Have you ever considered taking a giant leap of faith in the direction of your dreams? Have you thought of turning your hobby into a business, quitting your job to travel the world, or switching careers entirely?
In Episode 7 of the Step Into Me podcast, I catch up with former colleague Matt Hale. Matt is one of the richest people I know – and it has nothing to do with his bank balance, but everything to do with the life he and his wife have carved for themselves. Theirs is a life filled with true “riches” – travel, humour, adventure, and love.
Matt is an internationally successful comedy hypnotist whose career has taken him all over the world. But his story isn’t just about laughs and entertainment; it’s also about listening to that quiet voice inside and daring to take a leap of faith.
Scratching the Itch
Fifteen years ago, Matt was at the very top of his game working as a radio producer. He was working the coveted breakfast time slot, organising interviews with celebrity guests, producing fun segments, and winning awards for his efforts. But Matt also had an itch that wouldn’t go away, one that had been whispering to him since his twenties.
So, Matt did what so many of us only dream of doing. He quit his job to go travelling for a year. And it was while he was away, that Matt began to seriously think about his idea to create a comedy hypnosis show. By the time he returned to his hometown in Perth, Western Australia, he was ready to give it a go.
“I remember thinking, if not now, when? That’s when I put on my first hypnosis show. I had no idea if it would work, but I knew I had to try.”
When Everything Changes
That leap of faith changed everything. Matt now performs at corporate events, on cruise ships, and at festivals the world over. These days, the only radio studios he visits are the ones that invite him on as the guest. While his wife, Kathryn, who once worked in corporate finance, now manages the business.
“It’s funny,” said Matt, “we used to have such different lives. Now we’re in it together, every step of the way.”
What makes Matt’s journey so inspiring is his openness to possibilities. In 2019, he presented a TEDx talk titled “The Power of Probably,” in which he suggested that you don’t have to be certain of outcomes, or even confident, to try something new. As Matt suggests, sometimes a small shift in thinking to, “I could probably do that,” is all you need to take that first step.
“People think you have to be 100% sure before you make a change, but honestly, most of the time I just thought, ‘I could probably do that.’… Sometimes the first step isn’t even doing the thing, it’s just letting yourself believe you could probably do it.”
Could You Take a Leap of Faith?
I think Matt’s story demonstrates that you don’t need to have everything figured out to take a leap of faith. As he said, “If you’re waiting for certainty, you’ll be waiting forever. But if you can say, ‘I could probably give it a go,’ that’s enough. That’s where the magic starts.”
If your silent voice has been niggling for way too long, have a listen to Matt’s story. Sometimes, a simple change in thinking is all you need to get started, and who knows where it could lead? Just thinking, “I could probably do that”, could be all it takes to set you on the path to your dreams.
