through that conversation, and then you will actually be on the other side of it and discovering that you have made it for sure.
00:17:55.359 --> 00:18:07.119
So talking a little bit about um maybe those people you talked about, oh, it can be a bit weird to want to do a startup, and yeah, it's an unconventional path, and there's plenty of people out there, and it's it's not for them.
00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:09.839
And so they might be more thinking, I need to build my C V.
00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:21.279
I actually what my path I think is I want to go out into the the world of work as I graduate, and I want to find my first step towards you know being the position in the company that I want to be.
00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:23.680
That's going to be a lot about C V.
00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:33.599
It's gonna be a lot about being able to go into a room, have a conversation with someone you don't know about why you're going to be the person to help them build their company or or their um big dream.
00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:39.440
So students might feel like failure is something that's not to put on a CV, it's a thing that might ruin it.
00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:41.920
But you maybe seen the opposite.
00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:50.880
So, can you talk about how failure can actually help you land opportunities or ways of helping you do that?
00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:59.119
Failure can act as a tool, again, going back to that idea of redefining things.
00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:12.160
So you constantly, if something didn't work out the way you wanted, or you didn't get that job you wanted, you rethink, redefine and better yourself and build character.
00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:20.400
So going back to remembering the very first job I ever wanted, I was like a big corporate and that you had to work for them.
00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:23.680
And I went through all the interview stages and I didn't get it.
00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:28.160
And I think I just was crying for the next few days thinking, okay, my life is over.
00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:32.960
Uh, but thinking back, I'm actually glad I didn't get it because I probably would be sitting here.
00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:38.480
My life would look so different, and I've learned so much and built my character.
00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:41.519
And now when I get rejected, yes, I get upset.
00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:49.599
It's um especially if you it's something you wanted, but um it's it's kind of like okay, it wasn't for me, I'll move on.
00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:58.079
So again, that but you create you you create self-awareness and um it fosters resilience.
00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:02.720
So having that, and it's a really popular thing recently, but we've seen like failure CVs.
00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:09.759
One of our speakers had a failure CB at every like stage of life, he failed at something, and that's something they're proud of.
00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:17.200
So putting that public, I think, is actually quite a cool thing just to you you own it.
00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:21.759
So own your failures in a way and say, right, I've done this, but I've learned from it.
00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:25.519
Because we always say if if you've not failed, it's a red flag.
00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:28.960
Because you've not grown, you've not learned.
00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:37.680
And if you have actually not failed, there's something maybe bigger coming that you might not be resilient enough to deal with or strong enough.
00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:38.960
Um yeah.
00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:39.440
Yeah.
00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:46.160
There is that whole saying of you know, fail fast and then move on from that.
00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:51.200
I have to assume that you guys have plenty of failures under your belt.
00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:54.480
Is there any you'd like to pull out and and tell us about?
00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:59.279
Uh I've failed pretty much most exams in school.
00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:00.480
Uh yeah.
00:21:01.119 --> 00:21:01.839
What's your one?
00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:03.680
I don't know if I share failures.
00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:05.359
Oh, you've got a good one from last week though.
00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:06.000
You should tell everyone.
00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:06.720
I'm not sure.
00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:17.599
Well, I've um told you we have uh an event in two weeks' time, and um I've went out, like scoped speakers.
00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:29.839
I told everybody it's the 21st of uh September, and then I went out telling all of our friends and family, and two of the three speakers, so it's the 24th of September.
00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:32.160
So I booked the venue for the 24th.
00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:34.400
Two of the speakers were for the 24th.
00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:37.359
I announced on LinkedIn that it was the 25th.
00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:41.440
So um that was my failure of the month.
00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:43.599
Uh it worked out.
00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:45.920
It actually worked out in our benefit.
00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:46.319
Okay.
00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:47.440
So it was great.
00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:51.519
So it's it turns out in somehow a favor.
00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:54.319
Um yeah, but we had a fair share.
00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:55.200
We've had a fair share.
00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:59.680
And university uh you're only allowed where I went to like to fail studies.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.720
Two times?
00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:01.680
No, three times.
00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:04.319
And if you fail a third time, you get kicked out of university.
00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:07.519
So I was two out of three medical.
