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Tag: Careers

  • Wendy Vaz on Choosing Alignment Over Comfort

    Wendy Vaz on Choosing Alignment Over Comfort

    Intro

    Wendy Vaz is a Malaysian-based entrepreneur and content creator who recently walked away from a six-year corporate career to go all-in on her own business. While many wait for a “perfect” window to transition, Wendy took the leap in the middle of a year defined by major life shifts: a wedding, a move, and a serious back injury that left her temporarily unable to sit up.

    In this episode, we discuss the reality of the “messy middle” of entrepreneurship just two months after resigning. Wendy opens up about the self-doubt that occurs when you stop looking outward for validation and the spiritual shift required to trust a journey that included a fractured spine on Christmas Eve. We explore her philosophy of “nervous system regulation” as a business strategy and why she would rather work as a barista than return to the comfort of a nine-to-five.

    Story Highlights

    • Transitioning from a decade of “halfhearted” side hustling to going all-in on her own platforms.
    • Overcoming the “looking outwards” phase where seeking advice from successful peers increased her stress levels.
    • The realization that a calmed nervous system leads to better business decisions than functioning from a state of “fight or flight”.
    • Navigating the “limiting belief” of being an international student and realizing that loud participation in class does not always equal intelligence.
    • The impact of reverse culture shock and depression upon returning to Malaysia after studying abroad.
    • Adopting a “burn the boats” mentality where having no Plan B forces the necessary focus to succeed.

    Quote

    “I always know that I’m a human first before I’m a content creator or a coach or whatever … I find that tools and systems are there to guide us to live as human beings. “

    About Wendy Vaz

    Wendy Vaz is a content creator and entrepreneur based in Kuala Lumpur. A graduate of the University of British Columbia, she has spent over ten years documenting her life through blogging, YouTube, and podcasting. After a career in the corporate world, she now focuses on helping others navigate modern stress by prioritizing mental health and personal alignment. Her mission is rooted in her own experiences with depression and physical recovery, aiming to help people feel calmer and more comforted in their daily lives.

    Why This Conversation Matters

    Wendy’s story provides a grounded counter-narrative to the typical “hustle culture” approach to starting a business. By focusing on the internal state—her nervous system—rather than just external metrics, she offers a blueprint for building a career that is sustainable rather than just profitable. This conversation is particularly relevant for those feeling a “growing gap” between their corporate roles and their personal values, showing that alignment is a practical choice involving significant trade-offs.

    Turning Points

    Wendy’s path was fundamentally altered by a full scholarship to Canada, which was her first time leaving Malaysia and forced her to adapt to an entirely different culture. A significant internal shift occurred in December 2023 when she fractured her back; the experience of being stuck on a hospital bed led to a deep level of spiritual trust in her journey. The final pivot came two months into her entrepreneurial journey when she realized that removing her “Plan B” was the only way to ensure she wouldn’t retreat when things got difficult.

    Key Lessons

    • Regulate your nervous system first: Making business decisions from a place of fear or stress often leads to poor outcomes.
    • Trust the journey’s timing: Slowing down can often open opportunities that rushing and “grinding” might close off.
    • Acknowledge your humanity: Systems and productivity tools should serve your life as a human, not just your output as a worker.
    • Consistency over “niche” perfection: Wendy’s long history of sharing in public helped her find her voice and build a network before she ever felt “ready”.
    • Commitment requires removing exits: If going back to a corporate job remains an easy option, you may not push through the hardest moments of building something new.
    • Prioritize alignment over comfort: A high-paying, “good” company can still be the wrong place if it no longer serves your vision for your life.

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  • Joyce Harn on Acting, Rejection, and the Journey Toward Self-Belief

    Joyce Harn on Acting, Rejection, and the Journey Toward Self-Belief

    Intro

    Joyce Harn is a Malaysian actress known for her roles in Fly by Night and Budak Flat, along with appearances in television dramas and reality competitions. She’s also a judo practitioner and pageant finalist who’s carved her own path in an unpredictable industry.

    In this conversation, Joyce talks about chasing her childhood dream of acting while balancing family expectations and financial reality. She shares the emotional toll of auditions, how she built resilience through constant rejection, and why she continues to choose authenticity over certainty. From jumping off buildings on set to competing in judo tournaments, Joyce’s story is about finding confidence through action — literally and figuratively.

