Why your talents aren't enough: Hidden skills that actually get you ahead

In this episode of Hype Woman, we explore why talent alone won’t take you where you want to go — and the hidden skills that truly move people ahead. From global politics to subculture, from the Grammys to Cologne Carnival, we’re living in a moment where authenticity is no longer optional; it’s demanded.

I break down how artists like Bad Bunny and Justin Bieber are pushing back against restrictive environments through bold, unfiltered expression — and what their vulnerability can teach us about being fully seen. We also dive into personal stories, from intimate performances to deeply exposing life moments, and why the courage to show up as yourself is more powerful than perfection.

You’ll hear why genuine voices resonate, how online creators build emotional connection, and what happens when your self‑expression becomes part of your identity. We talk self‑belief, the danger of “shadow careers,” finding your voice, and why building the confidence to speak up is a muscle you strengthen over time.

Drawing lessons from South Africa’s rugby coach Rassie Erasmus and bestselling authors who defied early criticism, I unpack how mindset, community, and internal dialogue shape performance far more than raw talent ever will.

This episode is an invitation to bet on yourself — with audacity, clarity, and trust that the timing will unfold exactly when it should. If it sparks something in you, share it with a friend or join our 21‑day Audacity Challenge to start expanding your courage in everyday life.

https://thehypewomen.com/product/online-workshop-21-day-audacity-challenge

Transcript

Welcome to this episode of Hype Woman the Podcast.

 On today's episode, I'm going to tell you why your talent isn't enough. Here's some hidden skills that actually get you ahead. So one of the things I love doing is I love observing success stories. I love trying to understand the backstory of what is going on. And here's some of the things I've noticed this year. I mean, number one, there's no surprise the world order has changed. 

And world politics is starting to feel rather restrictive. And this coming from someone who has, you know, done political science at university, studied democracy in detail, and looking at what is going on in the world and realizing like this is no longer a democracy. Um, and what we find is in times when democracy or the freedom of expression is under threat. Um, from a legal perspective. You find that the art or the subcultural trends in music, um, becomes more bolder, more thought provoking, and honest. 

The need for self-expression becomes that much more, um, powerful. And we've seen this like at the Super Bowl, Bad Bunny's performance in Spanish. is a 1st in American history. And yet at the same time, it was so wild, widely celebrated, not just amongst Americans, but amongst lots of people around the world who just connected with this kind of almost, um, you know, almost a way of of retaliating against a strict and coercive government. Um, and we've seen this also like in Europe at the recent carnival parade in Cologne and Dusseldorf. Um, the parades are getting bolder. that much more, you know, um, tongue in cheek. But really, it's it's to speak in a truth that a lot of people are afraid to speak and share. So what I'm seeing is there's a need for authenticity, and this comes with the courage to be fully seen. 

Um, and for some of you are thinking like, what does that actually mean? And I'm going to give you an illustration. Um, Justin Bieber's performance at the Grammys was one of them. Um, and I've never been a believer. But I have observed him and, you know, um, 4 years ago, he posted a message about how he didn't enjoy the fakeness of the Grammys. He didn't like going to these events and I think he like hasn't attended it in a few years. And yet this time, you know, um, He is one of those artists who just wants to create art. He wants to put his music out there. But on the other hand, Every artist, everyone who has created something knows that they don't just get to create their work of art. They don't just get to act in the films that they choose to act in. They also get to have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable selling their art to the world. And, you know, um, I produce this podcast. I host events, but one of the things I really hate doing is selling, selling this to my audience, making people, you know, uh, try to convince you like, hey, you should, uh, show up to my event. And yet, Going to these events, going, you know, to these performances. This is all part of the marketing platform for big artists. And so, And so he has to give in to these marketing standards that at the same time, Go against his values. But his performance was really, really fascinating and, you know, it was void of all the extra technical music instruments. There was no backup dancers, there was no 12 piece band. It was just Justin. In his boxes. So almost naked. And symbolically, you know, um, This is what it means to be fully seen. In all his vulnerability. And the whole auditorium stood up during his performance. And he didn't even wait for the applause at the end. So he's done, people, please, in the crowds. He's just there to perform, to put his music out there. But I mean, he can do that because he's just and he's earned that right. And the song itself is deeply personal and, you know, to be able to put that kind of music out there. is kind of like, you know, it made me think of, uh, you know, it's very intimate, it's a song for 2 people in a relationship. And it made me think of my husband, you know, like, I think 12 years ago, my husband proposed to me um, at our church in South Africa because it was the only place he could find a piano, and the church was lucky, was, you know, uh, was nice enough to let us use this, uh, venue. And so he invited my whole family and they've never been to church. Um, my aunts, my uncles, my cousins. And he sang and played the piano in front of My family, and even that felt super revealing to me. That felt that it was like super personal, but it became very public in that moment. And so it takes courage to be seen so vulnerably. And I see this a lot with influences or just people that I follow now on the internet. These are people who are just willing to take me on their personal journey. And I mean, I don't know them personally, but it's vulnerable. 

