Dec 7, 2020
Ozan Varol is a former rocket scientist, turned award-winning professor, successful blogger, and the author of the number one best selling book Think Like a Rocket Scientist. His interest in science was piqued as a child, and he then worked in academia for many years. His work has been described as a ‘must-read’ by best selling author Susan Cain.
Ozan joins me to share his story; his crucial childhood experiences growing up in Turkey that shaped his interest in astronomy; his transition from Professor to his very successful writing, blogging and podcasting career. He shares how he overcame a huge language barrier to come to the US to work on the Mars exploration rovers project. He discusses the many pivots in his life, the things he implemented in order to achieve his end goal, or ‘moonshot’, and he describes taking a leap, against advice, to start the blog and write the book. He also tells us of the book and poems that had a huge impact on his life.
" The high that comes from success lasts for the briefest of moments. It's all about the path, the process, the journey, and just retraining my brain to recognize those small moments of joy." - Ozan Varol
This week on The Virtual Campfire Podcast:
- The flashpoints that enabled Ozan to reveal his gift to the world.
- Ozan shares his childhood experiences that kick-started his interest in science.
- How a plucky email led to Ozan’s dream job on a NASA mission as a teenager.
- The inspirations that drove Ozan to write his book.
- Ozan’s theories on overcoming obstacles and fears.
- Explaining back-casting - strategies to get where you want to be.
- Casting off the safety net
- Launching a book during a pandemic
Our Favorite Quotes:
- "I cannot change the hand that the universe dealt me, but how can I play the hands that I actually do have?" - Ozan Varol
- “The process is what matters, and if you can find something where the processes play, then you'll be able to build that amazing life.” - Ozan Varol
Resources Mentioned:
- Think Like A Rocket Scientist – Ozan Varol
- Quiet: The Power Of Introverts In A World That Won’t Stop Talking – Susan Cain
Connect with Ozan Varol:
- The Contrarian Handbook and a Weekly Email
- Blog
- Podcast – Famous Failures
Sharing Inspiring Stories Around The Virtual Campfire
Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of The Virtual Campfire with your host, Tony Martignetti - the Inspired Coach. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe and leave a rating and review.
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