50. How Failure Teaches You More Than Success Ever Will (My DJ Comp Story)

If you've ever worked incredibly hard for something, only to watch it not go to plan in the final moment, this episode is for you. Today I'm taking you on my morning beach walk and sharing one of the most humbling, frustrating, and ultimately transformative experiences I've had recently. This is a conversation about failure and why falling on your face is actually the most powerful teacher you'll ever have. A few months ago, I decided to learn something completely new, a hobby that required me to problem solve, be creative, fall in love with growing a new skill, think critically, and lose track of time in the best way possible. So I started learning to DJ. What started as a fun side project turned into a full blown competition journey. I got selected as a finalist in a beginner DJ comp called Your Shot, spent months curating a 25 minute set, practiced until I knew every beat and transition by heart, and somehow manifested the closing time slot on the main stage. Not just any stage. The main stage. The biggest one. The one with the smoke machines, the lighting, the massive dance floor, and the crowd waiting for the headliner right after me. I was so ready. I had practiced that set front to end with zero mistakes. I knew it like the back of my hand. And then I got up on stage, and the decks malfunctioned, and suddenly my transitions weren't working, my beat matching was off, and I had no idea how to fix it in real time. No one was there to help. I had to troubleshoot on the spot while keeping the energy up and engaging the crowd. It didn't go the way I wanted it to. My closing song got cut. The set didn't sound the way I had practiced. And I walked off stage feeling defeated, angry, and honestly, frustrated. But here's the thing. That experience taught me more than nailing it ever would have. In this episode, I'm sharing the full story, the manifestation, the prep, the performance, the malfunction, and the reflection. I'm talking about why we have to suck at something before we can be great at it, why failure is part of the initiation process, and how to pick yourself up when things don't go to plan. If you're a business owner, a creative, a parent, or anyone who's ever felt like they keep making mistakes and falling short, this one's for you. This is about resilience, growth, and giving yourself permission to be a beginner. And if you're curious, you can listen to the recorded version of my set on SoundCloud. I've got the whole journey saved in my Instagram highlights too. —————— 📚 Resources: Watch the full DJ competition journey on my Instagram highlights » @chanipeach Listen to my full set on SoundCloud here: https://on.soundcloud.com/ko3rKdLKBUEfO2Mde6 Shout out to Michael, my DJ instructor from @flacademy Book mentioned: Time Magic by Melissa Ambrosini —————— 💬 Connect with me: Lets connect on IG here » http://www.instagram.com/chanipeach/ My website, blog & freebies can be found here » http://www.chanithompson.com/ Subscribe to my YouTube channel here » https://www.youtube.com/chanithompson Join my free VIP email list here » https://bit.ly/VIPwithChaniT —————— Subscribe & Review in iTunes Enter The Worthy Podcast giveaway & be in the running to win a pair of KIM X BEATS limited edition earbuds. All you need to do is leave a review and when we reach 100 reviews, I'll announce the winner! Reviews are like little unexpected tips that help other people find my podcast (and help a self funded podcast grow so much) plus they're also really fun for me to read and light my day up so much! Click here for » iTunes (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/worthy-with-chani-thompson/id1723596009) Click here for » Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1GSGIUwheJPOTCcESyzIQ0?si=ecd6367d4f0b420c) . Ps. I'd love for you to subscribe, I don't want you to miss an episode on your quest to creating a life you're obsessed with ✨ Love you lots, Chani xo