I was talking with my roommate/co founder today, and I think I have come to the point where I finally realize (and more importantly embrace) just how left brained I am. I guess I wanted to deny it for the longest time, but as I see more of the world, I am learning more and more how…logical and practical I really am. I think it was really hard for me because I had a value judgement associated with right brained people and left brained people (again, going back to my problems with being judgmental). But coming from a TamBram family, I didn’t want to admit that yes, I am a stereotypical left brained person. It was such a let down. I also associated being left brained with a predominantly male…role. I associated right brain with feminine, and left brain with masculine. Which is incredibly unfair, but I think that is how our society portrays it. (Now am I passing blame off to this larger, more abstract entity that nobody can really pin down making it ridiculously easy to play victim and not assume responsibility here? Yeah pretty much). But it’s true.
And what does it mean being a left brained woman? I know we’re trying to pay lip service to women in tech, women in engineering, but really deep down, what are our own perceptions of it? I guess I’m a flawed human being because no matter how much I try to convince myself of these facts, deep down, that’s my first reaction. I assume responsibility for that, but I realize it’s something that needs to change. I think what I’m trying to say is that I really haven’t seen many famous women that I, as a left brained woman, relate to and really admire/respect. I also think that being a woman of color makes a huge difference, which I never believed until I read Maya Angelou (and I was thinking holy crap I thought it was just me that felt this way!) But that’s for a different post. The point is, I guess I am coming to terms with the fact that yes, I am a really practical/logical person, and that is OK. In fact, lets embrace it.
It was also hard because…running a company, especially in the social space, I haven’t seen many people like me in it. Most companies in this space thrive off of Martin Luther King like conviction and passion. They are trying to inspire you to do something different. To start a movement. And since I started NextDrop, I always felt insecure because…that’s not who I think I am. Am I passionate? Sure. But do I think I can pull off an I Have A Dream Speech? Not really. I tried once, and it just felt so wrong. It wasn’t me. I wasn’t being authentic. I’m reading this book called Quiet, and it’s really interesting. It’s focusing not on the Martin Luther King’s of movements, but the Rosa Parks. Now do I think I’m completely Rosa Parks? No, but I definitely relate to her contribution to that movement more than I think I can relate to anyone else.
But coming back to value, if I were to synthesize the strengths of right brained people and left brained people, I would say that left brained people have an easier time being disciplined. Right brained people have an easier time tapping into passion. To be good, you only need one or the other. But to be great? To be great, you have to learn how to have both. I think the road to greatness is first figuring out what comes naturally to you, and then actively working on how to build the other part. I think the motivation and drive for greatness is there for everyone, it’s just a matter of how you go about achieving it.
At least, that’s the way I see it today. Who knows what will happen tomorrow.
After all, tomorrow is another day
So I Quit My Job and Moved to India 