Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Madisyn Epps-Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Madisyn , so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been an overthinker. Even when things had a way of working themselves out, my mind would always find a way to convince me of all the ways things couldn’t work. I often approached situations with a negative outlook, even though I was proven wrong more often than not.
Over the past year, I’ve come to realize that your circumstances only make up a third of your mindset. If you’re always viewing life with a glass half-empty perspective, you miss out on the opportunities presented to you. You fail to make the most of what you have at the moment.
As soon as I decided to be thankful for where I am now and make every situation contribute positively to my goals, I became more appreciative of everything I get to do and every opportunity presented to me.
Please tell our readers about what you do, what you feel is most exciting or special about it, as well as anything else you’d like folks to know about your brand/art/etc. If relevant, please also tell our readers about anything new (events, product/service launches, expansion, etc)
As a creative director and producer, the most exciting aspect of my work is the people I have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with. A significant part of my job involves team building and identifying the individuals who excel in specific roles for the given project. It’s about recognizing who can bring our ideas to life. The deeper I dive into my work, the more people I encounter, allowing me to assemble a team of exceptionally talented individuals capable of achieving really amazing things.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three qualities I believe have had a significant impact on my journey are optimism, perseverance, and, perhaps surprisingly, a touch of delusion. In my view, these three qualities help you see a clearer path toward goals that might have seemed unclear before. They won’t magically make your goals more achievable, but having a mindset that envisions a positive outcome, growth, and more makes all the effort required to reach those goals feel much more worthwhile.
If you’re just starting out, it’s crucial to approach every opportunity as a chance to learn and as a positive experience. You must embrace the fact that you might not be the best at something right now or that you might not have all the answers in various situations, but there are countless opportunities for learning, growth, and ultimately, becoming the best and knowing what to do.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
To me, personally, it’s a bit of both. It’s essential to be well-rounded because having the ability to excel in multiple areas demonstrates experience and dedication to personal growth, as it shows that you’ve invested time, energy, and resources into expanding your skills. On the other hand, focusing on your strengths can also highlight your honed expertise.
Knowing how to assume various roles and handle tasks that others might excel in is just as crucial as leveraging your strengths and collaborating with those who excel in their areas. Just because you CAN handle everything alone doesn’t always mean you HAVE to do it all alone.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/_sailorv?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg==
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@_sailorv?si=XXIlmL1HVzMq0seD
Image Credits
All photos shot by me, with shooting assistance from Akila Andre for the self portrait.
