Sheryl Sandberg Life Lessons And What To Learn From Her

Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, is a woman who has constantly been working to change the way women are looked at in the corporate world and has given everyone a lot of food for thought. Sheryl, who has been an all rounder, has taught us a lot about not just leaning in, but about growing with the times as well. These lessons have made a huge impact on my life as well as on how I live every day!

1. Never let anyone else dictate who you are

As a woman working in a male dominated world, Sheryl Sandberg has taught people to never apologize for being you and to never let people assume things about you. Essentially, your strong opinion about yourself should be what people hear about you first, so there is no doubt in your character whatsoever. Taking initiative always pays off and if someone is always told what to do, it becomes harder to see them as a leader.

2. Do not undermine yourself

Time and time again, Sandberg has said people never really show off their true colours till you really know them. Many people never really recognize their full potential and feel guilty for the praise they receive. Sandberg believes doubting your abilities is a horribly negative way of living life, with no hope of a happy ending. Stop undermining yourself and the world will be your oyster!

3. Celebrate the joys in the little things

In a world where we are constantly trying to find satisfaction in things larger than life, it has become imperative for people (now, more than ever,) to celebrate the small moments in life. From birthdays to milestones, celebrate everything that brings joy to not only the people you celebrate with, but to you as well! For instance, post her husband’s death, Sandberg realised her friends stopped doing things that made them happy. However, the loss taught her the importance of celebrating every little moment, not only in her life, but in the lives of her friends and loved ones as well!

4. Live life through the Platinum Rule

People always tell you it is important to treat people the way they treat you. However, more often than not, this NEVER happens. When such is the case, Sandberg believes it’s time to follow the other rule of life, the Platinum Rule. According to the Platinum Rule, you should treat people the way they want to be treated and not the way they treat you! One of the main advantages of this is you understand people much better by doing this. Furthermore, this approach helped Sandberg become one of the most respected women not only in Facebook, but in the world!

5. It is okay to say you need help

After the sudden death of Sandberg’s husband, she realised one important thing; everybody needs help and no one can go through major events in life alone. Lean in, be okay with letting other people help you and accept that you truly cannot control the world around you. By doing so, you learn to be more empathetic and understanding of situations and people, thereby letting yourself have a chance of happiness in some form.

The world is forever changing and if you do not let go of the little things, you can never really hold on to the things that matter. “Start growing and keep learning” is a rule Sheryl Sandberg lives by and I honestly think we should all too.