Meet Khaled Dajani

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Khaled Dajani. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Khaled, thank you so much for making time for us today. Let’s jump right into a question so many in our community are looking for answers to – how to overcome creativity blocks, writer’s block, etc. We’d love to hear your thoughts or any advice you might have.

You overcome it by first realizing that there is no such thing as a creative block. The only block is you.

Are you working in the right environment, free of distractions? Have you taken the time to settle in to hone in on what you’re feeling? Are you clear on what you want to express? It can take a few attempts.

If you’re not in the headspace, go for a walk. When you’re done with that, get back into your space and start writing down or recording anything you’re working on. It doesn’t matter if you’re going to keep it or not, just go for it. This is practice and exercising your creative juices. You never know what’s going to come out of it. Some of the best art is a result of an accidental note or an improvised line.

If you’re not satisfied with the results, that’s fine. At least you are exercising your creative muscles. Play and experiment using a different approach. That is the creative process. If you’re still not satisfied, then maybe you need a break. Go out and fill your cup. Go experience something that inspires you, a museum, concert, movie, or anything. Take yourself on a date. Just you and you.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a storyteller and community builder. I’ve always been drawn to creative expression, whether through music, writing, or visual arts. It was the outlet I needed to cope with my family violence history, bullying, and my immigrant experience. Though it was my experience with cancer that deepened my connection with myself, my understanding of the human spirit and ignited a passion for helping others. So I want to share my story with the world to inspire others.

Music is my ultimate passion and form of expression. This is where I combine the sum of all my experiences and the universe of emotions inside of me into song and music. It’s the best way I know to express a feeling in an almost tangible way. You implant a feeling from you into the listener. When you get it right, it’s magic. It’s also a process and a journey to create, and the reward is worth it. I’ve been writing and performing music most of my life. It’s been with me the longest. I am happy to announce that I am releasing my next set of songs under my brand new artist name, Sun on Fire, in 2025. Follow me for the latest at @sunonfire.music.

Another medium I tell stories through is photography. It’s another way of capturing a moment and a feeling with a click of a button. Catching the light when it’s just right, framing the image, drawing the viewer’s eye to what you want them to see. It’s fascinating. I love photography because it’s seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. It’s a new perspective. It can be something as simple as the way the light hits the table at the cafe, a burning sunset, or panoramic landscape from high above. I want to show you that we live in a reality with many magical moments to find wonder, awe and joy in. Moments big and small. I recently picked up this craft. So I have plenty to learn and improve upon. I just returned from a thirty day trip to Thailand and Vietnam and will be sharing photos and stories from that trip on my instagram @fuckyeahgoyou.

That brings us to FYGY (Fuck yea! Go you!). In 2024, I hosted seven monthly meetups where I provided a structured environment for people to share their goals, receive support, and celebrate each other’s journeys. This year, in addition to the in-person monthly meetups, I will begin offering virtual meetups, 1:1 coaching sessions and retreats where we spend an entire weekend focused on what you want to improve upon. As a high performance coach, I guide individuals to achieve their goals by helping them develop action plans, overcome obstacles, and cultivate empowering habits. My style combines the high-performance model with a focus on celebrating wins, creating a positive and growth-oriented environment for individuals to excel. My unique background as an immigrant, artist, and Google senior technical program manager (leading global programs) fuels my coaching approach. I bring a blend of creativity, resilience, and empathy, fostering holistic growth for the body, mind, heart, and spirit. My calendar is fluid, so the best way to schedule with me is to contact me directly through instagram @fuckyeahgoyou.

I’m proud of the art I have created, the individuals I’ve helped and the communities I’ve built along the way. And I am still going. If there’s one thing I want my audience and followers to know, it’s this: you are not alone. Nothing is impossible. If I can do it, you can do it too.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I live by this rule: if you don’t write it down, it either never happened or it won’t happen. I write everything down first as a stream of consciousness, then I edit and organize my thoughts. Whenever I have a to-do list, I do the same thing; write everything down first, then order them based on priority. I also live and die by a calendar. I schedule my priorities and automate my days, yet always leaving room for spontaneity and creativity. Yes, this takes time, but it also clears your mind and gives you a plan to execute versus having to go back to your brain and think of what you need to do next.

