Your Career
Reinvention
My Big Reach-For-Your-Dreams Fail!
I pride myself on not being a techno idiot. Until a misplaced Post-it challenged everything
Sometimes you just have to laugh.
At yourself.
Especially when you try to reach for your dreams.
Reach For Your Dreams by Copying Someone Else’s Success!
A few years ago, I decided to imitate entrepreneur, vlogger, public speaker and Internet superstar Gary Vaynerchuk’s video releases. For months, I’d watched this over-caffeinated dude in a dirty t-shirt strut around his driveway exhorting his followers to reach for their dreams. I loved the way he spoke directly and authentically into the camera. There was no studio lighting, no hair or makeup person trying to make him look perfect. There was just his message.
To me, Vaynerchuk’s videos are the apotheosis of modern Internet communications: raw, unpolished, real. They are also the total opposite of the careful, studied media world in which I grew up–where not a hair is out of place. Since I’ve always been an early adopter, and now am a full-fledged entrepreneur, I decided to try his approach myself.
At that point, I was six months late producing the beta version of Covey and I was becoming increasingly anxious that my potential members–some of whom had signed up nearly a year earlier—would start to feel I had left them dangling. I was dying to reach out and communicate. And one day, I just knew it was V-Day (as in Video). That Thursday, I was headed to New York City for an event, which meant I had dressed nicely and was wearing mascara. (So, yes, although Gary Vaynerchuk’s authenticity spoke to me, his dirty t-shirt did not.) I had 10 minutes before I needed to leave for the train, so I walked out into my yard, held up my phone, and pressed record.
Can A Bright Orange Wall Stop You From Reaching For Your Dreams?
Three minutes later I tried to post the vlog but noticed that, while I could hear myself perfectly, the only thing I could see was a bright orange wall. I looked around my yard: no orange wall there. Did I push the wrong button and download an orange filter? (Pushing a button that blows up the world—or just everything on your phone—is the chronic fear of those of us like me who were born on the wrong side of the Digital Divide.) I Googled “orange filter on iPhone” but found no answers. I Facetimed my daughter at college. “Can you see me?” I asked. “No, Mother,” Lake said huffily. “I’m running to class but all I see is orange.”
Where was that corporate IT guy when you needed him? Maybe I wasn’t cut out for this entrepreneurial life after all. Maybe. This. Was. Just. Too. Hard.
Panic constricted my chest as I realized that instead of coming home after the event and chugging through my list of To Dos, I would now have to spend the afternoon at the Apple store fixing whatever was wrong with my phone. Experience has taught me that nothing in tech takes just a few minutes to fix, so I knew that this meant the whole day would be shot. I despised this fend-for-yourself world the Millennials had invented. I would start looking for a new corporate job—with an IT department!—immediately.
But wait. What train was I taking again? Since I no longer commuted into the city on a set schedule, I no longer had the train departure times memorized. To stop myself from constantly checking the Metro-North app, I’d come up with an ingenious solution: I’d write out the time of the train I was taking each morning on a sticky and paste it right onto the phone.
The note said I was catching the 8:58.
The bright orange note.
That I’d placed over the camera eye.
Am I Really a Techno Idiot?
Geez. I’d gone from sharing the podium with First Lady Michelle Obama at a big More event to becoming a techno-idiot. I posted the video anyway, blank orange wall and all, hoping you all would laugh with me instead of at me.
But I want points for at least trying!
(See my video fail here.)
Stacy Schrier
Love it 👊♥️
Elsie Virginia Ruiz
Awesome ❤️
AMY MACDONALD
I was going to say you probably had a finger over the lens, but a post-it is solo much funnier!!!
Reta Wade
Feel your pain sister!
Ellie Palma-Cass
Brilliant!
Karen Love
The NEXT phrase has become my reality.. thanks for sharing YOURS.. I am loving doing the “funnest” things and leaving the rest to refer to my fellow sisters in my new business model. YOU are an inspiration and a delight to know. klove
Donna Ellis
Was just introduced to this site by writer friend Spike Gillespie…turning 60 this year and I have more lives to discover!! Love your Boldness & Brillance!!!
Jennifer Thomas
Hysterical. Thankyew!
Marisha Geraghty
So good! You really made me laugh.
Lynn Felder
At 59, I dropped out of the newspaper business, after more than 25 years as an editor, to be a full time yoga teacher.
Three years later, I reentered the newsroom as a full time A&E reporter. They handed me an iPhone and said, “Here, go make videos to go with your stories.”
I was thrilled and terrified. I make pretty bad videos, but I make them and got a huge kick out of learning a new storytelling skill at 62.
There’s no stopping me now.
Looking forward to communing with the covey.
Jeanne Schwetje
I love that you posted it! Couldn’t get more authentic, empowered and cool. Btw I just joined. I loved MORE and was happy to be in it once as and eyebrow model! I loved coming into New York for my photo shoot! And I’m happy you’re doing this now. I’m 62… hello everyone! A former foreign language teacher and lead vocalist in bands… I do simultaneous interpreting using my Russian and French….( and English), mostly as a volunteer. I am married and have two grandkids. I help care for my 92 year old Dad. I’m excited to get to know everyone! I live on the East End of Long Island.
Brenda Seliga
Thank you Lesley! I love the Covey Club, I loved More Magazine & was so distressed when it ceased, our choices for intelligent thoughtful content were dismally few in number. So excited to become a member!
Isabel Lerman Ph.D.
I am happy to join Covey this morning, after my daughter attended She Leads, and introduced me to you via instagram last night. Thanks for the reminder that being perfect isn’t the goal, but being ourselves, mistakes and all, is…..I look forward to company and inspiration while reinventing myself!
Michele Risa
Hi Lesley,
I so enjoyed your story. Thank you for your willingness to go “raw”. And thank you for laughing at yourself with such heart.
As a reminder to NOT take myself so seriously, I will add a new life-long (New Year’s) resolution: I will greet every orange sticky note with a smile!
Thank you for this perfect visual.
with love and joy,
Michele Risa
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