Click here to text me your thoughts about the show!
Hamza joins us as the guest in this role-reversed conversation about how creative pursuits like podcasting help us reclaim lost parts of ourselves and overcome social barriers.
• Host shares how the podcast helped regain the spark lost during challenging early immigrant years in Canada
• Creating the podcast provided a platform to showcase authentic personality that was previously hidden
• Hamza explains overcoming social anxiety by distinguishing between "wanting" to talk and "needing" to talk to guests
• Discussing the importance of understanding others' circumstances before making assumptions
• Hamza shares the powerful advice that it's normal to sometimes dislike your passion
• Comparing passion to marriage - expect challenges but stay committed to the journey
• Insights into the strange experience of being a guest versus a host on a podcast
Follow the host and the podcast on Social Media channels below:
- My Thick Accent on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mythickaccent/
- My Thick Accent on Threads - https://www.threads.net/@mythickaccent?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- MyThickAccent.com - https://www.mythickaccent.com/
- Gurasis's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iamgurasis/
- Gurasis's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamgurasis/
__________________________________________
To contact Hamza:
- Hamza's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamzasislam?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BgCK5YJtFSAyVGHqwa3Bkkg%3D%3D
- Oh My Curry Goodness Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3BXqybNOCVXS0nfpAxLVFT
- Oh My Curry Goodness IGhttps://www.instagram.com/theomcgpodcast/
Want to share your story? Or know someone I should invite next on the show? DM us or write to us at Hello@mythickaccent.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Gurasis (00:01):
before we uh get into the final segment, hamza, I've
added this new segment in thisseason, obviously, and I call it
know your host, where I ask myguests to ask me any question
they might have okay, all right,well, let me put on my podcast
mask.
Hamza (00:16):
Let's do this, okay.
So question one, one of this,one of my favorite questions to
ask people and probably not askyou it on if, when you join my
podcast, so when you go into anew passion or experience, there
are certain things that youpicked up when you go through
that experience.
So envision like you know those, those, those uh commercials
(00:36):
about medicine where it's likebefore a person you would look
like, you look like this after aperson, you look like this when
you look at my thick accent.
Tell me a bit about what youwere like as a person before my
thick accent and how has yourlife changed since you started
my thick accent podcast?
so tell me a bit about thebefore and after of creating
Gurasis (00:56):
wow, I love this question and I feel like I've
recently answered this offline,but I'll still answer that for
you, of course.
So you know, when I came toCanada in 2018, hamza, I felt
like I had this spark, likeenthusiastic fun.
Good disease was there, but Ifeel like, with time, with the
challenges I had as an immigranttrying to navigate a life in a
(01:18):
new world where life has neverexisted before for me, right,
for the first initial three anda half years, I feel like I lost
that spark because I was too,too much occupied with the
immigration process.
The pandemic was the addedpressure, because everything is
nice and hunky-dory when youcome here, right, but eventually
the reality kicks in.
The weather takes a toll on you.
(01:39):
I think I lost a part of me,sort of, I would say, but when I
started working on it and thenI obviously started talking to
these people, right, and andthese people are the people who
have been through a similar sortof a journey which I am in
right now right, because y'allare, like, I would say, like 20,
some like 10 or 20 years aheadin their immigrant journey than
(02:01):
me, right, so talking to thembasically reassured me that,
whatever is happening with meI'm not alone into this and also
because when I went to torontolast year you know it was I
completed my one year.
I went to toronto, I spoke atnetworking event and I saw the
live reaction of people aboutthe podcast and it was just
before the lunch time and duringthe lunch time I saw the amount
(02:23):
of people who came and talkedto me and I felt like damn, that
Gurasees is back.
You know, because I was thisperson back in India.
I was into every possible, youname it.
I was in that extracurricularactivity except sports.
I wasn't too much into sportscomplete opposite from you but I
was into, you know, you can sayI was into dramatics.
I was into dramatics.
(02:49):
I was into singing also.
I was part of my school choirthe dancing also.
I have done at one point, I'vedone a lot of hosting.
I've done a lot of rj in myschool, organized events,
hosting, anchoring so much.
But I feel like I never gotthat opportunity or that stage
to really showcase what I had,you know, when I came to canada.
But through this podcast I feellike this was a great uh, you
know, like a platform for mepersonally to be able to
showcase that who actually I am,you know, which I never got
(03:11):
before.
So yeah, the the short answeris I feel like I didn't have
that spark.
