What is success?
A pleasing aspect of getting to the end of a career is the chance to reflect on lessons learned throughout one's time in the saddle.
I'm already sounding like an old duffer, I know, but an invite from Southampton Solent to collect an Honorary Doctor of the Arts degree and ponder this in my acceptance speech for the graduates, got the cogs whirring!
Not to be refused also, was the chance to 'gown up,' (see above) and parade the streets in academic procession on the way to the Guildhall. Once inside, the formal atmosphere had me feeling unusually nervous and oh lordy... at bit emotional.
I've reproduced my speech below these are my top tips for all creatives and huge thanks to my friend and colleague Sharon Lloyd above who proposed me.
Caryn's speech
My congrats to you all - another stage of your learning completed. Your practice is a journey stretching ahead decades. So I’ve been thinking about what I have learned up close and personal that will be of benefit to you. I’ve distilled this into a few key things
Thank you to staff at Southampton for this Honorary degree. I’d like to think this award reflects approval for my tenacious interventions but let's call it my gobby truculence with a fashion industry that sometimes forgets it has the power to influence what people think and feel about their self-image and self-esteem.
Broadening the range of humanity we see in our media has been a long-term motivation for me. Celebrating difference and dismantling my own biases that have me clinging to what I recognise, has been part of my journey. I’m going to talk around a few key words that I hope resonate
People. I like people it is that simple. People have walked up to me in the street most of my professional life to tell me how Fashion makes them feel good and bad. All Walks Beyond a Catwalks was a dedicated response to that. Hold on to your beliefs and seek out
Emotions. We all learn to suppress emotion. If we are male this limits our mental health. Emotional intelligence for us all means trusting our instincts and going with it. Emotions are truth. Fun fact...emotion contains the word motion. Feeling move through us...don't block them. Flow states require free flowing emotions. Work places require vulnerability, humility, empathy...these all lead to curiosity. Respect to your generation for picking up the conversation about mental health and educating us too.
Meanings. We are seekers of meaning. Why because in order to get the best out of ourselves, we need to anchor what we do to a purpose and meaning creates purpose and purpose links up with passion and discipline. We can give our all when we have purpose and meaning.
Success. Our culture has created unreasonable definitions. Those who rise to high status, high finance positions may pay a price. Not everyone wants stress, long hours, fragmented relationships. Create your own definition of success?
Mistakes. We all make them. They are vital in our education. Own them. Apologise. Learn. And remember....there is no such thing as failure only attempts at success.