The Dolly effect

Several weeks after the legendary Dolly Parton died, I’m still reflecting on who she was; her personality, the difference she made, the life she was born into, and the one she chose to live.

Who knew that when she was born into a poor but loving family in the Tennessee smoky mountains in 1946, she'd go on to be one of the most famous people in the World!

An entrepreneur, skilled song writer, singer and musician, she was also an astute business woman. She faced great personal sadness too. But she was unfailingly honest, brave and true to herself and made many important decisions at key points in her life, famously leaving Porter Wagoner and his show to try to make it on her own.

I never saw her live but loved the exhibition about her in Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame last year. And I’ve watched her now legendary Glastonbury set many times!

Choices 

Leaving aside her well known music and image for a moment, I’m interested in the choices she made through her life.  

Growing up that poor, she’d have been forgiven for holding on to the wealth she accrued later in life for her own family. But she didn’t. She chose to share that wealth and experience in many ways – through her Imagination Library, discovering and supporting less experienced musicians, contributing to the cost of developing the COVID vaccine and countless individual financial contributions. She always chose kindness and was known for being a great guest and host, often providing a home cooked Tennessee treat. 

She was extremely intelligent too of course, choosing to spend some of her money as she put it “to look cheap.” She knew herself very well. 

Penny drop moment

I’ve said many times that the penny drop moment in coaching for me was about how many choices are open to me in any given situation. Like many people, I was brought up to always put others before myself. Of course, that’s’ admirable, but for me it became so ingrained I often found myself in situations or doing things that didn’t fit with my values or goals and wondering why I wasn’t happy.

Doing what’s right for you isn’t always easy and definitely takes practice, especially for us people pleasers! But Dolly is a prime example of how it’s possible to make good choices so you can be both true to yourself and do lots of good in the world.

Coaching might be just the thing to help if you’re wishing you could change things, or regretting some choices you’ve made in the past. Often it’s the smallest shift that can make the biggest difference. How would your life look if you were to change just one thing?

I'd love to meet you for a free introductory session so we can see how I might be able to help. Get in touch via my contact page.

As Dolly said, “find out who you are and do it on purpose”.