With any quality or skill you want to improve, there is one truth: you must practice. There are no shortcuts. Don’t focus on the end result. Rather, enjoy the process. Don’t be attached to the outcome. Instead, be committed to your vision and mission. It’s all a journey. The more you do it, the more it becomes second nature. Consistency is key. Seek out a mentor or a coach to help you in whatever area you need it in. In the end though, it all comes down to you. Only you can make the choice. No one is going to practice for you.

Here are some of the skills and qualities that have helped me create value and impact:

Curiosity – I always want to learn or discover new things. I learn something then apply it. This continuous learning builds and improves my toolkit. Curiosity is a form of play. The more I play, the more excitement I put into my day. The fastest way to exercise your curiosity is by reading. Read any book or article on a topic you’re interested in or know nothing about.

Organization – There are many facets to our lives: family, friends, birthdays, work, appointments. You name it. We experience more than 6,000 thoughts a day. Which of them are important and serve us? How do you keep track of it all? Having strong organizational skills helps you prioritize and manage your time so you can do the things you want to do, and do them well. It also helps you organize your thoughts so you can go about your journey with clarity of mind. Exercise your organizational skills by journaling daily and using a calendar to plan your day.

Adaptability – Things don’t always go according to plan. How well you recover determines your success rate. It’s important not to dwell on the mistakes, but rather learn from them and move on quickly. The world is rapidly evolving. So you have to be adaptable; ready and willing to learn the next new thing or be left behind. Music doesn’t stop for anyone. The show must go on. When things go off the rails, or when the unpredictable happens, that is your opportunity to exercise your adaptability muscles.

Bonus: Physical exercise – When Richard Branson was asked in an interview what advice he would give to those who want to be more productive, his answer was, “Train”. There is a clear and documented connection between exercise, productivity and overall wellbeing. Benefits include: increased energy levels, improved focus and concentration, stress reduction, better sleep and enhanced creativity. If you think you don’t have energy to exercise, try exercising.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

Awareness is key. The most important thing is to become aware of that feeling before it’s too late. It’s also important to recognize that you will not perform at your best in this state, and that it’s OK that you are feeling overwhelmed. If you catch yourself rushing from task to task, are easily distracted, unable to concentrate, irritable, tired, frazzled or anything of the sort, stop right there. Turn off everything, no screens, no notifications, no anything. Whatever it is, it can wait. Nothing is more important than your wellbeing. Now, you’ll want to bring yourself back to center. You have a few tools at your disposal to do that. Start by closing your eyes then taking a deep breath in through your nose and out your mouth. Focus on the sensation of the air entering and exiting your body. Listen to the sound of the air moving through your body. Do that a few times. Open your eyes. Go for a walk. Breathe deep during your walk. While on your walk, don’t think about anything that is causing you to feel overwhelmed. You’ll have time for that later. The goal is not to get centered so you can think clearly about what you want to do when you get back.

If this is task oriented work, make a list, order in terms of priority, then tackle the list one item at a time. Also remember, and this is critical, don’t take yourself too seriously. If this is relationship related, whether to someone else or yourself, start writing a stream of consciousness everything in your mind. It doesn’t matter whether it’s organized, punctuated, spell checked or anything like that. You can organize your thoughts later after you get them down on paper. This will help you get your thoughts outside of you and in front of you so you can become an objective observer of your thoughts, feelings and behaviors. That will help you assess and reevaluate how to direct your energy in the situation. You will also want to ask yourself if you are showing up the way you want to in the world.

To become faster at assessing your internal state, you can employ various mindfulness techniques: sitting in stillness, breathwork, meditation and similar activities all help. Practice consistently and the results will follow.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @fuckyeahgoyou + @sunonfire.music
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-dajani/

Image Credits

I took all the photos myself