Wisdom From Those Who Went Before Me

I love quotes.

I don't want to toot my own horn, but I'm a pretty good writer. I love to talk, and I've been told that I have a real way with words. (I wrote a 70 page novel in my junior high journalism class!) Even so, sometimes I can't quite come up with the right words. It's moments like those when I turn to the wise words of those who have gone before me.

As a GoGirl, these are some of the quotes that really speak to me and inspire me.

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Harold R. McAlindon

The ultimate measure of a [woman] is not where [she] stands in moments of comfort, but where [she] stands at times of challenge and controversy. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person. "Always do what you are afraid to do." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall. - Confucius

Press on! A better fate awaits thee. - Victor Hugo

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. - Henry David Thoreau

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." You must do the thing you think you cannot do. - Eleanor Roosevelt

(Find out more about this GoGirl here.)

Honorary GoGirl: Ivanka Trump

I'm about half way through reading Ivanka Trump's book The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life. Prior to buying this book, my knowledge of Ivanka was obtained through what I had observed on her fathers show: The Apprentice, and the bits and pieces that I read in the media. Even after reading her introductory chapter, I was blown away! Many unassuming passersby assume that Ivanka has had everything handed to her because of her father, Donald Trump. Although she admits that she was blessed with many things, both material and otherwise, Ivanka is quick to state that her parents constantly reminded her and her brothers that they were extremely fortunate, and that their parents' success was a product of hard work and dedication.

Here is a short biography that comes from the rear cover of her book:

Ivanka Maria Trump joined the Trump Organization in 2005 and is currently vice president of real estate development and acquisitions. A former fashion model and the daughter of Ivana and Donald Trump, she started a luxury jewelry company with a flagship Madison Avenue boutique called Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry in 2007, and is a boardroom adviser on the hit show The Apprentice. Ivanka graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Finance.

Throughout her life, Ivanka has always had a strong sense of self, and always wanted to earn her own money and job opportunities. She has always wanted to make a name for herself, instead of relying on her last name.

In her book, she uses the phrase "the trump card" as a metaphor:

...we've all been dealt a winning hand and...it's up to each of us to play it right and smart. (p. 7)

Clever.

I want to share some more gems that I have gleaned from this book so far:

In the end, it's what we can glean from our mentors, role models, and fleeting acquaintances that sets us apart. (p. 9)

...success isn't something that happens to you; you happen to it. Confidence is key. (p. 9)

...if your instinct is to zig while everyone else is looking to zag, you're more likely to discover an important new angle. An angle of opportunity. (p. 27)

...the better rounded and more open-minded you are, the more strongly you'll perform in any business setting. (p. 56)

The single best indicator of your success starting out will be your ability to relate to other people--your boss, your clients, and your coworkers. (p. 56)

If you don't absolutely, thoroughly, completely love, love, love what you do, you'll never have what it takes to make it to the top. (p. 91)

For the most part, successful people manage to graft their intellectual gifts on their personal strengths in such a way that their ability to connect with others is what takes them to the top. Their ability to network and maximize their relationships and use them to advantage--that's key. (p. 91)

...a great lesson for any young person just starting out: try everything. Intern everywhere. Be bold. Take risks. (p. 98)

Those are some pretty amazing jewels of advice! I love that she's a young professional woman, catering this book to other young professional women. (Men can read it, too!) I can't wait to read more!

But for now, I must pack up my things, head back to my apartment, and get ready for my favorite time of the week...

GoGirl Academy time!!!

A New Direction For This Blog

So, my fellow GoGirl, Jaclyn Reiner, is doing a class-by-class blog over on the GoGirl Academy blog. Feel free to check out her fantastic posts after each class!

That said, I'm going to re-focus this blog on various GoGirl-type insights that I have gleaned both from class, as well as from other sources.

Stay tuned!

My Journey to GoGirl

It was a dark and cold night. I lay awake in my bed, unable to sleep. I turn and look at the clock: 4:30am. I groan and pull the covers over my head. Frustrated, I hopped out of bed and went out to the living room and turned on the television. I flipped through various infomercials and evangelical church services before settling on the KIRO 7 morning news. I watched as Julie Francavilla and Chris Egert talked about the latest headlines, before deferring to Jenni Hogan for an update on local traffic conditions. And there she was, Jenni Hogan in all her glory. She said something about Twitter, and I immediately grabbed my computer and started following her. I sent her a tweet; something to the effect of "it's so early and I can't sleep, so I'm watching KIRO!" To my surprise, she almost immediately tweeted back a friendly "Good morning!" and said that she would point to me during her next on-camera time. Once it was time for a traffic report (every 10 minutes on KIRO 7!), Jenni pointed out the spots to avoid and then pointed at the camera and flashed a big smile. I was so excited!

From that morning on, I would watch KIRO when I ate breakfast every morning (when I was up early enough to catch it!). Jenni and I would tweet back and forth, and then we becameFacebook friends. When I found out that Jenni was pregnant, I went downtown in search of some cute baby clothes for her baby girl and my friend Cecilia's baby boy. I found the cutest onesie for Lil Pookette (Jenni's baby's nickname pre-birth), and some matching clothes for Baby Ortiz. I dropped off the pink prezzi at the KIRO studio, excited for Lil Pookette to wear it.

Jenni and I were e-mailing back and forth when she told me about the GoGirl Academy. She said that they were doing a "dress rehearsal" of the Career Acceleration class, and would love for me to be a part of the inaugural class! I was so honored, and sent in my application right away. The next week, I got my formal acceptance and welcome packet from GoGirl executive director Margo Myers! The Career Acceleration class would be a 10-week course, meeting every Thursday from 5:30-8:30pm in the boardroom at The Maxwell Hotel.

The invitation to join the GoGirl Academy came at just the right time in my life. I was preparing to graduate from Seattle University, and was deep into the hunt for a job. Jenni promised me that the GoGirl Academy would be a great networking opportunity, and she was determined to help find me a job. Even more than job hunting, everything that I can become accustomed to for my college years was dropping away: the 3 girls that I had lived with for 3 years, my best friends, were all going their own ways. My daily routine of going to classes, doing homework, and living "the college life" were over. I felt alone and scared about being a "grown up." And then that one early morning came. I watched Jenni as she did her traffoxy thing with that amazing Australian accent that she has, and felt a connection with her. I thought to myself: "This is a woman who is so clearly confident in herself and what she does. I could learn a thing or two from her." And oh, how much I am learning!

Stay tuned for my next post about the first GoGirl class: Defining my personal brand.