Episode 11: Portia is a high-performing, information-aholic worrier (aka a journalist)

Journalists want to help. Journalists want to get to the truth. Journalists don’t want to make mistakes. Mix in all three of those, and you’ve got a recipe for well-intentioned, purposeful perfectionism of a sort.

“I don’t think you have to be a journalist because you’re a worrier,” Portia says, “but I think it’s a driver.”

It’s the hunt for the second set of eyes on a piece, the second look, the critic’s skepticism. Portia gives that to team members, and she needs it from others. So, ultimately, part of the easing of anxiety comes from building in trust and collaboration with a team of people who’ve got your back.

Another big part of managing anxiety for Portia was discovering the power of the negative stories she would tell herself. Why think you’ve failed before you’ve found out?

“At the end, when it’s finished, and you’ve published something and moved on, and you don’t have feedback [yet],” Portia says, “why assume it’s broken or wrong when you could make a choice to say, ‘That was a success’?”

Find out how she manages giving and negative feedback, how she makes time to unwind, and what elementary-school kids called Portia (for only a bit).

(PHOTO CREDIT: Image by rawpixel.com)

 

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

> Do you struggle with anxiety? Take a quiz.

> Do you struggle with negative self-talk? Start tackling that.

> OOOooooh. That’s what a carboy is.

> Portia mentions leadership training. I got mine from Sunroad Coaching founder Marnette Falley in a previous life. So did Portia.