We had the good fortune of connecting with Mckenna Bailey and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Mckenna, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Luck. I don’t think people talk about luck as much as they should. It doesn’t always feel good to know that the career you built could be attributed mostly to lucky breaks you got. But as soon as I focused on that, every accomplishment felt more fun. Of course focused work, treating coworkers and colleagues with kindness and learning how to take responsibility for your mistakes are helpful for advancing a career. But finding success, that’s mostly about luck. A lot of the opportunities I’ve had wouldn’t have happened at all without luck. The people I’ve met, the resources I’ve had access to, the support I’ve leaned on — all of that is luck. There were plenty of moments where I could have lost everything or ended up in the wrong rooms and my career would have stalled before it got started. Remembering that luck helps me stay grateful for every day I get to enjoy my career. It also keeps me humble, which is probably the most important aspect to anyone’s success. Just ask Kendrick Lamar.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Being a writer is strange because almost everyone knows how to write. Talented writers aren’t as obvious as those in other art forms, but that’s the exciting part. Every once in a while, you get to shock people with the perfect sentence. The power is so unexpected they have to read it again, or close the book for a second or immediately show their friend. It’s fun to see surprise joy. My path wasn’t easy, but that’s mostly because I made it hard. I struggled with confidence and whether or not I could actually build a stable career writing. I still struggle. But I heard someone on a podcast (ugh, I know) say something that I’m trying to take with me in every insecure moment. The general idea they explained was that it’s arrogant to assume you keep tricking very smart and successful people into thinking you’re capable. You’re capable. Don’t insult their intelligence by continuing to believe you’re not good enough, especially after they’ve decided you are. That’s been really helpful for me to own my experience and skills. But more than that, what I think is the most important lesson of all, is lead with empathy. There’s no problem or solution that can’t be better with more empathy.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m the worst person to ask this question. I’ve lived here for years and still don’t know what there is to do besides find a lake and rent a boat. But, my best friend would understand that.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
So many people. Ben Snedeker, a writer in Phoenix, is an incredible mentor. He’s kind and smart and constantly makes room for new ideas while keeping everyone accountable for getting those new ideas to work. My confidence and vision for what I wanted my career to be all improved when I met Ben.
Website: mckennabailey.net
Instagram: @mckenna.bailey
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckennabailey/
Twitter: @mckenna_bailey