Podcast Summary
A Journey of Resilience and Advocacy: Reshma Saujani's upbringing taught her the importance of standing up against injustice and using her voice to create lasting change.
Reshma Saujani's parents, as first-generation immigrants, prioritized survival and ensuring a better life for their children. They made sacrifices and faced challenges, leaving their entire family and building a new life in a foreign country. They wanted Reshma to have a secure career, aiming for upward mobility and financial stability. However, Reshma's strong sense of justice and determination to fight against discrimination and injustice shaped her path differently. She refused to be silent and stood up against bullying and racism, even at a young age. Reshma's upbringing taught her the value of resilience and the importance of using her voice to advocate for lasting change.
From Trauma to Triumph: Embracing Resilience and Personal Transformation: Painful experiences can lead to personal growth and resilience. Embrace your cultural heritage, tell your story, and use credentials to create opportunities for yourself and others in marginalized communities.
Resilience and personal transformation can stem from painful experiences. Reshma Saujani shares her story of being brutally attacked and the subsequent shift in her identity and mindset. She realizes that she can't change who she is and strives to embrace her cultural heritage and fight for herself and others like her. Despite the trauma, she acknowledges that these experiences have shaped her into the warrior and fighter she is today. She discusses the importance of telling her story, and how painful moments can be rewritten in a way that empowers and inspires. Additionally, she highlights the significance of credentials and how they can open doors for individuals, especially in marginalized communities.
Evolving Perspectives on the Value of a University Degree: A university degree is no longer the sole determinant of success; qualities like grit and work ethic are equally important. Financial considerations and personal passion are also crucial in choosing a career path.
The value of a university degree has evolved over time. While there was once a belief that obtaining a degree from a prestigious institution was crucial for future success and security, this perspective is changing. Reshma Saujani, for example, emphasizes the importance of qualities like grit, hustle, and work ethic when hiring individuals, rather than focusing solely on their educational background. However, Saujani acknowledges that attending such institutions provided her with valuable insights into power dynamics and taught her valuable lessons. On the other hand, Steven Bartlett highlights the financial burden associated with higher education, such as immense debt, which can limit career choices and hinder individuals from pursuing their passions. Ultimately, it is essential to consider multiple factors beyond just a degree to make meaningful contributions and thrive in one's chosen path.
Embracing Risk and Pursuing Passions: Taking the leap and pursuing our passions may involve facing fear and uncertainty, but it can lead to personal growth, happiness, and a sense of fulfillment.
Sometimes we need to hit rock bottom and face our fears in order to make a change and pursue our true passions. Reshma Saujani shares how she reached a point of anxiety, depression, and despair before finally deciding to make a change in her life. She reflects on how she felt stuck in a life that didn't align with her dreams and expectations. It was only after receiving encouragement from a friend and her father that she realized the biggest risk was not following her dreams. Reshma's journey taught her the importance of reframing risk and taking the leap towards happiness and fulfillment. She emphasizes that pursuing one's passions may require stepping into the unknown and facing opposition, but it can ultimately be a liberating and transformative experience.
Reshma Saujani's Journey: Overcoming Obstacles in Politics and Embracing Resilience: Reshma Saujani's story showcases the importance of representation, resilience, and empowerment in politics, emphasizing the need for diversity and support for marginalized communities.
Running for public office can be a challenging and daunting experience, especially for women and people of color. Reshma Saujani shares her personal journey and the obstacles she faced, including fundraising, building her brand, and facing criticism and personal attacks. She highlights the importance of controlling one's own narrative and not letting others define or caricature them. The conversation underscores the need for representation and diversity in politics and the media, as well as the importance of empowering and supporting young women and marginalized communities to participate in politics. Despite facing setbacks and losing her race, Saujani's story has paved the way for future trailblazers, demonstrating the power of resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
Turning Failure into Empowerment: Failure can fuel personal growth and inspire resilience, as demonstrated by Reshma Saujani's ability to learn from mistakes, overcome setbacks, and create a meaningful impact through Girls Who Code.
