Episode 86: Baroness Lola Young on Identity & Mattering (when you’ve had a challenging past)

Is your measure of success focused purely on your own achievements? Maybe you’re at a time in your life when you’re questioning legacy, purpose, and who you are beneath your job title. Maybe you’re thinking about what it means to contribute and to matter in society.

Baroness Lola Young was one of the first black women members of the House of Lords. She’s been an actress, an academic, and a cross-bench peer. She’s also an active campaigner against modern slavery and unethical fashion. Her new book, Eight Weeks, an account of being raised in foster care and children’s homes between the ages of eight weeks and 18 years.

In this conversation I talk to Lola about the influence of her challenging past on her identity and choice of career. We probe into what it means to matter – I’m curious if mattering might be an antidote to the hyper-individualization, loneliness and disconnection so many people are feeling. What could “mattering” look like in your own life? Could being of service (more intentionally) help you to feel enough? Let’s find out.

00:00 Intro

4:47 Who is Lola Young?

6:08 Lola’s thoughts on identity – being black, female and “in care.”

7:45 Jerry Colonna’s big question, “To whom do I belong?”

8:21 How Lola’s early experiences shaped her identify and feelings of enoughness.

14:46 Description of her book, Eight Weeks: Looking Back, Moving Forwards, Defying the Odds.

18:45 The connection between enoughness and the hyper-individualistic society we live in. What is “mattering?”

20:40 Mattering and enoughness.

23:14 Her peers growing up were tuned into the public need and public service.

24:43 Did Lola’s challenging upbringing influence her choice of career?

28:39 Does Lola feel enough in this season of her life?

31:31 Lola’s Brick of Wisdom

32:43 Outro

34:04 Sonia Choquette is my next guest.

LINKS

Lola Young’s book Eight Weeks.

Lola Young’s Wikipedia page.

Dr Gordon Flett’s book on Mattering.

Episode 85 on Kindness with Dr David Hamilton.

Episode 77 with Jerry Colonna.