From 68 Live Shots to Reinvention: Traci Mitchell on Why You Should Prepare for "Yes"

Traci Mitchell once did 68 live shots in a single day covering Washington for Hearst Television, and she even appeared on“House of Cards.”Then a terrifying experience involving her young daughter led her to leave TV news, and that exit demanded a full reinvention. The lesson she came away with applies far beyond television: the most important negotiation you will ever have is the one with yourself. Her three-part framework for walking in winning is preparation, mindset and process, and it works whether you are angling for a promotion with the state, negotiating a schedule at a restaurant, or restarting a career after time away.

One piece of Mitchell’s advice stands out, particularly for women who were taught to brace for rejection rather than plan for success. Prepare for yes. That means walking into the room with a plan for what happens when things go right, not just a script for the letdown. She also suggests naming your inner critic. Once that voice has a label, it is far easier to quiet it and get back to the work.

Sacramento knows something about reinvention. A city built on government, agriculture and river towns has watched whole industries shift and whole neighborhoods change. Mitchell’s story is a reminder that the same pivot can happen one person at a time. So what is the one ask you have been putting off because you already decided the answer? Maybe it is time to prepare for yes instead.