From Shy to Confident: Rajesh Ahuja’s 21-Day Video Challenge Journey

It was like identifying your own personality, finding your own brand. I was going deep into that thinking, self-reflection zone, that it is so easy to talk about company's brand and how difficult it is to know your own brand. When you want to love someone else, first you should have self-love. In case something is missed out, I'm completing that next day. So this, uh, 21 days video challenge is not to just win that video challenge, but it is to win your every day. And it is the most powerful skill which we all need to develop, whether we want to grow in business, we want to grow in our job. I was not able to share my ideas clearly. I was not getting words, or like, I was forgetting about my story, what I have to say, how I have to say it, and what, what is the message I want to share. But after coming into this community, Hello everyone, welcome back.

Welcome with another amazing interview. I hope you are enjoying the series where I particularly interview those members of Confidence Storytelling Hub who have persevered, who have completed the 21-day video confidence challenge. And through this journey, we find out what different aha moments they have, what different impact they have been able to create. So in that journey, I'm very, very happy to have my next interviewee, who's none other than Mrs. Rajesh Ahuja. To tell you about that, she is probably a veteran in our community. She has been there for long. So let's welcome Rajesh ji. So welcome Rajesh ji. So excited for this interview. So tell the audience a little bit about yourself.

Thank you so much, Haritosh Srivastav. And yes, I'm also excited to— for this interview. Like, I really wanted to share my experience during that challenge. So I am Rajesh Shahucha. I have around 20 years of experience in customer service with technical and non-technical domains. I'm born in Himachal Pradesh and brought up at Delhi. I always wanted to create difference in my life as well as others' life. However, I was stuck in this 9-to-5, you know, rat race. I didn't have any idea what to do, how to do. And, uh, yes, in 2020, during our lockdown, I got an opportunity to know how I can create difference in first my life and then people's life. So that's how I started my journey, and I'm here And now I'm here with you, Haritosh Srivastav, like sharing my experience how I could complete my 21 days video challenge. It was really exciting journey.

How long have you been associated with our Confidence Storytelling Hub?

Yes, seriously, it is quite— and now I'm realizing like I have completed around 22 months in this company.

Wow, that's amazing! 22 months. So yeah, maybe in 2 months you'll be celebrating 2nd anniversary, right?

And my journey has been so amazing here. I learned so many things and I really enjoyed your mentorship and like, you know, knowledge with community.

Absolutely. Thank you so much for that. So now let's come to the one that we want to talk about, which is the Video Confidence Challenge. You were one of the participants, you created 21 videos, and I think you were among probably top 2 or top 3 at the final results. So tell us about your experience. What was your experience like in being part of this particular challenge?

Yes, definitely. See, when it comes challenge, and if you have a learning attitude, you have a winning attitude, you always love to take challenges. So same with me, I really wanted to be part of challenges because challenges is not to win. It is something first you understand your own hidden talent. You come out of your comfort zone. That is the most important thing. And yes, you see your new version once you complete that challenge. So yeah, this journey during 21 Days Video Challenge was really amazing. It, it was not only like what exactly you can do, how far you can go. It was a journey of learning from community members, looking at their talent, talents, and like witnessing their journey, how they are improving in this journey. So that was really amazing. And the kind of challenges you were providing, awesome, Haritosh Srivastav. I really loved your creativity and the kind of challenges you were bringing up. It was mind-blowing.

Thank you so much. I really, really appreciate that. But I'm also very much interested in knowing the other side of the coins, right? Of course, we love the thrill, excitement of the challenge, but there also sometimes we have, uh, issues, we have challenges when we participate in such an activity. So I want to know what were your top 1 or 2, uh, challenges or issues you faced during this challenge. And how did you overcome that?

Yes, it is really difficult to be consistent for us. Like, to be consistent, like maintaining that consistency is really a big challenge. We have our own, you know, day-to-day schedule and life. We are always stuck with some of the professional or personal life. So I do remember that in the beginning I was really going great. I was on time with all the challenges. All of a sudden I got stuck in some things with my community work, and some personal task was also there. So I saw that I'm lagging behind for 6-7 videos. I was at one point in time, I was thinking that no, I cannot complete it. But because I started that challenge, I was enjoying it when I was looking at other community members' videos, the way they were sharing their ideas, and I was loving, loving the comments by other members. So I was missing, no, I can't, you know, I can't stop myself here. I have to be a winner. I am a winner, you know. So that was the spirit. And I do remember that I, I was waking up in the midnight, 2 o'clock to complete this challenge. And in single day, I completed around 5 to 6 videos challenges. So that was, I really felt a sense of satisfaction that yes, I could do it. Like, I'm really, it's not that I'm saying I'm a winner, but I'm really a winner. I was not waiting for the results, but it was that feeling in myself that yes, I'm a winner. If I'm accepting a challenge, I know how to complete it.

