When I first started in advertising, I had the worst case of imposter syndrome. I was paralyzed, and my work was frigid and clunky. After a deep dive into the world of Ted Talks, I learned that I needed to assign a positive voice to my internal monologue. Along came Dolly. My new mantra became:

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What would Dolly do?

 

A natural side effect of having Dolly Parton narrate your thoughts is copious amounts of hairspray. But soon, in addition to my fabulous hair, my work began to improve. My copy became fun and powerful, and I began to enjoy working in groups again. I was creating not to impress my professors or colleagues, but because I genuinely learned to love the process. All because this sweet southern voice in the back of my head says, “Oh honey, I think you’re doin’ great!”

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This helped me realize that If I could be known for anything, it would be my willingness to improve.

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