00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:09.200
But I'm here now.
00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:10.079
I worked out.
00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:22.480
And now I think one thing that students forget, I th there's so much stigma around oh, everybody will look at your grades, or I've never had any of the internships I've done or jobs ever look at my grades.
00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:25.440
Then they're after your skill set and your personality.
00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:30.240
People invest in personalities, not in the skills.
00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:32.640
And we've learned that along the way as well.
00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:38.160
People invest in us because they like what we do and we've proven that we can do things.
00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:39.599
And as long as you keep that in mind.
00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:45.440
And I think those failures, like those failures in your life, you always remember them as that point, like that low point.
00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:47.920
And then it's like a low point at which you've grown from.
00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:52.880
There's a football manager called Alex Ferguson, he's one of the most famous of our.
00:22:53.200 --> 00:23:00.079
I mean, it's like he's doing his biography and it's an interview that he's ended, end of his career, and they're like, right, Alex, what do you remember most about your career?
00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:05.759
And it's like the bits I remember the most are the bits, the seasons that we didn't win, the seasons we failed.
00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:09.599
Because they're the times when you realize who's with you and who's against you.
00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:10.160
Okay.
00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:18.319
So like these failures are your defining moments in your life, and you should you should be looking forward to them because after them is going to be a growth period.
00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:19.920
Okay, yeah.
00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:23.680
I used to, I was talking to you about this um just before we got started.
00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:32.720
I used to do Taiko drumming, which is Japanese drumming, and they talk about being um on a journey for your whole life to be the best drummer you possibly can.
00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:44.079
And um this way that you walk along, you need to have people ahead of you on the way who are just a little bit ahead of you, because if they're really far away, you can't really see them and you can't work out how you're going to get there.
00:23:44.160 --> 00:24:02.559
If you have someone a little bit ahead of you, you can follow them, and that you will get to a point where you are looking at what you're doing and it's rubbish and you know it's rubbish, and that can be really disheartening, but actually that's the best time because you you can see what's wrong, and that means that you're better than that, you just haven't got there yet.
00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:17.359
Um, and so rather than being disheartened by how rubbish you are, the fact you're failing, that is the moment when you're actually about to make a leap and move forward, and because you can see where you're trying to get to the next step to make, and so the next step will come because you can now see it.
00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:27.519
Um and I always thought that that was a very useful way of thinking about everything, not just learning to become a good drummer, but learning to become really good at anything you want you want to be good at.
00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:36.559
If you had to teach one skill for turning a mistake into momentum, self-reflection.
00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:46.400
Uh being able to reflect on the mistakes you made and being able to realise where you've gone wrong and what you need to do to improve is so important.
00:24:46.640 --> 00:24:56.799
Like uh like people sometimes get uh the wrong idea of what we're doing with uh fun nights in terms of like everybody we're just putting failures out there, that's not the case, right?
00:24:56.880 --> 00:25:06.240
We're putting failures out there so you learn from them, so you can reflect upon them, and that's so important because we don't want everybody just to go out and fail all the time because that's not the idea behind this.
00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:11.359
We want you to be able to deal with the failures better, and a huge part of that is self-reflection.
00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:15.359
For me, adaptability.
00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:22.880
So I'm a person that tends to be really harsh on myself as things didn't go the way I put them in my mind.
00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:24.319
I don't really know them.
00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:32.799
Uh so being able to, when things change, adapt quickly to it is a it's a strong skill to have.
00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:40.640
So especially if you fail at something, being able to just okay, right, that's that's how it was supposed to be the move on quickly.
00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:54.160
Fantastic adaptability and having that realization that a failure on its own isn't very useful, but a failure that you can adapt to or a failure that you can learn from is the thing that is going to help.
00:25:54.400 --> 00:25:59.359
Okay, I feel like we have really gained a lot of knowledge and insight for me here.
00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:02.960
So I'm gonna do some very just rapid fire uh questions.
00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:07.680
So can you give me one sentence definition of confidence?
00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:11.359
Confidence is finding comfort and discomfort.
00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:12.319
Perfect.
00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:17.839
Okay, can you give me one way to stop comparison right now?
00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:20.079
I would say go out there and do it.
