Arianna Huffington Quick Hits
Arianna Huffington
Arianna Huffington is President and Editor-in-Chief at The Huffington Post Media Group. Huffington shares about women pursuing their dreams and about stepping out to go after dreams with Sam’s Dream Blog.
Recently, I read Ken Robinson’s book, "The Element." Robinson’s copy on Huffington is the basis for this Quick Hits post. Two excerpts from the book precede the Sam’s Dream Blog exchange with Huffington.
"I am struck by how often, when I asked women to blog for the Huffington Post, they had a hard time trusting that what they had to say was worthwhile..."
"Huffington says there were two key factors in pursuing her early dream. The first was that she didn’t really understand what she was getting herself into. My first taste of leadership came in a situation where I was a blissfully ignorant outsider’? (140-141, Element).
Sam’s Dream Blog: How does a woman find her voice and her place of influence while pursuing dreams and goals?
Arianna Huffington: As Sheryl Sandberg told Barnard College graduates this year: "As men get more successful and powerful, both men and women like them better. As women get more powerful and successful, everyone, including women, likes them less."
But it's more than just our culture's concept of femininity that deters women from sharing their ideasand voicing their opinions and makes them second-guess the value of their contributions. Far too often, our doubts are self-inflicted. And because I know there are so many women out there who have ideas, experiences and stories worth sharing, I'd like to invite them to email me at Arianna@huffingtonpost.com. We’ll set you up with an account and you'll be blogging in no time.So the key to finding your own voice is to use it -- the more you know it and become confident in it, the less affected you'll be by those who try to doubt your value.
SDB: What advice do you have in terms of stepping out toward a dream in terms of timing and knowledge? How much should you know about the situation before you take a risk?
Arianna Huffington: Very often, we are our own worst enemies when it comes to stepping out toward our dreams. What I've learned is the importance of not letting the fears in my head get in the way, and not letting that voice of doubt, which I call the obnoxious roommate living in my head, have the last word. Especially when that word is "no."
And, because we will all experience many failures on the way to success, I have always believed in the importance of having what I call a "fearlessness tribe," a group of people who are always in your corner, always there for you, whether you succeed or fail.
Your tribe is there to give you honest feedback, to support you when the going gets tough -- and, just as importantly, to help you celebrate the good times. If you don't have one, get one.So when you encounter challenges you didn't know were coming, you'll have the continuity of your tribe to carry you through.
Read Arianna Huffington's columns, and let me know who else you would like to see on Sam's Dream Blog