Where We Going? Tough To Say.

Most of us enter the workforce ready to conquer the world, but when we encounter inevitable adversity, we get a dose of reality that, in some cases, can be discouraging. Not all of us know how to be useful right off the bat. Furthermore, not all of us know what we even want to do with our lives! I’ve felt this sensation in my early career, and I started looking around if people felt the same thing.

TBH, nearly all of my friends and people in my network express that they have (or are currently) felt some level of unease. Trouble connecting with a boss, unrealistic expectations, uncertainty of the job market with the effect of COVID — the list goes on. Life is tough. So I searched high and low for a medium, social media page, community, or anything that could provide insight on how others are handling their successes and failures. I was shocked not to find anything, and this lack of relevant content regarding the stories of those who are considered “emerging talent” got my gears turning.

Whenever I learn something new, I want to share it with someone who can benefit from my mistakes or achievements. Without a channel that empowers young people to share their stories or a community that offers insight catered explicitly to our demographic, I decided to create one for us. Leaning heavily on my good friend, Barry McDonnell, we launched “Tough To Say,” a podcast developed for young professionals and college students, authored by a young professional and a college student. We figured since we already talk every day, why not set time each week to record our conversations in hopes that we can positively influence at least one person?

Barry (left) and Graham (right) chopping it up before the launch of Tough To Say. (creds: Blake Robinson)

What did we hope to accomplish? Honestly, we had zero expectations and no plan. For our inaugural episode, on a muggy August evening, we sat in my apartment using cheap microphones and set sail. After playing around with the edit, we released our first episode and went back to our day jobs — mine working remotely for TBWA, and Barry working towards his masters in real estate development. About an hour after releasing, our phones started blowing up, and they haven’t stopped since.

Much to our surprise, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Our words have inspired people to reach out and carry through conversations about life. We decided to begin interviewing our friends and encourage them to share their stories, and the sense of validation is palpable. Barry and I both felt the momentum, so we’re going forth with this creative venture.

For those of you who are just starting in their career, finishing up school, or wondering what your next step is, I encourage you to tune in to “Tough To Say.” We’re certainly not experts, but we’ve learned a thing or two along the way, and those that we have interviewed share their perspective to balance us out. If you have a story of where you came from, where you are now, or where you’re going, and you’re looking for a platform to share, by all means, hit Barry or me up! We’re always looking for fresh ideas to provide our listeners.

Starting something new can be daunting, but with the right mentality, you can do anything. It doesn’t matter how old you are or how much experience you have, trust your intuition, and make it happen. “Tough To Say” is the first time I’ve let my creative side genuinely flourish. I’m curious what you think because this is just the tip of the iceberg.

This article was originally published on Medium.