Um, So, you know, this highlights my next point is that people who are truly authentic are not trying to impress or please anyone. They're simply speaking their truth, performing their art, and creating what makes them feel alive or what needs expression in this world. They are deeply immersed in their journey, not afraid to feel the highs and lows, not judging the outcome. 

And so we all follow their journey because we want to see like what's next. We become emotionally vested in the journey. I remember, you know, some time ago, a friend of mine, we were following a couple's journey on Instagram and eventually they broke up and we were like, what happened? Like, what happened? We're all invested. We want to know, like we've been following this relationship. This is our relationship too. 

And, you know, this is the thing, like, you put something very private out there, and you have to have the courage to to deal with what may come thereafter. Um, and this is not to say that you need to worry about it because I think it really is an expansive muscle that, that starts to develop courage. You know, you start off on your posting journey with, you know, something that seems like a big deal, and then 10 months down the line you have, um, I don't know, 10,000 followers and suddenly your courage has expanded. To reveal so much more. Um, so yes, it develops with time and with, uh, you know, with taking those steps. So my question is, like, what does this all mean for you? 

And one of the things I I came across is that It could be that you need to believe in yourself. To dare boldly and have the audacity to follow the life that you want unapologetically. You know, no shadow careers, no living in this plan B of your life just because it feels safe. And if you fall, Like pause, reframe it, reinvent yourself, and then get back on the horse again. There is no such thing as failure. There's only, you know, um let's try again.

 It means that you may have to use your voice. And for some of us, we have just been so good at observing what is happening around us. But without realizing that our voice adds value, our opinions matter. Expressing yourself with clarity can shift and change. The space around you. So, you know, if you're someone who's struggling, you know, to articulate what you want to say, I know, I've never been the most articulate person. Um, I remember as a kid, my parents sent me for speech and drama classes and I hated it because I was an introvert and I I hated being in a space where I was forced to speak. But I have such clear memories of my speech teacher. I still remember his name. Mr. Pender Smith, who, you know, one of the tasks was, and this is something we did every single week. Pick, pick an excerpt from a book, read it out aloud and he would, um, he would correct our tone, our pitch, our paws, reflection, uh, intonations, you know, the pronunciations, all of these things. And at the time, I always thought like, why am I wasting my time with this? But when you practice, when you enter into spaces where, You're given the opportunity to speak, um, to articulate your thoughts. This does something, this builds confidence. It trains you in a way that when you actually need to raise your voice, it doesn't feel so scary anymore. And um, you can join some of our workshops to train that voice note of yours to train your thoughts. Um, So work on your self-belief, have the audacity to believe in your abilities.

 I was reading a biography on Rassie Erasmus. So for those of you who don't know him, because most of you might not, um, he is the head coach of the South African rugby team. And he's coached this team from being a losing team to win in 2 consecutive World Cup matches. And I find Rassie fascinating because he is not. Conventional, everything about him is just so incredibly unusual. And he goes on to say that the 1st thing he did when he took on this task was that he did not start training the team. He did not fixate on there. strength on their skills, on their might. What he did was, he set them down for a few days and he spoke to them. And he got them to share all of their concerns. And at the same time, he shared his. So it was just building communication, getting them to understand each other, getting them to align as a team. And to block out the noise, because at the time, Rassie  says, that the players got a lot of criticism from the media, from the people around them, and this impacted their confidence. So it kind of got into their heads and that is the thing that they believe that they weren't good enough, that they couldn't take on New Zealand, that they were not going to win against them. And and this is so interesting because so many of us, We believe what we are told. You know, if our colleagues, like say, um, like my friend who's now South Africa's best selling, um, fiction author, she told me about how when she was in university, right in her 1st novel. Um, someone in her class like said to her, hey, Shubnam, like come on, let's be serious. You only have one novel in you. And and she had gone on, you know, to write countless other novels. She has gone on to win awards. She's gone on to sign, um, publication deals with a New York-based publisher and this all from a girl in my small little hometown in Durban. And so, um, You have to safeguard and protect your self belief. Um, and Rossi talks about like, um, you know, building their confidence, not in an egotistical way, but in in a way that align them as a team. So how you talk to yourself matters, who you surround yourself with matters. Are there people who celebrate your victories, even if these are small wins? What you read, what content you consume matters. If you need some encouragement, I'd really encourage you to check out our audacity challenge. 

I'll post the link in the comments. It's a 21 day challenge where you will be inspired to fully bet on yourself. You have to decide that your goals and your dreams are sometimes worth the discomfort and the uncertainty, and we're going to go all in.

 But here's where the self trust comes in. No matter what you, you go through, you will have to trust that you will have it figured out, because at the right time, it will all fall into place. I mean, there's a verse in the Bible that goes, at the right time, either Lord will make it happen for you. And it made me think back, you know, looking at my own life. Every time I've ever wanted something, I actually did get it, but the timing was not in my control.

 If this episode sparks something in you, please like or share it with a friend, and I can't wait to hear from you.