Gaby Natale, a triple EMMY Award-winning journalist, speaker, best-selling author, and entrepreneur, is known for breaking barriers by becoming the first Latina author published by HarperCollins Leadership Imprint with her book The Virtuous Circle, who not only tells the success stories of influential personalities around the world but also traces her unlikely journey. Natale is an Argentinian native, who went from being unemployed to being an entrepreneur and journalist who won three Emmy Awards in the US.
When questioned on what drove her through the hard times, Natale said
“I see value in planting seeds every day. There are days when you will feel like nobody cares or nobody is watching but life has taught me that a work made with love will never go unnoticed. Sooner or later if you are consistent and aim for excellence, opportunities will come your way. It may take longer but being relentless does pay off. That’s why I always tell people that we need to believe in our vision even BEFORE we have the results to validate them. My mantra is always INNER VOICE OVER OUTER NOISE. You never know when opportunity will knock on your door. That’s why I believe you should bring your A-game to every project you do. Persistence + Excellence will be your allies ”
The Virtuous Circle looks at how personal attributes and talents help to move forward, based on a decade of interviews with leaders from diverse fields – such as fitness expert Deepak Chopra, best-selling author Isabel Allende, and rock legend Carlos Santana.. The book has become not only an instant best-seller in its Spanish version (El Circulo Virtuoso), debuting #1 in Amazon Hot New Release in multiple categories including Business, Inspiration, and Self-Help, but also one of the most thought-provoking books in its genre.
Natale begins with a provocative premise: success can not be predicted by talent and fortune. In addition, she describes that individuals who pursue their dreams have managed to acquire a special ability that can be learned: they are able to see beyond the limits of their immediate circumstances.
We asked Natale what she hopes readers will take away from The Virtuous Circle
“I have had the privilege to interview the best of the best in many different fields. One day I asked myself: what do all these extraordinary people who beat the odds have in common? And the answer is seven archetypes that are dormant in everyone of us. Those seven archetypes together create The Virtuous Circle. It’s possible to use The Virtuous Circle in any way you choose. It can be your tool to achieve great transformations or to reach small goals that have been lingering, those you have not yet been able to conquer. For some, it will be the vehicle that motivates them to get rid of the last five extra pounds. For others, it will be the road map to reinvent themselves and choose a new profession, start a business, develop a new skill, or face a situation that frightens them.”
The Virtuous Circle is made up of seven archetypes that live within us. Each one constitutes a phase and corresponds to a particular action. The seven archetypes and their respective actions are the dreamer (visualize), the architect (plan), the maker (execute), the apprentice (perfect), the warrior (persevere), the champion (achieve) and the leader (inspire).
- The Dreamer: The dreamer’s stage is one of thought and visualization. It begins with the possibility of imagining something that is not yet present in reality. It represents the spark that starts The Virtuous Circle. This is the time to connect with the essence of our inner child, the one who danced happily and carelessly, without wondering how the dance steps came out or if their toddler companions had better rhythm than they did. It is an opportunity to begin to unlearn external conditioning and self-limiting thoughts in order to let our minds fly and see beyond the apparent.
- The Architect: In this phase, an action map is created with the ideas and concepts that were born in the dreamer’s stage. It is time to make plans, evaluate options, and analyze what the best ways to bring our visions into action may be.
- The Creator: This is where theory and reality meet. The architect’s plan is put into practice. It represents the moment in which the world returns to us a sometimes-unexpected reflection: The challenges may be greater or different from those we anticipated, the skills we have may not be sufficient, or we may underestimate the time it takes to achieve our dream. We may realize that sometimes even the most “perfect” plans end up being “ferpect” and we need to reassess the next steps.
- The Apprentice: It is time for improvement. The apprentice stage represents the moment of listening to the internal GPS that asks us to recalculate some aspect of our path to continue moving forward. Now that we’ve seen our ideas in action, it’s time to make adjustments. In the creator stage, we saw what happened when we began to put all of the plans and ideas of the architect and the dreamer into practice. Now, the apprentice has to undertake the search for excellence along the path that makes them a teacher. What talents need to continue being polished? What skills have to be learned to keep moving forward? What strategies worked, and what strategies need to be changed?
- The Warrior: Here, our commitment to the dream is put to the test. In the apprentice stage, we improved our skills and adjusted the plan of action. Now is the time to strengthen our tenacity and resilience. We have the skills we need to achieve our goals, but the opportunity we dreamed of has not arrived yet. The frustration and the feelings of injustice for not having achieved it remain close by. The temptation to abandon our dreams is great. It’s the time for the brave, the bold, and those who keep going when others throw in the towel. We have reached the last mile of the dream, but we still don’t know it — and we constantly wonder if it’s worth so much effort. At this stage, we will learn that sustaining a dream over time requires a true warrior.
- The Champion: The preparation and all of the work of the previous stages finally meet the opportunity we so longed for. It is time for laurels, achievements, and recognition. However, beware of success, because not all that glitters is gold. After achieving the dream, champions can lose their way, succumb to new temptations, and become a magnet for bad company.
- The Leader: One who has become a champion and, at the same time, inspires us. The champion achieves their goal. The leader not only achieves it but goes one step further by making it something bigger than themselves. The leader not only obtains triumphs, but they also lead by example. Not all champions are leaders, but all leaders are champions.
And it is called The Virtuous Circle because with your next idea you go back to the first archetype “The Dreamer” and the process starts all over again. The Virtuous Circle is all about embracing life as an opportunity for constant learning and evolution.
Natale is a sought-after bilingual speaker and a regular partner with non-profits such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Phenomenal Women Action Initiative and Voto Latino, a tireless champion of gender and diversity problems. She has keynote addresses from the United Nations to technology shows and trade meetings in the United States and Latin America. Natale has been featured in Forbes, CNN, Buzzfeed, NBC News, Univision and Latino Leaders magazine. She is the recipient of NALIP’s Digital Trailblazer Award and of a GLAAD Media Award nomination for her portrayal of Latino LGBTQ youth in media.
We asked Natale, What advice she would give to anyone trying to reach their goals in 2021?
“2021 is what I call “The Year of the Bridge”. When we started it, the world looks very different than when we started Jan 1st, 2020. But it will also look different from what the world will look like in Jan 1st, 2022. We are now in the middle of two worlds: what no longer is and what is about to arrive. That’s why I call it “the year of the bridge” and the best advice I can tell people is to engage in the projects, skills, learnings, habits, etc. that will allow them to EMERGE STRONGER when we reach the other side”
Finally, we asked Natale what’s next for you in 2021?
“In addition to virtual conferences, creating content and all The Virtuous Circle book promotion, I have an incredibly special project I want to focus on. It is related to e-commerce. Right before the pandemic, I launched my own hair extensions line. It is called www.WelcomeAllBeauty.com and it is the FIRST hair extensions line with a focus on productivity. The best part is that each of our designer hairstyles can be done in five minutes from the safety of our homes. Not many people know this but on average, women around the world spend three to five hours per week styling their hair. What would you do if you had 5 more hours per week? What could you achieve if you had an extra 260 hours per year? www.WelcomeAllBeauty.com is about being smart when it comes to Beauty. It’s about looking fabulous and using our valuable time on something other than your hair. So, I am thrilled to add “Beauty Founder” to my resume!”
For more info on Gaby, follow her on social media at: @GabyNatale / @WelcomeAllBeauty and/or visit her websites: www.GabyNatale.com and www.WelcomeAllBeauty.com
