A boy setting out his classmates' books asks his teacher where his own book is. Azul Terronez nearly lies, then admits he's afraid, and the boy hands him back his own advice.
Sound Bites
- "Hiding from yourself is the game."
- "Well, you tell us, it's okay to be afraid to just do it anyways."
- "It had taken me 24 years and 30 days to write that book."
- "He was loving the identity he had created more than the person."
- "Great teachers are the ones who are listening to the young people."
- "Everybody likes to read about it, but nobody wants to go through it."
Azul Terronez spent his adult life playing the perfect straight man. Eagle Scout, husband, father of two, school principal. At 19 he had lost the man he loved to suicide, and he locked the whole thing away.
Nearly 40, he finally said three words to himself in the mirror. What followed rearranged his marriage, his family and his work. Today he coaches authors through Authors Who Lead, and says children taught him most of what he knows.
What We Explore
- Pretending to other people, pretending to yourself, and which one does the real damage
- What happens to grief, guilt and creativity when they sit locked in a box for 25 years
- A question from a boy, a book written in 30 days, and a life built without a plan
Mentioned in This Episode
- Art of Apprenticeship — Azul's first book, written in 30 days, about learning from a mentor by serving them
- Born to Write, Scared to Start — Azul's free audio series on his website, on finding the confidence to start
Connect with Azul
Website, and the free audio series Born to Write, Scared to Start: https://authorswholead.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azul-terronez/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorswholead/
Authors Who Lead podcast
on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Qm8I3UO8FEoSh6xaElOFR
on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/authors-who-lead-learn-to-write-a-book-from/id1303212874
A little about Hamish Niven
For 25 years, I lived a life that looked successful from the outside. Inside it was falling apart, and I was throwing fuel on the fire — addiction, alcohol. I was on a steep path to self-destruct.
November 2018. I chose life, and had to change everything.
I built The 13th Room because nothing like that existed when I needed it.
The Brave Man Project — this podcast. It is about men, but not just for men. Men who broke under the weight of their own performance. Men who rebuilt and climbed so much higher.
The 13th Room is a space for the successful man who needs to change and knows it. 13 sessions, you and me. No fixing. Pure witnessing. Starts with a free 20-minute conversation.
Podcast website: https://thebravemanproject.com
Hamish's website: https://hamishniven.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBraveManProject
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamishniven/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hamish.niven
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hamishniven/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hamishniven
