If there’s one thing I know about myself, it’s this: drop me into a mess, and I’ll come out with a map and a direction for everyone.
Maybe I’ve been watching too much WWII stuff lately, but if you’ve seen Rogue Heroes, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Those guys remind me of my earlier days as a senior producer, back when we were a scrappy, fearless group of female producing misfits trying to prove ourselves in a very mad men industry.
The stories of what we'd get away with back then...the sly nods and eye contact between each other and our fearless leader, Madison, who'd fight for the coolest, most badass briefs at these agencies. She'd hire us, then release her herd of ravenous makers & doers to elevate the portfolio into new PR space. "Do it however you want, but do it right and do it quick before some lifer feels threatened" was the unspoken rule. It was the only way to show an agency what they were capable of. Eventually, those agencies got in their own way, and we'd move on to the next company with the right combo of desperate but talented creatives and a couple of group leads who needed that industry award. Often, we were the first department of our kind within the company, building something entirely new. It was exhilarating to push boundaries, show off potential, and watch the rest of the organization light up with inspiration.
But those wild days also taught me something else, lessons I didn’t even realize I was learning at the time. When you're constantly fighting to push boundaries, you're also learning where your own limits are. Back then, I felt invincible, like I could solve any problem and break through every barrier, but the truth is, even the most "so what, let's do it" teammates eventually hit roadblocks.
Early in my career, I struggled with what they call imposter syndrome now. I took on too much to prove my value, burned out, and hit barriers when I tried to change systems directly...telling everyone what was wrong and teach everyone what I knew and how to fix everything, everywhere. Turns out, not everyone wants to learn and not everything can be fixed. Some people fade out naturally, and others just don’t need to be in your orbit. Over time, I’ve learned to move forward and surround myself with people who inspire and challenge me.
The biggest shift in my approach has been learning to recognize frustration as a signal to pause. When I feel that innate bubbling WTF anger, I stop, literally take 2 big breaths and ask myself: What would I tell Amanda in this situation? That simple shift has been life-changing. Take yourself out of the situation. I’ve become more patient, more strategic, and less focused on trying to over explain or even worse, preemptively apologize. This practice began just a couple years ago.
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received is to share what you know. Don’t gate-keep. And more often than not, sharing your knowledge strengthens your relationships, builds your reputation, and lays the groundwork for future opportunities. It also sets a relaxed example to encourage less disciplined colleagues to tighten the fuck up.
Advocating for myself, being louder about my value and my experience, has made me stronger and more positive. And when I thrive, the people around me benefit too. Yes, there will always be a few bad apples who's toxic nature will drain you and make you question everything, but they’ll eventually fade away and you'll be reminded how lucky you are not to be that miserable.
For anyone trying to turn their personality into a career engine, here’s the deal:
Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Sometimes you’ll land in a gig that feels like an awkward pair of jeans, embarrassingly tight in all the wrong places. Use the discomfort to figure out what actually fits. And then move on. FAST. Familiarity breeds mediocrity.
Stop chasing the "perfect" job. The perfect job doesn’t exist because perfect doesn’t grow. The best gigs are messy, challenging, and slightly terrifying. If it’s too easy, it’s probably not worth it.
Joy is not optional. Stop waiting for someone to hand you a dream job with a bow on it. If you find someone who is an amazing resource, go to bat for them. Make them look good; make them want to bring you along for the ride. Look for the work that makes you light up, and build your career around that. If you’re not having fun, you’re probably doing it wrong. This takes years, so be patient, but the stories are going to be good.
Ask for help, but don’t be annoying. People love to help if you approach them with curiosity and respect. Bonus points for being specific. A vague “pick your brain” is a hard pass; a direct “how do you get clients to X?” gets replies. I don't have time to guess what you need and neither do they.
Drama doesn’t have staying power. Some toxic people will try to drag you down or make you question your value. They thrive on draining you because you shine a light on their dumb management. Their actions tend to blow up in their face eventually. Your job is to thrive so do what you need to survive in your positive self sufficiency.