Find a Way to Do What You Love
The American poet, Maya Angelou defined success as “liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” Legendary basketball coach John Wooden said success is “peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you’re capable.” Warren Buffett, one of the wealthiest people in the world, said he measures success “by how many people love me.”
None of these people, all considered hugely successful in their professional lives, chose to measure success in terms of riches or material possessions. Rather they appraised their success based on the degree to which they had positively impacted the world and other people and on their ability to accomplish the goals they set for themselves. That, in my opinion, is how we should all measure success in our lives.
So, how do we select the right path to success? My advice is to do what you love. There is an old Chinese proverb, “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” As professional women, I think we serve ourselves and our careers best when we find that magic spot where our natural talent meets our personal passion. We excel when we make that connection between what we’re good at and what we love.
I attribute the success I’ve achieved in my own life to a love of storytelling. I grew up in the suburbs on the south shore of Long Island. From an early age I escaped the monotony of small town living by reading books. I spent hours at the local library immersed in stories and dreaming about a more exciting, adventurous life. As I got older, it dawned on me that I might do the same for other people, and I pursued a career in film and entertainment. Over the years since, I’ve had the great privilege of helping bring stories to life and making the people watching those stories feel a connection to something bigger and grander than themselves.
I love what I do and love that it has enabled me to have a positive impact on others and the world around me. My advice to women is to do the same—do what you love, and you will quickly discover there is no limit to the levels of success and fulfillment you will achieve in your personal and professional lives.