Amazing. I mean, I love your attitude, and I do remember there were a lot of things going on for you in your personal life. But yeah, one day I saw that boom boom boom, all videos are coming, and then I was so happy to see you back in action. Because it's not only this challenge, I've seen you in previous challenges and you were one of the very first finishers. We had done previous interviews as well where you have competed. So I was, I was like, okay, why is she not doing? And you had valid reasons, but it's the WIT attitude, which means whatever it takes. So you showed that attitude that yes, I will do that no matter what. And I think one more thing I really appreciate that is it's not about competition with anyone else, it's about I have taken up this challenge, I want to complete, and, and you did it. So once again, congratulations.

Thank you so much, Haritosh Srivastav. But yes, I do understand that it is not only because of me. It is always the kind of learnings we have got from you in the masterminds and the community's message that they are so encouraging, right? Though it is a competition, but it is a healthy competition wherein it is not that I have to win. It is like we all have to win. So I remember people, we were just, you know, motivating others, boosting others. No, don't worry, you can do it. You're really going great. 'Come on!' And so many people, they started like after 6, 7 days of challenges. So it was like they really got motivated from the community. So what I feel that, uh, Confident Storytelling is, is really a great community. It's not like we are learning from, uh, our mentor, but yes, all community members, they are really so motivating, inspiring, and We really feel that all should move further, all should go ahead in life.

They support you, sometimes they challenge you, sometimes they give you the feedback that you need to hear. But this is what the power is. So tell us about your main aha or breakthrough moment out of this journey.

Ah, yes. So though all, like, all the challenges were really amazing initially, like it was simple challenges. It was not like taking us to think so much and prepare too much. But on in the later second or third stage, the challenges was wherein we were going deep into us. It was like identifying your own personality, finding your own brand. So when it was that, I do remember that two videos, one was the gratitude one and the second was the the branding, self-branding. So that was the moment when I was just on, you know, I was going deep into that thinking, self-reflection zone, that it is so easy to talk about company's brand and how difficult it is to know your own brand. And this is like, the thing is, when you want to love someone else, first you should have self-love. So when you are talking about others' brand why don't we focus on our own brand first? So that was really a moment. Oh yes, what exactly we are doing, where we are going, why we are not actually, you know, focused or like, like working on for our own brand. So that was a moment. And the second moment was when we, you asked to the people who shared, you know, who has some created difference in your own life, that gratitude. So that was really amazing. Like, in our day-to-day life, though you learn so many things from others, you get valuable inputs from others, but we hardly spare time to share our gratitude. So when in such a platform we share our gratitude, so I— you feel so amazing about it. And I think that is a real, uh, gratitude for them.

Absolutely. 100% agree. And yeah, back to your first point, personal branding. I think a lot of professional and entrepreneurs and coaches don't realize that we are living in an era where we need to have our own personal brand because your company is driven by your personal brand. It's not the other way around. So of course you can associate with companies and communities, but at the end it's your own personal brand that reflects, and that's what people connect with. So that's why it's very, very important to uphold that. And first of all, identify and then uphold that. And yes, gratitude is one skill that we all need to develop. And the more we develop, the more we realize that we need to be more grateful of. So thank you for highlighting that. So I want to know the aftermath now, now that you have completed the challenge, you came through certain problems, and you also got your aha moment. But what's after that, right? Of course you want to get some effect after that. So what has been the impact of completing this challenge for you?

Yes, Haritosh Srivastav, this is really amazing question, reasoning, and I love to share this answer for this question. After completing this challenge, I had self-reflection that why we have been waiting for a challenge. It is like We always think of doing so many things, but just thinking is not sufficient to fulfill it. It's not only that you determine, yes, I'll do it, but the most important thing is action. When I was lagging behind for 5 or 6 videos and I could complete that in, in a single day, after that I realized, if you know it is a deadline So whatsoever, you have to finish it, yeah, right? Whether you walk, you run, you crawl, whatever it is, but you somehow, you have to finish it. And you put your, you know, 1000% efforts to win that race. If that can be the case, why can't we challenge ourselves every day? So what I, um, what I have observed, like I was, uh, earlier I used to procrastinate things. All right, maybe I'll do it later, it is not so important. Uh, okay, let's complete it tomorrow or day after tomorrow, like this. But now I'm more focused, I'm now action-driven. I have my weekly plans and I make sure that I complete them. In case something is missed out, I'm completing that next day. So this 21 Days Video Challenge is not to just win that video challenge, but it is to win your everyday.

Win your everyday. Awesome. Thank you so much for sharing that. Now let's last couple of questions. So first one is, what's your message for anyone? Lot of people don't recognize the value of building self-confidence or learning about storytelling, public speaking. So what's your message for anyone who want to first of all know more about and then go on this journey of building confidence and learning storytelling, etc.?

