Shark Tank is my one must-watch show – so when I got the opportunity to learn life lessons from cohost Daymond John, I grabbed it. And what I learned is that IMPACT starts on the inside.

I spent some time this past week with one of the sharks from the hit ABC show Shark Tank. Daymond John is one of America’s best examples of what building a brand should look like without any resources but your mind, heart and pure grit. These are qualities that mean the world to me. If you read this post, about a recipe I created for my dad, you can see why these qualities hit home. 

Shark Tank happens to be the one show I always watch, without fail. I have seen every single episode since the first season. If you want to understand anything about business models, product launches, how to get funding for your ideas, if your idea might be a hit or a miss, or how the world’s top billionaires and millionaires think through business decisions, then grab a notebook and pen and watch. It’s what I call the “One-Hour MBA.” 

So when I had the opportunity to meet Daymond, one of the beloved stars of the show, I was both intrigued and excited. BTW, I have to give a shout-out to Joe Polish and the Genius Network for the amazing event that presented me with this great opportunity to meet Daymond and many other rock-star euntrepreurs. It was an honor to be in the room with this stunning community.

You know, it keeps hitting me like a sledgehammer. The more I get out there, the more I travel, the more people I encounter, it becomes evident that thought leaders and game changers have these undeniable “success symptoms.” They keep grounded, and choose to be a strong role model and use their celebrity to motivate and pay it forward. 

Daymond doesn’t think his britches are too big. The guy is a star on one of television’s top-rated shows, has had uber success in one of the toughest industries, and continues to be one of the world’s top branding specialists. Yet if I had to describe Daymond in one word, it would be humble. His authenticity and goodness shines like a brand-new penny. He in every way comes across as attractive, yet I never noticed what he was wearing or how he looked. I noticed he was refined, but I was much more enraptured by his ability to stay on purpose along with his unmistaken good nature. 

This got me thinking. Most of the time, we all care about the outside so much. “How do these leggings look on me? This bag, these shoes?” And so on and so on. In fact, the beauty industry alone is a 14 billion-dollar business. Most of us care a heck of a lot about the outside — and so have I much of the time. I don’t hate the idea of wearing Valentino or having some cool highlights tossed in my hair. But if you think about IMPACT — pure thoroughbred impact, what makes sense? 

Spending time and resources coaching with someone that will help you achieve your purpose. Spending time to work on grounding yourself and building stronger relationships with the ones you love and want to have a connection with. Finding out what you can do to help others and focusing on making it a point to be grateful.  Also, focusing on what you have, not what you don’t have, and spending time growing in every way you can. Now that makes sense. And the bottom line? Always thinking about how you can evolve.

What I learned from Daymond John is the dividends may be much higher focusing on these life practices than on anything else you can do to “look good.” Looking good may be more of a sudden, impactful gut feeling (more visceral) that you experience when you connect with someone, rather than what the rods and cones in your eyes tell your brain to perceive on an external level.  This was a powerful distinction for me, and I hope it adds value to you as well. 

We all know and hear that beauty is an inside job, but do we really get the impact of how powerful it really can be to own this statement?  

Think about how you show up to the world and what’s really meaningful in the end. Think like a strategist. In the end, where is the true value? 

Today and each day this week — even if it’s just for a minute — practice being gorgeous from the inside out.

Keep thinking big and living bold!

-Dr. Kellyann