Matt Higgins

into 60 Minutes. And how I got there is less relevant, but I got that one meeting. And when I got that one meeting, and this is one of my favorite stories, I had, up until that point, never given an interview like we're doing now, generally. I did not talk about mom and dying and the sadness and being... But for whatever reason, on that one day, I opted to throw away my shame.

into 60 Minutes. And how I got there is less relevant, but I got that one meeting. And when I got that one meeting, and this is one of my favorite stories, I had, up until that point, never given an interview like we're doing now, generally. I did not talk about mom and dying and the sadness and being... But for whatever reason, on that one day, I opted to throw away my shame.

And I told the story just as I did on this podcast. And that 15 Minutes Turned into an hour, turned into an hour and a half. And at the end of it, he's like, gosh, I love your story. Such a damn good New York story. We haven't had a story like that. I was like, let's keep talking. That led to a year of conversations that eventually landed me on the set of the show.

And I told the story just as I did on this podcast. And that 15 Minutes Turned into an hour, turned into an hour and a half. And at the end of it, he's like, gosh, I love your story. Such a damn good New York story. We haven't had a story like that. I was like, let's keep talking. That led to a year of conversations that eventually landed me on the set of the show.

And to get into this part, because this part is even more interesting to me than getting on Shark Tank, was what an anxious mess I was going on Shark. I don't know why I'm the only guest shark to talk about this, but I almost succumbed at the moment of being able to do it. And I freaked out about feeling like a fraud, feeling like my bank account didn't have enough zeros in it, everything.

And to get into this part, because this part is even more interesting to me than getting on Shark Tank, was what an anxious mess I was going on Shark. I don't know why I'm the only guest shark to talk about this, but I almost succumbed at the moment of being able to do it. And I freaked out about feeling like a fraud, feeling like my bank account didn't have enough zeros in it, everything.

And I had one of these great conversations and we can stop here. I just want to share it with the audience. It's like, I was so fragile and my sweet wife was like talking me through it. And I had Eminem on a loop on my thing. Lose yourself, mom's spaghetti. I'm sick of myself. Anything to hype me up, but I'm still a little anxious mess.

And I had one of these great conversations and we can stop here. I just want to share it with the audience. It's like, I was so fragile and my sweet wife was like talking me through it. And I had Eminem on a loop on my thing. Lose yourself, mom's spaghetti. I'm sick of myself. Anything to hype me up, but I'm still a little anxious mess.

Because I felt like I would be seen through, finally revealed as the fraud that I feel like we all feel like we are sometimes. And I went to talk to Damon John, who is a shark, and he grew up in Queens, New York, near me. Very different cultural prism. He was black, I'm white, and he was at Red Lobster, I was at McDonald's. But we had a lot of similarities. And I told him the truth.

Because I felt like I would be seen through, finally revealed as the fraud that I feel like we all feel like we are sometimes. And I went to talk to Damon John, who is a shark, and he grew up in Queens, New York, near me. Very different cultural prism. He was black, I'm white, and he was at Red Lobster, I was at McDonald's. But we had a lot of similarities. And I told him the truth.

I said, in this little dressing room, we have a photo of it together. It's one of my favorite. And I'm like, man, Damon, I'm freaked out. He's like, what's wrong with you? I was like, I just feel like... I don't belong here. I was like, this is this whole thing. I don't know why I'm having like these, these emotions of doubt. And he goes, let me tell you something.

I said, in this little dressing room, we have a photo of it together. It's one of my favorite. And I'm like, man, Damon, I'm freaked out. He's like, what's wrong with you? I was like, I just feel like... I don't belong here. I was like, this is this whole thing. I don't know why I'm having like these, these emotions of doubt. And he goes, let me tell you something.

This is, I always say after he like MF to everybody else, what we've been through to get here versus, you know, and he goes to Matt, you belong here because you are here. And I know I said this before, but it's so powerful. I always say it's like Socrates is talking to me or something. And the point of that story is that there is no final arbiter of belonging.

This is, I always say after he like MF to everybody else, what we've been through to get here versus, you know, and he goes to Matt, you belong here because you are here. And I know I said this before, but it's so powerful. I always say it's like Socrates is talking to me or something. And the point of that story is that there is no final arbiter of belonging.

No one is going to pull up the seat for you like, hi, Matt, welcome to the boardroom. And a lot of times women acknowledge this feeling. And I think it's harder for women because they tell the truth and men lie. We all feel it. But the reality is there's no final arbiter of belonging. And when you realize that...

No one is going to pull up the seat for you like, hi, Matt, welcome to the boardroom. And a lot of times women acknowledge this feeling. And I think it's harder for women because they tell the truth and men lie. We all feel it. But the reality is there's no final arbiter of belonging. And when you realize that...

when you realize that no one's gonna give you permission or credentialize or validate you for the move you're trying to make, you stop looking at the world through the lens of incrementalism. Like, cause you realize so much of your steps that you've imagined are about seeking approval or permission from other people to move along.

when you realize that no one's gonna give you permission or credentialize or validate you for the move you're trying to make, you stop looking at the world through the lens of incrementalism. Like, cause you realize so much of your steps that you've imagined are about seeking approval or permission from other people to move along.

If I get the Harvard certificate, people will believe I'm good enough. And when you stop worrying about whether anyone believes you're good enough, then you aim as high as humanly possible. And I, despite my anxiety, and I talk about in the book, I have been able to do that. I approach every single situation saying, who made that rule? Who said I have to do that first before I can do that?

If I get the Harvard certificate, people will believe I'm good enough. And when you stop worrying about whether anyone believes you're good enough, then you aim as high as humanly possible. And I, despite my anxiety, and I talk about in the book, I have been able to do that. I approach every single situation saying, who made that rule? Who said I have to do that first before I can do that?