We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dave Taylor. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dave below.
Dave, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I’m going to suggest that the antidote to imposter syndrome is modesty, but realistic and honest modesty. Don’t claim to have been the lead architect if you were sharpening people’s pencils, but by the same token, don’t pretend you were the intern if you were instrumental in the success of a product or campaign. I’ve never been comfortable with braggarts and so naturally learned to ensure I wasn’t talking too much about myself either. The greatest challenge in this regard is when everyone’s at an event introducing themselves. My solution: highlight the one or two experiences most relevant to the group and allow them to learn more about you as the conversation flows.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Sure! Most of my professional energy at this point is focused on giving back to the community. To accomplish this, I am a mentor through a couple of different organizations that offer entrepreneurial services to underserved communities. In addition, I am an adjunct professor at the University of Denver. For fun, I review consumer electronics on my popular YouTube channel AskDaveTaylor, where I give people the straight scoop on laptops, phones, chargers, earbuds, headphones, and tons more gear. I do my best to avoid ever feeling obligated to complete tasks that I would rather just ignore!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Sharing your knowledge and ideas, being open to learning from others regardless of their rank, status, or position in life, and always seeking to have fun, even in otherwise stressful situations. They add up to a very pleasant way to go through life…
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
I read historical fiction and non-fiction and find inspiration in the challenges and successes of people throughout history. From bold adventurers exploring the wilderness to indigenous peoples who seek to retain their cultural identity while assimilating the best factors of modern life, there’s much to learn from our ancestors. I never read business books, by contrast, as I find that almost all of them are 30 pages of content padded out to 250 pages and ultimately a waste of time. Your experience, of course, may vary!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.AskDaveTaylor.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askdavetaylor
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/davetaylor
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/askdavetaylor
Image Credits
(all my own images)
