Last month actress and writer Mindy Kaling shared a compelling fireside chat with LinkedIn Head of Global Diversity Rosanna Durruthy, in The LinkedIn Studio at South by Southwest in Austin.
The two accomplished figures discussed the nature of individualism, the key to maintaining focus and the intimate components of lasting success.
Don’t stifle your inner self
Ladders has previously reported on the importance of vulnerability and honesty when it comes to acquiring success. The interests and virtues that are integral to us should never be a source of shame-this holds true in any field.
Kaling happens to be a titan in the entertainment industry so her self-disclosure comes in the form of reveling in and incorporating the media that she fell in love with as a youngster into her many projects, irrespective of their critical perception. She rejects the idea of “guilty pleasures.” There are “just pleasure” as far as she’s concerned. An unbridled devotion to our tastes make us unique and energizes our output.
The freedom that accompanies being honest with ourselves additionally comes with a certain responsibility. Kaling talked at length about the impact of actions.
Achieving success usually owes itself to the compassion and willingness of others to take a chance on us. Once we get in a position to be of assistance to those in need of it we should make a point not to dispel the potential effects of our respective positions.
Kaling concedes how difficult adopting leadership roles can be, before explaining that it becomes easier to actualize when we make it a part of our professional goals. She elaborates, “My maturity came when I realized it’s also part of the job. When I realized that was part of my job as much as show up, do hair and makeup and act, that made it a lot easier for me.”
It all comes down to identifying our desires and then employing focus. Kaling’s passion for writing keeps her steady against the temptations of complacency that tag along with financial success. However, her work and the audience it has earned her begat more meaningful objectives. Kaling states, “I’m a leader now. I need to use that to create opportunities to hire people who otherwise wouldn’t get a chance.”
A focused mind and emphatic mind is dually a more productive one.
Originally published on Ladders.
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