4 decisions that changed the course of my life
08/16/23 • 29 min
In this solo episode, I reflect on the "sliding doors” moments that shaped the course of my life. From last-minute university decisions, to an offhand comment from a dissertation tutor, I unpack how these choices led me down a career path I hadn’t considered. Fast forward to a lucrative job offer, which promised financial success and growth within a startup. Despite the allure, I listened to my gut and declined, opting to focus on my freelancing and passion project, The Broke Generation.
It’s easy to get caught up in thinking about how different my life could be if I had made different decisions along the way, but it’s also crucial to look back and celebrate the moments that led to the career I have now. So... what’s your “sliding door” moment? Let me know over on my Instagram, and we can continue our conversation over there!
Episode highlights:
- How my last-minute decision to attend a local university led to living with unexpected housemates, including my future husband's best friend.
- A comment from my tutor about my writing talent gave me the confidence to explore copywriting as a career path.
- Rejecting a high-paying job offer to focus on my freelancing and my passion project, The Broke Generation, kickstarted my journey as a successful entrepreneur.
- Embarking on the podcast venture created new friendships, connections, and a platform that significantly shaped my life and career.
I didn't know I was good at writing. I always knew I liked writing and I knew that I always wanted extra paper in exams because I had so much to say. But if [my tutor] hadn't said that [I was a good writer], I never would have entertained the idea of writing being a career for me.Emma [16:43]
I saw myself wanting to work for myself, and I saw something in The Broke Generation.Emma [22:32]
Where to find The Broke Generation
Website: https://thebrokegeneration.com/?v=518f4a738816
Instagram: https://instagram.com/the.brokegeneration
TikTok: @the.brokegeneration
Interested in other choices I made that led to The Broke Generation? Check out my other podcast, Broke Business: https://thebrokegeneration.com/broke-business-podcast/
Sign up to The Glue: the weekly money psychology and mindset newsletter www.thebrokegeneration.com/subscribe, where you’ll also get your free Financial Values workbook.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this solo episode, I reflect on the "sliding doors” moments that shaped the course of my life. From last-minute university decisions, to an offhand comment from a dissertation tutor, I unpack how these choices led me down a career path I hadn’t considered. Fast forward to a lucrative job offer, which promised financial success and growth within a startup. Despite the allure, I listened to my gut and declined, opting to focus on my freelancing and passion project, The Broke Generation.
It’s easy to get caught up in thinking about how different my life could be if I had made different decisions along the way, but it’s also crucial to look back and celebrate the moments that led to the career I have now. So... what’s your “sliding door” moment? Let me know over on my Instagram, and we can continue our conversation over there!
Episode highlights:
- How my last-minute decision to attend a local university led to living with unexpected housemates, including my future husband's best friend.
- A comment from my tutor about my writing talent gave me the confidence to explore copywriting as a career path.
- Rejecting a high-paying job offer to focus on my freelancing and my passion project, The Broke Generation, kickstarted my journey as a successful entrepreneur.
- Embarking on the podcast venture created new friendships, connections, and a platform that significantly shaped my life and career.
I didn't know I was good at writing. I always knew I liked writing and I knew that I always wanted extra paper in exams because I had so much to say. But if [my tutor] hadn't said that [I was a good writer], I never would have entertained the idea of writing being a career for me.Emma [16:43]
I saw myself wanting to work for myself, and I saw something in The Broke Generation.Emma [22:32]
Where to find The Broke Generation
Website: https://thebrokegeneration.com/?v=518f4a738816
Instagram: https://instagram.com/the.brokegeneration
TikTok: @the.brokegeneration
Interested in other choices I made that led to The Broke Generation? Check out my other podcast, Broke Business: https://thebrokegeneration.com/broke-business-podcast/
Sign up to The Glue: the weekly money psychology and mindset newsletter www.thebrokegeneration.com/subscribe, where you’ll also get your free Financial Values workbook.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Previous Episode
How to sell yourself to an employer, with Tanaz Byramji
How to sell yourself an employer, with Tanaz Byramji
Get ready for an info-packed chat with career expert Tanaz Byramji! In this episode, Tanaz dishes out advice all about one of the scarier parts of being an adult - job hunting! We’re discussing how to take a purpose-driven approach to job hunting and application strategies that can help you land your next job!
