NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Women have been breaking barriers in sports media, on the airwaves and in print, especially here at ESPN. At the espnW: Women + Sports Summit, four such trailblazing women took the stage to share the good, the bad and the ugly about being in their shoes and give some friendly advice to the audience of change-makers.
This is the best of what Doris Burke, Beth Mowins, Sam Ponder and Maria Taylor shared this morning.
Be authentic
In a forward-facing job that involves calling games and hosting shows, authenticity is key. "If you're anything less than who you are and you're not authentic, people pick up on it," Burke said.
An important part of being authentic is not getting lost in the possible comparisons in your work. "If you're always comparing yourself, you will never be happy," Taylor said.
Plus, as Ponder pointed out, the comparison isn't ever fair. "You're always comparing your lowlights to someone else's highlights, especially on social media," she said.
Seize every opportunity
Rarely is the path to the top of an industry a direct line, especially if you're blazing a new trail. Burke knows the challenges of a non-linear path all too well. "The first time I did a men's game, it was strictly because of an emergency," she said. "I went down with no preparation, but I was a fan and knew the teams. And I knocked them dead, so the next year, I had a package of men's games."
Mowins agreed with the sentiment. "You take whatever opportunity is put in front of you and try to make the most of it."
Block out the noise
Social media creates a lot of commentary on job performance, all of it unsolicited, and as the panelists said, it can be hard to not get lost in the swirl of opinions. Filtering that out is essential. "Your bosses, your peers, your family, the guys in the league, those are the people in your huddle," Mowins said. "Those are the voices you should listen to."
That goes for positive opinions as well, at least for Ponder. "A huge part of having confidence in this industry is not letting the negative stuff get to me, but I don't let the positive stuff get to me either," she said. "I don't want anyone to have the power to change my confidence or my identity. Life on that roller coaster is not how I want to live."
Remember that you're human
It's OK to be vulnerable and to admit that you have insecurities and doubts. "Everyone is insecure," Ponder said. "That's part of our humanity. We all have those inner fears and those worries. That connects us -- our mutual broken areas."
Listen to Mark Twain
Perhaps the best part of the discussion was Mowins quoting Mark Twain like he was an old friend (she joked that he told her these things personally). The first piece of advice she highlighted was about risk-taking. "Why not go out on a limb? It's where the fruit is."
And the second, she applied to social media. "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It is a waste of your time, and it annoys the pig."
Good advice.