In this interview, Haritosh Srivastav talks with Dinesh Wadhwa, a recent graduate of the Confidence Storytelling Hub’s 21‑day Video Confidence Challenge. Dinesh shares his personal background, describing a career across multiple companies and a feeling that something was missing until he discovered storytelling as a "spice" that adds meaning to life. He explains his practical (40‑45 days) and emotional (long‑standing) connection to the community, and recounts his experience during the challenge: initial difficulty finding words, drafting scripts, and enduring multiple retakes before becoming comfortable on camera and even on stage. The breakthrough moment came when he overcame his inner critic and completed the challenge, which sparked a broader personal transformation, including the decision to write a book. Dinesh reflects on how storytelling helped him solve other life challenges, likening the learning curve to a child mastering a bicycle. He recommends the Confidence Storytelling Hub to others, emphasizing that the process reduces worries, builds focus, and creates automatic positive spill‑over into other life areas. The interview concludes with gratitude toward the community and encouragement for viewers to join the program.
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This is the way life was going on. Then I got connected to someone who let me realize about a missing spice in my life, and that spice is storytelling. So I'll say that only a single moment, completing this challenge, fighting against my own inner voice which always come to come and say, "Yeah, brand is not required, you're just wasting your time." So like fighting against your inner voice and completing a challenge is a breakthrough moment for me.
Absolutely, absolutely. Yes, we all have those two voices. One says, yeah, you have to do, and I say, yeah, it's okay, Chanta, I will see you tomorrow.
I go for a morning walk and I see many faces out there. Few faces are worried, few are negative, and only very few are— some we see are radiating. When you say that they are glowing from inside, even they are not smiling, you can say they are smiling from inside. So, or very few faces faces you see like that. Now if you go back to a childhood, a child of 2 to 3 years, you will see each and every child is radiating. So now question comes that what happened that this radiation, this glow has diminished with time? Yes, practically, yes, I am connected to this community from last 40, 45 days or so. Yes, emotionally I feel as if I am connected to this community since long.
Hi everyone, welcome to another video confidence interview. As part of this series, I am doing personally the interview of all the people who have completed this 21-day video confidence challenge. And in that series, we have another person, Mr. Dinesh Wadhwa, who also completed the challenge. So let me get him added to the spotlight. Welcome, Dinesh Ji. How are you?
I am good, Haritosh Ji, and thank you for taking this interview and discussing about it.
Awesome. So let's straight away get started. So let's start with about you. Tell us about yourself in Yeah, 1 to 2 minutes. Who you are, what's your background, etc., etc.
I think it has been long I have not given any interview, so I think I've forgotten what to speak about it. But yes, hopefully I'll, I'll try and try in a different way. So if I have to speak, like, uh, when I was born, my parents gave me a name Dinesh, which means son, S-U-N, son. Uh, I was fortunate enough to get abundant love from my family members, say grandparents, parents, sister, wife, and all near and dear ones. And now I am blessed to experience the same joy through my daughter.
Nice.
Over the years, I have worked with many companies, many different companies, each having its own unique culture and strengths, right? So like, happens that whenever you work with any company, they have own culture and sense. So like, you learn something from them, and with that learning, you shape up yourself. You're— that, that's something you're building stage, and you built step by step with those learnings. And I'll say that even if your workplace is not so positive and negative, actually that is much better for you because that learning pushes you to come out of your comfort zone. Absolutely. Right. So this is the way life was going on. Then I got connected to someone who let me realize about the missing spice in my life. And that spice is storytelling. So like, so I understood that, yes, it creates a meaningful impact with if this spice is also there with you.
Awesome, that's amazing. And yes, so you have said the right thing. It is a spice, very important spice, and that's what we work upon, bringing the Indian tadka and story tadka into whatever we do. So my next question to you is, how long have you been part of our community, Confidence Storytelling Hub?
Yes, uh, like I have two answers to it. One is a practical answer and second is emotional answer. Okay, practically, yes, I am connected to this community from last 40-45 days or so. Yes, emotionally I feel as if I am connected to this community since long. Wow, right, that's a connection I'm feeling as on day.
Awesome. So what makes you feel like, uh, that emotionally you have been part of this for so long?
The reason, like, I don't feel that I'm, uh, newly connected. I'm new, I know, I've from day one I've had a feeling that I know each other. I'm listening to them daily and seeing that those videos, so that That bond has come and set into my brain.
Very nice, very nice. Awesome. So now, Daisy, you were part of this amazing video confidence challenge that we did as part of our monthly challenge that we keep on doing. So what was your experience like being part of this?
I'll say it was an awesome experience. Uh, like, with— after completing this challenge, now I feel comfortable while speaking in front of a camera. Even on a stage. So that's a change I've seen in me.
Yes, yes. And I remember in one or two videos you were in the park and people were going, so you shared that how you have now overcome that, okay, how do I feel speaking when so many people are going. So amazing. So, so there is— once you— when anytime you participate in any such challenge, of course there, there is one thing, which is to go through all the different assignments and things like that. But oftentimes people go through various challenges. So what were some of the challenges you faced during this challenge and how did you overcome that?
