9 Life Lessons I Learned from Anna Wintour
Icon. Legend. Style Queen. Always in Vogue. There are many ways to describe Anna Wintour and her impact on both the magazine and fashion industry. So, when Masterclass announced that they had teamed up with her to create a class on Creativity & Leadership I couldn’t wait to check it out.
(Side Note: if you haven’t discovered Masterclass yet then take a look, I highly recommend grabbing the all-year pass for full access. FYI I’m not an affiliate, I just love their offerings.)
Whilst I fully expected to get some valuable insights and advice on business and leadership (and I did) what I hadn’t expected was to also get some lessons on how to live a great life. Not only is Anna an exceptional leader in her industry but she also has a family and a very well balanced life. Here are my top 9 takeaways:
Embrace your own Style. From the colourful clothes, immediately recognisable bob, and ever-present black sunglasses, Anna has created a style that is all her, and she clearly isn’t bothered by what others think. She knows what she likes and lets her home, office and personal style reflect that consistently, exuding confidence and a sense of calm in an otherwise busy life. No matter who we are or what we do, we can all benefit from embracing our own personal ‘brand’ and style, especially as we get older.
Keep the pace moving & don’t waste time. According to Anna a lazy atmosphere and attitude breeds laziness and vagueness - which is definitely not an empowering way to live life. Considering how much she achieves and her obvious enjoyment of life, keeping moving is clearly working well for her. I’m a huge believer in having downtime but I know myself that the less I do the less I want to do, and it’s a quick spiral into full-on couch potato days. We don’t have to be busy being busy, but filling our life with things we love to do actually gives us more energy and vitality.
Be interested in the world around you. The older we get the easier it is to stagnate or get stuck in our ways, which ironically can make us seem older. When we stay engaged with what is going on around us we can stop this from happening - I’m absolutely convinved that the reason both my grandparents lived into their 90s is because they never stopped being interested in the world around them and were so engaged in things. Anna has a great love of travel and culture and in her Masterclass she talks a lot about the importance of reading, learning, going to museums, exhibitions, shows, etc. and generally getting out into the world. She reads both the English and American papers every morning and it is this engagement in the world around her that keeps her both interested and interesting.
Have a morning routine that works for you. Anna is known for getting up between 4 am and 5 am, reading the papers and getting some tennis in most mornings before arriving at the office around 8 am. Whatever our life looks like a morning routine that we enjoy can be a key part of happiness, whether it’s going for a run, meditating, or just enjoying a cup of coffee. Routine and consistency isn’t only good in the business world, it is also good for our own wellbeing.
Have a non-work related hobby. Although she is clearly passionate about her work, Anna is also a huge tennis fan and tries to play every morning before work. Her love of tennis has seen her attend matches all over the world and she has even become good friends with Roger Federer, playing tennis socially with him many times over the years. Whilst we won’t all necessarily end up being best mates with someone legendary from our chosen hobby, having hobbies that bring us a lot of pleasure and joy is known to be good for our health and mental wellbeing, especially if they also include social connection and some physical exercise.
Stand for something. Whether it’s in business or life, being involved in a cause is good for us. When we take a stand we develop a sense of purpose and that has been linked to longevity. It can also lead to opportunities to meet new people, mentor others, and make changes in the world. All of which are a big plus in the longevity game.
Own your mistakes, apologise, and then move on. Yes! I think most of us could do better at this one.
Trust your instincts and choices. Don’t be like others or bow to pressure. Whilst it’s good to listen to advice it’s far more important to be yourself at all times and back your decisions.
Be fearless. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, it’s how we learn. Show up every day, do your best, keep learning and keep moving forward.
At 69-years old, Anna is a great inspiration for living a life you love. Her Masterclass is well worth taking a look at and has so much great advice for anyone interested in leadership or the creative industries.