Yes, I feel that people, they should definitely learn and they should realize that learning is a lifelong journey. Yes, I have observed like most of us, they don't even focus on learning things after once we, you know, come out of college or we start working. So we are just focused on our technical skills, but we don't know what are— what all overall— what are the skills which really can take us forward. Communication is one of them, and it is the most powerful skill which we all need to develop, whether we want to grow in business, we want to grow in our job. And in fact, in real life, if you really— you want to build, you know, great connections, great relationship in your life, it is important to be strong in communication, right? So, and storytelling is one of the simplest, easiest, and the most effective way to become great communicator. So what I wanted to share my message with others, don't stop your learning. Just, you need to observe yourself and always try to become a great communicator. That is really important, whether you are technical, non-technical, whatever you are into, job or into business. But be good at communication is really, you know, it is vital for all of us. So yes, focus on, like, work on your communication skill. And storytelling is a great way you can engage people easily. You can share your ideas thoughts with them in an engaging way.

Thank you so much. Amazing explanation. You very well covered it, that the most easiest, and I think we are, we are actually hardwired to listen to stories. So whenever we tell stories, other, whether they want it or not, they get sucked into it. So that's where storytelling becomes so powerful. So now my last and final question to you is, you've been part of Confidence Storytelling Hub for let's say almost 2 years now, and you've been through all the journey, through all the learning. Would you recommend Confident Storytelling Hub to anyone?

1000%. What I believe, that coming— after coming into this Confident Storytelling Hub, I do remember my first story sharing. I was kind of person who was completely forgettable, you know. Forgotten storyteller. I was not able to share my ideas clearly. I was not getting words, or like, I was forgetting about my story, what I have to say, how I have to say it, and what, what is the message I want to share. But after coming into this community, but I didn't realize the best thing which I wanted to share with others, that, that was the worst way of sharing the story that day. On my first day, but I couldn't feel like— I didn't feel bad about it because the kind of feedback I got from you and from other members, it was encouraging, it was motivating. So here, like, it is not that you always say that we have to share feedback, but it is not in a criticizing manner, but it is in a respectable manner, right? So So yes, I feel that in this community you are going to improve a lot. Like, I can tell you, from day one when I was not able to utter even a single, uh, sentence in one go, I was fumbling, mumbling, and I was like completely blank. I don't— I was not aware what to say next. But today, like, without even preparation, on the spot, I can share stories. So that is the magic of learning from great coach Haritosh Srivastav and this wonderful community, Confident Storytelling Hub. So people, if you wish to be a great storyteller or to, uh, want a best communicator, come here. Let's learn from Haritosh. And yes, you're going to rock, no doubt in this.

Thank you so much. I so appreciate it. And I say that you are a leader, and the leader is not somebody who has got a title or something. You are a leader because you have followed the path, you've been there. And as you say, I do remember on the very first meeting, I think you didn't even open your camera because you were not sure what I have got into and what I'm going to do. But from there, I've seen your journey. You consistently worked. This worked for you because you worked on yourself. You got feedback, you worked upon it, and you have taken on challenges after challenge. I think this is your third or fourth challenge that you take, so you don't have that ego that, yeah, I have done one challenge, I don't need to do it again. You take up every challenge with the same rigor, with the same attitude, and that's why it makes it so amazing. So thank you so much once again for being part of Confident Storytelling Hub, for being the contributor that you are, and for inspiring many other members. Because of you, I know many people took up this challenge and they completed as well, and that's where they upgrade in confidence. So thank you so much. And yeah, really looking forward to interview again in future for another challenge completion.

Thank you so much, Haritosh Srivastav. One thing I just wanted to share, that, uh, in this community, I— why I could continue in the community, because The kind of love, respect, and the improvement feedback we get, it is really amazing. It is not easy for people to accept their improvement points or improvement gray areas. We don't love to listen to that or accept that. But here, we are so open with things, and we don't feel bad about it. But we, we can see that as our strength, not as our weakness. So that is the power of this community. That's the reason like we all are improving here. So thank you so much, Haritosh Srivastav. This, this is just because of you, the kind of attitude you carry, the way you train us, the way you, you have a, uh, attitude of giving more and more. So this is— I really love your Pure soul. Thank you so much for all your, you know, support and guidance to all of us. Thank you so much.

Puri power to you. May you keep sharing your story and keep inspiring the world.

Thank you so much.

Thank you. So that was Mrs. Rajesh Ahuja. Again, another inspiring story. If you got inspired, write down in the comment what inspired or moved you most. With this interview. And stay tuned because we have got couple more interviews lined up. Yes, we are almost coming up to the end of this interview series because we finished that. But stay tuned because I am planning some more challenges, and as soon as they finish the challenges, you will be able to hear more about their journeys as well. So as I say every time, until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and keep going out of your comfort zone. I'll see you in another interview.