Failure can be a catalyst for growth and resilience. Reshma Saujani faced a devastating defeat in her campaign, but instead of letting it break her, she used it as motivation to prove herself. She learned from her mistakes and took the time to reflect on what went wrong. Reshma didn't let failure define her, but rather used it as a stepping stone towards her next endeavor. She channeled her passion for making a difference and identified a problem that resonated with her – the lack of representation for girls and women in coding. Through her determination and hard work, she founded Girls Who Code, combining her political aspirations with her mission to empower young girls. Reshma's story showcases the importance of resilience and tenacity in the face of failure.
Embracing Failure and Transforming Setbacks into Opportunities for Growth and Empowerment.: Failure can be a catalyst for personal growth and transformation, as exemplified by Reshma Saujani's journey from a political defeat to empowering young girls through technology and changing societal perceptions of coding.
Failure can lead to valuable learning experiences and personal growth. Reshma Saujani shares her experience of losing a political race, which ultimately led her to focus on teaching girls how to code. Despite not achieving her initial goal, she found purpose and fulfillment in empowering young girls through technology. Through her organization, Girls Who Code, she has reached millions of girls worldwide and changed the perception of coding as a male-dominated field. Reshma's journey teaches us the importance of resilience, adaptability, and embracing one's true passion. It highlights the power of turning setbacks into opportunities for personal and societal transformation.
Building Girls Who Code: Diversity, Sisterhood, and Empathy Transforming Young Girls' Experience in Tech: Reshma Saujani emphasizes the importance of dedicated individuals, feedback, and surrounding oneself with people smarter than you to build a successful organization.
Reshma Saujani's organization, Girls Who Code, was able to create a transformative experience for young girls by promoting diversity, sisterhood, and empathy. Through the establishment of clubs across the country and even internationally, the organization successfully changed the narrative and made coding cool. However, building such a large-scale organization came with its own challenges. Reshma faced difficulties due to her intense work ethic and high expectations. While not everyone shared the same level of passion and intensity, she emphasized the importance of having a team of dedicated individuals. Additionally, Reshma acknowledged the value of feedback and surrounding herself with people who were smarter than her.
The Impact of Praise, Criticism, and Setting Boundaries on Self-Perception and Well-being: Finding balance between external validation and personal fulfillment is crucial for maintaining mental and physical health, and prioritizing self-care is essential in the pursuit of professional success.
The balance between receiving praise and criticism can greatly impact one's self-perception and emotional well-being. Both Steven Bartlett and Reshma Saujani express their experiences of feeling underappreciated despite their achievements and success. Reshma even shares her struggle with prioritizing personal matters while dedicating herself to the organization she built. This highlights the importance of setting boundaries and recognizing the toll that constant giving and sacrifice can take on one's mental and physical health. It serves as a reminder that external validation should not solely define one's worth, and that self-care and personal fulfillment should not be neglected in the pursuit of professional success.
Prioritizing Mental and Physical Health: Recognizing Signs and Taking Breaks: It is important to prioritize personal health by recognizing signs early on and taking breaks when needed, rather than waiting for a breaking point. True strength and leadership involve empathy, vulnerability, and addressing systemic change.
Prioritizing personal mental and physical health is essential, rather than waiting for a rock bottom moment to make a change. Reshma Saujani emphasizes the importance of recognizing the signs early on and taking breaks when necessary. Living in a constant cycle of pushing oneself to the limit and crashing is not a sustainable or healthy way to live. Society often glorifies an "always busy" mindset, but true strength and leadership involve empathy, vulnerability, and allowing oneself to show emotions. Reshma Saujani's book, "Brave, Not Perfect," acknowledges the previous focus on fixing women rather than challenging the underlying structures and systems that hold them back. Her new book, "Pay Up: The Future of Women and Work," aims to shift the narrative and address the need for systemic change.
The impact of the pandemic on women's workforce participation and the need for systemic change.: Women, especially mothers and mothers of color, have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, and addressing the obstacles they face requires a comprehensive plan for systemic change.
