The Blind Goat with Christine Ha
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Christine Ha was the first-ever blind contestant and season three winner of competitive cooking TV show MasterChef. In a recent “It’s a Good Life” episode, she shared how, in spite of many setbacks, she has maintained a positive attitude and defied the odds to succeed in one of the toughest industries in the world. Here are some of the top takeaways:
It’s OK to take your time
Immediately after winning MasterChef, everyone wanted to know when Christine would open her own restaurant. In the end, she waited seven years to take that step. She believed that just because she was a great home cook and had won a TV competition didn’t mean she suddenly knew how to be a professional chef or run a commercial kitchen. She also had to take her visual impairment and lack of experience in the restaurant industry into consideration. Instead of rushing into it, she took her time and, in 2018, she opened a very small station in a food hall. That first step then led to more food establishments.
Don’t go it alone
Christine surrounds herself with a strong team that helps her to carry out her vision, in spite of not having sight. She thinks her visual impairment helps her to treat everyone equally when she meets them and she’s a firm believer in giving people opportunities. Trust is vital to her. She says, “If you want to grow, you do have to trust people to be able to do their job.”
You can’t control everything – but you can control how you respond
Because of all the challenges Christine has encountered, she says she can now handle and survive whatever stresses life may throw at her. She believes that, no matter what happens, there’s always a way through. In a difficult situation, instead of feeling like she’s backed up against a wall and doesn’t have a choice, she tries to change her mindset, identify her options and problem solve. She says, “I may not have control of everything that happens. But every time something happens, I have control of how I think about it, how I deal with it, and the next step I take.” That mentality always keeps her positive, regardless of the issue.
Christine says, “The Good Life means being confident and comfortable in your own skin, not caring as much about what other people think or say about you, and trusting your own gut to do what you love.” To learn more about her inspiring story, listen to the latest episode of “It’s a Good Life” today!
