Becoming a YouTuber

As some of you already know, I recently started a YouTube channel called Toronto Real. It was not in my plans. It was one of these surprise opportunities that essentially fell on my lap and I decided to just go for it. So now I'm also a YouTuber, albeit a very novice YouTuber at the moment. Here's the story behind how it all started. 

Over the past couple years, I've replaced watching television with listening to podcasts and watching YouTube videos. I think the seed of the idea of me starting my own podcast was planted when a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience, named Brian Rose and his then co-host Nic Gabriel, talked about the London Real podcast. They seemed like nice guys. Brian said something about how everyone should start their own version of London Real in their city and I thought it was a neat idea but that was about it. Fast forward a couple months later, I was redirected to the London Real podcast and started to pay more attention, especially when Dan Peña came along and invited Brian to his QLA Seminar in Scotland. Shortly after that, the London Real Academy was launched, and then I heard the call : "Build the best you". As soon as I got an invite to join, I signed up. 

SUPER MARIO MAGIC MUSHROOMS

This reminds me of a lesson I learned watching Alex Ikonn’s YouTube channel where he was explaining that people don’t buy things because of the things themselves but because of what they believe the thing will do for them. He compared it to the video game Super Mario where Mario collects magic mushrooms to become more efficient in his quest. A good business is a magic mushroom maker in a world of Super Marios looking for ways to improved themselves in their personal journey. It made sense to me. And now, thinking back about why I decided to click “buy” and join the Academy is because Brian was essentially offering one of the "magic mushrooms" I was looking for : Build the best you. Keep in mind however that it is not a quick fix. There’s work to do. A lot of work. Once Mario gets stronger after eating the mushroom, he still has to run around to various places, step on turtles, climb lathers, avoid and fight monsters to get to the princess. In my case, I still have to work but I have a better map and I get to pick up extra tools along the way.

Joining the Academy let me to meet people literally from all over the world with a similar mindset, similar goals of building their best selves and a lot are also keen to pitch in and help wherever they can. Then this idea of podcast started to marinate in my mind. First, I just thought it would be great to have one in Toronto. I put it out there to see if anyone would bite. No one did. And then Olive, from New York Real suggested I do it. "Me!!? Well... I’m not... I don’t think... I...[insert excuse here]" Why not? Perhaps it would be a great opportunity for me to get out of my comfort zone, talk to interesting people about interesting topic and share the conversations with my viewers. 

It sounded a little crazy, totally off track, but I asked myself : "Will I regret it if I don’t try? If someone else does it instead?" The more I thought about it, the more it seems like the benefits outweighed the obstacles and fear. So within a couple days, my mind was made : "I'm going to start Toronto Real!" I signed up on Twitter and on YouTube and started planning. 

Fast forward 6 months laters, I have 6 interviews online. And more coming. It's great to see the progress in only 6 episodes and it will be even more fun when I get to 50, then 100 episodes. In this short period of time, I've learned so much already not only from creating the channel but also meeting and talking to great people. And it's great to see so many new Reals emerging from all over the world on various topics. It will be interesting to see where this all goes. In the mean time, I'll be sharing my journey whenever I can.

If you have an opportunity in your life at the moment that has the potential of making you grow and become a better version of yourself. Do it. What do you have to lose, really? If it doesn't work, you'll become wiser and will avoid wondering "what if" for the rest of your life. If it works, you get to be more. I would say that's a win-win,  don't you think?