Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Micayla Stone. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Micayla, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

As a child I spent nearly 8 hours every single day training to become a professional ballet dancer. From not ever taking off my costume tutu as a four year old to breaking in my first pair of pointe shoes around the house, I lived and breathed for dancing. It consumed every aspect of my life and I could not see myself doing anything else. I trained very hard and at fourteen I galvanized my way into being accepted at one of the world’s most prestigious ballet boarding schools, the Royal Ballet School in Richmond England. There I was exposed to the professional world of the art I had dedicated my future and the entirety of my childhood to. The experience was awe inspiring, humbling, and immensely eye opening. As the year progressed I found myself evolving from the obsessive hunger for being the best, to suddenly growing perspective around the whole environment and uncharacteristically taking a step back to reevaluate everything I had committed to. The passion I once felt had turned into stubbornness and ego, and ultimately the outcome of this goal would leave me with no other options for a life once my career was over. I felt like I was having a midlife crisis as a teenager! My decision to reprogram my mind around what is truly important to me rocked my world forever.

So often in life do we stick to something because it’s what we’ve always known for fear of judgement, failure, or embarrassment to admit you might have changed your mind. But the courage to acknowledge your growth as an individual and constantly reassess your goals for quality of life as you change through the years is vital to having a fulfilling and honest life. I think of this often as the seed for myself becoming a coach, coming to the profound realization that others too could benefit from reassessing their goals and making sure it aligns with the person they’ve become, or rescuing their old dreams they’ve left behind along the way. There is a beautiful quote by psychologist and author, David Viscott, ““If you lived honestly, your life would heal itself”.

Micayla, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

The purpose of my life and my coaching practice is to connect with people, to help others achieve their idea of success will be my own success. I live off of my three C’s: Connection, Curiosity, and Creativity. Unlike therapy, which delves into your past, coaching is a beginning. A personal goal oriented guide for the transition from who you are right now into who you want to be. Imagine a world where everyone is motivated, everyone feels connected and in pursuit of their highest potential. Limited distractions, less unhealthy escapism, grounded, and conscious through action. That sure is a damn beautiful picture. We have a lot of work to do! It all starts with us leading more honest and intentional lives as individuals, causing a ripple effect into the communities all around us. From what I’ve seen and heard through my life and connecting with people everyday, it seems that often many of us go home each night feeling a little drained, unmotivated, and cynical. Possibly unhappy altogether, resorting to possibly having a few drinks and disconnecting from family or friends. This way of stumbling through life is all too common, and it has to stop. That isn’t an enjoyable or sustainable way to lead a lifetime, but astonishingly, many of us do just that. We cannot just live for the weekend, or for retirement, or for going home and having that beer. I am passionate about shaking up the 9-5-’til-you-die path to burnout, striving to remind everyone of what they love most and help them to put in the work to create a life worth living.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Authenticity. It is so simple to be honest. In this day and age there is so much self-consciousness and egocentric motives following the rise of social media and the desire to portray yourself in the most attractive light all the time. And while I like believe we are slowly moving away from this as a whole, it is still rare to be raw. Admitting you have vulnerabilities and struggles in life too, **and not sharing them to get attention, but to relate on a human level to foster connection and understanding between people. This opens the door for growth and sets the example for the kind of people I want to attract in my life and business.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Yes, big time! The work of Patrick Lencioni and The Table Group will not stop invigorating me to keep growing and learning in my business to help people out of job/life misery and into a life worth living. Specifically their podcasts, “At The Table” and “The Working Genius”, as well as the many books they’ve published (thirteen and counting, and yes, I’ll admit I am still working my way through that impressive list)!

Contact Info:

• Website: http://micaylastone.weebly.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/micayla.stone/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micayla-stone-4239b02b3/