Dear EICs,
I understand that you are wondering why someone is writing an open letter to you. Your thinking that I do not need an open letter. I am an EIC, I should know what I am doing. The thing is that I am just here to tell you that you are an amazing EIC.
The thing is every single person has the potential to be the best EIC. I look at the EIC group me, I see all the people who have muted their profiles. Which I understand because I have to do that for school. The thing is, a lot of people don't see the potential within themselves. You have to wake up every day and tell yourself that you are awesome. No matter whatever is going on in your life, you are the best that you can be. You are not anything less than perfection. Everyone chooses to take on the EIC position for different reasons. Honestly, when Christina quit as EIC, I was going to quit as CE because I was scared. Previous EICs have not been that successful, so why am I any different? I can't lead a team, I barely know who I am as a person, the thing is when we are thrown in situations that make us uncomfortable and challenge us both physically, spiritually, and mentally, we close ourselves off and the enemy of doubt and negative affirmations become our friends.
Learning to lead is not a choice, it is a way of life. You are an amazing EIC no matter what your numbers are. No matter how many shares, page views, or likes you get, you are still successful because you are putting our content that reflects you as a person. You are awesome because you took on this position when no one else would. You are awesome because you wake up every day and have to micromanage a set of amount of people and no matter how many times you post in GroupMe, you will get no response for days. You need to look in the mirror and not tell yourself, that you are not pretty, or awesome, or that you suck at this because your results are not where they need to be.
I want to leave off with two quotes that I received when I joined Odyssey. Danica Daniel, my Managing Editor (AME), gave me this within my first week of becoming the EIC, "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more , You are a leader"- John Quincy Adams. Basically, you are here to inspire others to put out content that they are normally afraid to do, you are helping them become more confident within themselves. That is one of the main purposes of becoming an Editor in Chief.
The final quote for this articles is one I personally love because I am an avid runner. It is stated by Todd Skinner and states that " We can not lower the mountains, therefore we must elevate ourselves." No matter how difficult life gets or how much you want to quit as EIC realize that one bad day is going to define the rest of your life or your career as EIC. You are important so do not ever give up. You were made for this job and you can help anyone find their purpose in life, but you have to change the mindset and tell yourself that you are awesome.