Hamza (03:15):
I lost that spark before this, but after this podcast, I
have regained my spark and thatthat energy which I lost before
yeah, you know it's interestingbecause the way I answer this
question is, you know, I stilldevelop that fear of talking to
people.
However, I feel like thatthere's a difference between
wanting to talk to someone and Ineed to talk to someone.
(03:35):
I think I do a better job ofneeding to talk to someone
rather than the want, because ona podcast, you need, like, if
you, if you want to have a gueston your podcast, you need to
reach out to them.
So some people will go throughthe actual guests themselves, or
there's maybe a PR like anassistant manager, whatever.
I have to go through them.
(03:56):
Sometimes it can be difficultbecause they obviously have more
, they're obviously managing theperson, or maybe they're
managing an organization that aguest is part of.
So it's like, oh, do I reallywant to bother them?
But I'm like I kind of need toquote, unquote bother them
because if I really want thisguest, I need to reach out to
them.
So I think the need, like theyneed to talk to someone.
(04:16):
If you want me to, if you say,like, hamza, I need you to talk
to this person, I'll do it.
If you say, hamza, go talk, Iwant you to go talk to this
person, he has a podcast or shehas a podcast.
They'll be like, oh boy, herewe go again.
All right, hi, I'm hamza.
Hopefully this conversation isnot a bad conversation.
So I think the need, likeneeding to talk to someone, I'm
okay with, but the wanting stilla work in progress.
(04:38):
But I hope to be at a pointwhere I'm like you know what,
regardless if it's a good answer, a bad answer, at least I tried
my best so now we're in thefinal segment.
Gurasis (04:49):
I call it beneath the accent because we are knowing
each other beneath our accents,unique accents.
I'm going to a couple ofquestions.
You can answer them in one wordor a sentence, or however you
feel like.
The idea is just to know moreabout you.
So first is are you an earlybird or a night owl?
Oh, early bird, a word thatdescribes you best.
Hamza (05:10):
I was gonna say curious, you know, like c-u-r-r-y-o-u-s,
but uh, yeah, definitely curious.
I like that.
Yeah, it just doesn't come outthe tongue well, but definitely
curious.
Just because you know, I'msomeone who likes to really know
what it's like to be otherpeople and I'd like to know more
than what I see.
There's more to something thanwhat is currently being
(05:31):
presented.
Just because you know why, not?
Gurasis (05:34):
it's it's it's fun to learn more you know that's a
great idea for a t-shirt.
You know careers.
I love that I've tried.
Hamza (05:41):
I keep like stay curious, but it's just, it's kind of I
don't know.
Gurasis (05:44):
I'm still working on it no, you, you have to make a
t-shirt for that for sure.
I love that so cool.
All right, what's your go-tocomfort food?
Hamza (05:53):
uh, butter, or chicken makhani, chicken makhani all the
way.
Garlic naan has to be it.
Mango lassi, that's my go-tomeal and that's like no, you're
not taking anything else do youhave any hidden talents?
I've been asking really weirdphilosophical questions from
time to time.
I think that's the only talentI can think of, but no, I don't
(06:17):
know, just just asking weirdquestions.
Gurasis (06:20):
I don't even know about the talent I mean sure you know
it's not everybody's cup of teato even ask a question
sometimes, you know.
Hamza (06:26):
That's true.
Gurasis (06:27):
What's the best piece of advice someone ever gave you?
Hamza (06:29):
Ironically enough, I hated getting this advice when I
first started my podcast, but,to be honest, it's never been
more true than before.
But things take time, and Ithink it's the most important
piece of advice, because youobviously want the good things
to happen to you, but sometimesno one's taught me this.
I think this is something I'vecome to realize on my own, which
is, in order for something tobe beautiful, it has to be ugly
(06:54):
in a sense.
That Think of, like everything,that everyone that's become
successful or created thatreally incredible product that
took a journey that took a lotof failures, challenges,
obstacles, other things.
And yeah, it takes time.
Now, for some people, it maytake more time, some people may
take shorter time, but it reallydoes take time to develop that
(07:18):
thing and you have to make surethat you continue to keep
fighting.
And I want to be careful when Italk about this, because there
are a lot of people that reallywanted that thing, but they
never end up getting it.
And it's not a knock on them,but it's more like maybe there's
something else that they decideto pursue or they just really
couldn't do it.
So they're something I have tobe really careful of.
(07:40):
But with this podcast.
I really want this podcast tobe successful, but I also know
that in order for it to besuccessful, it's going to have
to take a journey and whether Ilike it or not, that's fact.
But that's factual and I haveto accept that fact well,
honestly, I have no doubts itwon't be successful.
