The other day I came across a piece of advice that moved me:
Live your life with two hands outstretched. One, reaching for your next goal.
The other, pulling up people behind you.
At first, this reminded me of Crissy, a woman I met when I was sixteen years old and working at my first internship at an advertising agency. My job merely involved scanning images into the computer and mounting ad concepts onto presentation boards, but Crissy took it upon herself to be my mentor and teach me things about the business that I wouldn’t have otherwise learned. Years later, when it came time to pick a college major, her influence played a big role in my decision to study marketing.
I’m also reminded of Mary, a writer I met last year at an author’s event, who’s been in the business for years and has a number of titles under her belt. Having only one book under mine, I was impressed by all that Mary had accomplished. She represented what I hoped to one day achieve. What impressed me even more, was the way she acknowledged my passion and took me under her wing. In the months that followed, she invited me to display at book festivals, got me involved with our regional publishers’ association, helped me brainstorm publicity ideas for Empty Arms, lent me research materials, offered me advice, and opened my eyes to a side of the business that I didn’t even know existed.
Crissy and Mary are great examples of people who live with two hands outstretched. They reached for my hand and pulled me up, impacting my life more deeply than they know. And in the process, they’ve reminded me to extend my other hand too.
Who has pulled you up along the way?
