I’ve always appreciated the self-awareness Trevor Noah brings to his work. It’s not boastful or arrogant. Unlike other comedians, he puts effort into interrogating his mirror.

In a world where judgment or a negative internal narrative prevents us from giving voice to our thoughts—each of us is only a step away from one transformational moment if we allow ourselves to experience it. Trevor Noah’s new podcast titled What Now? aims to ignite that spark within us: the courage we need to have better conversations.

All of us have questions in life and some of us bury them six feet deep. If we don’t attempt to pick up our shovels and uncover the premise around our limiting beliefs, we hinder meaningful moments or conversations that could move us into growth. Sharing those vulnerabilities and truths in a brave space fosters empathy, understanding, and the strength to move forward.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was the first guest on the podcast, and here are my key takeaways:

The Power of Conversation in a Divided World

Trevor Noah starts this podcast by talking through his feelings about the challenges of modern conversation in 2023. He emphasizes the importance of engaging in difficult discussions, despite tensions in society today.

“And I thought to myself, if we cannot have conversations about difficult things, if the conversations themselves are now the difficult things, then what hope do we have of fixing the difficult things?”

Trevor continues to ponder. He compares our zeitgeist to a minefield.

“I almost think of it like a minefield. One of the most dangerous places you can ever walk into is a minefield because you do not know where they are. You do not know when your last step may be. All you know is at any moment something could blow up. But the danger comes when you step into the minefield. Imagine if discussing how to navigate the minefield was as dangerous as the minefield itself. That’s what I feel like we’re living in now.”

The Takeaway: What Now? isn’t just a question he asks his guests. It’s a question that also begins with us, with our voices, and with the courage to confront our fears found in conversation. Courageous and open dialogues are what move complex societal issues forward.

Keep Clarity and Perseverance Through the Good and Bad Times

During the devastating fires that happened in Maui (August of this year), The Rock and Oprah were inspired to create the People’s Fund of Maui. Aimed to support the survivors and provide immediate assistance. As he reflects on the podcast with Trevor about the experience, the backlash he received was due to opening up a public ask for donations to the fund.

“The last thing you want to hear when you are living from paycheck to paycheck is someone asking you for money,” he said.

The Takeaway: When working through politics, detractors, and internet trolls—find time to pause. Then separate any unhelpful noise from the criticism that is worthy of your attention.

For more, listen to Ep. 1 below.