EDITOR’S NOTE

ON THE TABLE

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Now Is the Time to Chase Your Dreams

ELIZABETH LAVIN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY kelsey j. vanderschoot’s story on nadine lee (page 62) made me smile. Not because the new DART chief is determined to “define, quantify, and improve” the rider experience, but because she shared how a health scare in her 40s inspired her to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a ballerina. Lee faithfully spends hours each week practicing and perfecting her craft; it brings her joy, with the extra benefit of relieving stress.

Her story reminded me of my mother, who ran her first marathon when she was 57 and went on to do 16 more all over the world. She began by walking, then moved up to 5Ks and 10Ks. When a friend suggested she train for a marathon, she laughed. But then she began chipping away at excuses and ingrained beliefs, worked very hard, and, ultimately, made it happen.

As we’re emerging from the pandemic, it seems like there’s a collective desire to lead fuller lives and take more risks. What do we want to achieve during our trips around the sun? Motivational guru Tony Robbins offers four reasons for not giving up on your dreams: growth is essential to the human experience; you never know how close you are to success; you’ll always wonder what could have been; and the rewards are worth it. To achieve big goals, he says, you must first get out of your own head. “The only thinking keeping you from what you want is your story about why you can’t have it,” he says. Robbins says to start by making sure you’re genuinely passionate about whatever it is you’re pursuing. Then, create a formal plan, find lessons in every failure and adjust your plan accordingly, and celebrate small successes along the way. As we approach a new year, perhaps we should give it a shot. Whether it’s a dream of becoming an entrepreneur, getting involved in a nonprofit, learning to paint, or visiting the Galápagos Islands, now is a great time to banish the excuses that may have held us back and see what is truly possible.

Christine Perez

Editor

Karimah Seals, Jesse Parley, Megan Hughes Nikki Hurst Gibson, Tammy Wood, Jay Wallace

Corporate Counsel Awards 2021

on sept. 29, guests gathered to celebrate d ceo’s 12th annual Corporate Counsel Awards, honoring exceptional in-house attorneys in Dallas-Fort Worth. Held at On The Levee in Dallas’ Design District, the event brought together corporate counsels, managing partners, and other professionals to celebrate those whose work has distinguished them from their peers over the past year. Twenty-nine finalits and winners were recognized across eight categories. Guests were greeted with opening remarks from Christine Allison, CEO and editor-in-chief of D Magazine Partners. D CEO Editor Christine Perez and Managing Editor Will Maddox presented the awards, with help from Chris Trowbridge and Nikki Hurst Gibson of Bell Nunnally & Martin. Thank you to title sponsor Bell Nunnally & Martin for making this memorable event possible. Congratulations to all the finalits and winners, featured in the October issue of D CEO.