Define Your Success and Empower Others to Do the Same
I’ve gotten so much amazing advice over the years, but a few concepts have truly impacted my professional philosophy and journey. The first is to take bets—on yourself and others. Confidence breeds confidence, and conviction is contagious, so believe in yourself and your abilities, and make sure you inspire that feeling in the people around you. And with bets come challenges. Embrace them! I’ve learned the most from the biggest challenges I’ve faced in my life. They’ve brought out my strength and creativity, and have helped me learn about myself and others.
Be curious and constantly learning. It’s crucial to hone your ability to gather input quickly and figure out how to translate your insights into improvements. Surround yourself with people who want to continuously learn—within your function, your company, and across industries. At the end of the day, people who love to learn are often also people who love to teach—a quality that is incredibly important, especially in a growing organization.
Then take stock of all the ways you’ve grown and contributed, and don’t be afraid to tell your story. This is one that I’ve had to work on over the years. Growing up, I learned that if you keep your head down and work hard, you’ll be recognized and rewarded for your efforts. That’s not always the case, however. Advocate for yourself, and find sponsors and mentors who will support you along the way. Challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone and identify opportunities to share your story. Be vocal about your successes—and even your failures. And, just as important, help others do the same by finding ways to support them in their career journeys.
With this mindset, you can define your success and empower others to do the same.
