My job title doesn't define me: finding joy in diverse interests - Amanda Young

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About the Episode

Key Topics

Amanda's focus on finding joy both inside and outside of work
The importance of trying new things and embracing mistakes
Amanda's mix-and-match approach to learning new skills
The values of openness, adaptability, and continuous learning that Amanda embodies

Detours and Tangents

Our mutual dislike of book editions with 'Now a Major Motion Picture' covers
Amanda's mixed-race Australian identity and her first trip to Vietnam to visit family

Recorded 25 January 2022

Episode Digest

Amanda's personal journey

Amanda Young is a Service Delivery Relationship Lead in Melbourne, Australia, with a wealth of experience in her field. However, her journey to her current position was anything but linear. Before becoming a Service Delivery Relationship Lead, Amanda was a linguist who researched how language use reflects the wider context of society. In this role, she learned about the complexities of language and how it can shape the world around us.

Amanda's approach to life is one of openness, curiosity, and adaptability. She believes that trying new things is key to finding what you enjoy. She encourages others to take risks and explore different opportunities. By stepping outside of your comfort zone, you can gain new perspectives and discover new passions. Amanda also recognises that it's okay to make mistakes along the way. In fact, mistakes can be a valuable learning experience that helps you grow both personally and professionally.

When Amanda is not working, she enjoys playing the guitar and other hobbies including baking, yoga and learning French. She finds these hobbies to be a great way to relax and unwind after a long day at the office. Amanda is always eager to learn new things, and her approach to acquiring new skills is a mix-and-match approach from multiple sources. She believes that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to learning and that it's important to explore different options.

Amanda's work as a Service Delivery Relationship Lead requires her to be patient, empathetic, and a good listener. She is skilled at conflict management and is able to navigate difficult situations with ease. Amanda is always looking for ways to improve and grow in her role. She believes that interpersonal skills are vastly underrated and that getting along with people is key to success in any job. Amanda is also a big believer in the power of habits and the importance of creating routines that work for your lifestyle.

Currently, Amanda leads a team that works on risk mitigation and problem-solving. She has found a role that aligns with her interests and personality, and that challenges her to continue growing.

Amanda's approach to life is one of positivity, resilience, and a commitment to personal growth. She believes that trying new things is key to finding what you enjoy and that it's okay to make mistakes along the way. Amanda's enduring interests include physical activity, learning new skills, and spending time with loved ones. She enjoys running, participating in Disney races with her family, and learning to play the guitar. She is always on the lookout for new hobbies and career paths to explore.

The episode in quotes

"Having to give an elevator pitch of my job to someone is a poor way for me to explain who I am as a person."
Amanda's academic journey: "I finished the course, did an honours year, enrolled in a master's degree, not finished the master's degree, jumped into a PhD program, and then not finishing the PhD program."
Amanda's approach to learning: "I try a lot of different things to see what sticks. Rarely do I just go with the first thing that I try."
Amanda's mix-and-match approach to learning new skills: "I rarely just go with one course. I'll usually look at two or three and then pick and choose what I like best from each."
Amanda's experience of school: "I think school was a mixed bag for me. There were some things that I really enjoyed and some things that I didn't enjoy so much. But I do think that it's a really good foundation for learning how to learn."
Amanda's passion for physical activity: "It's just something that I have done as long as I can remember. I enjoy physical activity. I enjoy being fit."
Amanda's approach to organization: "I think everyone has their own way of staying organized and it's just finding what works best for you."
Amanda's willingness to try new things: "I think that a lot of my interests come from being curious about something and thinking, oh, that could be interesting. Let me try that."
Amanda's advice on making mistakes: "Making mistakes can be fun and funny. And part of the process, it doesn't have to be anxiety-inducing."
Amanda's approach to work: "I have always approached a job as something that I do so that I can enjoy my life outside of my job, even when I'm doing work that I find meaningful or that aligns with who I am or my personality in some way."
Amanda's belief in the power of soft skills: "A soft skill makes it sound as though it's almost useless. But in fact, I'm much more able to drive an outcome because people want to help me."
Amanda's experience with Disney races: "It was just such a nice time to spend together and such a great activity to do."

Learning French and embracing mistakes

One of the anecdotes Amanda shared in the episode was about her experience of learning French. She recounted how she had taken a French course in school, but didn't enjoy it much. Later, she decided to give French another try and enrolled in a course. Amanda said, "I did really poorly in the class. I didn't understand anything that was going on." Despite this setback, Amanda didn't give up on learning French. She decided to try again and enrolled in another course.

This time, Amanda's approach to learning French was different. She said, "I started listening to French music and watching French movies. And then I just started to understand more and more." Amanda's experience with learning French taught her the importance of finding what works for you and not being afraid to switch things up. She said, "I think that's the key is just trying different things and finding what works for you."

Amanda's experience with learning French also taught her the value of making mistakes. She said, "I used to think that confidence came from only being good at things. But making mistakes can be fun and funny. And part of the process, it doesn't have to be anxiety-inducing." Amanda's willingness to make mistakes and to try new things has been a driving force throughout her life and career.

Finding the Right Approach to Staying Organised

Amanda used to be a big planner person. She would always carry a planner with her wherever she went and would spend time each day filling it out. However, she eventually realized that this approach wasn't working for her. She found that she was spending more time planning than actually doing the things on her to-do list. Amanda said, "I was spending so much time writing down everything I needed to do and then not actually doing it."

Amanda realized that she needed to find a new approach to staying organized. She decided to focus on the things she wanted to get done in a day and try to accomplish them all. If something needed to be pushed to the next day, that was okay too. Amanda said, "I think everyone has their own way of staying organized and it's just finding what works best for you."

Stuff We Mentioned

People

Yoga with Adriene
Kate Burridge's work on linguistics

Books

'Atomic Habits' by James Clear
'A Thousand Splendid Suns' by Khaled Hosseini

Organisations

Disney running events

Audio Highlights

Episode appetiser - My job does not define me as a person (20 sec)