Gurasis (07:57):
So definitely more power to you thank you,
appreciate it okay, tell me, ifyou could describe yourself as
any creature, what would it be?
Hamza (08:06):
hmm, that's a good question.
Probably a cat, I mean, I thinkI think the cats movie ruined
it for me, that really terriblemovie that came out in 2019, but
even then, I mean, I I findcats really adorable.
So I don't know, cats are justlike the type of thing I mean.
Also, I think people also likedogs as well, but I don't know
what I've noticed.
So whenever I see people withcats, they really like being
(08:27):
around cats.
So that's something I wish if Iwere to be an animal, probably
a cat, just because it's like ohyeah, I just want to be around
you, not in a creepy way, butmore like in a fun way.
Gurasis (08:39):
Okay, who is your go-to person when you feel stuck?
Hamza (08:43):
Okay.
So I want to take it into adifferent route.
In the sense, the easiestanswer would be my mom and dad,
but then, from a more religiousstandpoint, probably God.
I am Muslim, so, for thoselistening, maybe you may not
relate to this or not, but Idefinitely go to God for help.
I consider religion, or likefaith, as a gps, so I usually go
(09:04):
to that to help guide me as towhat I should or should not do,
what is right and what is wrong.
So if that's an answer thatyou'll be willing to accept
because we obviously maybedifferent religions or we can't
see god, obviously mom and dadis like my go-to people, but if
it's other than parents, withoutdoubt God.
Gurasis (09:22):
Great answer.
What's the most expensive thingyou would like to own?
Hamza (09:26):
I'm not someone that likes to spend too much money,
probably.
I don't know how to say themicrophone name, but it's called
like Shure or Shure microphone.
Yeah, so I've never seen it.
It's one of the best microphonesout there because the voice is
very professional and crisp.
I use a yeti microphone from mypodcast but if I were to like
(09:49):
make sound on my I'm currentlyusing a desk but if you, I don't
know if you can hear this, butyou can hear like scratching
noises.
Sometimes it picks it up on theyeti, but on a sure microphone
surey microphone, sure, surey,whatever it's pronounced um, it
does a good job of not pickingthat up.
So maybe a shuri microphone issomething I'd like to own one
day.
But then again, like, like Isaid, I'm not someone who likes
(10:09):
to spend.
I'm one of those people thatlikes to spend more money on
books.
I will probably get like a setof books for, like, the lord of
the rings or hobbit, which islike which could be a lot of
money because they're like sixor seven books.
Gurasis (10:20):
So, yeah, probably, probably sherry microphone if
you could have any super power,what would it be?
Hamza (10:26):
um, as someone who likes to overthink and be judged and
worry about judgment, mindreading definitely like to read
people's mind, like I would loveto be those people where it's
like you know we're having agood time, but I'd like to know
are they really having a goodtime?
You know, I'm one of thosepeople that's like, yeah, you
know, you seem like a reallygood guy.
And then you know, in my mindI'm like, oh man, how long is he
going to continue to talk aboutchicken curry and why it's the
(10:46):
greatest food on the planet?
What time is it?
Oh man, only three hours leftuntil I can get to my class.
I'd love to know that.
Obviously, I don't try to borepeople out of my love for curry,
but it's like I really want toknow, because there's a
difference between what you sayon the outside and then how you
really feel on the inside.
Gurasis (11:02):
So mind reading would definitely be a really cool
superpower if you could createthis one law, hamza, that
everybody has to follow, whatwould it be?
Hamza (11:10):
actually interesting enough.
Jay Shetty actually has askedhis guest some of that question.
So I was like, oh, I've alwaysthought about what?
How would I answer thisquestion?
I'm really glad you broughtthat up.
One law that I would create.
I don't know if this is a goodlaw, but I still think it's.
I wish it's something that wecan all do, which is to be
understanding.
Everyone is different.
You're one of 8 billion peopleon the planet, so you might have
(11:33):
time, but other people may nothave time, and that's not to say
that they don't want to bearound you.
It's that there are certainthings that's preventing them
from being able to be in your orbe able to help you or be able
to spend time with you, and it'ssomething that I've had to be
patient with, because I used tothink, oh, they don't want to
hang out with me because of me.
Later on I realized, no, thereare certain things that are
(11:54):
preventing them from doing thatthing.
So everyone has difficultchallenges.
Sometimes it that thing, soeveryone has difficult
challenges.
