Tuổi 15 – Khi Tôi Học Cách Lớn Lên Một Mình

Bài viết bằng tiếng Việt (English version below)

Có những người lớn lên trong vòng tay của gia đình.

Còn tôi, tôi lớn lên cùng những quyết định của chính mình.

Năm 15 tuổi, tôi rời Việt Nam để sang Úc. Ở cái tuổi mà nhiều bạn còn được ba mẹ chăm sóc từng bữa ăn, nhắc nhở chuyện học hành và che chở trước những khó khăn, tôi bắt đầu học cách tự đứng trên đôi chân của mình ở một đất nước hoàn toàn xa lạ.

Nhìn lại chặng đường ấy, tôi nhận ra rằng những thử thách mình trải qua đã trở thành những người thầy tuyệt vời nhất.

1. Không ai nợ mình điều gì

Cuộc sống không hứa hẹn sẽ công bằng.

Không ai có trách nhiệm phải giúp mình thành công.

Khi chấp nhận điều đó, tôi thôi đổ lỗi cho hoàn cảnh và bắt đầu chịu trách nhiệm hoàn toàn cho cuộc đời mình.

Đó là lúc tôi thực sự trưởng thành.

2. Tự do luôn đi kèm với trách nhiệm

Sống một mình đồng nghĩa với việc mọi quyết định đều là của mình.

Nếu thành công, mình biết ơn những nỗ lực đã bỏ ra.

Nếu thất bại, mình cũng học cách chịu trách nhiệm thay vì tìm người để trách.

Đó là cái giá của sự tự do.

3. Kỷ luật quan trọng hơn động lực

Có rất nhiều ngày tôi không muốn học.

Không muốn làm việc.

Không muốn cố gắng thêm nữa.

Nhưng tôi vẫn tiếp tục.

Động lực sẽ đến rồi đi.

Kỷ luật mới là điều giúp chúng ta tiến xa.

4. Thất bại chỉ là một bài học

Tôi từng bị từ chối.

Từng cảm thấy mình chưa đủ giỏi.

Từng nghi ngờ chính bản thân.

Nhưng mỗi lần vấp ngã đều giúp tôi mạnh mẽ và khiêm tốn hơn.

5. Đừng chỉ xây dựng sự nghiệp, hãy xây dựng chính mình

Công việc rất quan trọng.

Nhưng con người mình trở thành còn quan trọng hơn.

Tôi học yoga.

Tôi học diễn xuất.

Tôi tham gia Toastmasters.

Tôi đọc sách.

Tôi gặp gỡ những con người truyền cảm hứng.

Mỗi trải nghiệm đều giúp tôi hiểu bản thân hơn.

6. So sánh là kẻ đánh cắp niềm vui

Ai cũng có một hành trình riêng.

Tôi không còn cố gắng sống cuộc đời của người khác.

Tôi chỉ cố gắng trở thành phiên bản tốt hơn của chính mình mỗi ngày.

7. Gia đình không chỉ là nơi mình sinh ra

Sống xa quê dạy tôi rằng gia đình còn là những người luôn ở bên mình bằng tình yêu và sự chân thành.

Đôi khi, những người ấy không cùng huyết thống.

Nhưng họ luôn xuất hiện đúng lúc cuộc sống cần nhất.

8. Không bao giờ là quá muộn để bắt đầu

Tôi đã thay đổi nghề nghiệp.

Học thêm nhiều kỹ năng mới.

Theo đuổi những đam mê mới.

Mỗi lần bắt đầu lại không phải là quay về số không.

Mà là bước tiếp với nhiều kinh nghiệm hơn.

9. Thành công là được sống đúng với giá trị của mình

Ngày trước tôi nghĩ thành công là kiếm thật nhiều tiền.

Bây giờ tôi nghĩ thành công là mỗi sáng thức dậy với một cuộc sống có ý nghĩa.

Được giúp đỡ người khác.

Được học hỏi.

Được phát triển.

Được là chính mình.

Lời kết

Nếu có thể nói với cậu bé 15 tuổi năm ấy một điều, tôi sẽ nói:

“Đừng sợ. Con đường phía trước sẽ không dễ dàng. Nhưng chính những ngày tháng khó khăn sẽ tạo nên phiên bản mạnh mẽ nhất của em.”

Hôm nay, tôi biết ơn tất cả những gì mình đã trải qua.

Bởi vì nếu không có cậu bé 15 tuổi dũng cảm năm ấy, sẽ không có tôi của ngày hôm nay.

Cảm ơn bạn đã dành thời gian đọc câu chuyện của tôi.

Chúc bạn luôn đủ can đảm để bước tiếp trên hành trình của riêng mình.

Binh

Age 15 – Learning to Grow Up on My Own

English Version

Some people grow up surrounded by the comfort of family.

I grew up through my own decisions.

At the age of fifteen, I left Vietnam and moved to Australia. While many teenagers still relied on their parents for guidance and support, I was learning how to build a life on my own in a country that felt completely unfamiliar.

