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I'm up late Monday night, thinking about the Power of Intuition and crafty ways to write this post that I want to share. I wanted to tout Laurie Ann Goldman's accomplishments as the former Head of Worldwide Licensing for Coca-Cola, and all that she's done in only 8 years as CEO of SPANX (read more about that here), but as these hours are ticking on, I'm coming up with a blank. So let me start by telling you what I do know. I believe that when you're where you're supposed to be, the road will rise to meet you, and I believe that to be true for career, life and relationships. I debated for a bit as to whether I was going to attend this event, because I had so much school work to do (as always), but decided at the last minute to go. When I got to the event and realized that it was going to be about The Power of Intuition instead of Shaping and Expanding a Brand, I'll admit I was a bit disappointed. Still, I stayed planted in my front row seat, ready to transcribe her words of wisdom. In the end, I'm glad I stayed because I think I got more insight from this topic than I would've if she had actually discussed branding. Understanding and harnessing this thing called intuition isn't just about business, but about life itself.
(Unfortunately this blurry image does her no justice, but let me tell you, her outfit was very fab.)
Laurie Ann made some great points throughout her dialogue, and shared some interesting reflections about her childhood experiences and how they shaped her career path (and her old way of thinking). The points that stood out the most to me were:1. The Power of Intuition is your greatest asset and lives thru any/everything that you do, but it needs structure & support to reach its potential. Don't obsess over facts & ignore that voice deep inside of you. If you really believe something is right/wrong, it probably is.
2. True creativity is the courage to let go of what you know and is at the heart of every business through the acts of innovative thinking and researching new solutions.
3. It's okay to set the destination, but you don't have to have a tight grip on the journey--sometimes the windy road is the only one that will get you there.
4. Don't look for perfection in making a decision, because it rarely exists.
5. Continue to ask questions, most importantly to yourself (and/or your business)--Did I get results? Am I growing and changing? Always remember that if it can be measured, it can improve.
6. Know when it's time to let go and move on to the next thing (big idea, new opportunity, etc)--don't get so attached to the "golden apple" that you can't see beyond it.
Are all of these concepts new to me? Not necessarily, but again, I think that when you're in alignment with where you're supposed to be, you can hear an idea that means something different than what it used to, or a word that nudges you and encourages you to examine your situation in a different light. As I'm making the preparations to officially start my design business, I relish the opportunity to learn from those who know the road because they've walked it before. If you haven't read her bio by now, you should take a look--she's the real deal and she's a mom of 3!
Laurie Ann Goldman & Sara Blakely via Flickr
In parting, here's great video I recently found through Success magazine (which I highly recommend!), where Sara Blakely talks about success, failure, and intuition. Enjoy!
Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, on Failure