Sometimes it's just one ofthose things where you don't
really understand there's areason why they can't do the
things that you want to do withthem, because they're going
through something, so just beunderstanding and be patient
totally and to add to that, Ifeel like it also makes things
very easier for your own sanityto accept that why is the reason
(12:16):
they're behaving a certain way?
Gurasis (12:18):
so that you don't like overthink and kind of like make
your own reasons behind it andyou start even start.
Sometimes, I feel like when youdon't think it that way, you
also start criticizing your ownself.
Is it me?
You start questioning yourself.
I was the one who did that.
Maybe I spoke wrong at thispoint.
Maybe I did that.
You know it's better to thinkfrom other person's perspective.
At time it's like you know thatthat classic example of your
(12:39):
six might be their nine for sure, yeah, and it's.
Hamza (12:41):
And again, it's not something that we understand.
If you're waiting for someoneto hang out with you and they
never respond to you, you mightwant to demand an explanation.
Like, hey, we were supposed tomeet up, but what happened?
In these cases you might wantan explanation, but there are
cases where it's like, whateverthey're going through, just let
it be, because sometimes youknow, maybe it's best to not
hear the story.
Like, for example, if I say I'msick, it's easy to go.
(13:03):
Is he really sick?
Or if he just, does he reallywant to hang out with me?
But if I tell you, uh, I haddiarrhea, then you're like, okay
, you know what?
I should not have asked thatquestion.
So okay, you did not need toask that, you did not need to
tell me that.
So there are.
Okay, I think it is a difficultslope, but at the end of the
day, you know people are peopleand you know it's.
It's some.
(13:24):
At some point you need to thinkit has to be outside of you, it
needs to be bigger than you,right?
Not everything revolves aroundyou.
Gurasis (13:32):
People have other obligations and finally, if you
could leave me with one piece ofadvice, what would it be?
Hamza (13:38):
so I think the first thing would definitely be, like
I said, everything takes time.
It's great to find somethingthat you're really passionate
about.
One piece of advice I'd love togive to people and it's
something because I actuallyasked this question to my guest
is it's okay to dislike yourpassion?
(13:59):
And it's weird because youthink that just because you're
passionate about something, itmeans that you're going to love
every minute.
But it's not necessarily love,it's more of embracing.
You know it's weird.
I used to say think of yourpassion as your spouse, right In
the sense?
I'm not married, by the way,but whether it's wife, wife,
(14:24):
wife, husband, husband, husbandor whatever, you're going to
have difficult conversations,you guys are going to fight, but
at the end of the day, you'regoing to stick together because
you believe that throughout thedifficulty you will still remain
as one.
Passions in general, it'ssimilar to that.
So if you don't like yourpassion, it's not necessarily a
bad thing.
It's part of the journey, right?
Because, like one of the thingson my podcast, it's not about
(14:44):
the destination, it's about thejourney.
So if there are times where youdislike your yeah, exactly, if
you dislike your passion, it'snot that you want to divorce
from it.
It's literally part of what itmeans to be in the field
podcasting yeah, there are a lotof challenges leadership,
promotion, good questions, goodconversations.
Maybe you're hard on yourself.
These self-doubts like that'spart of podcasting.
(15:06):
Obviously there's more, butthese are things that come to
mind.
So if there are times whereyou're like, oh, I don't like my
thick accent or I'm not likingwhere it's at, that's a normal
thing because, first of all, youcare and, secondly, it's part
of what it means to be in thisfield.
So love your passion absolutely, but definitely embrace the the
negativity, even though it'ssomething that you are really
(15:28):
passionate about no, no, exactly.
Gurasis (15:30):
You know, there are days, obviously, like I do
question it, like okay, what amI doing?
Am I doing it correctly?
Am I done?
So?
I think that's also normal,like you just said, that it's a
good thing that you care aboutit.
That's why you are questioningyourself that, what you're
exactly doing.
So, yeah, thank you for that.
And lastly, how would youdescribe your experience of
being on this podcast today?
Hamza (15:49):
It's definitely been a fun experience in a weird way
and I hope I don't offend you bysaying this but definitely a
learning experience, because I'mso used to being the host, not
the guest, right?
So, host, you have a set ofpreparation, you know what to
talk about, but as a guest nowit's like like okay, I really
(16:11):
got to make sure that I do thetalking.
But then it's like, okay, howdo I make sure that I don't?
Like I don't want to talk toomuch about something, because
maybe there's other things youwant to talk about.
But then I also don't want tobe in a situation where I give
you like a two or three wordanswer and then it's like, oh
crap, he's done, oh wait.
