Success Is Rarely a Straight Line: Interview with Former CNN Anchor Alisyn Camerota
Several years ago, I interviewed Alisyn Camerota in an interview originally published in Thrive Global. Alisyn was a television anchor for CNN at the at the time of the interview and recently released her novel Amanda Wakes Up. Here is an excerpt from our conversation:
Adam: What is something about you that your fans don’t know?
Alisyn: I’m not a morning person, and am reminded of that every morning when my alarm clock goes off at 3:30am.
Adam: How did you get here? What failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Alisyn: I’m a big believer in failure being a catalyst for success. In my experience, success is rarely a straight line. I’ve worked at a number of promising places that turned out to be dead ends but there’s no way to know that until you’re in it, so I’m not sure how you avoid those. The trick is to harness your frustration to light a fire rather than wallow in despair. In previous jobs, any day that I was stymied I sent out a resume or scheduled a meeting with a prospective employer or planned a networking lunch. Failure is motivating!
Adam: What are your hobbies and how have they shaped you?
Alisyn: I have always liked writing. It helps me collect my thoughts and preserve them. Writing my first novel Amanda Wakes Up was harder than I ever expected, but also very gratifying. And, like childbirth, luckily you forget how hard it is enough to want to do it all over again.
Adam: In your experience, what are the common qualities among those who have been able to enjoy success in the television news business?
Alisyn: A killer work ethic. No one ever became successful working 9-5. And in TV, there also has to be a certain egotism, or at least hamminess, that allows one to want to be seen by millions.
Adam: You and many of your colleagues have been outspoken in the fight against fake news. How can those in the news business, as well as consumers of news, address the challenges in the current environment?
Alisyn: In giving dozens of talks about journalism on my book tour for Amanda Wakes Up, I get this question a lot. I think for a long time we’ve had the luxury of taking the integrity of the news for granted, but in this climate, we can’t. It’s time to re-educate people about the stringent rules of journalism, such as the process of vetting sources and stories, and our roles as watchdogs of government – and how not all media outlets are following those. Even in this hyper-charged news cycle, we know a ton of stuff that we don’t report, sometimes for months, until the research and the vetting are complete. The best defense against fake news claims is good journalism.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Alisyn: To thine own self be true.
Adam: Who have been the biggest influences in your life and why?
Alisyn: My mom was one of my biggest influences growing up. She was remarkably non-judgmental about my friends, my clothes, my career choices, etc. In my job, I try to emulate that philosophy with every guest I interview. I try not to have set judgments and preconceived notions of how they should answer questions. I’d say a good practice in life is to be open-minded and receptive to new perspectives.
Adam: How can anyone pay it forward?
Alisyn: If you’re not in pain, be grateful and try to ease the suffering of those who are.
Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one-on-one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.
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