It's TED Talks Daily. I'm Elise Hugh, and I hope you're not sick of me because you're about to hear a conversation between me and one of the OGs of podcasting, designer Debbie Millman, host of Design Matters.

We cover what confidence means to her, how to handle uncertainty, what has fueled her creativity, and more.

I learned so much from this conversation. I hope you do, too.

Today we're going to be exploring, stepping into the unknown. And to talk about it, I am joined

by Debbie Millman, the host of one of our first podcasts ever, or one of the first podcasts ever.

Hi, Debbie. Hi, Lee. It's great to see you. It's great to see you. If you haven't tuned in before,

Debbie's podcast is called Design Matters with Debbie Milman. And I have been listening while I go on

runs and really enjoy your conversations,

Debbie.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Well, to frame this talk, what don't we start by talking about how stepping into the

unknown applies in your own life and in your own career?

Well, I was really influenced.

Several years ago, I interviewed the great writer, Danny Shapiro,

and we were talking after the interview. She came into my office at the School of Visual Arts

and saw that I had stacked on my desk three books that had just come out about confidence. I really had felt at the time

that confidence was my holy grail, that this is what I was looking for to find my whole life.

Like if I could find the confidence to step into anything without fear that that would be it,

like my life would be made.

And she and I started talking about that.

And she said, oh, I think confidence is really overrated.

...