Shane Parrish

Every person should have a lifetime self-improvement program.

In today's fast-paced world, you can't stand still.

You either go forward or backward.

Every month, she studied what worked.

Every quarter, she refined her pitch, expanded her territory, and increased her efficiency.

She was constantly testing things, refining, and getting better.

She was evolving.

Mary Kay achieved her goal.

She became the queen of sales.

The victory was sweet.

Walking up to that stage, she was so excited.

She heard the applause, knowing she'd beaten every other dealer in the company.

She'd proven it to Beaveridge, and more importantly, to herself.

And the prize she got that year?

A trophy.

Not an alligator handbag, not the status symbol of success she'd been dreaming about for 12 months, a lousy trophy.

Of course, she accepted it graciously, but something inside of her shifted.

A seed planted itself that would grow for decades.

When she eventually built her own company, recognition would be different.

It would be thoughtful.