Trevor Noah's 'Daily Show' Philosophy Is Inspiring

I don’t know what I’m more excited for these days: the new season of The Daily Show with Trevor Noah starting on Sept. 28th (because I have been sad and out of touch without my comedic news half hour), or for Noah to finally take over the series' illustrious hosting responsibilities. Don’t get me wrong, now: I will forever and always be a Jon Stewart enthusiast. But, I’m super pumped to see the show get some new life breathed into it — and I’m even more excited to see where Noah will take it. Which is why when Trevor Noah spoke to Bustle during an unveiling of the new Daily Show set about the influence he'd like to have on the show, I was not only totally impressed by his response, I was also completely inspired. Because, really, his words offered some pretty amazing advice that we all could live by.

As Noah says of the legacy he would want to leave behind on The Daily Show: “Strangely enough, I wouldn’t want to limit myself to that now. To think of a legacy before you’ve even begun day one is, in a strange way, aiming too far." He continues, “I go hiking a lot, and one thing you learn is, don’t look at the top — just look at the step that’s ahead of you, one step at a time. If you look too far ahead, you trip on what’s right in front of you.”

So, when it comes to what Noah hopes to accomplish while hosting the show? The star says he thinks his legacy “will be fulfilled by what I’ve done up until that point. Every step I take, every move I make, will get me to a place — I try to improve myself as a person, and I hope that when I get to a certain point, I’ll look back and I’ll go, ‘Oh, that is what I achieved.’”

Can I get an amen up in here? Because those are words that, really, we all can and should live by. It’s so easy in the case of work, relationships, and personal lives to get wrapped up in the larger goals we set for ourselves — getting promoted, getting married, finishing that novel, having kids, etc. — but setting such lofty goals can be intimidating (like, "hello, where do I even begin?") and frustrating ("there’s no way I’m ever going to get there"). But, by focusing on the small steps along the way, it's so much easier to focus on the things you can control... and to ultimately come out the other end a success.

Seriously, Noah’s amazing sense of perspective and self-awareness makes me even more excited for the upcoming seeing of The Daily Show. If Noah can be that centered and eloquent during a press conference, something tells me he is going to be able to handle the toughest comedic bits and the most challenging guests with grace and confidence.

Reporting by Tanya Ghahremani

Image: Tanya Ghahremani/Bustle