It is through my coaches that I uncovered my core values, and realized that I will not be free until I start living by my core values rather than living to meet others’ expectations of me.
Meet Norah Tang, a partner lead at Google working with high growth, mobile-first enterprise businesses. She is a first-generation immigrant who values courage, integrity and a growth mindset.
We asked Norah a few questions to learn more about her thoughts on coaching.
Q: What do you know now that you wish you would have known when you were younger?
A: Perfectionism inhibits growth. To be free, you have to live by your core values.
I am a recovering perfectionist. I harbored a lot of self-induced stress when I was younger. I often compared myself to those who seemed to have it all figured out easily at a young age. This led to insecurity and a mindset of scarcity. I was harsh on myself, thinking that I was never good enough. I held on to what I had and avoided taking risks. I was not living my life in full.
My experience as a first-generation immigrant helped me embark on a journey of the unknown. Coming to the US alone, without my support circle of family and friends, forced me to adapt quickly. I was constantly learning new things, ranging from applying for IDs to studying and working using a non-native language. It was challenging but also reassuring that I was able to carve out my own path while juggling all the new responsibilities.
I experienced many ups and downs along the way. Over the past few years, I sought out coaching to cultivate a true growth mindset. It is through my coaches that I uncovered my core values, and realized that I will not be free until I start living by my core values rather than living to meet others’ expectations of me.
Courage is one of my core values, and Brene Brown talked about it in a way that resonated with me deeply. She quoted Theodore Roosevelt’s speech, “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly…
I want to be in the arena. I want to be brave with my life. And when we make the choice to dare greatly, we sign up to get our asses kicked. We can choose courage or we can choose comfort, but we can’t have both. Not at the same time.”
When I’m hesitant in the face of a daunting challenge/opportunity because I am afraid of failure and being judged, I remind myself that I want to be in the arena. Regardless of the outcome, I know I’d feel more proud of myself that I was there, getting my ass kicked, instead of wondering what I could have done from the safe, comfortable seat of a spectator.
Q: What motivates you to keep going when the going gets tough?
A: Most experiences in life are transient, including pain and suffering. Nothing is quite as important as you think it is while you are in the midst of it. Be kind to yourself. Be patient as you keep your north star in mind to guide you through difficult situations.
Connect with Norah Tang via LinkedIn.
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