Write Your Own Story
Yvonne is young and successful. A dynamic duo that many wish they had, but less are able to achieve. Yvonne carries the incredible title of Senior Snapchat Editor at Vox. A fulfilling and beautiful title does not come without a proactive attitude and failures to overcome.
Yvonne had many experiences and lessons that she could have talked about. Tactful skills like how to use an app, how to interview well, how to ask good questions, there are too many qualities that we probably all wish we had of hers. Although her key take aways were not a step by step guide to becoming just like her, because the path to her success will not be the same for everyone else’s, nor is it straightforward.
Her takeaways include: “There is no shortcuts to hard work,” “cultivate relationships, not contacts,” “prioritize people over product,” “question everything,” “follow your highest excitements,” and “be open to unpredictability.” She tied each lesson into a part of her work life. While some lessons stood out more than others in certain sections of her life, none were less influential and less important than the others. This is a reminder that all of us will have lessons learned and time to learn them in the order in which we need in order to succeed.
Starting with many sleepless nights at a school newspaper. Yvonne worked to allow her school publication to go digital; a task that no one at the time could write her a step by step list on how to do. Through trial and error she made headway in digital storytelling. From navigation to creation on video editing software, Yvonne made her way to a finished project, but not without learning that “there are no shortcuts to hard work.” No one is going to be great at something without doing beginner work, then a lot of mediocre work, to get to the frothy product a Senior Snapchat Editor at Vox cranks out.
Yvonne interned at the Associated Press. This job she got through relationships, not necessarily their contact card. There are going to be recommendations for everyone who takes the time to cultivate a relationship that is not based on selling a product or the hopes of scratching each others backs one day. At the heart of everything, people want to help others when they have a connection to them. People will be more willing share their avenues of success if someone truly discerns about what they are doing and the relationships they are in. This dedication is noticeable among your peers.
Life is scary and unpredictable, but what you can control is your determination. Don’t let the shots pull you down, use it as a chance to pull yourself up. Whether it is not getting a job, or being fired from a position you are currently in, it boils down to what you are going to do with your next step and opportunity. If you think you are less than that position because it didn’t work out, you will never go any further than that.
Attitude and determination defines not only where you are at, but where you are going. From Project Thunderdome to her own business Yvonne had the courage to question everything. Questioning everything takes your vision from college news paper columnist level to Stanford Research Scholar status. Those who are smart believe in themselves enough to question the things around them, and the very thing they are involved with, in order to discover what great is.
Hopefully with these lessons that helped Yvonne, we will not actually all become Senior Snapchat Editors. We will become something better, because it fits us as individuals. It is what drives you, and it is what inspires others. You don’t have to know what that title is; but work hard, cultivate relationships, question everything, and follow your highest excitement to your dream destination.
