List Producer / How Gayle King Stays Productive

A couple weeks ago, I went to see Gayle King give a talk. Gayle is an iconic journalist who has worked in media for over 40 years (even though she didn’t have a TV until she was in sixth grade!).

Plus, she’s Oprah’s BFF! And you know how much I love Oprah!

I actually met Gayle  more than five years ago in an elevator once at Fox News. At the time I was tongue-tied and vowed to never get star struck again! So I created a list of things to say if you run into a celebrity. I even included it in my first book Listful Thinking! 

At the talk I attended, Gayle gave so much great advice about how to balance life and work, staying confident, and worrying less.

Here’s a few tips that stood out. 

SAY YES TO THE RIGHT THINGS: 

Gayle says the key is to seldom turn things down, but don’t burn out.

How? By saying yes to the right things.

“One of the most important things I learned early in my career is that you can never say you’re too tired to do something that you really want to do.” she said. “I really grabbed on to that and held it tight.” 

Of course, it’s important to know what the “right things” are. This is something I can help you figure out in Listful Living: A List-Making Journey to a Less Stressed You.

The “right things” are always changing — so how do you know if you should say yes?

One trick is to check in with your priorities. If something aligns with your priorities, that means it’s a “right thing”!

DON’T SPEND TIME WORRYING 

Gayle once saw a report on Oprah’s show saying that 80 to 90 percent of the things that we worry about end up working out.

That’s pretty good odds!

Gayle said her advice for her younger self was to stop worrying so much — something we can all try to work on. 

WHAT TO DO WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU NO 

What’s “no” backwards? “On” — as in, game on! Gayle says she reframes “no” as a challenge, not a closed door. 

“If you believe in something, you can’t just take no,” she said.

Of course, it’s easy to get discouraged when something doesn’t work out. But a “no” is only a setback if you give up! 

Gayle’s advice is a great way to turn a “no” into a positive motivator. 

FINDING A MENTOR 

Gayle says finding a mentor is one of the best ways to learn and get motivated. She says to find people who want to help you — and when you find those people, hang on to them like sponges!

For example, Gayle was Pam Coulter’s intern many years ago. Even though Pam didn’t remember her, Gayle hadn’t forgotten. 

Looking for people whose careers and work you admire is a great way to get motivated. Start networking with those people, and soon enough you’ll find someone who is willing to help you out. 

Everyone had someone who helped them along the way, so many people are willing to be mentors and pay it forward. And who knows — maybe someday you can be that person for someone else!

WORK/LIFE BALANCE 

Gayle says the poet Maya Angelou used to ask her, “How is your heart?”

The question stuck with her. When you think your work-life balance is off, this is a question worth asking yourself, especially since Gayle thinks this balance is really important.  

She says that when you first start out, you have to hustle. But that doesn’t mean neglecting time with your family!

Even as you put in the work to become more organized and productive, it’s important to check in with yourself.

This is especially important as January wraps up. That’s when we start re-evaluating or doubling down on our New Years’ resolutions.

Ask yourself how your heart is doing. That way you can keep a healthy balance between working towards your goals and staying grounded.

Original post found here.