I was struck by a comment a client made recently at a dinner. She said the odds of me being the U.S. CEO of a media agency were extraordinary—almost nonexistent. When I think about the trajectory of my life, though, from Seoul to the Bronx and up through the ranks in the media industry, there were many moments where my path could have diverted toward something very different.

I was born in South Korea and lived with my biological family until I was left at a local orphanage when I was five and a half. It would be six months before I was adopted by an absolute force of a woman, the oldest daughter of eight from an Irish Catholic family who knew she wanted to be a mom and decided she didn’t need to be married to do so. A month before my sixth birthday, I was on a plane from Seoul to JFK, welcomed when I landed by my new family of light-skinned, bright-eyed people who looked nothing like anyone I’d ever seen before.

Today, I feel just as much American as I do Korean. It must have been formative to how I’ve built teams around me. I often realize after the fact that the team we brought to a pitch was diverse without having to press my thumb on the scale one way or the other. Sometimes it takes only one person like that in the room to bring different people together. I love the organic nature of how it happens.

I don’t like describing this idea as a “minority” focus when it means itemizing people. And as our country changes, I think we’re entering a new communications era where “minority” isn’t interchangeable with “non-white.” We all have a right to be in the room and be seen.

Leadership carries responsibility whether we answer the call or not. I’ve thought about the kind of leader I show up as every day. Throughout my career, my bosses have shown me just as much of what I want to be as what I don’t. One manager I worked under once said in a room of colleagues that one of the best things about me was that she never would’ve guessed I had children. It was a stunning and telling statement. Being on the receiving end was one of many lessons that pushed me to lean into understanding and valuing differences. 

As much as I believe diversity can come from a natural mindset, I’m conscious of what my position means for Asian American women early in their careers with backgrounds like mine. I want to leave a legacy so that the next generation of AANHPI professionals know there are people who believe in them and want them to succeed too. In that spirit, I want to share the biggest things I’ve learned so far, with the caveat that the journey of learning never ends:

Never underestimate the value of networking

Your network lives and breathes and needs nurturing to thrive. Support the people in it and they will support you. You’ll be surprised at the opportunities you get to help others and how they show up to help you.

It’s OK to not know everything and ask for help

One of our company’s cultural principles is to “seek help gladly, offer help generously.” Command your point of view and defend it, but don’t be afraid to ask questions. A great question is better than a mediocre answer. Don’t prioritize looking bulletproof at the expense of growing yourself.

Cultivate conviction and curiosity

Believe what you say and believe there is always more to discover. It can feel like the two oppose each other until you remember that the greatest minds have been wrong on the path to uncovering the secrets of the universe. 

Protect your sleep

A rested mind is a productive mind. Don’t take your worries to bed with you where you can’t do anything about them. There’s a well-known trick of visualizing your to-dos and concerns going into a box that you open later. If you have a presentation due on Monday, don’t let it ruin an otherwise good Saturday. I put this at the end because I don’t want you to forget it. Sleep is foundational to everything we do while we’re awake. You’ll thank me later.

To the next generation of leaders, including Asian American women, aspiring to great careers, I’m here for you. We succeed when other people want us to succeed. When the odds are against us, we stand more of a chance when we put ourselves in the position to do something great and have others cheering us on. Everything counts, even if it’s just a little bit every time.

Maybe, like me, you haven’t always had those people who want you in the room. And maybe like me, you also have people who see something in you and give you the opportunities to prove yourself. They may be less common, but they are truly special.

The odds of me being here today might have been small, but with determination, intention and the support of those around me, the odds got more beatable. For what it’s worth, I want those odds to be better for us, and better for you.