Ben Pechey is the first guest to visit Successville.

Ben and Sophie discuss the complex and nuanced experience of success, particularly for marginalized individuals.

They delve into feelings of imposter syndrome and the constant fear of losing success. They also touch on the pressure to constantly achieve more and the difficulty of finding satisfaction in accomplishments. The conversation highlights the importance of recognizing and celebrating personal achievements, as well as the challenges faced by authors in the publishing industry.

They talk about FOMO, comparison to others, and the constant need to prove themselves. They also touch on the importance of rest and taking care of oneself amidst the pursuit of success.

Both Sophie and Ben share their personal journeys and the challenges they have faced along the way. Overall, the conversation highlights the complexities and emotional toll of success.

You can find Ben's website here

And find Ben's books here

A full transcript of the podcast is available here

Welcome to Successville, coming soon.

Transcript:

Hello, lovely listeners. It's me, your friend and host, Sophie Williams. And this is Welcome to Successville, a podcast where I have conversations with some of the most successful people I know to try to find out what is success? How do you know when you've got it? And is it really all it's cracked up to be?

As a little background, over the last four years, I've been really busy. I've written and had published three books with major publishers. I've done a TED talk. I've been part of the UK delegation to the United Nations twice. I've seen my words printed in major magazines and newspapers more times than I can count. I've become an accidental influencer with over a hundred thousand followers and I've been a global leader at your favourite streaming company. And I bought a flat in London. But despite this creds list, I still didn't and don't feel successful.

Or at least I don't feel how I imagined success would feel.

In fact, the question I kept asking myself over and over again was, if this is success, why does it feel so bad?

And so to find out if I'm broken or if it's my idea of success that needs to change, I've gathered together some of the best and brightest people I know, to ask them about their successes, how they feel, and if the things they've achieved are really worth the effort.

So, lovely listeners, welcome to Successful. I hope you enjoy your stay.