Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Goldwyn Thandrayen . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Goldwyn, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
I thought this question was really interesting, and I wanted to answer it by sharing something I went through a few years ago.
Before 2023, I had never really done group activities. I trained on my own, or with people in my circle. So when I finally started joining group classes — fitness, yoga, martial arts — it took me a while to adjust. Suddenly, I was surrounded by people I didn’t know, measuring myself against the average person in the room.
And here’s what I noticed fast: most people in group classes aren’t really there to reach a goal. They’re not chasing progress. They’re there to hang out, to socialize — and that’s totally fine if that’s what you want.
But me? I’ve always been the kind of guy who wants to beat his own record from the day before. One second faster, one rep more, one pound heavier — even half a rep counts.
But here’s the trap — when you train in groups, you can start to blend in. You pull back just enough to not stand out too much. You match the energy in the room instead of leading it.
And for me, that was dangerous. I realized I was practicing to get weaker. Slower. Lazier.
People would literally tell me, “Hey, chill out, man. You don’t have to go that hard.”
And guess what? I listened. For a while.
Next thing I knew, I wasn’t pushing my limits anymore. I wasn’t lifting heavier. In sparring, I was holding back — and losing because of it.
Then one day, I walked into a yoga class and asked the teacher, “Is it going to be a tough one today?”
She looked at me — probably hungover — and said, “This is your practice. It can be as hard as you want it to be.”
I took those words straight to the heart. Thank you Kelsey!
From that day on, I stopped holding back. Every single session, I went all in again.
And immediately, I noticed the difference — I was lifting heavier, moving faster, getting stronger.
Meanwhile, all the people who told me to take it easy? They’re still at the same level they were when I met them.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
You might not make a lot of friends in the room when you go all in — but the few you do meet? They’ll be like you.
Focused. Determined. Hungry.
And every time you meet someone like that, you both level up. You push each other to grow.
So don’t dim your fire to make others comfortable.
Be the one that raises the bar — even if you have to do it alone.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
For the past two years, I’ve been transitioning more and more into the singer-songwriter world. Coming from a rock band (Psychocide) background, it’s been a bit of a jolt — but a fun one.
As I’m getting older, I’ve noticed my taste in music changing, which I find really interesting because most people tend to love the same music they did when they were teenagers or in their early 20s. I used to be really into heavy metal, hard rock, and grunge — but these days, I’m listening to a lot more ’90s hip-hop, R&B, folk, and country music.
As I mentioned earlier, I like to get better at things. So I’ve been taking a lot of lessons, seeking mentorship, and trying to learn from the best. I was recently in Nashville learning fingerpicking style from Tommy Emmanuel, while also getting constant feedback from the legendary Archie Cruz (Check out Archie Academy) Next year, I’ll be learning from some of the all-time greats: Nuno Bettencourt, Eric Gales, Rick Beato and Steve Vai.
With all that said, I’m putting everything I’ve learned into my acoustic guitar — and taking it on the road.
Don’t Worry I will still be shredding on Electric every now and then !
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Always be learning from the best, and don’t base this on what they say, but what they’ve accomplished.
Eat healthy and Exercise daily, it’s crazy the amount of energy you will have if you do it properly.
Drugs and Alcohol are fun, but trust me, I’ve tried, it’s not sustainable.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
So let me start by saying that I have a challenge with a group of friends: to read 1,000 books in 10 years. I read a lot, and here’s a list of books that have truly changed my life:
Bruce Lee: A Life — Matthew Polly
Open — André Agassi
The Millionaire’s Secret — Mark Fisher
Outwitting the Devil — Napoleon Hill
Acid for the Children — Flea
Meditations — Marcus Aurelius
American Gods — Neil Gaiman
The Doors of Perception — Aldous Huxley
Tune In: The Beatles — All These Years — Mark Lewisohn
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/psychocide
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldwynt
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PsychocideOFC
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5922193/
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