Simple & Powerful Advice We All Need to Hear

I had been serving as a volunteer on a Board of Directors for a local non-profit for just about a year when the CEO called me into his office and asked if I wanted to lead the organization’s Finance Committee.

I was 28 years old, and a million thoughts were running through my mind. Yes, I was honored, but most of the thoughts were along the lines of “I don’t know enough,” “I’m too young,” and “I’m not nearly as capable as all those other people.”

So I did the only thing I knew how: I sought out the advice of a mentor who was an expert in the field. “She’ll tell me what to do!” I thought. “She’ll tell me what to ask, how to lead and what it will take to be successful.” And within a few days, we made lunch plans to catch up.  

We met up at our favorite local burger joint and when we finally got to the part of the conversation where I asked her for all the answers, she gave me simple and powerful advice that I’d heard many times before but needed to hear again in that moment.

“Keep it simple”, she said, “and be yourself.”

Be myself? That’s it? That’s all I was going to get from the woman who I was expecting to give me all the answers?

Yup. Be yourself.

I won’t ever forget that lunch because it was the start of me realizing that I am good enough as I am. That I have a uniqueness about me that no one else has. That my ideas are worth sharing and that I am capable as a leader. And all it takes is me showing up and giving it my all. 

I ended up saying yes and accepting the position as Finance Committee Chairperson and I remember confidently leading my first meeting because I was simply myself.

Years later, I still find myself thinking of my mentors and ask myself “what would they do?” But at the end of the day, when I really need to tune in and make a decision, I think about those two words my mentor spoke to me that day many years ago. Those two little words of wisdom we’ve all heard a million times. Be yourself. And I wish the same for you, too.