This Month’s Philosopher: Connie Jao, WG'22
To learn more about Connie, click here.
LIFE LESSONS
If I knew then what I know now, I would have...
focused on internal rather than external validation. Growing up, so much of my self-worth was tied to the trophies that I won, praise from my parents, and the validation of my friends. I didn’t realize just how precarious this was in my career and personal life, until I felt like I was on this rollercoaster of extreme highs and lows, all dictated by the whims of others. Building a company where my days were filled with self-doubt, I craved… in fact, I needed, external validation. I quickly learned that chasing the awards or news articles were irrelevant, and often distracting to the actual work that I needed to do.
I learned to adjust the narrative in my mind and tie my self-worth to my innate characteristics. Even when I felt like I failed or made a mistake, I had to shift away from letting it define who I was as an entrepreneur. It’s still a work in progress, but I think I’ve learned to step off this rollercoaster!
If I knew then what I know now, I would NOT have...
stayed in a career that I wasn’t passionate about. Early in my career, I worked in finance and was recruited six months after my first job to join another firm, after completing a two-year investment banking analyst program. I was swept up in the excitement with everyone else who also followed this career path, and pushed away any hesitation I had on whether this was the right path for me. It wasn’t until three years later when I left finance and took the time to uncover my passion in healthcare.
Looking back, I am grateful for the skills that I built and people I met. But I didn’t have the same feeling of fulfillment that I am now so lucky to feel every day. Especially during the most challenging times of building my fertility startup, I always turned to my passion for helping an underserved population to drive me forward.
FAVORITE QUOTES
- “I am still in progress, and I hope that I always will be.” ~ Michelle Obama
- “If you're in the business of making something, be in the business of making something great.” ~ Robert Iger
- “Waves are inspiring not because they rise and fall, but because each time they fall, they never fail to rise again.” ~ Josh Billings
RECOMMENDED READING
- The Boys in a Boat by Daniel James Brown
- Bad Blood by John Carreyrou
- Educated by Tara Westover
Contact Connie at her LinkedIn Profile