So I'll say the biggest challenge for me was like I was not getting the words to speak on the topic given. That was the biggest challenge for me, like to make a video of 1 or 2 minutes Like I had to spend 40 minutes, 30 minutes to draft the content, right? And then the second challenge starts to record that video. Now, take 1, take 2, take 3, and so on. Like unlimited takes to only record an okay video, not even a fantastic video, right? So that was a challenge, but it was a difficult start, I'll say. But with practice, it becomes, became an easy work for me.
Absolutely. And that's how most of us are when we start recording video or start creating certain stories or sharing. Yeah, we don't get the words, we feel we are frozen, and then we take unlimited— and I can totally relate— we take unlimited retakes, and then also it's not 100% there. But I think the key that you said was to persevere, keep on doing it.
Got it.
Very correct. Yes. So what was your main, um, aha moment, the breakthrough moment that is like, wow, I, I never thought I will have this kind of moment in this journey?
So I'll say that only a single moment, completing this challenge, fighting against my own inner voice which always come to come and say, yeah, Ranesh, we are— it's not required, we're just wasting your time. So like fighting against your inner voice and completing a challenge is is a breakthrough moment for me.
Absolutely, absolutely. Yes, we all have those two voices. One says, yeah, you have to do, and I say, yeah, it's okay, Chanta, I will see you tomorrow. And it's about what we see it on. Awesome. So now let's talk about the after-effects, right? So you have participated, you did a great job, you completed the challenge, but the key is what is the impact? What do you see as the impact to you personally? After doing this challenge?
So there has been a beautiful impact, I will say. And I would like to start with telling you something which I— so that I can connect on the impact which I want to talk about. Yes, I go for a morning walk and I see many faces out there. Few faces are worried, few are negative, and only very few are— some we see are radiating. When you say that they are glowing from inside, even they are not smiling, you can say they are smiling from inside. So or very few faces you see like that. Now if you go back to a childhood, a child of 2 to 3 years, you will see each and every child is radiating. So now question comes that what happened that this radiation, this glow has diminished with time? This question came to my mind and that impact of, impact of this challenge was that I decided to write a book.
Wow, amazing!
Talk about that, how you can rediscover the glow which has, which has been missing or which has, uh, a dimness within you.
That's amazing. I mean, we are writing a book and, and yes, uh, it, it, it is altogether different joy being an author. I, I know what it feels like. So, ma'am, I wish you all the best. So what is your message for anyone who wants to go on such a journey of, you know, building confidence, and learning storytelling, because most of us are not born confident, right? We have to learn, we have to earn our confidence. So what is your message for anyone who want to pursue that path?
So I'll give you, uh, an answer with my— what I have realized, uh, and with my relation. I don't know whether it works for everyone or not, but definitely what I realized after going through this challenge, I will speak about it. So I'll start with the example, like if a child starts learning a bicycle, it's not a one-day job, it takes time. Yes, he tries, tries and tries, but one day he achieves that balance. But if you go back and ask the child what happened on that day, he doesn't have answer to it. But yeah, he is cherished with that by achieving that balance. I see when I joined storytelling sessions and I've been going through this challenge I identified that I am getting solutions to my other challenges in life which I have not even worked upon.
Wow.
So I also give, yeah, this, this storytelling. And if you ask me what I did to solve those challenges, I don't know. So I'm just here comparing with that bicycle movement because it's a similar fashion. I don't have answer to it, but yes, I'm getting answer to it, to my own problems.
Amazing. I mean, and, and I was doing this interview, so I did the interview with Deborah, and she also shared a similar thing, right? She said that, no, by participating in this challenge, it has allowed her to be disciplined in other areas of, uh, the life. And now you also saying that, no, when you participate in such a thing, it's giving solution. So I'm, I'm really grateful that you both— and, and we have 9 more members, so this is the second interview we are doing.
And it doesn't happen, it happens automatically. You don't have to do anything about it.
Yes, yes, that's the part, that's the part. When you start working on one area of your life, it starts affecting the other areas of your life as well. So now the most important question and the pivotal question is, would you recommend people to join Confidence Storytelling Hub and why?
So from my side, it's a big yes. Because I have seen the process which goes, it's like, uh, I'm not getting an English word, to reach to the level which you want to reach actually, and get, and you can remove your worries in your life and actually focus on actually what you want to do.
Excellent. Thank you so much, uh, for that amazing, amazing interview. And I know I've seen your journey. I know the first video that you posted, we all could see how it is going. And from there, what, as you said, was most important is not worrying about that one first video. It's about going on and, and overcoming those fears, taking action even though you don't feel like taking action, and, and going to the challenge. So So once again, congratulations on completing the Video Confidence Challenge. And yeah, best wishes to you.
Thank you very much, Haritosh Srivastav. I'm really thankful to you because I think, uh, as, as you know that, uh, I never thought about connecting to any, anyone, uh, any community like this. But yes, it was just, uh, a sheer moment that I got you connected through Amjad. And then I'm really happy to have that connection.
Awesome. So yes, as we say in our community, story power to you.
Thank you. Same to you.
So audience, this was Mr. Dinesh Wadhwa, and he was again one of the winner of this video confidence challenge. And if you're someone who is looking forward to upgrade your confidence, you're somebody who wants to become a better speaker, storyteller, and communicator, you reach out. We at Confidence Storytelling Hub make sure that you are getting the right tools right methodology, and most importantly, the right community to elevate all of those things. Thank you so much and wishing you all the best.
