Polina Marinova Pompliano, founder of The Profile, shares insights, lessons, and strategies to help you succeed when the odds are against you. Topics discussed include overcoming failure, asking the right questions, professional relationships, gratitude, and tips for succeeding against the odds.
Extract lessons from individuals who have overcome similar circumstances to find direction and motivation.
View setbacks as opportunities for growth and reinvention, learning from examples like Martha Stewart and Sarah Blakely.
Deep dives
The Power of People-Focused Learning
To create motivation and tenacity during challenging times, Helena Pompleano advises finding people whose life trajectory is similar to yours and studying how they used their circumstances to their advantage. By extracting lessons from their experiences, both the successes and failures, you can apply them to your own life. Helena shares her personal journey of feeling lost in New York City and how she immersed herself in learning from entrepreneur Sarah Blakely, which helped her find direction and motivation.
Reframe Setbacks as Opportunities for Growth
When facing a setback, Helena Pompleano suggests viewing it as an opportunity rather than starting over. She explains that failing at a goal doesn't mean you have lost everything. In fact, you've gained new skills and insights through the experience. Helena highlights examples like Martha Stewart and Sarah Blakely, who turned setbacks into opportunities for reinvention and improvement. By embracing failure as a chance to learn and grow, you can use the gained knowledge and skills to achieve even greater success in your next pursuit.
Navigating Criticism and Staying True to Yourself
Helena Pompleano advises finding a balance between acknowledging the perspectives of established experts and staying true to your own convictions. She suggests staying cautious when seeking early feedback from competitors or industry insiders, as it can hinder your originality. Helena shares the importance of staying true to your vision and goals, even if it means going against conventional wisdom. She encourages focusing on the gap between your expectations and reality, and using constructive criticism to strengthen and refine your ideas.
Unleashing Your Hidden Genius
Helena Pompleano emphasizes the significance of exploring your hidden genius and embracing curiosity. She recommends staying intellectually stimulated and continuously learning, even if it's in unrelated fields. Helena shares the power of consistent curiosity and the benefits of seeking inspiration from a wide range of sources. She also advises questioning the stories we tell ourselves and challenging preconceived notions about our identity. Through self-reflection and revising our own narratives, we can unleash our hidden potential and achieve fulfillment in our personal and professional lives.
Some people believe that challenging times will stack the odds against you – and there is not a whole lot you can do about it. Polina Marinova Pompliano, founder of The Profile, author and editor of Term Sheet, Fortune’s industry-leading deal-making newsletter, and author of the book, Hidden Genius, would tell you to think differently and find a solution based on courage, determination, and appreciation. She would add that when you do, you will land in a place better than before the obstacles got in your way. In this CareerCast, Polina shares her insights, the best lessons learned from a top group of global experts, and strategies to help you win – whether the odds are in your favor or not
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