Looking back, I realise that life’s greatest lessons never came from a classroom.

They came from experience.

1. Nobody owes you anything

Life isn’t always fair.

No one is responsible for making you successful.

The moment I accepted that, I stopped blaming circumstances and started taking ownership of my life.

That was the beginning of true adulthood.

2. Freedom always comes with responsibility

Living independently means every decision is yours.

When you succeed, you appreciate your hard work.

When you fail, you learn instead of looking for someone else to blame.

That is the price—and the privilege—of freedom.

3. Discipline will always outlast motivation

There were many days I didn’t feel like studying.

Many days I didn’t feel like working.

Many days I wanted to quit.

But I kept going.

Motivation comes and goes.

Discipline is what carries you through.

4. Failure is simply another lesson

I’ve been rejected.

I’ve doubted myself.

I’ve wondered if I was good enough.

Every setback made me stronger, wiser and more humble.

5. Don’t just build a career—build yourself

A successful career is important.

But the person you become matters even more.

I learned yoga.

I studied acting.

I joined Toastmasters.

I read constantly.

I sought out inspiring people.

Every experience shaped who I am today.

6. Comparison steals happiness

Everyone is on a different journey.

I stopped comparing myself to others.

Instead, I focus on becoming a little better than I was yesterday.

7. Family is more than where you come from

Living far from home taught me that family is also the people who genuinely care about you.

They may not share your blood.

But they stand beside you when you need them most.

8. It’s never too late to begin again

I’ve changed careers.

Learned new skills.

Pursued new passions.

Starting over isn’t going back to zero.

It’s beginning again with more wisdom than before.

9. Success is living according to your values

I used to think success meant earning a lot of money.

Today, success means waking up each morning knowing that my life has purpose.

Helping others.

Continuing to learn.

Growing as a person.

Living authentically.

Final Thoughts

If I could speak to my fifteen-year-old self, I would simply say:

“Don’t be afraid. The road ahead won’t be easy, but every challenge will shape you into someone you’ll one day be proud of becoming.”

Today, I am grateful for every struggle, every mistake, and every difficult decision.

Because without that brave fifteen-year-old who stepped onto a plane and left Vietnam, I would not be the person I am today.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

I wish you the courage to keep moving forward on your own journey.

Binh

December 2, 2025

Why I Love Being a Polymath

People sometimes ask me, “How do you do so many things?”

My honest answer: I don’t know how NOT to.

I’ve never been someone who fits neatly into one box. I’m a speech pathologist, a writer, a life coach, an actor, a yoga teacher, an ESL educator, a business owner, and yes, someone who hangs upside down on a pole for fun.

And somehow… it all makes perfect sense to me.

Being a polymath feels like living in colour. Every skill I learn feeds another part of my life. Every curiosity becomes a doorway. Every new passion adds a layer to who I am and how I show up in the world.

Speech Pathology taught me to communicate with purpose

Working with kids and families has given me the deepest understanding of communication, not just the mechanics, but the heart behind it. Helping someone speak, read, learn, or connect unlocks something inside me too.

Life coaching taught me to listen, REALLY listen

Coaching helped me tune in to people’s dreams, fears, habits, and patterns. It made me a better therapist, a better friend, and honestly, a better human. It’s one of the skills that anchors everything else I do.

Acting taught me to feel everything fully

Acting is where I get to be bold, expressive, vulnerable, and creative in ways everyday life doesn’t always allow. It’s helped me understand characters, emotions, humanity – which loops right back into my coaching and therapy work.

Writing taught me to make sense of the world

Words are how I process life. From “The Speakable Child” to the new projects I’m creating, writing lets me turn ideas into stories, and stories into something useful for someone else.

Yoga taught me to breathe and soften

Yoga balances the fire. It reminds me to slow down, feel my body, and come back to myself, something all polymaths need because our brains can be like hummingbirds.

Pole art taught me strength, discipline, and play

Pole is where I surprise myself the most. The strength, the flow, the artistry; it’s a celebration of being human. It’s creative and athletic at the same time, and it’s one of the places where I feel the most free.

Business taught me courage

Speakable didn’t build itself. It took years of ideas, risks, failures, and growth. Being an entrepreneur showed me that creativity isn’t just an art; it’s a strategy.

What I love most about being a polymath

It’s not the titles or the skills.

It’s the way everything overlaps.

My acting improves my communication coaching.

My coaching improves my therapy.

My therapy work gives depth to my writing.

My writing clears my mind for yoga.

Yoga strengthens my discipline for pole.

Pole energises me for everything else.

It’s all connected like a tapestry of passions that weave together into one life.

I love being a polymath because it lets me be all of me.

Not half. Not one slice.

All.

And if there’s one message I hope people take from my journey, it’s this:

You don’t need to choose one dream.

You’re allowed to choose many and let them shape you into something extraordinary.

