It's only been a week since popular TV sports presenter Mpho Letsholonyane joined Power 98.7, but she spared a few minutes after her show to tell us about her experience so far.
Although Mpho has done radio before, it's only been in entertainment "and talk radio is quite different to that," she says.
"The producers at Power FM called me and presented me with this idea, and they knew I didn't have any talk-radio experience prior to this opportunity. Of course, I said yes to it because I love a challenge and just learning," Mpho tells us.
But the lack of experience in the field resulted in her suffering from imposter syndrome.
"I’ve never done anything like this before. I was very nervous, but especially about the announcement. I was scared that once it was announced that I would be joining the station for something so different to what I usually do, people wouldn’t warm up to the idea."
But they did, and for a moment, she felt a sense of relief. However, the nerves crept in again when she realised how much more serious talk radio is and that unlike entertainment radio, there’s no escape. "With entertainment, if something goes wrong, there’s always music – you can always play a song. Talk radio is mentally and intellectually challenging.
"I had to remind myself of all the things I’m capable of, whether I'm aware of all of them or not – there’s a reason this opportunity landed on my lap. Imposter syndrome makes you doubt yourself, and if you don't fight it, you'll sink. I had to dig deep inside myself for confidence, thank goodness I found it!"
In a reflection post, Mpho wrote on Instagram: "There are times in life when you get that opportunity you've been asking the universe for and when the time comes and the opportunity becomes a reality, you find yourself doubting your abilities
""I’ve had to introspect A LOT over the past week, mainly because I have never known how to shrink myself, or my point of view on things. It feels so good to know that I am occupying space right where I am able to showcase my strengths
"Talk radio is a beast!! And I respect it even more now after a week in it. I thank YOU for being so kind to me... The warmth and feedback is appreciated. You’ve gone a long way in helping me regain confidence in my abilities. I will try my best daily to give you the best of my abilities in return. Thank you."
Now, Mpho is looking forward to growing in the field and honing her skills.
"I’m also looking forward to getting into difficult conversations we usually shy away from. Like one we had recently, about the toxic relationship we sometimes have with our mother. The bond between a mother and her child is often assumed to be warm and fuzzy all the time, but that’s not the case, and it’s more common than we let out"
"But more than anything, I want to be able to give people a platform to plug out of their daily lives and not feel guilty about laughing and smiling. Even just for a few hours. We should be able to laugh at ourselves and not take everything so seriously." she says.