Tanaz will show you how to boost your application game, and improve your chances of nailing that next interview. From crafting effective resumes and eye-catching cover letters, Tanaz explains how you can tailor each application, utilise storytelling techniques, and showcase the unique value you can bring to a role.
Learn how to develop the confidence to apply for roles, even when you don’t meet 100% of the criteria, and also how to spot when that dream job might not actually be what you want.
Episode Highlights:
- Understanding your value proposition, identify your skills, experience, and knowledge and demonstrate how they align with the job requirements.
- Continuously working on your career and developing your skills, by staying open to learning, and seeking opportunities for growth, you can proactively shape your career path.
- Tailoring resumes and cover letters for each opportunity. By addressing specific requirements and demonstrating alignment with the employer's needs, you can stand out from the competition!
“What’s come out of [the pandemic] is an increased awareness and appreciation, first and foremost of work life balance and flexibility.”
Tanaz [16:21]
“The idea of considering yourself an asset that you need to sell is really confronting. But what is essential to understand is that in the world of work and employment, employees are a product or service, whereas employers are the consumer of that product or service.”
Tanaz [24:36]
“I've been in businesses where the culture hasn't been a good fit, and I think sometimes that can happen if you just kind of zoom through the hiring process... sometimes it can end up being a bad fit”Emma [33:20]
Where to find Tanaz ByramjiLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanazb
Successful Resumes Australia: https://www.successfulresume.com.au/tanaz-byramji/
Where to find The Broke Generation
Website: https://thebrokegeneration.com/?v=518f4a738816
Instagram: https://instagram.com/the.brokegeneration
TikTok: @the.brokegeneration
Sign up to The Glue: the weekly money psychology and mindset newsletter www.thebrokegeneration.com/subscribe, where you’ll also get your free Financial Values workbook.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Next Episode
Using critical thinking to make better decisions, with Annie McCubbin
In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with corporate development and communication consultant Annie McCubbin. Annie’s work centres on exploring the intersections of critical thinking, and decision-making, and their role in protecting our lives from unnecessary conflict and self-sabotage.
Annie sheds light on the fascinating ways our minds work and how narratives can often outweigh facts. We delve into topics like confirmation bias, illusion of transparency, and spotlight effect—common pitfalls in decision-making. The episode also addresses why even seemingly 'smart women' fall for wellness trends and MLMs (multi-level marketing schemes).
This conversation was an eye-opening journey into understanding the complexities of human thought processes and the importance of critical thinking in our (mis)information-rich and marketing-driven world.
Annie has also written two fantastic books; "Why Smart Women Make Bad Decisions" and "Why Smart Women Buy the Lies." You can find links on where to buy them below.
Episode highlights:
- The importance of critical thinking and the need to question our own thought processes, so we can be aware of biases.
- Brush up on some psychological lingo, like the spotlight effect and illusion of transparency. These concepts highlight how people tend to overestimate how much others notice or care about their behaviour or emotions.
- How external factors shape opportunities, and the importance of not only acknowledging privilege, but also plain ol’ luck!
We make most of our decisions in the limbic system part of our brains, and then we post rationalise them. So intelligence and high intelligence is absolutely no protection against being vulnerable to being lied to, scammed, tricked, duped any of it.Annie [08:11]
The reason I put women in the title [of my books] is that I think that women are very much given the message that their intuition is king or queen and that whatever they're intuitively feeling must be right, because somehow it's some repository of deep spiritual truth. And I categorically disagree with that.Annie [08:35]
Narratives have much more impact on the brain than facts. We grow up with stories. It's how we calibrate the world. How we understand things is through stories.Annie [15:37]
Where to find Annie McCubbin
Website: https://anniemccubbin.com/
Buy Annie’s book through her website for a signed copy: https://coup.college/product/why-smart-women-make-bad-decisions/ & https://coup.college/product/why-smart-women-buy-the-lies/
Where to find The Broke Generation
Website: https://thebrokegeneration.com/?v=518f4a738816
Instagram: https://instagram.com/the.brokegeneration
TikTok: @the.brokegeneration
Sign up to The Glue: the weekly money psychology and mindset newsletter www.thebrokegeneration.com/subscribe, where you’ll also get your free Financial Values workbook.
Beyond the Self, by Africa Brooke is a podcast mentioned during the show: https://africabrooke.com/podcast
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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