A Work in Progress: What a Recent Interview Taught Me About Listening and Letting Go

There are interviews you conduct because the story matters. And then some interviews change the way you think about how stories should be told.

Earlier this year, I filmed with someone whose personal health journey and advocacy work left a lasting impression on me. We’d spoken before, but this conversation felt different. It required more stillness, more presence, and more trust — not just from the person sharing their story, but from me as the person asking the questions.

The story that emerged was filled with moments of grief, resilience, and transformation. I heard about the long, winding path through diagnosis and treatment, the isolation that often comes with illness, and the eventual shift toward mentoring others and sharing hard-earned wisdom. The words came slowly at first, but eventually, with space and time, they came in waves.

As an interviewer, I’ve learned to come prepared — but I’m still learning how to let go. I asked a few too many stacked questions. I cut in once or twice to clarify when I should have just listened. I occasionally moved the conversation forward too quickly instead of staying with the emotion. I’m working on it.

What I’ve come to understand is that vulnerability doesn’t always need to be led — it needs to be held. Some of the most powerful moments came not from my questions, but from what was shared in the silence between them.

This particular interview reminded me that our job isn’t always to shape the story — sometimes it’s to stay out of its way. And when someone opens up about the hardest chapters of their life, it’s not just about getting the right soundbite. It’s about bearing witness. About making space.

This is what I want to get better at. This is what I want to keep practicing.

Because every time I sit down across from someone, I’m not just there to ask. I’m there to learn about them, about the world, and about what it means to truly listen.