The pandemic has disproportionately affected women and forced them to make difficult choices between their careers and caregiving responsibilities. Reshma Saujani highlights the impact of school closures and the lack of supportive policies on women's ability to remain in the workforce. She emphasizes the need for a comprehensive plan, similar to a Marshall plan, to support mothers and address the systemic barriers they face. The conversation also sheds light on the controversial nature of motherhood, with societal expectations and limited structural support affecting women's choices and opportunities. Reshma Saujani calls for a shift in focus from individual empowerment to systemic change in order to achieve true gender equality. This highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing the obstacles faced by women, especially mothers and mothers of color, in accessing opportunities and balancing work and family responsibilities.
The Mental Health Crisis Among Working Women: The Pressure to Do It All: Working mothers are facing immense pressure to excel in both their careers and parenting, leading to high levels of anxiety and depression. Society needs to recognize and support their mental health struggles and prioritize self-care.
Modern parenting and societal expectations are leading to a mental health crisis among working women. Reshma Saujani highlights the intense pressure placed on parents to constantly engage in activities and classes with their children, while also excelling in their careers. This constant hustle culture and neglect of self-care have led to high levels of anxiety and depression among working mothers. There is a need for society to recognize and support the mental health struggles of mothers, allowing them the time and space to prioritize their own well-being. Reshma suggests that taking breaks, engaging in activities for personal enjoyment, and setting boundaries are essential to maintaining mental well-being. It is important for working women to prioritize self-care and not feel guilty about it.
Embracing Authenticity and Empowering Others for Lasting Impact: Reshma Saujani emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries, saying no to opportunities that don't align with our values, and empowering others to create meaningful change in the workplace.
Reshma Saujani has realized the importance of not constantly chasing recognition, accolades, and external validation. As an immigrant, she used to believe that she needed credentials and degrees to feel validated. However, she now understands that constantly wanting things can lead to disappointment and distract from what truly matters. Reshma has learned to set boundaries and say no to opportunities that don't align with her values or have a significant impact. She also believes in empowering others, especially those who are starting out, as she knows the value of someone taking a chance on her. Reshma's focus is on making a structural change in workplaces to benefit women and mothers, and she prioritizes decisions that further this goal.
Redefining Workplace Policies for Working Mothers: It is crucial to establish boundaries, implement subsidized childcare, and bring about structural changes through government policies to empower and protect the interests of working mothers.
There is a need to create boundaries and shift workplace policies to address the challenges faced by working women, particularly in relation to childcare. Reshma Saujani highlights the importance of setting boundaries to avoid being burdened with unpaid labor and emphasizes the need for companies to subsidize childcare expenses, considering it as an economic issue. She calls for a shift in the perception of motherhood and encourages women to parent out loud, without hiding their children or apologizing for their presence in the workplace. Additionally, advocating for structural change through government policies is crucial to achieve lasting improvements in areas such as paid leave and affordable childcare. Ultimately, the conversation emphasizes the importance of empowering and protecting the interests of working mothers.
Creating a World of Equality and Empowerment: Reject self-doubt and empower oneself to lead and achieve greatness by challenging societal norms and embracing true equality for all.
True equality is the ultimate measure of success. It means creating a world where little girls can aspire to become anything they desire, whether it's being a president, a scientist, a stay-at-home mom, or launching a successful company. The key is to break free from the societal narrative that tells women and marginalized groups that they are not good enough, smart enough, or deserving of success. It is about challenging the notion of imposter syndrome and recognizing that individuals have earned their place and deserve to be seen and heard in powerful rooms. The key takeaway is to reject the narrative that perpetuates self-doubt and instead empower oneself to lead and achieve greatness.
The Power of Inspiring and Empowering Others for Positive Change: Inspiring and empowering others through representation, diversity, and support can create opportunities for marginalized communities and shape a more equitable society for all.
Inspiring and empowering others can create a ripple effect of positive change. Reshma Saujani's work with girls in coding has not only impacted the lives of half a million girls but has also inspired Steven Bartlett to make changes in his own organization and consider how he can address systemic challenges. The conversation highlights the importance of representation and diversity in leadership positions, as well as the need for individuals to understand and support initiatives that aim to create opportunities for marginalized communities. Additionally, it emphasizes the power of parenting and role models in shaping the aspirations and values of children. By championing causes and leading by example, individuals can motivate others to pursue their passions and contribute to a more equitable society.
