HOW I GOT TO WHERE I AM TODAY - AN INTERVIEW WITH STEPHANIE LENNOX
Stephanie Lennox is the founder of "The Authorship Program®”, an immersive 12-week experience which helps writers break through any creative challenge. For more tips for feeling well and writing well, you can sign up for her free author training here.
Stephanie introduced herself to me through the Blogging Breakthrough community and said she'd love to be a part of this series. So of course I said yes!
DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO GO INTO YOUR CHOSEN CAREER?
Yes, and no. At seven, I wanted to be a film director, but as I grew up I realised I was definitely more passionate about the writing side more than anything else. Ultimately it's the same, in the sense that I wanted to tell stories and entertain people. Having said that, I do have plans to merge both worlds and produce transmedia content in future!
WHEN DID YOU START TO DEVELOP A PASSION FOR WHAT YOU CURRENTLY DO?
I've always loved to write - for me it's the ultimate act of play and self-expression, and I feel that my passion only intensifies as I get older. I feel that my work (teaching authors the secrets to mental, emotional and financial success), encompasses everything I value and truly serves others, so I can't really ask for more than that.
WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AT SCHOOL? DID YOU ENJOY IT? WHAT WERE YOUR FAVOURITE SUBJECTS?
My favourite subject was English, and I loved it, but it didn't love me. I was always getting told off or marked down for starting sentences with "And" or "But". But sometimes you need to start something that way, right?!
I was full of rebellious energy and never let anyone tell me what to do. I actually got into a lot of trouble all the time for standing up for myself to students and teachers alike, despite being an otherwise quiet girl, but I feel that the teachers generally had a soft spot for me. I enjoy talking about it now, and wouldn't change it, but I wouldn't go back!
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? DID YOU GO TO UNIVERSITY OR STRAIGHT INTO WORK?
I never ever wanted to go to University, because I feel that what it is and what it should be don't match up at the moment, particularly in the UK. It's a huge decision to make at 18, a lot of money to waste, and doesn't guarantee anything at all in terms of your career. I have also never had a job, I went straight into entrepreneurship, which was ridiculously hard and I don't recommend it, but again, I wouldn't change a thing.
HOW DID YOU GET YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCE WITHIN YOUR CHOSEN FIELD?
I gave myself the experience. I was lucky enough to be in a position where I could go off on my own and had the time to explore who I was, and what I really wanted to do for the world. Once I figured that out, all there was left to do was write. And write. And edit, and write.
WHAT PATH DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
This is going to sound ridiculously cheesy, but the path of least resistance. You know how Bill Gates once said, "Choose a lazy person to do a hard job, because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it"? That's my life. If anything feels yucky, or doesn't excite me, or doesn't allow me to play to my strengths, I find another way. A better way. A way that will make me happy, regardless of what other people are doing. Then I adjust as change as I grow.
WHEN DO YOU THINK YOU GOT A BREAKTHROUGH WITH YOUR CAREER?
I don't think people should focus on breakthroughs in their career, unless you're something like an actor or a scientist, where the result is really evident.
If you focus on breakthroughs, you'll go through the majority of the time feeling like you're a failure. I can't say I've had a breakthrough yet, Oprah hasn't called yet, but that doesn't mean I'm not successful and happy every day.
For me it's about making progress along the way, and if you're going in the right direction most of the time, you're doing great.
WHAT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?
Perfectionism has always been my biggest issue, it's my "house principle", as I like to call it. As a creator, it definitely slows down the creative process, and as a business owner it's hard to fight the urge to micromanage. However, I've learnt that letting go of your inhibitions and releasing something is often the only way to grow. Things will happen that simply couldn't before. You'll see more possibilities that you could before.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT?
I would say writing my first novel was a pretty big achievement because I was fresh out of school and had never finished something so big, on my own, from start to finish before. That was a pretty big turning point for me.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AND YOUR CAREER GOING IN THE FUTURE?
I am planning to write more, speak more, and scale. I'm hoping to scale the company in a way where I can present aspiring authors, poets, screenwriters and filmmakers with incredible opportunities, help existing authors expand their platforms through agency management, and spread the feel-good writing movement to over a million people.
IF YOU COULD SHARE THREE OF YOUR BIGGEST LIFE LESSONS WITH ABOH READERS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
- Do what makes you feel good inside.
- Trust yourself.
- In order for great things to come to you, you have to be ready for them.
Find Stephanie online:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Let's chat in the comments - what was your favourite part about this interview with Stephanie? Do you have any other questions for her?