We recently connected with Taylor Rubart and have shared our conversation below.
Taylor, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I was 15 or 16 when my dad and some of his friends won a permit to hike The Enchantments, a mountain range in Leavenworth, Washington. My dad had been there many years before (oh how time changes memory).
I’d been on day hikes, but had never been backpacking. In the guidebook, we read, in all caps “THIS HIKE IS NOT FOR BEGINNERS”. Hours later, I discovered why.
We hiked in the snow lakes way, which was a brutal slog. The hours did not wiz by, but instead goaded us as we trudged up the switchbacks. Eventually, after six hours of hiking and 4,300 ft later, we arrived at the snow lakes.
For me, “aha” moments have never existed. This hike wasn’t a moment of triumph (although it was, a wonderful time). It was a moment in life that passed in the river of time as they all do. Instead, that was perhaps the impetus for a slow and dawning realization that I could do more than I thought. I was capable of pushing beyond comfort, and true satisfaction was on the other side of that discomfort. I’ve found the more I enjoy discomfort and embrace resilience, the richer the rewards. In fact, anything worth having in life requires you stick it out.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I run a creative agency called Flannel Media. We help brands and companies in the building space define their brand identity. With that starting point, we help them create marketing content that resonates with their clients and potential employees so they can grow their business by leading with their values. People want to connect with people, and we help our clients show the magic that’s already within their company.
What’s exciting is the human stories we get to uncover and share on our clients behalf. We get to create something meaningful and lasting together, something that will help them grow their business and impact the lives of more people. The clients we work with are doing things the right way — treating their people with respect, loyalty and truly want them to succeed in their careers. Helping people like that have more impact on the world is immensely rewarding, because that’s the kind of world we want to be a part of.
We’ve just launched new pricing for our brand videos and social media content — I’m excited to have more impact with clients who connect with who we are and what we’re trying to do.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Curiosity — From an early age (we’re talkin’ four years old, when I wanted to know about Santa) I wanted to know the truth. I continue to be curious around the world around me. We’re all curious about something — follow that sense. That’s your inner voice, trying to point you in the right direction. Lots of people will give you advice on what you should or shouldn’t do. Remember, they are fallible, just like you. They are doing their best with the information they have.
2. Baseless Optimism — When you expect things will work out, they usually do. When you expect people to be kind, they usually are. The way you approach life has a pretty big impact on how life looks to you. If you think you won’t get a job and don’t apply, you certainly won’t get the job. If you do apply, and think you won’t get it, think about how you’ll be in the interview. If you think you’ll get that job, you’ll be confident. We get to choose our delusions in life, choose ones that are helpful.
3. Ask Questions — If you want people to like you, ask questions about themselves. People’s favorite subject is themselves, so get them talking about it. If they talk the the whole time, they’ll walk away thinking “that’s a great guy / gal right there!”
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
Showed me unconditional love. The impact a parent has on a child cannot be understated. Yes, we should support children in schools with talented and well paid teachers. Yes, we should have empathetic coaches in children’s lives. Yes, mentors are a fantastic source of encouragement and guidance. But there’s really no substitute for a stable and loving home. That provided me a foundation in which I could take risks, try new things, and fail.
The second thing is having to ask questions of the adults in the room. Whenever we’d visit my parents friends, I had to ask the adults three questions. This is a skill that has served me the rest of my life. If you can ask thoughtful and poignant questions, it’ll open up doors for you.
Contact Info:
- Website: flannelmedia.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorrubart/
Image Credits
Lyss Kuik