So it's like for tell me aboutyour time, where you tell me
like your favorite podcast guestand I'm like I like this person
(16:33):
, and then you're like that's it.
But then at the same time, Ialso don't want to be in a
situation where I spend two orthree, four or five minutes
talking about why I like thisguest, because there's a
difference.
So definitely a learningexperience.
So, if I apologize if I rambletoo much, but it's one of those
things where it's a learningexperience and I hope that in
future episodes I figure outlike how to be a good guest,
(16:56):
because being a great host isone thing, but being a great
guest that's another thing.
Gurasis (17:02):
Okay, awesome.
Well, on that note, thank you.
Thank you so much for being onthe podcast today and adding
value to my listeners.
Hamza (17:08):
Thanks, a lot.
Yeah, of course.
before we uh get into the final segment, hamza, I've
added this new segment in thisseason, obviously, and I call it
know your host, where I ask myguests to ask me any question
they might have okay, all right,well, let me put on my podcast
mask.
Hamza (00:16):
Let's do this, okay.
So question one, one of this,one of my favorite questions to
ask people and probably not askyou it on if, when you join my
podcast, so when you go into anew passion or experience, there
are certain things that youpicked up when you go through
that experience.
So envision like you know those, those, those uh commercials
(00:36):
about medicine where it's likebefore a person you would look
like, you look like this after aperson, you look like this when
you look at my thick accent.
Tell me a bit about what youwere like as a person before my
thick accent and how has yourlife changed since you started
my thick accent podcast?
so tell me a bit about thebefore and after of creating
Gurasis (00:56):
wow, I love this question and I feel like I've
recently answered this offline,but I'll still answer that for
you, of course.
So you know, when I came toCanada in 2018, hamza, I felt
like I had this spark, likeenthusiastic fun.
Good disease was there, but Ifeel like, with time, with the
challenges I had as an immigranttrying to navigate a life in a
(01:18):
new world where life has neverexisted before for me, right,
for the first initial three anda half years, I feel like I lost
that spark because I was too,too much occupied with the
immigration process.
The pandemic was the addedpressure, because everything is
nice and hunky-dory when youcome here, right, but eventually
the reality kicks in.
The weather takes a toll on you.
(01:39):
I think I lost a part of me,sort of, I would say, but when I
started working on it and thenI obviously started talking to
these people, right, and andthese people are the people who
have been through a similar sortof a journey which I am in
right now right, because y'allare, like, I would say, like 20,
some like 10 or 20 years aheadin their immigrant journey than
(02:01):
me, right, so talking to thembasically reassured me that,
whatever is happening with meI'm not alone into this and also
because when I went to torontolast year you know it was I
completed my one year.
I went to toronto, I spoke atnetworking event and I saw the
live reaction of people aboutthe podcast and it was just
before the lunch time and duringthe lunch time I saw the amount
(02:23):
of people who came and talkedto me and I felt like damn, that
Gurasees is back.
You know, because I was thisperson back in India.
I was into every possible, youname it.
I was in that extracurricularactivity except sports.
I wasn't too much into sportscomplete opposite from you but I
was into, you know, you can sayI was into dramatics.
I was into dramatics.
(02:49):
I was into singing also.
I was part of my school choirthe dancing also.
I have done at one point, I'vedone a lot of hosting.
I've done a lot of rj in myschool, organized events,
hosting, anchoring so much.
But I feel like I never gotthat opportunity or that stage
to really showcase what I had,you know, when I came to canada.
But through this podcast I feellike this was a great uh, you
know, like a platform for mepersonally to be able to
showcase that who actually I am,you know, which I never got
(03:11):
before.
So yeah, the the short answeris I feel like I didn't have
that spark.
Hamza (03:15):
I lost that spark before this, but after this podcast, I
have regained my spark and thatthat energy which I lost before
yeah, you know it's interestingbecause the way I answer this
question is, you know, I stilldevelop that fear of talking to
people.
However, I feel like thatthere's a difference between
wanting to talk to someone and Ineed to talk to someone.
(03:35):
I think I do a better job ofneeding to talk to someone
rather than the want, because ona podcast, you need, like, if
you, if you want to have a gueston your podcast, you need to
reach out to them.
So some people will go throughthe actual guests themselves, or
there's maybe a PR like anassistant manager, whatever.
I have to go through them.
(03:56):
Sometimes it can be difficultbecause they obviously have more
, they're obviously managing theperson, or maybe they're
managing an organization that aguest is part of.
So it's like, oh, do I reallywant to bother them?