00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:20.720
Right.
00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:24.960
Stop comparing and go out and get some action.
00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:34.799
Go and out, go out, speak to people, and go and try the thing that you're comparing yourself to, whether I don't know what that may be, footballer, makeup artist, whatever it is.
00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:36.640
Uh you know, go out and do it.
00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:37.920
Thank you.
00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:47.279
And one thing every student should remember when they fail always reflect.
00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:49.440
Don't just fail for no reason.
00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:50.319
Why did you fail?
00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:51.200
Find out why.
00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:52.079
What were the reasons?
00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:56.480
What can you do to improve and implement that moving forward?
00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:58.079
Thank you so much.
00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:02.960
We did ask our listeners if they have any questions for you.
00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:10.000
And Yu Shuen contacted us to ask, how do you build a strong heart when you receive failure?
00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:11.119
Do you have any advice?
00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:14.640
I mean, it's difficult initially if you've not experienced failure before, right?
00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:17.839
It's going to be a new feeling and you will feel overwhelmed.
00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:23.039
But it's just like what we talked about earlier, it's about rewiring that signal to be a good thing.
00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:24.079
It is a good thing.
00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:27.680
You've failed, you've got something wrong, but you're going to learn from it and you're going to get better from it.
00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:29.759
So it's just about rewiring that in your brain.
00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:31.200
It's actually a good thing, it's not a bad thing.
00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:32.160
It's not the end of the world.
00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:33.839
You're getting better, you're going to improve.
00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:34.799
So just keep going.
00:27:35.119 --> 00:27:38.319
The fact that you were talking about brain as well compared to heart.
00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:41.519
I wonder they feel it in their heart.
00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:56.480
And maybe we need to think less about feeling things in our heart when it comes to failure, and more thinking of it in terms of what it can give us rather than how it can wound us, I guess.
00:27:56.799 --> 00:27:57.359
Yeah, good.
00:27:58.160 --> 00:28:12.880
The more exposure you get to failure, the easier it gets through all these uh fun nights and we've done, we've heard so many stories that I think we they unintentionally get wired into our brains and we go through life.
00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:16.480
Just seeing failure as a normal thing.
00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:21.200
Uh, we just take take that easier too hard and pray.
00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:38.000
So maybe talking about it as well, coming along to Fun Night, hearing other people who are probably highly successful talking about the ways in which they also have made mistakes and they've learned from them might help you feel less, might help you feel less alone.
00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:44.240
Can you tell us a little bit how people can connect with you or how they can get involved with Fun Nights Glasgow?
00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:48.160
We run Fun Nights events quarterly.
00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:54.480
Uh, best way to reach out to us is probably over LinkedIn, Instagram, um, to keep up to date.
00:28:55.759 --> 00:28:57.759
Yeah, we are both PhD students.
00:28:57.839 --> 00:28:59.359
So Dan is a PhD student at Glasgow.
00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:01.119
I'm a PhD student at Strathclyde.
00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:04.400
So if you see us walking around, just come up and have a chat more friendly.
00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:08.160
And here's what I really hope that anyone who's listening today will take away.
00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:11.440
And I guess that's that confidence isn't about certainty.
00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:19.440
And it's about really showing up and giving something a go, being willing for it to go wrong, being willing to sit in that discomfort.
00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:26.240
And that everyone around yourself who you may be comparing yourself to is probably also figuring it out behind the scenes.
00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:29.519
Failure is not the end, it's just a training ground.
00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:36.799
So if you love this conversation, please do share it with a friend who might be struggling or stressing about the future.
00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:41.359
And just remember that you don't really need a map, you just need to take a single step.
00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:42.160
Thank you very much.
00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:46.319
Thank you so much for listening to the Inspiring Entrepreneurs podcast today.
00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:51.279
If you did enjoy what you heard and found it useful, please take a moment to rate and review us.
00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:53.200
It helps other listeners find us.
00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:59.839
And stick around for the rest of this mini-series, which is dedicated to helping students reach their personal and professional goals.
00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:15.599
We've got some really great speakers talking about topics such as what employers really want when you're trying to find your first step into graduate recruitment and how to move your side hustle into a startup that can bring you exactly what you're looking for from life.
