Tam Pham is an author, speaker, podcaster, and teacher. He has spoken to high school students on networking and entrepreneurship and wrote a best-selling Amazon book How To Network: Build Instant Trust & Respect With Anyone You Meet. In this episode, Tam talks about the getting over your doubts, the importance of mentors, and the key to networking.
Here are three things you can learn from Tam:
No matter who you are, you will have doubts. Even the most talented and influential people in the world have to overcome that voice inside themselves telling them they are not good enough.
Tam believes that people do not give themselves enough credit for what they have accomplished. We are too busy comparing ourselves to others and what they think of us, that we begin to doubt ourselves.
Tam felt this way when speaking to high school students. What could a college drop out teach others? Instead of trying to give advice, Tam believes we should speak from our own experience. Tell your autobiography and people will embrace it.
Stop doubting yourself and speak and learn from your own experiences.
Most people think of networking as this boring and unbearable activity they have to do. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Networking isn’t about making connections. It’s about making friends. You want to look for people who support you, appreciate you, and want the best for you. That’s what you should be looking for, not another name to add to the rolodex.
The best way to do this is by forgetting about the business aspect of networking and embrace people for who they are. People are more willing to help people they are friends with.
Once you are friends, you must be willing to give. No one wants a friend that always takes. Provide value for people and they will want to provide value to you in return. Don’t give expecting anything, just know it will come back to you in the end.
When people think of mentors, they think of a guru who will sit down with them and show them the ways of life. Gurus don’t need to be someone you sit down with every day telling you how to maneuver your way through life. They are people who share their experiences with you and help you get where you want to go.
In his article, Tam talks about how he has many mentors in life. Everyone from James Altucher, to Peter Thiel, to Ryan Holiday. Their mentorship comes from books and podcasts.
You don’t need to meet with people for them to mentor you. You can learn from the lessons that they’ve shared, and employ them yourself.
Tam used advice from Chandler Bolt, James Altucher, Charlie Hoehn and Hung Pham to become a best-seller on Amazon. He then told his mentors the results he got from their advice. He is now a testimonial his mentors can use to show the validity of their advice.
Colin McCann is a web developer who is trying to revolutionize the way we view productivity. In this episode Colin talks about his take on productivity and how he approaches his goals, taking on such an ambitious project, and how beliefs can have a huge impact on self-improvement.
Here are three things you can learn from Colin:
Just because you are doing something drastic or daring, doesn’t mean you have to do it on a whim. Before Colin thought about quitting his job, he saved up enough money to make the jump. He lined up his finances so he would have the freedom to work on his project without worrying about how he was going to pay for things.
If you want to take a risk, don’t make it a blind risk. Make sure you have everything lined up and planned out. Get all your ducks in a row before taking that leap.
Instead of approaching projects like this great big thing you need to tackle, approach them like many small tasks that can be conquered. When you are trying to accomplish any goal, figure out what the next small task is.
When you keep tasks small, your brain can focus on the task at hand. Otherwise, you can get bogged down by the enormity of it. Break each task into bite sized pieces. This allows you to feel a sense of accomplishment as you make your way towards your goal.
Self-improvement is all about your beliefs. Before you can better yourself, you must believe in yourself. Your beliefs are not accidental, they are the result of everything you do.
If you want to make improvements in your life, you have to believe you are capable of making them. Once you do, everything becomes easier. We may not be conscious of it, but our beliefs shape who we are and how we approach each day.
Natalie Kim is an actress, writer, and artist. She also hosted It’s a Draw With Natalie Kim, where she interviewed comedians and cartoonist while they drew. On this episode, Natalie talks about why you need to work on your own projects, lessons she’s learned from stand-up and improv, and why vulnerability helps with acting and in life.
Here are three things you can learn from Natalie:
For a while, Natalie listened to what other people told her. She let her manager and others decide what roles she would appear in, which led to burning out.
It was only when she went back and worked on her own projects that she was able to find happiness in her work.
Don’t let other people tell you what you should be working on. Decide for yourself. If you don’t like the projects that people are offering you, work on your own projects instead.
Natalie has learned that being being vulnerable and open not only helps you with acting, it also helps you in life. By being more open, it allowed her to be more human and to experience things more fully.
We often go through life trying not to show too much emotion, but the thing is, people are more trusting when we are open. It is much easier for people to empathize with you when you are being honest with them. This mutual honesty and trust allows you to build a strong connection with each other.
As a stand-up and improv performer, Natalie has learned to deal with different reactions from the audience. Some nights people will laugh, others it will be silent.
The only way to deal with this is to realize that not everyone will have the same reaction to your work. Instead of worrying about it or letting it get to you, learn to move on. Don’t let what others think dictate what you think about yourself.
You just have to hone your craft and be so good people can’t ignore you. The difference between professionals and amateurs is the ability to deal with criticism and the reaction of your audience.
Kim Nicol teaches meditations and mindfulness and has helped thousands of people find calm in everyday moments. In this episode Kim talks about how she went from marketing, to being a lawyer, to becoming a mindfulness and meditations teacher. She also talks about how to relate to others and the many different ways she helps bring mindfulness into people's everday lives.
Here are three things you can learn from Kim:
Many people settle for their lot in life. They went to college, got a job, and are stuck there. At least that's the thought. It doesn't have to be this way.
Many people think of life as a singular path, but it's much more complicated than that. Kim's path took her from marketing and branding, to being a lawyer, and finally to her calling as a mindfulness and meditation teacher.
If you feel like you can't do anything about your job, think again. Look at Kim as an example, and remember, many other people are finding their way too.
People in positions of power often get stressed because they can't control everything. They lived most of their lives getting what they wanted, but when things don't go exactly as planned, they stress out over it.
The best way to overcome this stress is to shift your perspective. It doesn't do any good to get angry over something you can't control.
Instead take a breath and decide from a place of calmness. Explore your options and shift your relationships, choices, and momentum so you aren't burning energy.
When people here meditation, they often think of monks sitting on the floor chanting to themselves. This often turns people away because they are daunted by how intense it can be.
The good news is, meditation comes in many forms. It doesn't need to be that intense or intimidating.
If you want to get started with a mindfulness or meditation practice, Kim advocates starting small. People often give up because they start off trying to meditate for 20 minutes. Instead, start with a 3 minute meditation and increase the amount of time as you become more comfortable with it.
Kim also advocates approaching your practice with a sense of curiosity and adventure. Don't worry about getting it right. See how you can make it fun.