It’s that time of the year again where we map the skills, experiences, and habits that would help us get the most out of the next 365 days. To answer this, we researched some mentors, friends, and role models to give us some words of wisdom and collective insights. These lessons are too valuable for us to keep to ourselves, so without further adieu, here is what we learned.
Continuously find mentors– To create a better foundation for success, welcome the advice of working with a mentor early on. You don’t have to do everything alone. The goal of a mentor is to shorten our learning curve. “Sooner is part of my philosophy. Fail Faster, Succeed. The power of relationships, particularly of a mentor and a mastermind, means that I can ask for the help and expertise of others to move forward more quickly.” – Dr. Cheryl Lentz, The Academic Entrepreneur
Create meaningful relationships– “At 55 years of age, having spent most of my working life in the spotlight, whether in front of a camera, on film sets, or on stage, most people find it hard to believe that I was once very shy. It was hard for me to connect with others and it didn’t really seem to matter at the time. After I started working as a entrepreneur in my late 30′s, I realized just how important the creation of relationships (whether with family, friends or in a working environment) would be. Healthy, close-knit, and sharing relationships are important for your mental and emotional well-being.” – Clarissa Burt, Clarissa Burt International
Make as many connections as possible-“If I could have taught myself one thing at eighteen years old to create a better foundation for my future success, it would have been to put myself out there and make as many connections to people as possible. The more connections and good impressions made, the more job offers and opportunities you receive. I would have also taught myself not to just make these connections, but to attempt to sustain them as well.” – Mariah Spears, Top 20 Finalist on So You Think You Can Dance Season 10
Overcome fears near the beginning– Possibilities are endless when you overcome fears near the beginning. “If I could have taught myself one thing, it would have been how to get over my early fear of cold calling and cold approaching individuals I don’t know. So many of The Muse’s biggest successes are due to cold outreach, and I wish I’d forced myself to get comfortable with this a lot sooner!” – Kathryn Minshew, CEO of The Muse
Embrace learning as the gateway to your possibilities– “Mindfully pursue all forms of learning, both formal and informal, as a life-long journey and document your insights along the way. Take time to reflect on your life’s vision and purpose, pivot and reinvent yourself as needed to realize your aspirations.” – Sophie Vlessing, Senior VP of Strategy and Innovation at Kaplan
Have acommitment to lifelong physical health– It’s something that everybody talks about all the time (not just pro athletes), but so few of us give consistent effort to maintaining it. “The moment it hit home for me was when I came across a quote from the Dalai Lama on humanity. He said that what puzzled him most about mankind is that ‘we sacrifice so much of our health in the pursuit of money, only to later spend so much of our money to try and recuperate our health.’ So true.” – Collete Davis, Professional RaceCar Driver and Co-Founder of TechDrive
Everything always works out– “No matter what decision you make, everything always works out. No matter what direction you take, everything always works out. You may not know it at the time, but each and every time you look back, you will know in your heart that it’s true.” – Kym McNicholas, Emmy Award-Winning TV Personality and Executive Director, Extreme Tech Challenge
We feel so fortunate to have shared these amazing individuals’ words of advice with you. Cheers to your success and an awesome new year!
