We recently connected with Lizelle Jackson and have shared our conversation below.
Lizelle, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Does anyone ever really overcome imposter syndrome?! I know that I constantly feel like an imposter in many of the endeavors that I dare to take on, from surfing to mountain biking to starting a non-profit. Instead of focusing on the ways in which I feel inferior, I try to remember that most of us have no idea what we are doing when we first try something new, but at least we have the courage to try.
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?
Over three years ago, I co-founded a non-profit called Color the Water that provided free surf lessons for the BIPOC community in Los Angeles. It was an incredible privilege to be able to introduce so many individuals that looked liked me to a sport that has so little representation. Throughout that time we gave hundreds of surf lessons to Black and brown folks that had always wanted to try surfing and saw the demographics of the surf lineup in Los Angeles change before our eyes.
While my time with Color the Water is something I will always cherish, it helped me to realize that there are so many other activities I enjoy that face the same lack of representation. Moving forward I will not only be offering surf lessons, but working towards building more access to the outdoors through mountain biking, hiking and backpacking. It’s still very much a work in progress but I’m excited about branching out on my own for the this next adventure!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Follow your instincts
2. Do what brings you joy
3. Be prepared to fail
When I look back at some of the most pivotal moments of my life, they were usually all precipitated by an uneasy nervous feeling in my stomach. Whenever I have that feeling I know I’m on to something! That combination of excitement and fear is usually my cue to lean into the opportunity before me. I’m always aware of the potential for failure, but the fear of regret and not following my passions feels even harder to live with than any failure I may have to face. Lean into that!
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
My ideal clients are members of the BIPOC community that have always wanted to experience the outdoors but never felt like it was a space where they belonged. So many people have never had any exposure to nature and don’t feel comfortable navigating those spaces on their own. Anyone that is excited about building a connection to natural spaces in an active capacity is someone I’m excited about working with!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @zizzy3
Image Credits
Miles Kipper
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