When you have the opportunity to ask some of the most interesting people in the world about their lives, sometimes the most fascinating answers come from the simplest questions. The Thrive Questionnaire is an ongoing series that gives an intimate look inside the lives of some of the world’s most successful people.
TG: Share a quote that you love and that gives you strength or peace.
KR: Brene Brown said: “You can choose courage or you can choose comfort. You cannot have both.” When I founded Pipeline, I chose courage. I’m a breadwinner mom with a husband and two kids who rely on me for their economic well-being. This quote reminds me that my brave choice was the right choice. Being brave also set an example for my children by showing them what’s possible when we choose courage over comfort. Finally, this quote is a good reminder for working mothers that “having it all” is a sexist myth placed largely on the backs of women. We need to redefine what it means to be a good Mom.
Soon I will be embarking on a new journey (stay tuned, I’ll share more soon!) that requires me to be even braver still. Again, Brown’s quote is a reminder that the brave choice is the right choice.
TG: How do you prioritize when you have an overwhelming amount to do?
KR: I delegate. I worked hard to build a strong team of employees. I have a tremendous amount of confidence in them. For example, a few weeks ago a family emergency came up and I had to be away from the office. I knew my team could adeptly keep all of the plates spinning in my absence.
TG: What’s your personal warning sign that you’re depleted?
KR: I feel depleted when I have to compromise on my commitments with family. I have dedicated certain days of the week and activities to them. I look forward to spending quality time with my family because for me, it’s not about how much I’m there, it’s how present I am when we are together. While I do have safeguards in place to protect my time with family—for example, I avoid business travel on the weekends—occasionally I make exceptions.
TG: Tell us about a small change you have made in your life to improve your focus. What did you do, how long did it take until it became effective, and how you sustain this habit?
KR:I’ve always been well-attuned to what I put in my body. Recently, I noticed my digestion was off so I cut out dairy and gluten from my diet and reduced my coffee intake to one cup per day. I also starting taking Your Super packets (which are great because I travel a lot for work so I can put the packets in my suitcase and I don’t have to compromise my health while on the road). As a result of listening to my body, I have more energy and better focus.
Follow us here and subscribe here for all the latest news on how you can keep Thriving.
Stay up to date or catch-up on all our podcasts with Arianna Huffington here.