Being in the driving seat

What does it really mean to feel confident behind the wheel — and in your life?

In this episode, I’m speaking to Robert Weldon (Bob) a driving instructor with nearly forty years of experience teaching in London. I came to Bob a mature learner, determined to pass my test first time, and continued lessons afterwards partly for skill-building, partly for the mentorship and friendship.

We explore how Bob’s deep-rooted confidence has shaped his approach to teaching driving and life—his calm under pressure, his ability to adapt to people and how teaching for decades has kept him sharp, humble, and grounded by a sense of humour that’s helped him navigate all kinds of people.

Through stories and driving metaphors—being in the driver’s seat of your life, shifting gears, slowing down before a leap—we dive into how confidence is literally a skill you build with practice, awareness, and grounded self-trust.

Whether you’re learning something new, recovering from failure, navigating change, or simply wanting to feel more steady in life, this conversation offers no-nonsense wisdom and actionable perspective.

Key Takeaways:

• Confidence begins with competence: as Bob says, it’s knowing what you're doing and being sure of yourself—a foundation built over time and practice.
• Learning is a progression: from unconscious incompetence to unconscious competence - driving is an ideal metaphor for that journey.
• The importance of awareness over speed: staying safe on the road, or in life, comes from looking, pausing, thinking - not rushing.
• Adaptability builds trust: Bob’s mechanical approach - analysing, recalibrating illustrates confidence as resilience, not façade. Rational persistence and self-belief can overcome fear.
• Confidence isn’t always the full story: Luck can play a quiet but powerful role in shaping a good life.
• It’s never too late for new experiences: How failure is rarely personal and it’s never too late to learn something new and overcome old fears.
• Being anchored in self-worth: Bob embodies a grounded self-belief that just is. “I am what I am.”

About Bob:

Bob is a London-based driving instructor with nearly 40 years of experience, teaching hundreds of pupils. He offers driving lessons through the British School of Motoring. You can book lessons with him on: www.bsm.co.uk

Other notes:

Podcast mentioned: How to Fail with Elizabeth Day

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