I stopped trying to sound “impressive.”
Instead, I started gathering stories —
moments where I’d made a difference, even if no one clapped.

That became my fuel.

Not because I didn’t know what I was doing —
but because I had to fight my wiring.
The self-doubt. The overthinking. The pressure to sound like someone else.

⸻

So this time, I prepared differently:
• Less cramming
• More anchoring
• Less pretending
• More truth

Some days, I felt like I was working five times as hard as others just to stand at the same starting line.

And: talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2025/03/31/w...

It’s hard.
But it’s possible. And you don’t have to lose yourself to do it. You don’t need to become louder.
You don’t need to become slicker.

You just need to become clearer —
about who you already are.

I also gave myself permission to rest.
To walk away from prep without guilt.
To trust that some of what I carry can’t be rehearsed —
it just is.
If you’re preparing right now and it feels like too much —
you’re not doing it wrong.
You’re just building a bridge between your truth and their process.

I practised speaking like me —
not a version of me I thought they wanted.

Because I’m not here to perform.
I’m here to lead. Quietly, but clearly.

I stopped trying to sound “impressive.”
Instead, I started gathering stories —
moments where I’d made a difference, even if no one clapped.

That became my fuel.

Not because I didn’t know what I was doing —
but because I had to fight my wiring.
The self-doubt. The overthinking. The pressure to sound like someone else.

⸻

So this time, I prepared differently:
• Less cramming
• More anchoring
• Less pretending
• More truth

Some days, I felt like I was working five times as hard as others just to stand at the same starting line.

If you’ve ever felt too quiet for the system —
but too full of purpose to walk away —
follow along.

There’s space for you here.
And you’re not the only one.

7/
Follow along if any of this lands with you.
And if you’ve been told you’re “not ready” —
just know: you probably already are.
You just haven’t found the right way to show it yet.

6/
You can still succeed,
even if you’re not wired for interviews.

You just need to prepare differently —
not louder. Not flashier. Just true.

5/
Over the next few days, I’ll share what helped me:
• How I prepared without becoming someone I’m not
• What I did differently after years of rejection
• What I wish someone had told me earlier

4/
The system is loud. Fast. Buzzwordy.
But some of us lead in quieter ways:
through presence, values, and impact.

That doesn’t always shine in 40 minutes on a panel.
But it matters.
And it can be translated — carefully, and on your terms.

3/
If you’ve ever walked out of an interview thinking,
“I didn’t show who I really am,”
this is for you.

You are not alone.
And you are not the problem.

2/
This is for the ones who do the work —
who show up every day with heart and care —
but go blank when it’s time to “sell” themselves.

The ones who hate the performance of it all.