Binh

February 23, 2014February 9, 2016

Swimming Upstream

“I think we’re going to the moon because it’s in the nature of the human being to face challenges. It’s by the nature of his deep inner soul…we’re required to do these things just as salmon swim upstream.” – Neil Armstrong

Hi, my name is Binh Doan and this is my testimony. I would like to share this message to inspire people to become whoever they want to be and to make their dreams come true regardless of their outer circumstances.

I was born in Saigon, Vietnam, in 80’s. My parents, who came from a poor background, worked extremely hard all their lives to provide a good education to my 3 older siblings and myself. At 15, I decided to travel to Brisbane (Australia) to complete my High School education. With some English to help me get by, I attended Year 11 but had difficulty fitting into the school system. I continued to struggle during my first year with understanding English and expressing myself. I spoke English with a strong accent, and the sounding of my name was sometimes made fun of by the local kids. It took me over a year to settle into the new environment and to learn about the new culture. My English continued to improve. I was a quiet kid. Sometimes, I felt like an outsider and often went to the library after school to study until late. I taught myself to tune my ears into learning how to speak like an Aussie. At the beginning of Year 12, I felt much better about my communication skills and began to catch up with my peers.

It took me over a year to settle into the new environment and to learn about the new culture. My English continued to improve. I was a quiet kid. Sometimes, I felt like an outsider and often went to the library after school to study until late. I taught myself to tune my ears into learning how to speak like an Aussie. At the beginning of Year 12, I felt much better about my communication skills and began to catch up with my peers. There were hard times but I did not want to give up. I wanted to graduate from High School, attend University and then get a good job. That would make my parents happy, as they had sacrificed so much for my education.

In 1998, I graduated from High School and was accepted into the University of Queensland. I completed my Bachelor of Biomedical Science in 2001. I then continued with my studies and obtained a Masters in Speech Pathology (2003). Throughout university, I had various part-time jobs, such as working in a fish & chips shop, helping out as a uni guide (at UQ) and serving people as a waiter in a local restaurant. These jobs not only helped me pay the bills but also helped improve my social and language skills.

In April 2004, after months of searching, I finally got a job offer in Sydney. That was my first job as a Speech Pathologist and it was based in Campbelltown. Ever since, I have been working in private practice, helping children, teenagers and adults with their speech, language and literacy difficulties. In 2011, I completed my training and obtained the CELTA (offered by Cambridge University) at

All my life, I had always wanted to be a good person and to work hard in order to make my parents and family proud. In 2007, I earned my Australian citizenship. I then decided to sponsor my parents to come and spend their retirement in Sydney. My siblings and I spent almost 2 years to complete all the paper work. In 2010, my parents migrated to Australia to reunite with the family. A few months after their arrival, tragedy struck. My Dad had a sudden heart attack, followed by a stroke, and passed away at 65. My Mum, while mourning for Dad, had to deal with her newly diagnosis of lung cancer (stage 4). Mum received various types of treatment such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and alternative medicine. She was brave until the end. In January 2012, my Mum passed away at 69.

Losing both parents within a short period of time was the most painful experience that I’ve ever had. I was in a state of confusion and was not sure what to do with my life. I sought help from a grief counsellor, who offered some great advice. However, the pain was too vast. For almost 6 months, bad thoughts came to me on a regular basis. I was not happy with life and work. However, I tried to think, “What would my parents want me to do?”. I could not give up, considering all the hard work that they had put into providing me with a good education and a good life.

I started to read various books on dealing with grief and realised that I could use my time and energy on helping others who are in need. My parents were true givers and my role models. Ever since, I’ve been involved in a number of charity events. I do feel great about being able to contribute to others’ happiness. In April 2013, I stumbled across Anthony Robbins’ “Awaken the Giant Within”. This is an inspirational and powerful book that has opened my eyes to possibilities, life and shown me how much control I have over my own life. I am now on the mend and have taken a full interest in helping others who are struggling to reach their full potential.

In August 2013, I decided to become a Life Coach and was registered with The Australian Institute of Coaching (AIC). It was a tremendously life-changing experience with all the support from the AIC team and friends/family. In August 2014, I graduated and am now fully qualified as a Life Coach. I am passionate in helping others who want to take charge and make a difference in their own lives.

Through integrating all the skills that I have learnt in the past 18 years, my goal is to help individuals achieve their life goals to the best of their abilities e.g., communication skills (speech, language, reading, spelling, writing, ESL, working memory, public speaking & accent training), study / interview skills, and confidence coaching.

In September 2014, I created Speakable, a Speech-Language Pathology & Life Coaching practice in Bondi Junction. My mission is to help people of all ages find their voice in this world and to increase their confidence in order to turn their dreams into reality.

At the moment, I’m running Speak Up Australia – a group where people get together, connect and learn to conquer the top human fear of Public Speaking. We meet every second Thursday of the month to inspire each other with positive ideas and life stories.