From the course: Career Advice from Some of the Biggest Names in Business

Priyanka Chopra on following your instincts and being challenged

From the course: Career Advice from Some of the Biggest Names in Business

Priyanka Chopra on following your instincts and being challenged

(light music) - Every successful career, in any field, will definitely, definitely have evolution. And evolution is such an important part of being, I think, successful if I may say so. - So is there a voice in your head that goes, "Okay, time to try something new?" - No, I think I follow my instincts. I have very, very strong instincts. If my instincts tell me, professionally, I have massively strong instincts. Mostly, I trust everyone. But professionally, I'm always a little like, you know, as soon as I start getting comfortable in my job, I look for something that challenges me. I need to be challenged. I work best, I try best when I'm challenged and when I'm pushed and when I'm under pressure. - Since you're going into unchartered territory you know, there's no playbook and no success metrics. So, you know, we call this fear of the innovator, which is true of a lot of entrepreneurs as well. So how do you actually deal with it? I'm sure you face it every time you try something new. - You have to. - Yeah. - But see, what is the choice? That you walk a path like everyone else, dressed in suits, go to work, and come back, and never have a legacy. Or you swim upstream, like a trout, against norm. And then whatever little you achieve is only yours. It's not like everyone else. And I'd rather have something that is my path, paved by me. Something that is my legacy, my own self, my own achievement. That being one of the many successful people in the world. - Would that be your advice to people who are also moving countries for work in other places? - Yes I always say that. Of course it's an edge for me that I speak English. English and Hindi both were my first languages growing up. So I have a command of Hindi and English. So that helps, knowing the language, knowing the culture. But for people who come, like when I was 12 years old, the advice that I would give myself is, you know, don't think that there's something wrong with you. Because when you come into a new country, everyone's different. Everyone talks differently, everyone speaks differently. You have to accept your uniqueness, and not think of it as baggage. I think, when you come into a new country. - Do you have any advice that you can give entrepreneurs or people who are trying to break out of their comfort zone? - Well, it is scary. I will always say that. You know, especially business, because it's a very scary place to be in. It changes, it has so many ups and downs. But a very very dear friend of mine and a mentor, Jimmy Iovine, who created Beats by Dre. He works for now Apple Music. He told me this one piece of advice, which I tied in a knot and I kept. He said, "To be successful, "you have to be able to walk away from a deal. "You have to. "If you want it bad enough, "then people are going to give it to you at pittance, "you know?" But you have to be able to walk away from a deal, that's when you become stronger, and you have more confidence in yourself. So that's how I've started living my life, and I guess that's the advice I would give all young entrepreneurs. (music fading out)

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