43 - Racing to the Finish Line with F1’s Will Buxton
Today, I welcome to the show Will Buxton, an award-winning sports broadcaster, writer, voice-over artist, and commentator but whom you may know best from Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive series. Together, Will and I talk about how his love for F1 racing has driven his career, his favorite parts of the job, the necessity of surrounding yourself with positivity and people who support you, and the importance of authenticity.
Will begins our conversation today by talking about how his love for F1 racing began and how from the age of 13, he knew he wanted to grow up to write about the sport. He then discusses his path towards obtaining such a career, admitting that instead of journalism, he studied politics in school, which helped him to develop his research and argumentation skills as well as discover his own voice. Upon graduating, he then sent his thesis to an F1 magazine, was later offered a job, and thus began his dream career. While Will notes that his passion has always driven him, he also warns listeners that you can’t rely on passion alone for success but instead must be willing to put in the work.
Will and I then move on to talking about his favorite part of his job as a journalist. He shares that his favorite moments are often when he’s able to talk to drivers for longer than five minutes about something that’s not about racing. He explains that in those moments, you really come to see the human that’s underneath what’s often an athletic mask or persona and how when you give someone room to open up about what’s going on in their lives, it can lead to powerful and meaningful conversations.
Lastly, Will and I shift to discussing career advice. He stresses the importance of recognizing your own worth when deciding whether or not to accept a position and how this often comes with maturity and experience. He also encourages listeners to surround themselves with mentors and those voices that ignite within them the drive to be better. From here, Will segues into talking about the benefits and dangers of social media and the ways it can both help and hurt one’s career. Finally, Will shares the ways Covid-19 has impacted his career as well as led him to think more deeply about what it is he’s truly looking for out of life.
To hear more of Will’s career advice, about the future of the Drive to Survive series, and his thoughts on the 2021 F1 racing season, be sure to listen in!
What You’ll Learn in This Podcast Episode:
In today’s episode, Will offers advice on how to turn your passion into a career, gives listeners insights into his Netflix series and the drivers behind the camera, and talks about the importance of mentors, authenticity, and social media when it comes to standing out in a journalistic career field.
Helpful Links:
Follow Will on social media @wbuxtonofficial
Check out Will’s YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/c/WillBuxtonOfficial/featured
Check out Will’s book, My Greatest Defeat: Stories of Hardship and Hope from Motor Racing's Finest Heroes: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-greatest-defeat-will-buxton/1130041074
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