When I exercise, I listen to a Peloton class, EDM, pop, classic rock, musicals, rap, hip-hop, essentially my headphones blast music, often accompanied by an instructor. An august day, wrapping up an unpredictable quarantined summer, I was on a dusty, hilly run on the backroads near my house. Ever since I discovered the NPR podcast “How I Built This” a couple of years back, I have loved listing to Guy Raz interview “innovators, entrepreneurs, idealists, and the stories behind the movements they built”. It’s a feel-good Podcast that nudges me to ponder my passions. So, on this particular endurance run, I decided to dive into the tale of Michael Kirban, founder of one of the world’s leading coconut water companies, Vita Coco. In all honesty, I would drink the product, but it’s certainly not my preferred source of hydration. Usually, when I listen to Raz’s shows, I choose episodes that chronicle the creation of companies I routinely use, but on this day, some existential source guided my finger to press play on Kirban’s story.
Counting down each mile marker, I was desperate for Raz to offer me some form of entertainment. Kirban is not a particularly impressive or engaging man. Sometimes people like, Bill Gates and Joe Gebbia, tell their histories and as an audience member, I am in awe that people in my same species are so remarkable. About halfway through the show, Kirban mentioned that he did not attend college; classic, I thought, another guy in the 1% who skipped out on the whole university ordeal. Now, I want a college degree and believe education to be invaluable, but hearing Kirban flaunt how his lack of credentials led him to a rare degree of success picked up my pace. Without hitting pause, I tuned out of listening and into my internal dialogue. I have to graduate early. I’ve absorbed the information for years and it’s time to apply it. There is no other option, I’m doing this.
I have no intention of following the same professional trajectory as Kirban. That being said, the way he casually stumbled into success fueled my ambition. I have been gifted the tools and preparation to launch my future… why would I wait any longer to experiment with my potential and let those gambling with luck surpass me?
Pleading my case to the advisory office to take 24 units, after having transferred my sophomore year and been displaced to Zoom after only a semester on campus, was harder than the actual caseload. At first, it was absolutely not. Then, they gave me faith and strongly recommended against my request. Finally, right before the start of the semester, they resentfully and resistantly approved my begging! Originally I was to take 24 units in the fall, 20 in the spring, and 2 over the summer, but my grades spoke for themselves during that first trial, and now, I am taking 28 units to graduate in April. 7 classes because if Kirban could manage, I could thrive.
This is not meant to be self-praise, I do not think of myself that highly. This is rather a commentary on the profound impact of How I Built This. It is paradoxical that I established this destiny by way of Kirban’s uninspiring anecdote. Normally the people on the show are so qualified that I am too fascinated and engrossed in their accomplishments to even consider how these lessons could apply to my own life. Instead of assuming that Kriban’s level of accomplishment was out of reach, his mediocrity ignited my ego and kickstarted a journey for me that has shifted the course of my life.
New York Times journalist, Nellie Bowles explores the persona of the host, Guy Raz, and the expansive impact of his work. Bowles reviews how HIBT resonates with people of all ages and all interests; “Several of Raz’s fans tell me they consider the show basically an M.B.A. courses. His founder interviews function as case studies. Listeners get inspired. Many say the show makes them feel less lonely. Others say they cue up an episode when their business is a mess and they need a kick of enthusiasm” (How Guy Raz Built ‘How I Built This’, Bowles). Raz’s audience wants to finish the show and feel that exhilarating sense of hope and drive. I felt that motivation, even though the means of getting there may have undermined the purpose of the show.
I appreciate that Bowles looked into the man who gives us access to these phenomenons; she realizes that Raz must instill comfort and trust into his guests which allows them to ‘surrender’. Raz deserves extreme praise for getting to the core of success and facilitating change in his listener’s lives. All parties involved in that HIBT process arrive at a place of reflection and, in my situation, a willingness to bet on myself. Maybe it was the endorphins or the Vitamin D from the sun, but maybe it really was Guy Raz’s brainchild podcast that pushed me to be vulnerable and test my limits.
Bowles, Nellie. “How Guy Raz Built 'How I Built This'.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 23 Nov. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/11/23/business/guy-raz-how-i-built-this.html.
Ray, Guy. ‘’How I Built This.” NPR.
Tatum, such an inspiring post! During this weird time of Zoom school and getting used to the COVID lifestyle, I have felt very conflicted about taking the semester off and using that time to work and get real experience. I think it is so great that you are taking the leap of faith that so many of us want to do but are afraid to do it. I know how driven and motivated you are, and I cannot wait to see what you will do in the future. I also listen to the podcast, How I Built This, and most of the people on the podcast didn’t wait for an opportunity to arise, but they made their own and manifested…
Tatum, I think you have a super interesting insight here. The COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed ho wi view my college experience as well, and I find myself questioning whether or not I should be paying so much money to go to Zoom USC, when the original experience was characterized by my amazing opportunities in class and personal interactions with teachers and guest speakers. That being said, I think you are brave for graduating early and I am eager to see how this impacts your future.