As much as I’d want to work on The Struggle is Real full-time, I do have a day job.

I could gripe about my 9-5 but I actually really enjoy my job at MMA. I like who I work with, who I work for, and what I work on. It also creates really cool opportunities like the one you’re going to hear today.

A colleague who leads an internal learning and development initiative called MMATalks asked if I wanted to present at their monthly webinar series. MMATalks sits at the crossroads of personal development, professional skills, and DE&I awareness.

Of course, I was in, and at first, I figured I’d cover a professional skill like networking or email management but instead, I decided to merge my two lives together and do what I do best, host a conversation.

I asked two former podcast guests to join me, Ahmad Jabbir (E61) and Nate Dukes (E41). I was grateful they said yes. Our goal for this talk was to illustrate Ahmad and Nate’s life experiences that lead to judgment from others (and themselves) and how they built back confidence.

You’ll hear about how childhood teasing led to Ahmad’s struggle with confidence, how Nate found himself in a Tennessee jail after a string of bad decisions, and how they both overcame external judgment and turned their lives around.

Show Notes:

[5:55] Why Ahmad wanted to meet 100 strangers

[9:49] Saying yes

[15:21] From successful business owner to handcuffed in the back of a cop car

[25:02] Breaking the thought that he was stupid by reading 100 books 

[28:03] Two types of people you need in your life

[31:56] Strangers are kinder than I thought

[37:35] Walgreens encounter

[41:12] How you don’t let external judgment affect you

[44:06] Why it isn’t worth revisiting your haters

Mentions:

Listen to Ahmad Jabbir on The Struggle is Real:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6b70qMksxQucIforKcPu7R
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tedx-speaker-on-betting-on-yourself-seeking-discomfort/id1496701179?i=1000558592368

Listen to Nate Dukes on The Struggle is Real:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2F1MOGXYJb3svZyW8uX3qT
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/former-inmate-on-believing-in-yourself-creating-your/id1496701179?i=1000532168048

Ahmad Jabbir’s TedTalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHw30Rdplaw&t=366s

More of Ahmad:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmadjabbir/

More of Nate:

www.YoullNeverChange.com

More of TSIR:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/