Wonderhell summary

Here’s the great thing about Wonderhell: It doesn’t just show you what your next success could be like. It also shows you what you could be like. It offers a sneak peek of an upgraded you. A person you never even knew was there. A you with so much more potential. 

While that might sound fantastic, it can also be quite scary and uncomfortable. But if you want to cross Wonderhell into your next success, you have to be ready to accept this new level of potential.

This means learning to be unapologetically ambitious. Allow yourself to dream big, and make that big dream a reality. Take Sallie Krawcheck, for instance. When she realized the flawed state of the retirement savings industry for women, she was struck with the idea of creating a women-first investment business. It was admittedly a tall order. But she knew she could do it, especially after her stint as a research analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. and as CEO of Citigroup’s Smith Barney unit. She fully embraced her potential – and founded the now successful investment platform Ellevest.

Embracing your potential also involves daring to step into the shoes of that upgraded “you.” This can mean fighting against impostor syndrome, which will eat at you the moment you try out your new identity. You’ll question whether you really belong, or if you’re even worthy of being there. But here’s the truth about impostor syndrome: It isn’t a “you” problem. It’s a problem with the system you’re operating in. The system is designed for people who don’t think and behave like you, so it’s only natural to feel like an impostor. 

But being different isn’t something to be ashamed of. In fact, you should celebrate it! When Lydia Fenet worked as an auctioneer at Christie’s auction house, she acted the way other auctioneers acted – stiff and proper. Deep inside, though, she knew she was different. Once that unique version of herself showed up on stage one auction night, she accepted it fully and let go of the mold she’d desperately conformed to. Embodying that different self proved to be the right choice – it helped her raise no less than half a billion dollars at Christie’s various charitable auctions.

If you want to accept the upgraded you wholly, you have to be brave enough to choose that version of yourself. It probably won’t meet everyone’s expectations, and that’s OK. Because at the end of the day, it’s you who gets to decide what success looks like – not them. People’s approval of you will always be unattainable, so why even bother trying?

Instead of listening to others, choose to listen to yourself. Tune into your intuition, that little inner voice that has already gotten you this far. It’s the same voice that will help you navigate Wonderhell to that shiny new success glittering in the distance.