Check out our interview with stunning model, psychologist and founder of Speak Your Brain podcast Pani.
Pani’s Speak Your Brain podcast main goal is to bring together a community of empowered people who are on a path of self-awareness and self-development. She achieves this by inviting and communicating with her diverse group of friends and finds joy in battling great minds in conversations as she finds joy in learning about how the human mind works and how each unique mind interacts with others.
Pani just graduated from psychology and her focus is personality psychology and she upgrades her understanding of this complex topic by reading, listening, watching, and gathering information from any source she can to grasp a better idea of this topic. Her approach for Speak Your Brain parallels her philosophy in life “self-awareness is a powerful tool, if not the most powerful if you are striving for anything in life”
Follow Pani @pani
Hi Pani, please tell us a little about you?
I’m a 28 year old psychology and gun enthusiast who likes to have a little taste of everything this life has to offer.
Describe yourself in 3 words?
Confident, observant, sarcastic
Who is your role model?
Jordan Petersn and Hedi Lamar
How did you become interested in psychology?
I studied political science for 3 years, a waste of my time, to be honest, thinking I wanted to do law, which was a terrible idea since I don’t particularly appreciate arguing, haha. But I would always want to understand my quirkinesses, and why I was the way I was, so I took the Myers Briggs test and looked into personality psychology and Jungian psychology. I immediately became obsessed and still am.
How has this changed your life?
I changed my major to psychology, which pushed me back a few years. Still, I figured I could either feel bad for being pushed behind and never doing what I knew then was the right thing for me to study, or I could suck it up, accept the loss and save it from here. And that’s what I did; one of the best decisions of my life to this very day. I am currently on my way to obtain my doctorate in psychology.
Where or when did you find the love for this?
Growing up, I would always meddle in my parent’s fights and arguments. I would carefully watch them and take mental notes of their behaviors. And then, I would try and talk to them about what I had observed. My dad would always tell me not to interfere, but my mom nurtured that side of me. Nosey or curious, whatever you may call it, I wanted to help them, and I wouldn’t just run off to my room as soon as their voices got louder. Slowly they accepted my role as the family therapist, and I loved it.
What is fun and rewarding about becoming a psychologist? And what is not?
It’s the same thing that’s both rewarding and annoying about it. And that is: I have lost my ability to blame. By learning psychology on a deeper level, I have gained such an understanding of myself and people that I literally cannot point any fingers anymore. People have different nature/nurtures from each other and understanding that people react emotionally to each other and the world around them no matter how “logical” they are has been very rewarding. If I know someone’s personality type, I will never be too upset with them because I understand how their brain functions. So in a sense, this is great but annoying because I can never rid myself of any blame and put it on someone else.
How and when did you start modeling?
Modeling was entirely out of the blue for me. I never thought of myself as a model, and I always wanted to be an intellectual. Unfortunately, we were told that the two were mutually exclusive, which we now know is wrong. I had an office job as a teenager working as an assistant at an IT company in Silicon Valley, making $15 an hour when I got offered $100 an hour to pose next to cars, and I said hells to the yes 🙂 I slowly got more and more into the modeling industry, got with an agency, grew followers on Instagram, fired my agent, aka didn’t have to pay %20 of my money to anyone anymore, and started doing modeling full time. It was such easy money that I couldn’t say no, but it was never fulfilling; I wanted more. I knew I wanted to get my degree and help people figure out their problems and have better lives.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten in your life?
If you put all the advice in the world together, they will cancel each other out.
If you had a magic wand, what would be the first thing you would change about the world?
If I had a magic wand, the very first thing I would do is to reward good behavior. I think that’s what’s fundamentally wrong with our world. We have punishment for bad behavior, but we don’t reward good behavior. If you exceed the speed limit, you will get a ticket and have money taken away from you. Still, if you’ve had a spotless driving record for years and years, you don’t receive a monetary reward. That’s just a simple example, but I wish honesty, generosity, and loyalty were rewarded since betrayal and dishonesty have punishments. I want good behavior to be more incentivized. Science has proven that encouragement will lead to better behavior than punishment. So it’s much better to focus on positive behavior than on negative behavior.
What’s your advice for the newer models and influencers?
If modeling is truly your passion and you think it fulfills you, then I’d suggest you start a side hustle as soon as possible. Beauty is fleeting, and time runs by quickly. Think of something else you like and you’d be good at so you can still generate revenue after you turn 30 and the modeling industry shuts its doors in your beautiful face. As far as getting into the industry, it’s very different than what it used to be. Nowadays, you got to get followers. Find your right angles and your better side and learn poses. Collaborate with photographers and post professional pictures that are authentic. Get with an agency and get auditioning—best of luck.
What did you learn from your biggest failure?
