I started a podcast because I'm a loser.

This episode is the origin story I've never told: going blind, ending up in a wheelchair, and the freedom that comes with nothing left to lose. (Any Janis Joplin fans here?)

It's about the almost-but-not-quite Hollywood successes, my dad's mountain range philosophy, and why Navy SEALs know something about drowning the rest of us need to hear.

But really, it’s about this:

The more I owned my loser status, the more people related to me. And I hope it gives you courage to own your failures too.

Best Quotes:

"Everyone is performing success all the time, even when we're drowning. Especially when we're drowning."

"I was the silent Asian. To this day, we still play this game. We watch TV and we see an Asian, we're like, oh, silent Asian. That Asian never gets to speak."

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Elijah Wood was my dream prom date
• How to be on TV and still feel like a failure
• The $1 million conversation that set me free
• Why my life is one long Navy SEAL drown-proofing drill
• What my dad would say about Beck's "Loser" hitting #10 on Billboard 100

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why I Started My Podcast

00:34 Blind and Paralyzed

00:57 Beck & My Hollywood Dreams

03:37 Failure & the Asian Dad

04:30 The $1 Million Story

05:24 The Bottom Bounce: Navy SEALs Know How to Sink

06:54 Owning Failure Publicly

09:21 The Loser's Anthem

10:36 Join Us at the Bottom

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Sophia Chang is a Reese's Book Club LitUp fellow, disabled dancer, and the world’s first iPod silhouette model. She hosts The Sophia Chang Show, coaches new podcasters, and believes deadlifts can change your life. She will make out with your dog. Learn more at: www.sophiachang.com

Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only. Don't jump into a pool with your hands tied, obvs.

TOPICS: bottom comeback, podcast origin story, failure in publishing, Asian American author, minorities in Hollywood, traditional publishing struggles, writing community, imposter syndrome writers, creative career failure, disability and creativity, honest publishing podcast