    Story Highlights

    • How Disney and Lizzie McGuire inspired her to act
    • Navigating family expectations and choosing broadcasting over performance arts
    • Learning to handle rejection through hundreds of auditions
    • Competing in judo and discovering strength through discipline
    • Why she dreams of directing films about family, values, and emotion

    Quote

    “People ask me if I regret it, but I don’t regret anything because I never make a decision that I don’t want to do.”

    About Joyce Harn

    Joyce Harn is a Malaysian actress and model whose credits include Budak Flat, Fly by Night, and numerous short films and television projects across Malaysia and Singapore. A graduate in broadcasting, she began her career through beauty pageants and reality shows before moving into film. Outside of acting, Joyce practices judo and advocates for persistence and self-growth in creative careers. Follow her on Instagram at @joyceharn.

    Why This Conversation Matters

    Joyce’s story highlights the unseen side of acting — the rejections, the pauses, and the quiet perseverance between projects. Her candor about failure and self-doubt gives a rare glimpse into how artists build resilience. It’s a story about choosing courage again and again, even when no one is watching.

    Turning Points

    From early extra roles to leading parts, Joyce’s journey has been a decade-long balancing act between practicality and passion. She’s experienced burnout, office jobs, and countless rejections, yet each setback deepened her self-belief. Discovering judo later in life became another form of storytelling — one rooted in movement, trust, and discipline. Whether on set or on the mat, Joyce continues to test her limits while staying grounded in curiosity and craft.

    Key Lessons

    • Rejection builds resilience. Every “no” becomes part of your training.
    • Authenticity beats perfection. Staying true to yourself outlasts trends.
    • Passion needs patience. Success in film takes time — and faith.
    • Movement heals. Physical discipline like judo strengthens mental focus.
    • Keep learning. Each project, big or small, is another step forward.

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  • Rob Lilwall on Adventure, Resilience, and the Courage to Keep Going

    Rob Lilwall on Adventure, Resilience, and the Courage to Keep Going

    Intro

    Rob Lilwall is a British-born adventurer, author, and motivational speaker known for his three-year cycling expedition from Siberia to London — a journey that spanned over 50,000 kilometers and reshaped his understanding of fear, resilience, and transformation. He has since walked across deserts, written two books, and spoken to audiences around the world about courage, change, and perseverance.

    In this episode, we talk about Rob’s early life as a shy schoolteacher, what led him to take a one-way flight to Siberia, and how adventure became both his career and his classroom. He shares stories from the road — from being robbed in Siberia to camping at minus forty degrees — and the lessons that continue to guide his life as a husband, father, and speaker.

    Story Highlights

    • How a friend’s invitation to “just say yes” changed his life
    • Why facing fear became the foundation of his growth
    • What three years of cycling taught him about adaptability
    • How setbacks turned into the start of a speaking and writing career
    • The turning point in the Taklamakan Desert that reframed his idea of success

    Quote

    “When you’re having a really bad day, whether it’s in the office or in the middle of your three-year bike ride and you think, ‘What am I doing? Why don’t I just fly home?’ Never quit on that day, because that’s the wrong day to quit.”

    About Rob Lilwall

    Rob Lilwall is a professional adventurer, author, and keynote speaker based in Singapore. He has cycled from Siberia to London, walked across China’s Gobi Desert, and trekked the edges of the Taklamakan — expeditions that have been turned into National Geographic TV shows and bestselling books. Today, Rob speaks to corporate and global audiences about adaptability, resilience, and courage in times of change. His TEDx talks and corporate programs have reached audiences across more than 30 countries. Learn more at roblilwall.com.

    Why This Conversation Matters

    Rob’s story isn’t just about adventure — it’s about learning to keep going when things get hard. Whether navigating subzero nights in Siberia or personal struggles after success, he’s discovered that the greatest growth often comes through failure and persistence. His lessons on resilience and agility apply far beyond expeditions — to careers, relationships, and everyday life.

    Turning Points

    From teaching in the UK to biking across continents, Rob’s life has been defined by leaps of faith. His decision to say yes to a friend’s challenge led to a journey that changed everything — from his worldview to his work. Later expeditions tested him in different ways, pushing him through burnout, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome. It was only after failing to complete a record-setting desert crossing that he found peace — realizing that life’s value lies not in achievement, but in doing your best every day.

    Key Lessons

    • Never quit on a bad day. Rest, recover, and make decisions with clarity, not exhaustion.
    • Fear is a teacher. Growth starts where comfort ends.
    • Resilience and agility go hand in hand. Adaptation is the key to endurance.
    • Failure can heal. Sometimes we find peace by letting go of the outcome.
    • Adventure is internal. The hardest journeys are the ones within ourselves.

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