“Find a mentor” is one of the most recommended things in most of the leadership development books I’ve read.
I always wondered though….”How in the heck do you find this mentor?
Was there like an application that I needed to fill out?
Would I get paired with someone like when I adopted that manatee in 5th grade and got monthly post cards updating me on their status?
Is there a line I was supposed to stand in but I missed it?
Did I miss the submission window?
Where were all these mentors?
So I started searching in books. Podcasts. YouTube videos.
Where I could still learn from these amazing teachers, thought leaders, and experts….even if they didn’t have the slightest idea of who I was.
Enter Rachel Hollis.
Someone else don’t get to tell you who you can be…..
–Rachel Hollis
I honestly think that someone at work told me about her book and so I grabbed it at Half Priced Books when I was there in late 2018.
I was floored. It was a combination of gritty honesty, approachable and relatable, and exactly what I’d been looking for…..I was hooked. She was not a cheerleader, make no mistake. There were no fluffy inspirational quotes. She was real and authentic. She was that coach that was going to push you to reach the Olympics that you would thank first when you took the podium for your gold medal in speed skating. The type of coach who would remind you after that it was YOU that did all the work.
I’ve read both of her books, listened to all of her podcasts and joined her coaching group. We are active members of her online community and receive the most amazing support from the other members of the group We’ve share some of Callie’s journey with them and have found an open, accepting, growth focused “tribe.”
So when her team reached out to see if I was interested in participating in an interview session with her for their upcoming virtual conference, I was OVERJOYED.
Sit down for 30 mins with my mentor?
Be able to have her share her wisdom with me?
Be able to tell her how grateful I was for all that she does for her community?
Possibly have our story inspire someone else?
Where did I need to sign?
She was just as amazing as I’d hoped. I know that sometimes, when you build up a person in your mind and then you meet them in real life, there is the possibility that they lose a bit of that “sparkle.” That couldn’t be farther from the case with Rachel. She instantly made me feel at ease and within about 2.5 seconds it felt like I was chatting with an old friend not a NY Times best selling author and media mogul. She even took the time after we were done to say hello to Callie which was such a classy thing to do. Callie got to pick a song that they promised would be added to the opening “line up” and we talked a little about doing Rise Run with the team in December.
What song did Callie pick you ask?
“It’s my Life” by Bon Jovi. It is the same song that I picked to accept my President’s Club award last summer. To her….it signifies hard work, never giving up, and a warrior mentality.
Seems like a good fit to kick off RisexLive.
The crazy thing is…..I’ve wrote each and every day in my Start Today Journal…..”I speak on a Rise stage.” If I was not 100% sold on the idea of manifesting my dreams before this then this was the universe coming in hot for me. I used to hold back on sharing our story because I truly thought it highlighted the areas that we were lacking, broken, and imperfect.
I wish I’d shared sooner.
People aren’t inspired by perfection.
They are inspired by how we’ve gotten up after we’ve been knocked down.
They are inspired by how imperfectly we have learned, stretched, grown, and bloomed.
They are inspired by how we rally, how we love, and how we rise.
They are inspired by how we can make broken look beautiful.
Rachel Hollis…..Thank you for coming into our lives and letting us be a part of your amazing conference. It’s a day that we will hold in our hearts for a very long time.
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