We recently connected with Tiffany Hobbs and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Tiffany, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
Overcome? Hardly. Overcoming is a work in progress. I’m my own worst critic, and I think a lot of people deal with a negative inner voice that amplifies doubt and cynicism. But here’s the thing about where I am NOW- I know that voice is but one of many, and, in order to drown it out (because it’s still going to be there), I have to allow the other voices to be louder. That might sound like a burgeoning mental health crisis but it’s true! It’s actually healthy, real, and I can’t minimize the impact of of my subconscious. I can’t let the negative voice be the one I listen to, or the one that leads me into an abyss of believing myself incapable or unworthy. There are enough people outside of myself who thrive off of that opportunity, and that’s BECAUSE I’m good at what I do. I’m GOOD AT WHAT I DO. I have to say it until I believe it. And, sometimes, I have to just do the thing anyway, even when I’m afraid. More often than not, everything is going to turn out as it should.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
It’s really cool that you’ve spun the block on me for another interview. In my previous two, I wrote about being a photographer and a special education teacher, as well as about being a writer who uses words as activism. All of that’s still true. What I can add to that bag today is that I’m now an on-air radio personality at the #1 talk station in the country, and the #2 radio station overall in Los Angeles, KFI AM640! I get to use all facets of myself to present news stories to the public through my own perspective. This platform affords me so much opportunity to reach people, and I don’t take it lightly. Black folks on KFI are IMPORTANT.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Resilience- I could’ve easily given up when opportunities didn’t go my way. I didn’t. I knew what was for me would come eventually. God has been preparing those things all along. 2. Readiness- When those opportunities presented themselves, I had to be ready. I prayed for readiness. And, boom. No hesitation. Let’s go.
3. Knowledge- Being ready wasn’t enough. I had and continue to have to know my skillset and what’s expected of me in this role. How do I prepare? How can I better organize myself? Who should I listen to? What should I filter out? All of that is vital to growing in any field, let alone talk radio.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
Learning to say “no” in its various forms, and to be ok with disappointing people if it’s in my best interest as I pursue my emotional, physical, and professional goals, has been my biggest area of growth over this last year. No, I can’t do it. No, not today, I’m resting. No, I don’t feel like it. No, I don’t enjoy that. Those are all ok. It can’t be “yes” all the time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kfiam640.iheart.com/search/Tiffany%20Hobbs/
- Instagram: https://kfiam640.iheart.com/search/Tiffany%20Hobbs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spiffytiffyh?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Image Credits
Tiffany Hobbs, Terance Joseph, Connie Hobbs, Nick Pagliochini, Tawala Sharp
