True Story London Podcast 33 - Different Worlds, Same Guy w/Julian John
Journey to British Army Graduation
- Julian John shares his journey from a Nigerian upbringing with strict parents to graduating as a British Army soldier.
- His military graduation was the proudest moment, symbolizing making his parents proud in a new way.
How Military Graduation Became the Ultimate Moment of Pride for Julian John
Julian John shares a deeply personal journey of trying to make both himself and his strict Nigerian parents proud, culminating in his military graduation in Britain.
Growing up in Nigeria, his parents, who valued education highly, expected him to excel academically like his siblings, but Julian struggled with traditional schooling and embraced a laid-back attitude where he "never succeeded but never failed."
After a failed attempt to become a footballer and graduating late from university, he avoided the typical graduation ceremony, feeling it would be a fake moment of pride.
However, when he joined the British Army at 31, despite skepticism and tough challenges, he found a new source of pride for his family.
The military graduation was the moment he finally gave his parents the "graduation present" they had long been waiting for, marking his success on his own terms and bridging cultural expectations and personal fulfillment.
Last Child Risk Taker
- Julian was the last-born 'spoiled' child in a strict Nigerian family with high achiever siblings.
- This birth order allowed him to take risks and experiment more freely while others were under pressure.