We were lucky to catch up with Shan Foster recently and have shared our conversation below.
Shan, 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?
I had a mentor challenge me saying “Instead of asking whats the worst that could happen, ask what’s the best thing that could happen.” This plot twist froze me. It was in that moment that I realized my unnatural allegiance to worst case scenarios. From a young child I was taught to consider the worst case as the barometer for making decisions. If I could live with the worst case scenario then I would be able to live with the decision. If not, the answer was a clear no. Unfortunately, with so many unknown variables, I completely discounted that the best case scenario had as much or even more probability of occuring. From that day forward I decided to stand more firmly on my faith, moving with wisdom while expecting the best. Reminding myself of quotes I’ve memorized like “The one who says he can and the one who says he can’t are both right.” And “Whatever things are lovely, whatever things are pure, whatever things have virtue, meditate on these things.” And “All things are working together for my good!” I’ve always known these quotes, but now I live them!
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?
Resilience – The ability to overcome hard moments, circumstances, short falls, is vital to ones personal and professional success. The only ones who don’t attain their goals are the one who quit. No matter what, just keep moving forward.
Integrity – Having a good name, one that positively precedes you, allows for opportunities to flow your way. When others can trust that you’ll show up, you’ll deliver excellence, and won’t make them look bad, they are always willing to help you be successful.
Learning – The day one stops learning is the day one loses relevance. The world changes daily. Every field, industry, and sector is influenced by new information, research, and innovation every day. Aligning your work with your gifts, passions, and skills will allow information to naturally flow in your direction. However, if you’re not interested in learning, you’ll miss it, and might miss opportunities as well.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
The folks I’d like to collaborate with fall into one of three buckets:
1. Philanthropist – If you or your business has the means to financially contribute to changing lives for the better, Vanderbilt Health has many ways to direct those funds to direct care, research, and programs that are saving lives and creating miracles daily.
2. Executives – If you are leading a company or organization that needs professional development or motivation, my superpower is creating the safe place where growth happens organically.
3. Leaders – If you have been charged to lead and desire coaching, mentorship, and/or strategic direction, I’d love to partner with you!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shanfoster.com
- Instagram: @shanfoster_32
- Facebook: @shanfoster32
- Linkedin: @shanfoster32
- Twitter: @shanfoster32
- Other: https://bit.ly/shanfosterspeaks
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
