What I’ve Learned In My 5 Years As Editor
July 22, 2017
The past 5 years has been absolutely ridiculous. If someone told me where this path would have taken me 5 years ago, I would have probably told them to shut up and buy me a drink.
Today, I sat down to begin filling out my plan for the tenth issue of The Carouser and I thought, wow, I’m filling in a plan. Which organised person with too much time on their hands did this? Oh yeah, it was me.
Thinking about me minus the mag, I was reckless and disinterested in most things. I just wanted to go out 7 nights a week and drink every single type of drink (except vodka). I still want to do that but I want to do something else more- work on The Carouser.
Throughout these five years, I’ve been through a lot. And, as I said, it’s been ridiculous. Without indulging you in my emotional bull, I want to share all the things I’ve learned. I want to record this moment in time and to potentially help others who may be thinking of strolling down a similar path. This is 10 things I’ve learned in 5 years.
1. Dreams Don’t Work Unless You Do
People always have a dream. It’s those who are willing to go out and chase it that are more likely to achieve it. I believe the reason for my success is only because I put the time in to make the magazine the best it can be. I spent almost all my free time writing and marketing that I would only leave the house when it was related to work.
2. Being Nice Doesn’t Get You Far
I’ve tried it and it doesn’t work. For some reason, I have this overwhelming desire to help everyone and somehow make sure I don’t upset them. Alas, people seem to get upset no matter what I do. So I find it’s much better to just tell people what you need/expect/ask of them than to walk on eggshells. Otherwise, nothing gets resolved.
3. People Will Hate You And That’s OK
Sometimes, people are going to dislike you whether you did something wrong or not. That’s their problem. Move on and don’t even give them a second thought. I’ve seen people that seem to be driven by their hatred for me, and it makes me feel nothing but sadness for them. While I plod on with new projects and ventures, they seem to be stuck in time, still hating and somehow, still watching my every move… Bonjour harceleur!
4. Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say
I still struggle sometimes with my communication skills. People dont understand what I want unless I spell it out for them. I’ve made the mistake multiple times in wrongly assuming someone can read my mind. Unless I lay it all out for them (preferably in an email) then there’s no way someone can understand exactly what I mean.
5. Make Decisions, Trust Your Gut
I must admit, at the start, I wasn’t very confident in my own choices. I constantly asked others for advice and guidance when really I should have been trusting myself and my own vision. Of course, it’s always good to get feedback and collaborate but never entirely rely on others for direction. It wasn’t until I was brave enough to steer the ship myself, that we started sailing.
6. People Want To See You Do Good But Never Better Than Them
There seems to be a lot of jealousy in the air. Something I will never really understand. I can’t say that I’m jealous of anybody. But, I’ve noticed that when I’m celebrating my successes, there are a few that don’t clap. They’re the ones that seem to say stuff behind my back. Then, I refer myself to number 3.
7. Don’t Let The Fear Of Striking Hold You Back
So many times I have got nervous or scared to do something. Whether it’s having an important phone call or sitting in front of a sharp dressed man, trying to sell advertising space. But, I pushed myself and it made me a better person. It’s true what they say; the things that scare me the most, give me the most gains.
8. Surround Yourself With People You Can Trust
It’s not always easy to work out who to trust. Sometimes it takes time for someone to show their true colours. But I think it’s important to give everyone one chance, and if they blow it, well they can either try to earn it back or show them the door. I’m quite lucky to now have a brilliant team whose work I adore. And with them, it’s made this all so much more enjoyable.
9. Give Yourself A Break & Celebrate
There is such a thing as overworking. I would spend all day at my day job and come home and spend all night on the magazine. My ex-boyfriend even complained that I wouldn’t spend time with him. But, I have now made sure I only work a certain number of hours a day- and the quality of my work has improved because of it. And when I get a little win, I do make sure I go out and buy a bottle of wine. Too often have I let moments slip past- it’s taken complete strangers to remind me how well I’m doing. We all need to reminder to give ourselves a pat on the back.
10. Time Is Money
Within my second month of being self-employed, I was tied in knots. I had a never-ending list of things to do and growing. I lacked a proper schedule and routine. Being organised is essential to not getting too overwhelmed and stressed. I had to learn how to respect my time and make other people respect it too. It was important to set regular working hours and notify others that I will not be answering calls on Sundays and evenings- I can’t talk business whilst eating my roast!
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