Big Magic

As we head into spring break, I had a small breakthrough.

Yesterday I presented to the Harvard Business School Women’s Association.

They reached out after I posted an article about my career pivot and the lessons I learned along the way.

The title of the talk:

From Net-Worth to Self-Worth: What Markets Taught Me About Identity, Loss, and Personal Alpha.

I told the truth about the dips and valleys in my life and career.

I talked about not avoiding pain — because if you lean into it, you discover what actually makes you unique. You discover what sets you apart. And sometimes, you can even build a business around it.

I shared that ten years ago, I wrote down on a small piece of paper:

I want to start my own firm.

I wasn’t ready. But I wrote it down anyway.

After the talk, several women emailed me.

They thanked me. They said it resonated.

And here’s what surprised me.

Instead of feeling triumphant…I felt a little empty.

Not unhappy. Just reflective.

Because when you share your discoveries — your friction, your insight, your alpha — something interesting happens.

It becomes a gift.

But it also turns the mirror back on you.

I’ve been reading Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert, and something in it confirmed what I’ve long believed:

You find yourself through creative work.

(highs and the lows, ups and downs - just like the stock market and just like in life)

Not by thinking about it. By building.

And that realization led to a new question:

What am I building next?

In the talk, I said:

Alpha hides in your friction.

And right now, I’m feeling friction again.

Not existential friction. Not an identity crisis.

Creative friction.

Is the next step to grow an audience?

Or is the real opportunity something else entirely?

What if the next alpha isn’t a book?

I gave a talk about honing in on frustration…

And now I’m frustrated by something new.

That’s how alpha works.

It isn’t static.

It keeps revealing itself.

What special spark are you hiding inside?

Beta is what you get by passively investing, which is great for your portfolio. It's the return of the market. (something you can't control either)

Alpha is what you earn by being unique. In markets, it's a company's unique and differentiated return vs the stock market. It’s differentiated insight — and the courage to act on it. (something you can control)

Have a great spring break!!

Tiffany Kent

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