Damon Gameau

I had really self-destructive thoughts for most of my childhood and adolescence, paralyzing thoughts like, who am I to do this? I had real impostor syndrome. I had to get that cracked open through a project. I did a film, and I was literally shaking the night it came out because I had never put myself out there like that. Thankfully, it was received really well, and I had this moment of going, I know people like what I make. Get out of your own way.

I think when you're focusing on things that are bigger than any of us, that provides a shield. It's not about me, so my ego gets out of the way. There's a bigger story to tell, and you just let it come through you, let it out, and just keep going.

Finding your purpose is deeply subjective. There's no formula. It's about surrendering, opening yourself up, and letting go. If you're striving too hard, it's not there. The magic starts when you surrender and trust the process. We're scared of letting go because society teaches control and certainty, but the magic lies in staying open, seeing who you meet, and what comes in. Extraordinary moments happen when you trust the process. It's different for everyone, but it's about letting go.

The Regenerators is a platform created by Regen Studios - an Australian based film and impact production company dedicated to producing and amplifying screen content that informs, inspires and activates audiences.

From #DamonGameau, the director of That Sugar Film, comes #2040film. An aspirational journey to discover what the future could look like if we simply embraced the best that exists today. This is the narrative the next generation needs to see, to aspire to, and to believe is possible. #2040

Damon Gameau exposes the impact of our 'sugar addiction' | Australian Story (2016)

For a long time, I thought I wanted to be an actor. I had done acting things, and every now and again I'd get a job that was really satisfying, but they were rare. I got to a point where I thought, why am I telling other people's stories? I have things to say. Why aren't I saying them? I saw how powerful films could be in creating change or altering a mood in a cinema, so I decided to make a film. I saw the benefits of that film and how it started to change people's lives. That forever changed me because I saw it as an incredible agent for change, a tool to make a profound impact in the world. I never looked back, knowing this is what I'm going to do for the rest of my life because I found something I like doing and am good at, and I feel very grateful for that.

To give context in terms of obstacles, I think finding purpose was about getting out of my own way. I had really self-destructive thoughts for most of my childhood and adolescence, paralyzing thoughts like, who am I to do this? I had real impostor syndrome. I had to get that cracked open through a project. I did a film, and I was literally shaking the night it came out because I had never put myself out there like that. Thankfully, it was received really well, and I had this moment of going, I know people like what I make. Get out of your own way. I sat up at 2 in the morning and I wrote myself a letter as though I was 85, and it made me think about whether I was brave enough to tell the stories I wanted. Did I actually keep hiding behind my own insecurities and my thoughts, or did I seize this beautiful, precious life that we get in all the space and time? Come on, get over yourself, say what you want to say. That stayed with me, and I'm still doing that, still battling that sometimes.

I remember being quite sick and in a hospital bed, sharing a room with three men in their 80s. One night I couldn't sleep, and I sat up at 2 in the morning and wrote myself a letter as though I was 85. It made me think, was I brave enough to tell the stories I wanted? Was I hiding behind my insecurities, or was I seizing this precious life? Come on, get over yourself, say what you want to say. That stayed with me, and I'm still doing that, still battling that sometimes.