Sound your YAWP
"I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world"
Walt Whitman
There’s a scene in Dead Poets Society that never gets old.
Because if there’s one thing that unites us all around the world, it’s the search for confidence, and the journey we must go on to discover self-acceptance and self-belief.
In this 1989 classic, the quiet, terrified Todd Anderson (played by a young Ethan Hawke), is called on by the passionate and disruptive Mr Keating (the late great Robin Williams). He’s been tasked with creating a poem of his own, and reciting it to his peers. An audience that couldn’t be more intimidating, with their awkward jokes and ‘too cool for school’ bravado.
Todd claims he hasn’t done the assignment. Surely the bell will save him…
But Mr Keating knows this moment is about much more than literary prowess or academic excellence.
Todd will just have to create his poem on the spot. In front of the whole class. With a little guidance, of course.
What happens next, is a life lesson Todd won’t ever forget - and neither will we:
Now, at first glance, it’s tempting to view this scene through the lens of skillset. That maybe Todd needs a little more practice in the art of public speaking or writing poetry.
But what if we look beyond the human-doing?
What if what Todd really needed - first and foremost - was the space to build self-confidence?
At Mojo, we talk about 2 types of confidence:
Performance Confidence - the confidence we cultivate through our skills, studies or careers. Think of this as belief in our human-doing abilities, and the one we often obsess over in our efforts to improve overall performance.
Self-Confidence - our trust in our inherent worth; the belief that we are worthy of love, connection and belonging. This also refers to our willingness to be vulnerable and put ourselves out there, despite the uncertainty of life.
People often enter the self-development arena seeking Performance Confidence, but what most really need is Self-Confidence. No matter who we are, where we’ve been, or what we do for a living, this is the foundation. Because when we build self-acceptance and self-belief first, performance will follow. Our A-Game is built on this courageous, compassionate and humble base.
Todd didn’t lack talent or ability. He lacked self-acceptance and the belief that he was worthy of connection and belonging.
That he had something worth saying.
That his messy, imperfect self could be enough.
“I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world,” Mr Keating writes on the blackboard, quoting Walt Whitman’s ‘Song of Myself’.
Far from being a silly classroom activity (or in Todd’s mind, a moment of public humiliation), this ‘yawp’ is an invitation. A call to let go of fear, doubt and that all-too-familiar FOPO - the Fear of Other People’s Opinions.
It’s only when Todd lets go of the need to be perfect or impressive that something surprising happens. He finds Courage. Creativity. Connection.
The yawp doesn’t happen in the absence of discomfort, it happens through it. And the same is true for all of us.
Confidence isn’t built by waiting until we’re ready or seemingly ‘perfect.’ It’s built by stepping outside our comfort zones. Showing up from where we are and seeing what happens next.
True self-confidence is never about having all the answers. It’s about authenticity, humility, and a willingness to learn.
To trust that we can do hard things. That we’ll figure it out as we go (‘cause let’s be honest, everyone else is winging it too). And to remember that our imperfections are the ultimate source of connection.
Reflecting on the film years later, Ethan Hawke confesses that he thought his co-star didn’t like him.
“He would just improv constantly…[But] I really wanted to be a serious actor. I had read Stanislavski. I really wanted to be in character and I didn’t want to laugh. So the more I didn’t laugh, the more insane he got. And the more smoke would come out of my ears. I thought he hated me cos he would just constantly lay into me!
He made this joke at the end of [the yawp scene], saying that he found me intimidating. I thought it was a joke. As I get older, I realise there is something intimidating about young people’s earnestness, their intensity. It is intimidating - to be the person they think you are. Robin was that for me.”
It makes you wonder…
Maybe both Ethan Hawke and Robin Williams were nervous about how they would rise to the occasion. Maybe they just expressed it differently, navigating pressure and FOPO in their own way before meeting in the middle.
Maybe this ‘yawp’ was the greatest gift of all, being a moment of shared vulnerability for both characters and actors. A chance to figure it out together through play and experimentation.
After filming, Ethan went back to school, before receiving an unexpected call from a bigwig in Hollywood.
“I’m Robin Williams’ agent. He says that you’re gonna be somebody, and that I should sign you.”
And so it began. Ethan Hawke landed his first ever agent, one he continues to work with to this day.
Over to You
We all face these ‘yawp’ moments. The chance to raise our voices, to take a risk, and stand tall in who we are - warts and all.
Maybe it’s in a meeting.
Maybe it’s in an honest conversation with a friend.
Or maybe it’s in putting that idea or dream into the world.
Wherever this may be, remember:
Self-confidence is something we build through self-acceptance and self-belief. Authenticity, the courage to be yourself, is where life gets really beautiful.
So as Mr Keating instructs, “forget them” and their opinions. Whoever ‘they’ might be.
Come back to you.
“And don’t you forget this.”
Ready to learn more?
Dive into our latest program Building Self-Confidence to discover the ultimate perspective shift: I am enough. Here, you’ll learn to embrace who you are and overcome your inner critic, unlocking the courage to live a life true to yourself.
Join the Mojo community
