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I don’t normally write lists.
But as I was sitting at Back to School Night for my kids, sitting at a school desk and looking up at the teacher in the front of the room,
I was thinking… it’s been years since I’ve been in a classroom. And yet – I’ve learned so much outside of the classroom.
They’re not lessons I would have thought I needed to learn.
Yet, they’ve been game-changers in my career and in my role as a leader, both at work and in my community.
Importantly they’re not lessons I learned from University of Georgia or Harvard – where I’ve taken classes during my professional career.
They’re lessons I’ve learned through experience. Through trial and error. Through many, many failures.
So I challenged myself to write down as many things as I could… so I could share with you. Here it goes:
“You can build your own things that other people can use. And once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again.”
30 lessons I’ve learned after 20+ years as a diverse professional:
1. Prioritize your own growth more than you prioritize your company’s growth.
2. Look for people to support you, don’t assume they’ll find you.
3. The best leaders teach themselves.
4. You learn 100x more by trying, than by reading about it or getting a degree.
5. If you don’t know how to share your ideas, you’re going to struggle.
6. Being true to you vs. adapting to ‘fit’ unlocks your best performance.
7. You go 10x faster by supporting others, not focusing on yourself.
8. No matter how helpful you are, you can’t please everyone.
9. Define your own definition of success vs. going after what’s expected.
10. What makes you different, is your greatest competitive advantage.
11. Stop reading 50+ leadership books. Just get started. Lead an idea.
12. Stop asking everyone’s advice, and start figuring it out for yourself.
13. Assume you can learn something from everyone.
14. Stop trying to convince people of your value. Show them. Surprise them.
15. Assume positive intent, ask questions vs. giving accusations.
16. If people root for you to fail, disconnect & distance.
17. Welcome conflict, it’s a disguised opportunity.
18. If you are where you are, you can go where you want to go.
19. Perfection is your worst enemy.
20. Don’t ask random people for advice. Ask people who are where you want to be.
21. Taking action is more important than planning.
22. Don’t ‘find a mentor’. Share your interesting ideas & attract mentors.
23. Quit focusing on what you “should” do. “Shoulds” are expectations set by others.
24. Be your own hero, your own CEO.
25. Ignore haters. They don’t hate you, they’re scared of you.
26. Help others and let them reciprocate. If they never do, move on.
27. Be open, raw, and honest with yourself.
28. Invest in personal inner growth – therapy, coaching, a support group.
29. Experiment often. Try out new things.
30. You are 100% responsible for your future. Not your manager. Not your company.
Take every piece of advice here with a grain of salt.
I’m just some person sending you an email and my journey might be different than yours.
But, if I have one core belief, it’s this:
Dare to be different & let your authenticity shine.
The world needs your insight, your ideas, and your leadership.
“You can build your own things that other people can use. And once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again.”
Steve Jobs
American Businessman, Inventor, and Investor
