We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tilly Shull. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tilly below.
Tilly, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I would say I get my resilience from growing up as one of seven children. You have to learn to navigate the world differently when you come from a big family, and I’m lucky to have had so many people to help guide me through life in my younger years. I also grew up in a low income family, so I started working by the time I was thirteen. When you grow up having to prepare for whatever the next step could be, you figure out how to adjust quickly. I believe having the ability to pivot at any moment helped harbor resilience, and grit. I also grew up with a mother who was not afraid to let me fall or fail, because she was always right there to help me stand back up or move forward. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without her unwavering love. Resilience is one of those things you learn from your environment, and mine was one that pushed and challenged me daily.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a freelance photographer with a focus in film photography and gravel bike races. The most exciting part of what I do is that I am constantly moving. Chasing professional cyclists on bikes is something that feels, what I imagine, it feels to chase a tornado. The riders move at a pace that seems nearly impossible, but they do it with a consistency and precision that is one of the most impressive things I have observed to date. When first I started taking photos in the cycling world, my first race was shot entirely on film. I returned home with 42 rolls of film and developed all of them in my basement darkroom. Developing took a week, and then another four days to scan everything into my computer. That was the most film I had ever shot at once, and the most I ever developed at once. I was hooked from there on out. I have a handful of races throughout the rest of the season, the next few being Unbound Gravel, Tulsa Tough and Leadville MTB, all of which are huge events I am really excited for.
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?
The mountain top rule is probably the most impactful piece of knowledge I was ever given. The mountain top rule is, when you’re at the base of a mountain looking up at the top, it feels like you will never get there. The way you tackle the mountain is to focus on taking one step at a time, rather than looking at the top and thinking about everything you have to do to get there. So, when there is a big project or situation presented that feels unattainable, focus on the first step and only the first step until you are ready for the next step. Eventually you get to the top, but one step at a time. The next piece of knowledge I try to live by is something my mom told me when I was young. She told me that if I was going to do something, to do it right. I know a lot of people say this, but I think underlying message may have been slightly different t than the one most people receive. She wanted me to “do it right, as to not make more work for someone else having to come behind you to fix your half done work”. I have never been the best at anything, but I will always put in the maximum amount of effort. Putting in the maximum amount of effort created a sense of work ethic and confidence in knowing I could outwork almost anyone.
The last piece of knowledge I hold in my back pocket is to “only do what only you can do”. Meaning, give all of your effort to the thing you are good at because you will inevitably flourish in doing so.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
My number one obstacle currently is myself. I am my biggest critic. I struggle to feel like I am doing enough or that my work is good enough. So, I recently started therapy sessions to work through this and to establish tools to help me manage that inner critic. I also have some incredible friends that I know I can lean on when needed, as well as an unbelievably support spouse. With all of those people in my corner, I’m moving in a much healthier direction that will make me mentally stronger.
Contact Info:
- Email: tillyshull@gmail.com
- Website: www.tillyshull.com
- Instagram: @thistilly
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@tillyshull?si=bENvHcvKkQuzJk-r
Image Credits
Tilly Shull