But I'm like I kind of need toquote, unquote bother them
because if I really want thisguest, I need to reach out to
them.
So I think the need, like theyneed to talk to someone.
(04:16):
If you want me to, if you say,like, hamza, I need you to talk
to this person, I'll do it.
If you say, hamza, go talk, Iwant you to go talk to this
person, he has a podcast or shehas a podcast.
They'll be like, oh boy, herewe go again.
All right, hi, I'm hamza.
Hopefully this conversation isnot a bad conversation.
So I think the need, likeneeding to talk to someone, I'm
okay with, but the wanting stilla work in progress.
(04:38):
But I hope to be at a pointwhere I'm like you know what,
regardless if it's a good answer, a bad answer, at least I tried
my best so now we're in thefinal segment.
Gurasis (04:49):
I call it beneath the accent because we are knowing
each other beneath our accents,unique accents.
I'm going to a couple ofquestions.
You can answer them in one wordor a sentence, or however you
feel like.
The idea is just to know moreabout you.
So first is are you an earlybird or a night owl?
Oh, early bird, a word thatdescribes you best.
Hamza (05:10):
I was gonna say curious, you know, like c-u-r-r-y-o-u-s,
but uh, yeah, definitely curious.
I like that.
Yeah, it just doesn't come outthe tongue well, but definitely
curious.
Just because you know, I'msomeone who likes to really know
what it's like to be otherpeople and I'd like to know more
than what I see.
There's more to something thanwhat is currently being
(05:31):
presented.
Just because you know why, not?
Gurasis (05:34):
it's it's it's fun to learn more you know that's a
great idea for a t-shirt.
You know careers.
I love that I've tried.
Hamza (05:41):
I keep like stay curious, but it's just, it's kind of I
don't know.
Gurasis (05:44):
I'm still working on it no, you, you have to make a
t-shirt for that for sure.
I love that so cool.
All right, what's your go-tocomfort food?
Hamza (05:53):
uh, butter, or chicken makhani, chicken makhani all the
way.
Garlic naan has to be it.
Mango lassi, that's my go-tomeal and that's like no, you're
not taking anything else do youhave any hidden talents?
I've been asking really weirdphilosophical questions from
time to time.
I think that's the only talentI can think of, but no, I don't
(06:17):
know, just just asking weirdquestions.
Gurasis (06:20):
I don't even know about the talent I mean sure you know
it's not everybody's cup of teato even ask a question
sometimes, you know.
Hamza (06:26):
That's true.
Gurasis (06:27):
What's the best piece of advice someone ever gave you?
Hamza (06:29):
Ironically enough, I hated getting this advice when I
first started my podcast, but,to be honest, it's never been
more true than before.
But things take time, and Ithink it's the most important
piece of advice, because youobviously want the good things
to happen to you, but sometimesno one's taught me this.
I think this is something I'vecome to realize on my own, which
is, in order for something tobe beautiful, it has to be ugly
(06:54):
in a sense.
That Think of, like everything,that everyone that's become
successful or created thatreally incredible product that
took a journey that took a lotof failures, challenges,
obstacles, other things.
And yeah, it takes time.
Now, for some people, it maytake more time, some people may
take shorter time, but it reallydoes take time to develop that
(07:18):
thing and you have to make surethat you continue to keep
fighting.
And I want to be careful when Italk about this, because there
are a lot of people that reallywanted that thing, but they
never end up getting it.
And it's not a knock on them,but it's more like maybe there's
something else that they decideto pursue or they just really
couldn't do it.
So they're something I have tobe really careful of.
(07:40):
But with this podcast.
I really want this podcast tobe successful, but I also know
that in order for it to besuccessful, it's going to have
to take a journey and whether Ilike it or not, that's fact.
But that's factual and I haveto accept that fact well,
honestly, I have no doubts itwon't be successful.
Gurasis (07:57):
So definitely more power to you thank you,
appreciate it okay, tell me, ifyou could describe yourself as
any creature, what would it be?
Hamza (08:06):
hmm, that's a good question.
Probably a cat, I mean, I thinkI think the cats movie ruined
it for me, that really terriblemovie that came out in 2019, but
even then, I mean, I I findcats really adorable.
So I don't know, cats are justlike the type of thing I mean.
Also, I think people also likedogs as well, but I don't know
what I've noticed.
So whenever I see people withcats, they really like being
(08:27):
around cats.
So that's something I wish if Iwere to be an animal, probably
a cat, just because it's like ohyeah, I just want to be around
you, not in a creepy way, butmore like in a fun way.
