I know, I know – I can already hear you gasping at your screen. The thought of being twice as good as Olivia Pope seems preposterous and unachievable. After all, she’s unbelievably brave, clever as a fox, and a fictional character with inhuman amounts of endurance and energy. Follow her lead, but know when to make your own rules – here’s where to start.
Make Solid Decisions + Don’t Look Back
Olivia makes plenty of confident career choices, but her love life lacks solid decision making. Of course, Scandal would be nothing without it’s sexy, soapy lust triangles, but her tendency to flip-flop between fantasies is not a trait to take to heart. When you make a choice, stand strong in it. Don’t let doubt and regret keep you from taking full advantage of the moment you’re in.
Your annoying ex isn’t going to be any less irritating the second time around. That mundane job wouldn’t have gotten better if only you had stuck around a little longer. Everything happens for a reason and looking back can only change what’s to come when you learn your lessons and leave. We promise the grass isn’t greener on the other side (and the jam isn’t sweeter in Vermont).
Have A Life
Scandal would be a snooze fest if we saw Olivia take a break from the hustle to return to her apartment for popcorn and wine every night – but that doesn’t mean you can’t. Never forget to make time for yourself, even if it means dancing like a fool to Stevie Wonder records around your living room. Life is about so much more than having an impressive resume. Relax, decompress, and indulge a little.
Take care of your mind and body by making room for the things you enjoy outside of your career. Your creativity will rise, you’ll return to work with a clear head, and avoid major burnout down the road. Some of our favorite ways? Dinner with friends, meditation and yoga, cupcakes piled high with icing, and monthly visits to the spa.
Define Your Own Success
You don’t need to clear a senator’s name from an international murder trial to be considered a success. You’re not even required to land a cushy 9-5, finish grad school, or find a trophy spouse to say that you’ve “made it.” Don’t be fooled into believing that you need to do colossal things in order to be someone special. Your success depends entirely on how you want it to look. Maybe that includes checking off some of those white-picket-fence wishes. Or maybe it involves backpacking around Europe for three months, living like the Golden Girls with your college roommates, or quitting your job to start your own business.
You can devote your life to a career as demanding as Ms. Pope’s, but you’ll never be twice as good as anyone if it’s not something you’re passionate about devoting your life to. Find your field and own it – whether you’re a lawyer, a musician, or a pastry chef. Think hard, dream big, and plan accordingly. Stop chasing after someone else’s definition of success and start pursuing your own.
