Speech coach Hadar Shemesh, a non-native English speaker, explains how self-judgment nearly stopped her from starting her YouTube channel. Her students care about what she says, not her mistakes. She tells you to focus on your message and surround yourself with people who encourage you, not those who pick apart your flaws.
I'm a non-native speaker and I know what it's like. I judge myself all the time. I always listen to myself from the outside and I'm like, 'Mm, you made a mistake here. That wasn't good enough.' But had I let this affect me and control me, I would have never made so many videos teaching you. I would have never had a YouTube channel. I would have never succeeded as a speech coach, as an English coach. I don't care about the mistakes I make. I mean, sometimes I get a comment and I get offended a little bit and I was like, 'Mm,' I get all defensive. But that lasts, I don't know, 2 seconds, and they're like, "Eff that, I don't care." The large majority of my students and my followers appreciate what I have to say, and they respect me, and that's what matters. And it's the same thing for you. People are more interested in what you have to say than in the mistakes that you're making. And if you come across a person who makes fun of you, who is judging you, who keeps pointing out all your mistakes, then maybe that person shouldn't be around you. You only want people who support you, who empower you, and who encourage you.
Read Out Loud with me! Dare to Lead by Brené Brown | Pronunciation & Vocabulary practice