Gurasis (08:39):
Okay, who is your go-to person when you feel stuck?
Hamza (08:43):
Okay.
So I want to take it into adifferent route.
In the sense, the easiestanswer would be my mom and dad,
but then, from a more religiousstandpoint, probably God.
I am Muslim, so, for thoselistening, maybe you may not
relate to this or not, but Idefinitely go to God for help.
I consider religion, or likefaith, as a gps, so I usually go
(09:04):
to that to help guide me as towhat I should or should not do,
what is right and what is wrong.
So if that's an answer thatyou'll be willing to accept
because we obviously maybedifferent religions or we can't
see god, obviously mom and dadis like my go-to people, but if
it's other than parents, withoutdoubt God.
Gurasis (09:22):
Great answer.
What's the most expensive thingyou would like to own?
Hamza (09:26):
I'm not someone that likes to spend too much money,
probably.
I don't know how to say themicrophone name, but it's called
like Shure or Shure microphone.
Yeah, so I've never seen it.
It's one of the best microphonesout there because the voice is
very professional and crisp.
I use a yeti microphone from mypodcast but if I were to like
(09:49):
make sound on my I'm currentlyusing a desk but if you, I don't
know if you can hear this, butyou can hear like scratching
noises.
Sometimes it picks it up on theyeti, but on a sure microphone
surey microphone, sure, surey,whatever it's pronounced um, it
does a good job of not pickingthat up.
So maybe a shuri microphone issomething I'd like to own one
day.
But then again, like, like Isaid, I'm not someone who likes
(10:09):
to spend.
I'm one of those people thatlikes to spend more money on
books.
I will probably get like a setof books for, like, the lord of
the rings or hobbit, which islike which could be a lot of
money because they're like sixor seven books.
Gurasis (10:20):
So, yeah, probably, probably sherry microphone if
you could have any super power,what would it be?
Hamza (10:26):
um, as someone who likes to overthink and be judged and
worry about judgment, mindreading definitely like to read
people's mind, like I would loveto be those people where it's
like you know we're having agood time, but I'd like to know
are they really having a goodtime?
You know, I'm one of thosepeople that's like, yeah, you
know, you seem like a reallygood guy.
And then you know, in my mindI'm like, oh man, how long is he
going to continue to talk aboutchicken curry and why it's the
(10:46):
greatest food on the planet?
What time is it?
Oh man, only three hours leftuntil I can get to my class.
I'd love to know that.
Obviously, I don't try to borepeople out of my love for curry,
but it's like I really want toknow, because there's a
difference between what you sayon the outside and then how you
really feel on the inside.
Gurasis (11:02):
So mind reading would definitely be a really cool
superpower if you could createthis one law, hamza, that
everybody has to follow, whatwould it be?
Hamza (11:10):
actually interesting enough.
Jay Shetty actually has askedhis guest some of that question.
So I was like, oh, I've alwaysthought about what?
How would I answer thisquestion?
I'm really glad you broughtthat up.
One law that I would create.
I don't know if this is a goodlaw, but I still think it's.
I wish it's something that wecan all do, which is to be
understanding.
Everyone is different.
You're one of 8 billion peopleon the planet, so you might have
(11:33):
time, but other people may nothave time, and that's not to say
that they don't want to bearound you.
It's that there are certainthings that's preventing them
from being able to be in your orbe able to help you or be able
to spend time with you, and it'ssomething that I've had to be
patient with, because I used tothink, oh, they don't want to
hang out with me because of me.
Later on I realized, no, thereare certain things that are
(11:54):
preventing them from doing thatthing.
So everyone has difficultchallenges.
Sometimes it that thing, soeveryone has difficult
challenges.
Sometimes it's just one ofthose things where you don't
really understand there's areason why they can't do the
things that you want to do withthem, because they're going
through something, so just beunderstanding and be patient
totally and to add to that, Ifeel like it also makes things
very easier for your own sanityto accept that why is the reason
(12:16):
they're behaving a certain way?
Gurasis (12:18):
so that you don't like overthink and kind of like make
your own reasons behind it andyou start even start.
Sometimes, I feel like when youdon't think it that way, you
also start criticizing your ownself.
Is it me?
You start questioning yourself.
I was the one who did that.
Maybe I spoke wrong at thispoint.
Maybe I did that.
You know it's better to thinkfrom other person's perspective.
At time it's like you know thatthat classic example of your
(12:39):
six might be their nine for sure, yeah, and it's.
Hamza (12:41):
And again, it's not something that we understand.
