Your Identity Toolbox (ft. Torian Richardson, Global Diversity Recruiting Leader, NVIDIA)

Your Identity Toolbox

How discovering your purpose, relationships, and the variety in your life add up to shape who you are— and what you can accomplish.

QUOTE:

“It’s all about moving from having an idea and making it actionable, and then being able to pivot. Start with the hardest, but make sure that you’re taking consistent action.” — Torian Richardson

SUMMARY:

What makes up the true identity of an individual? According to this episode’s guest, Torian Richardson, our identity consists of three vital elements— our purpose, our relationships, and the variety in our life that expands our perspective and helps us grow. Is it time that you started building your identity toolbox?

GUEST BIO:

Torian Richardson is the Global Diversity Recruiting Leader for NVIDIA, one of the world’s leading GPU designers and one of the most innovative companies today. Torian has worked on four continents, traveled to 70 countries, and brings his unique global perspective to every action he takes— and he’s all about taking action.

Follow Torian on LinkedIn

OPENING MONOLOGUE:

What makes up an individual’s true identity? First is our reason, the way we take our internal inspiration and transform it into action. Next is variety, which expands the horizon of our own experiences, pushing us into environments that are uncomfortable and help us grow. Finally, relationships— the currency of life. These three pillars add up to our identity toolbox, which will mold our character and optimize how we show up when it matters most.

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:

[5:38]

Well Done is Better Than Well Said

Sometimes you just have to get in there and take action

Everyone has great ideas. We talk about making an impact in our own lives and in the world. But the people that pivot from inspiration to action are the ones who really affect change. Consistent action leads to progress in ways that procrastination never will.

[7:25]

Overcoming Challenges and Action Blockers

What do you do when it’s difficult to take action?

When life or global circumstances try to upset our momentum and mental health, what do we do? We stick to what we can control. We keep that alarm set at 4:30am, rather than letting our habits slip along with the world. Then we come out the other side, still pushing forward.

[13:56]

Building Capacity

The three pillars of reaching your potential

Purpose, variety, and relationships all combine to build our capacity— what we’re capable of achieving. This process won’t just happen, it needs to be intentionally developed each and every day by the actions we take.

[24:08]

The Power of “I Don’t Know”

Become courageously vulnerable, change the world.

Courageous vulnerability’ is a phrase that we should all internalize and make part of our personal lexicon. When we have the courage to be vulnerable, to say ‘I don’t know,’ we have the power to learn, evolve, and change our perspective for the better.

[33:27]

Corporate vs. Entrepreneurial: Making Your Move

It’s not a question of direction, it’s a question of movement

Some career choices aren’t what we think they are. For example, choosing to work for an enterprise or start your own isn’t necessarily about which one is the right direction— it’s about which one is going to cause the most momentum for you in your life. There’s no right answer for everyone— you have to decide for yourself using the power of self-awareness.

[39:06]

When You’re the Odd One Out<