For many Asian Americans, especially those whose parents were the first to immigrate to the West, there’s an immense pressure and expectation to succeed. When the odds are stacked against us, there’s an expectation that we need to figure out a way to win anyway. And if we fail, the shame can be suffocating and crippling—following us around into every step we take moving forward.

Today, Paul discusses re-defining failure and explores the question, “what if we had permission to fail?” Who are we without achievements and accolades? And what could be possible for us if what we did or didn’t do could be separate from our wholeness, worthiness, and enough-ness? 

Executive Producers: Paul Kan, Chelsea Lin, JoySauce