If you're waiting for someoneto hang out with you and they
never respond to you, you mightwant to demand an explanation.
Like, hey, we were supposed tomeet up, but what happened?
In these cases you might wantan explanation, but there are
cases where it's like, whateverthey're going through, just let
it be, because sometimes youknow, maybe it's best to not
hear the story.
Like, for example, if I say I'msick, it's easy to go.
(13:03):
Is he really sick?
Or if he just, does he reallywant to hang out with me?
But if I tell you, uh, I haddiarrhea, then you're like, okay
, you know what?
I should not have asked thatquestion.
So okay, you did not need toask that, you did not need to
tell me that.
So there are.
Okay, I think it is a difficultslope, but at the end of the
day, you know people are peopleand you know it's.
It's some.
(13:24):
At some point you need to thinkit has to be outside of you, it
needs to be bigger than you,right?
Not everything revolves aroundyou.
Gurasis (13:32):
People have other obligations and finally, if you
could leave me with one piece ofadvice, what would it be?
Hamza (13:38):
so I think the first thing would definitely be, like
I said, everything takes time.
It's great to find somethingthat you're really passionate
about.
One piece of advice I'd love togive to people and it's
something because I actuallyasked this question to my guest
is it's okay to dislike yourpassion?
(13:59):
And it's weird because youthink that just because you're
passionate about something, itmeans that you're going to love
every minute.
But it's not necessarily love,it's more of embracing.
You know it's weird.
I used to say think of yourpassion as your spouse, right In
the sense?
I'm not married, by the way,but whether it's wife, wife,
(14:24):
wife, husband, husband, husbandor whatever, you're going to
have difficult conversations,you guys are going to fight, but
at the end of the day, you'regoing to stick together because
you believe that throughout thedifficulty you will still remain
as one.
Passions in general, it'ssimilar to that.
So if you don't like yourpassion, it's not necessarily a
bad thing.
It's part of the journey, right?
Because, like one of the thingson my podcast, it's not about
(14:44):
the destination, it's about thejourney.
So if there are times where youdislike your yeah, exactly, if
you dislike your passion, it'snot that you want to divorce
from it.
It's literally part of what itmeans to be in the field
podcasting yeah, there are a lotof challenges leadership,
promotion, good questions, goodconversations.
Maybe you're hard on yourself.
These self-doubts like that'spart of podcasting.
(15:06):
Obviously there's more, butthese are things that come to
mind.
So if there are times whereyou're like, oh, I don't like my
thick accent or I'm not likingwhere it's at, that's a normal
thing because, first of all, youcare and, secondly, it's part
of what it means to be in thisfield.
So love your passion absolutely, but definitely embrace the the
negativity, even though it'ssomething that you are really
(15:28):
passionate about no, no, exactly.
Gurasis (15:30):
You know, there are days, obviously, like I do
question it, like okay, what amI doing?
Am I doing it correctly?
Am I done?
So?
I think that's also normal,like you just said, that it's a
good thing that you care aboutit.
That's why you are questioningyourself that, what you're
exactly doing.
So, yeah, thank you for that.
And lastly, how would youdescribe your experience of
being on this podcast today?
Hamza (15:49):
It's definitely been a fun experience in a weird way
and I hope I don't offend you bysaying this but definitely a
learning experience, because I'mso used to being the host, not
the guest, right?
So, host, you have a set ofpreparation, you know what to
talk about, but as a guest nowit's like like okay, I really
(16:11):
got to make sure that I do thetalking.
But then it's like, okay, howdo I make sure that I don't?
Like I don't want to talk toomuch about something, because
maybe there's other things youwant to talk about.
But then I also don't want tobe in a situation where I give
you like a two or three wordanswer and then it's like, oh
crap, he's done, oh wait.
So it's like for tell me aboutyour time, where you tell me
like your favorite podcast guestand I'm like I like this person
(16:33):
, and then you're like that's it.
But then at the same time, Ialso don't want to be in a
situation where I spend two orthree, four or five minutes
talking about why I like thisguest, because there's a
difference.
So definitely a learningexperience.
So, if I apologize if I rambletoo much, but it's one of those
things where it's a learningexperience and I hope that in
future episodes I figure outlike how to be a good guest,
(16:56):
because being a great host isone thing, but being a great
guest that's another thing.
Gurasis (17:02):
Okay, awesome.
Well, on that note, thank you.
Thank you so much for being onthe podcast today and adding
value to my listeners.
Hamza (17:08):
Thanks, a lot.
Yeah, of course.
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