The speaker recounts their journey from a teenager aspiring to become a filmmaker in Vancouver, British Columbia, to their current experiences in various jobs, including managerial and entrepreneurial roles. They discuss the concept of "learned helplessness," a psychological phenomenon where individuals accept their inability to change certain situations, and how it can be overcome.
The speaker shares their personal experiences of being rejected from acting and film schools, emphasizing the need for personal effort and determination in achieving one's career goals. They also quote a quote from Nelson Mandela, "Things look a lot more impossible than they are," and encourage listeners to err on the side of thinking they can change more than they can.
The speaker recommends the book "Predictably Irrational" by Dan O'Reilly, which explores how humans often behave irrationally despite thinking they are acting rationally. They also mention Audible, an audiobook website, and encourage listeners to check it out for a one-month free trial.
1. The speaker grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia.
2. They aspired to be a filmmaker as a teenager.
3. They found a film director with a strange name who lived in Vancouver.
4. They saw her on the cover of a magazine and looked up her number in the phone book.
5. They called her in 2000 and she called them back.
6. They chatted about filmmaking and wanted to get on set to gain experience in the industry.
7. They struggled to figure out how to break into the industry from the outside.
8. They mentioned a psychological phenomenon known as learned helplessness.
9. They described experiments conducted on dogs and adults to establish this phenomenon.
10. They worked at many jobs, some menial, some managerial or entrepreneurial.
11. They found a divide between employees and managers.
12. They shared a story about Tim Ferriss's challenge to get in contact with Jennifer Lopez, Bill Clinton, and JD Salinger.
13. They questioned whether the school system promotes learned helplessness.
14. They discussed how to overcome learned helplessness.
15. They applied to acting school and film school three times each and were rejected both times.
16. They believe there are many careers where you have to figure out a way to do it yourself.
17. They shared a quote from Nelson Mandela: "Things look a lot more impossible than they are and really it's up to you to find out."
18. They recommend the book "Predictably Irrational" by Dan O'Reilly.
19. They listen to audiobooks when traveling.
20. They thanked Audible for supporting them and encouraged viewers to check out Audible.