The Career Lessons From Anna Wintour

There are so many successful women in the fashion industry that there will probably never be a shortage of ladies to look up to. But among some of the most inspiring females in the business, there’s definitely one who reigns above them all: Vogue’s Anna Wintour. Here are some of the best pieces of advice from Anna Wintour.

Anna Wintour is the editor-in-chief of American Vogue and the artistic director of Condé Nast is widely regarded as the most influential figure in fashion. She has become honored and admired not just because she is the editor of Vogue, but also because she is known to give out helpful advice from time to time – advice that helps people in their lives. Read the article to learn some of Anna Wintour’s best career advice ever!

Get up early

” I get up every day at 5am – I have always been an early riser – and i always look forward to coming into the office.”

In an act of true class, Anna starts her morning with a game of tennis at 5:45 am. Her trainer Byron Spence once told the New York Times: “She’s like a retriever. She’s so fast. She’ll chase down everything. She doesn’t hit with a lot of spins, but she has an amazing cross-court forehand.”

Slow and steady

“If you’re an overnight sensation, you can be destroyed by yesterday’s news in no time. Whereas building something slowly and carefully that has value and quality, that’s what’s going to have legs.”

There’s a stark difference between rushing to finish something and doing a good job. The latter comes from hard work and dedication, time and precision, and utmost passion for the task at hand. Effort and hard work are never wasted, and the things you put your sweat and blood into will pay off. At the time, working for something may seem hard and insignificant but it must be done. Even the smallest tasks that we believe have no value can turn out to be of the greatest importance, so take your time to get the desired result.

Learn from your failings

“Everyone should be sacked at least once in their career, because ‘perfection’ doesn’t exist. It’s important to have setbacks, because that is the reality of life”

Anna may be strong and composed, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t experienced and embraced career setbacks. Sometimes, for one reason or another, you get fired, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. You may have lost your job, but you can always get another one. You’re going to have to fall many times before you learn to stand up on your own, and that’s what life is about. You have to face the turmoil and the consequences and you have to face an imbalance before you reach an equilibrium. Sometimes, the things that seem the worst, such as getting fired, can actually help you find yourself and achieve your dreams.

Go with your gut

“It’s very important to take risks. I think that research is very important, but in the end you have to work from your instinct and feeling and take those risks and be fearless.”

Taking risks and being fearless is of utmost importance in life, and sometimes you have to go with your instincts, too. Not everyone knows everything and so sometimes, you have to trust your gut and take a risk. Sometimes the risk is worth it and sometimes it’s not, but the failure of that risk shapes you and in some ways, it makes you a smarter and stronger person.

Drive is everything

“You just need to have a love for what you’re doing.”

Having a passion for what you’re doing is always the right thing to do. It’s only then that you hold all the cards to win. At the end of the day, you need to love what you’re doing or aiming for because that’s what motivates you and pushes you to do it. Even if you’re exhausted or generally fed up with it, you will do it because you love it.

Be confident

“What people hate the most is indecision. Even if I’m completely unsure, I’ll pretend I know exactly what I’m talking about and make a decision”

“Most people prevaricate. I decide fast. I think it’s helpful to people who work for you. the world we are in is about instinct and being fast and responding.”, – says Anna

Delegate

“I’m very good at delegating. People work much better when they have a real sense of responsibility. But at the same time, I don’t like surprises. I like to be aware at all times of what’s going on.”

By delegating, you give yourself more time to work on your skills and capacities. This will help you achieve your goals in less time and set up higher goals to reach. You will become more efficient as the stress will be less, which means that your vision will be wider.

And finally…