Feeling stuck? Try unlearning your need for approval with Chris Witherspoon

Camera Ready & Abel

This is one of my favorite evergreen episodes.

Chris Witherspoon is an entertainment journalist, producer, entrepreneur and CEO of PopViewers who taught me how his career soared to the next level when he unlearned the importance of seeking approval. Instead of looking outward he focused inward on his approval matrix: Feeling happy, great in his own skin, confident and loving his work.

As a recovering people pleaser I know firsthand how much time and energy is wasted seeking approval.

Chris has overcome enormous challenges to create his life and career. Therapy, digging dip and doing the hard work helped Chris learn to let go of needing approval. So did listening to the sage advice of two very wise women:

Sister Harden (14:17) - one of the church muthas at his congregation growing up in Ohio - told Chris before he left for college, “If you don’t see the example, be the example."

Oprah has a soft spot for Chris as an interviewer and shared with him how, when the chips are down and you feel you're at rock bottom, go sit under a tree, get settled and at peace with the moment so you can receive the answers you seek (21:13) and how early in her career she sacrificed her authenticity and integrity in exchange for approval and never made that mistake again (25:54).

Bonus tip: Oprah always repeats your name when you interview her. So does Barack Obama.

More key takeaways:

Ask what makes you happy?

Ask what makes you feel alive?

Ask what makes you jump out of bed in the morning?

Ask for help - it's an act of bravery.

Chris is the founder and CEO of PopViewers, the platform that helps you find what to watch next, invites you to react to the TV and movies you’ve watched, and encourages you to share the experience with fellow content-lovers.

Follow Chris on instagram @witherspoonc and connect on LinkedIn.