How do you know when to keep going and when to throw in the towel? For @antichef Jamie Tracey, the choice was to keep making YouTube cooking videos or get a “real” job. Then just when he was about to quit, he found YouTube success with over 400,000 subscribers at the time of recording.

When we hear about people’s success stories, it's usually with the benefit of hindsight. We hear about how they overcame uncertainty, doubt and challenges to get to where they are now. But what makes Jamie’s story even more meaningful to me is that I met him before any of this took off. I saw part of the long, hard slog when success was NOT guaranteed. 

Jamie had followed his wife from Toronto to Brussels for her work, and then later to London and New York, the whole time making YouTube videos at home.

Then… one of his videos hit 1.9 MILLION views and counting. Work came flooding in, and now, it’s a “real” job. We talk about the keys to YouTube success plus all the things that come with every “job” — like burnout — and how to make sure we’re taking care of ourselves.

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To all the introverts out there, I hear you, I see you. Can introverts thrive in a world that seems to reward extroversion? Short answer, yes. 

Interesting to note that the original concept introduced by Carl Jung is not exactly the same usage and meaning commonly referred to today. Jung suggests everyone has both an extroverted side and an introverted side, with one being more dominant than the other. 

What’s key for me is that introversion/extroversion isn’t rooted in confidence or self-belief. One can be a confident, self-assured, outspoken introvert and conversely, one can be an insecure extrovert. One can also be a shy, insecure introvert. You get the drift. I think it’s important to know that distinction. I see self-confidence and self-belief as skills that can be honed and developed over time, whereas I think personality traits are part of our individuality and what makes us unique. 

If you’re an introvert, embrace it. There are tools to navigate an extroverted world. I’ve always been an introvert and it didn’t stop me from having a great career in a very public field. 

I’ve recorded a very short solo episode on the topic, but I’ll be talking to experts to give us their professional insight. 

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Tragedy can change the course of one's life in an instant. Carol Banawa was a famous recording artist/singer in the Philippines and was in her second year at university when her brother died and her father was left bed-ridden due to an accident. That moment forced her to 'grow up' quickly and rethink the trajectory of her life. She had to leave university and pursue her singing career to support her family. Not too long after that, she decided to move to the United States where she got married and started pursuing a career as a nurse (soon-to-be Nurse Practitioner). Carol talks about how those incredibly dark times shaped who she is today, why she decided to pursue a very different career and what it feels like to walk away from a life of fame. We also touched on parenting and what it's like to be a 'military wife'. 

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How do you achieve big ambitions and navigate a world that's still very much driven by image and judgement without sacrificing your mental health? In this episode, I catch up with an old friend of mine, Guy Paillard, who's an entrepreneur and men's mental health advocate, among other things. He speaks candidly about the state of men's mental health, the challenges we're still facing, and what it took for him to reverse course and regain his own mental and physical well-being. Guy is a go-getter, surrounded by intelligent and influential people in business. Having worked with some of the biggest luxury brands in the world as an entrepreneur, Guy shares valuable insights and lessons he's learned over decades. We also touch on the world of modelling, blended families, his new business venture and more.

01:42: “Who am I?”
03:32: Power of persistence
06:00: Men’s mental health
08:15: Educating children early about mental health
14:50: Own up to yourself
15:30: Learn whom to talk to; why talking to the wrong person could be harmful
20:30: There's more conversation around mental health in recent years. Has judgement gone away when people show vulnerability?
23:50: Guy’s new business venture
31:35: Is society more accepting of blended families? Has society redefined what makes a family?
33:30: The world of modelling and what he tells his kids
38:40: Managing ‘celebritydom’
42:50: Advice for entrepreneurs

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Do you fear losing your identity when you no longer have your profession? In this episode of Choices & Chances, I chat with a friend and former colleague, Helena Humphrey, now senior BBC News presenter based in Washington D.C. We explore what identity means when it's so inextricably linked to a profession, how people define themselves and answer the question, "Who are you?" We also talk about our love for journalism, what we went through when we landed — and then lost — our DREAM gig during Covid, dealing with impostor syndrome that never really goes away, and the importance of learning to keep biases in check in pretty much any aspect of life. 

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Life is a series of choices, and the quality of the life we live is only as good as the choices we make on a daily basis — big and small. We only have one life, one big chance to live it the best way we can. One of my favourite lines from Mary Oliver's poem The Summer Day makes me stop and think about the choices I make:  'What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?'.

For the past two decades as a former former foreign correspondent and news presenter, I've been asking questions that facilitate genuine understanding and connection, and sharing other people's stories.  In this podcast, my goal is to turn the wisdom from others' stories, as well as lessons from my own experiences, into ideas you can use to help you live your best life.  If you'd like to be inspired by others' stories, please subscribe and join the community.

Thank you for listening! Please consider leaving us a 5-star rating so others can find the podcast. Follow us on social media and  join the mailing list for more content.