I studied very hard to get into USC with a 3.8 GPA, and I got in, even though English was my second language and I had recently moved to the States. It was a considerable achievement, and I had planned to go to law school. I had to change my school due to changes in the economic climate in my country of birth, Iran. The local currency nose dove in a matter of months to the point where many Persian students returned to the country and lived with their parents. Since my father was paying for my school in total, I had to change the school I had worked so hard to get into. This was devastating for me. All the things I sacrificed and the hard work I had put into my goal perished. However, it taught me an incredible lesson; sometimes, you have to be comfortable letting go of control and have complete and deep trust in divine timing. Letting go of control is scary and challenging at times but oh so relieving. Knowing that sometimes things won’t go your way no matter what you do is just another spiritual lesson among many I have learned in my lifetime. Getting tossed up and down in the waves of life can be fun if you have the firm belief that everything will be okay in the end, and if it’s not okay, it’s not the end.
Tell us about your podcast “Speak Your Brain?”
Speak Your Brain was my passion project and the fruit of quarantine. I had the time to brainstorm, build a website and get the name trademarked. Invited guests that I personally found interesting and brilliant. In chatting with the variety of the people I have had, I have learned so much and added so many great people to my circle of network. I started recording and editing the episodes myself, and the feedback has been great. My audience enjoys a variety of casual banter and educational content with models and influencers, but also famous therapists and authors, such as Robert Greene, the author of many influential books like The 48 Laws Of Power. It has been super fun and rewarding doing the podcast.
When did you decide to create your own podcast?
Forming conversations with people has always been my favorite thing, and I think a good conversation is like art, it can be inspiring and move you, or it could be funny and resonate with you. I always remember people by the conversations I had with them, not by their faces and certainly not their names, which I’m working to improve as I’ve insulted many people by not remembering them after having met them multiple times. 😐 But my only excuse is that, well, we must not have had any memorable conversation. Cause if we talked about anything even remotely interesting, I would have remembered you, ha. So creating the podcast was a way for me to connect with all the people that I admire and to be able to have a conversation with them.
What do you think is the secret to having a successful podcast?
I think, just like anything else, authenticity is the most important element.
What do you think is the secret to having a successful site/social media channels? Again I would say just be authentic and have fun with it.
What mindsets helped make you so successful?
I’m not nearly at the finish line yet, and there’s a lot more to do and lots more to achieve. But my most significant thing is I may get tired, and I may slow down, but I will never stop.
As a popular model and influencer, you are followed by many people. How do you feel about that pressure of always doing the right thing and encouraging people to follow their dreams?
I’m pretty scared of getting any more followers since I just say whatever I want, and I’m not very politically correct. I have a dark sense of humor and am very sarcastic. But I hate hurting people’s feelings, and that’s never my intention. At the same time, I understand it’s not that serious. Nothing is that serious.
What would you say are the greatest lessons you have learned so far?
The only constant is change and people surprise you. Don’t focus on having “forever” relationships and friendships and instead cherish the time you get to spend with each person.
What book should everyone read?
The untethered Soul.
If you are a book, what would be the title of the book and why?
It would be called “Challenge Accepted.” I have fun with challenges.
What is the most challenging decision you had to make in the last few months?
Just this morning, I had to choose between chicken and waffles and chocolate chip pancakes, and that was pretty tough. I asked the waitress to surprise me.
What advice would you give to your younger self and why?
Start making content NOW and buy Bitcoin.
What is your favorite healthy food?
Sushi, salads, smoothies, seafood, acai bowls, juice. Hmm yummy
And your favorite cheat food?
Cheeseburger, fries, and coke. No regrets.
How would you explain your fashion style?
I dress based on my mood that day. I connect with my heart and see what my vibe is for the day. Usually, it comes out as a librarian vampire.
How would your best friend describe you?
My best friend is my mom cause can’t trust these H*es. Sorry, can I say that here? Haha, I think she would describe me as bold, unafraid and loyal.
What’s next for Pani in 2022?
Why don’t you hang around and find out yourself? 😉
What is your own definition of happiness?
Contentment is happiness. I don’t want to be happy all the time, just like I don’t want to be sad all the time. I want a balanced and full life. I want to be content more than I want to be happy.
How is a typical day in your life?
Wake up around 7-8 am, stretch, meditate, tea and plan the day, get to work, eat around 1-2pm, workout, shower, do some reading or practice my instrument, socialize or watch some tv, and sleep. Not every day looks like this, but this is what I strive for.
What is your idea of a perfect Sunday?
Spend time in nature with people I like, maybe smoke some and then get some bomb food.
Do you support any charity?
I try to send about one-third of my income to Iran, my family has been involved with a charity for many years, and we all donate money there. It goes to building schools and providing clean water and food in rural areas.
Name 3 things you can’t live without?
The internet, seafood, time alone
Where do you see yourself and your career 5 years from now?
I will be helping thousands of people with their family and relationship problems but also any concerns they have with themselves. I will help them improve their mental health, find purpose in their life and orchestrate everything around that life purpose. I will be a great and powerful psychologist whose scope of work is not limited to The States by help making the world a more aware and a better place to live in.
What do you think of Social Media?
Just like anything else, it’s how you use it. I would suggest the following pages that teach and inspire you. Pages that make you laugh and feel good. You don’t need to feel bad and lesser about yourself because you’re comparing yourself to someone’s fake reality.
Where we can follow you?
@pani on Instagram
