Making it work. Pay It Forward and Prioritize

• Author: Wanji Walcott
• Pages: 14-14

PHOTOGRAPH BY KRISTEN FORTIER/PAYPAL

Pay It Forward and Prioritize

Making It Work is a column in partnership with the Working Mother Best Law Firms for Women initiative in which lawyers share

how they manage both life’s challenges and work’s demands. Visit workingmother.com for more.

By Wanji Walcott

“There is nothing you can’t do!”

As the only child of imm igrant

parents from Guyana , I’ve heard

this mantra repeat ed for as long

as I can remember. Growing up

in suburban Massachuset ts in the

’70s, I recall se eing many successful

professionals; however, I didn’t see

any who looked like me. Somehow,

that didn’t matter so much and only

strengthened my resolve. I knew f rom

a young age that I wanted to be a law-

yer, and with my parents’ encourage-

ment and positive armations, I

believed that this wa s my destiny.

I have since achieved my profes-

sional goal of serv ing as a general

counsel and have also been blesse d

with the opportun ity to be a wife and

a mother to two amazi ng daughters.

As I reflect upon how I make th is all

work, I must confess that I don’t have

the secret solution; but I have, over

time, learned to operat e in accor-

dance with the follow ing principles:

1. Carve out time for your self

without gui lt. When my children

were young and I was early in my ca reer, I dedicated

everyth ing I had to my kids and my work. I felt tremen-

dous guilt for wanting to ta ke time for myself. What I

have since realized is t hat I am my best self, both per-

sonally and professionally, when I balance r esponsibili-

ties with time for my own int erests. Admittedly, there

will be var ying amounts of time available to focus on

oneself during life’s many stages. However, my advice t o

all women is find something that intere sts you—beyond

work—and do as much of it as you can. Now that my

husband and I are empty nesters, I h ave more time for

exactly that—and for golf—and no guilt .

2. Make time for the i mportant people in your life.

At dierent points in my career I h ave (shamefully but

not intentionally) prioritized my care er over my friends

and family. While I’m busier than ever w ith my career,

my personal relationships and the ti me I set aside for

family and fr iends is a top priority. For instance, my

annual girls’ tr ip with school friends is a must. Despite

how challenging it can be to bre ak away, this ac tivity

really grounds me a nd helps me

reset. Again, fi nd something that

interests you, and do as much of it as

you can.

3. Have the courage to say no.

With so much happening in our busy

lives, the only thing we ca n really

control is our own choices, including

where we spend our time and energy.

I can’t do everyth ing, so I have to be

selective in determi ning what I can

accomplish and what I don’t have

the bandwidth, energy or int erest

to commit to. This behav ior takes

practice to mas ter, but the reward is

worth the eort.

4. Be a role model for others.

I live my life by the old adage that

to whom much is given, much is

required. I have had numerous men-

tors and sponsors throughout my

career, and I feel a tremendous

responsibility to pay that for ward.

I strive to serve a s a role model for

other aspiring women, the young

people in my extended family a nd my

own daughters—part of my pur pose

is to serve in thi s way.

5. Regularly a rm and rearm yours elf. I think

it’s natural to have periods i n your life where you focus

on what you’re not doing well. I try to counter those

feelings through self-reflect ion by starting each day

with givi ng thanks and taking some quiet time for

meditation. I also keep a sma ll list of wins and accom-

plishments, which I reflect on when thi ngs haven’t

necessarily gone a s planned. This list boosts my confi-

dence, serves as a remi nder of my strengths and posi-

tive attributes, a nd helps combat self-doubt. It’s in these

moments that my parents’ mantra ri ngs true: “There is

nothing you can’t do!” Q

Wanji Walcott joined PayPal in 2015 after 20 years in

the nancial technology and payments industry. She leads

PayPal’s global legal team and oversees the company’s

daily legal activities. Walcott helped found the global

pro-bono program, serves as the executive sponsor of

PayPal’s women’s afnity group, and is an advocate

for diversity in the workplace.

MAKING IT WORK

14 || ABA JOURNAL MARCH 2018

Opening Statements

Wanji Walcott