I don't know what I'm doing.

I've got lots of questions.

For the past few years/most of my adult life, I have endeavored to present a picture of myself to the world as an exceptionally qualified professional person.

I wanted my brand to say, "Mahlena is a kind, collaborative team player who brings excellence and a quiet curiosity to what role she find herself in."

I spent much of my education and my career being told--often by accomplished black professionals--that if I showed up, worked hard and played hard, was the first one to arrive and the last one to leave, double-checked and triple-checked my projects, did twice as much to get half as far, and a bunch of other platitudes from The Book of Respectability Politics, verses 1 through infinity, then I would find success in my chosen field.

That did not happen.





That mindset definitely worked in elementary school, middle school, high school, up through the day I graduated from college. But the following day, and year, and decade, being excellent at my job was not a recipe for success.

"Do I know the recipe? Maybe..."

Keep in mind, I love being excellent. I love being a smarty pants. I love learning the "right" way to do anything. I love engaging with people and finding way to solve problems together.

But that has not always translated to success for me.

The engaging with people, yes. That's great. I enjoy that. And, it works.

The being excellent and doing things the "right" way, no.

I could go into depth about who decides what is "excellent" and what is "right", and why that only works for a minority of people who share the same characteristics of those minority of decision makers. But that wouldn't lead me to a positive or happy place. Let's get back to me and you and what we can do.

So that leads me to where I am now.

Essentially, I want to help people by sharing what I have learned to achieve success, so that those people can apply those lessons and achieve success in their lives--on their terms, not mine. Success in my life will not necessarily be the success that you want for your life.

For example, I wrote a book, I sat reading on a beach, and I had a birthday party with cupcakes. These are all things I have put on my Dream Boards.

Want a cupcake? Superb!

Don't want a cupcake? That's cool, too!

I may be the Cruise Director of Write Your First Book with Mahlena, but I am also learning through this process. Your insights and input will be helping me as I figure out ways to help you.

Therefore, please leave a comment below!

Or, if you have a super secret thought you would to share, you can email me at WriteYourFirstBookWithMahlena@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading!