01:09
Ira Glass Highlight
You can criticize yourself to a point to do something better, or you criticize yourself to a point where you inhibit yourself.
About Ira
- Grew up in an area where smart kids were expected to become doctors, but he always had an interest in media.
- Took two summer jobs, one at a hospital, one at NPR: "At the end of that summer, it was seemed very clear which one was more appealing."
- Says the best thing to do is force yourself into doing the work, and the skills will eventually come; believes hard work can make a person talented.
- He was bad at his job for a long time; says, "even the stuff you're really good at, you're not good at right away."
- Started producing shows at age 19; says early tapes show he had "no talent at all" for reporting, but he was good at editing.
- His parents hated the choices he was making; they'd worked hard to get into the middle class, constantly worried he wouldn't "succeed."
- Says the least pleasant part of his job is actually being on the radio: "all you can do is screw it up...there are so many ways to ruin it."
- Believes he will wake up with doubt and worry every day, but he's made peace with that, uses feelings of inadequacy to motivate him.
