We're so pleased that Julia Buckley let us profile her here and took the time to think about her talent for us. You'll see when you read her answers that she admits to feeling a little uncomfortable talking about her talent. We find this so common in the women we coach, which was our reason for starting this Campaign almost two years ago!
We don't think that being proud of your talent is about shouting it from the rooftops necessarily or making others feel bad, it's simply about acknowledging it for yourself and being aware that you have an ability deep within you that not everyone has. It's that which makes you special. It's an acknowledgement to remind you how far you've come and how much you still have to offer. When you read Julia's profile below, consider your own talent and work out how you can work with it more each day.
1. What talent do you naturally have that makes you successful?
Like a lot of women, I’m not entirely comfortable about coming out and saying I think I have a natural talent, or that I’m especially successful. It feels a bit like bragging, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one brought up with idea that bragging is bad. However, despite the fact that I’ve never had any formal training in journalism, I’m a magazine editor and freelance writer for lots of big name publications… So, thinking about it rationally, I must have a natural talent for written communication and, compared to the huge numbers of people desperate to get into journalism, I guess I am pretty successful. Hopefully someday I’ll be able to say I’m talented and successful without feeling that it’s smug or cheesy – I’m working on it!
2. When did you first realise that talent was going to help you and how do you use it?
I didn’t plan to make a career of writing. It was always something I enjoyed, but it never even really occurred to me that I might be good at it. My first media job was at a local radio station, and I enjoyed writing the presenters’ cues there, although there wasn’t much opportunity for writing. Then I got a job on a website and really got into the writing side of things. I was quite surprised when people started saying I was good at it and, over time, my confidence and ability grew. As a magazine editor and freelance writer I now write for a living on a daily basis. I love communicating with people and the thought that I’m touching so many people’s lives, and perhaps helping, or at least entertaining, some of them gives me a feeling of purpose and fulfilment. It’s a great job.
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