Sitting in an empty conference room, 24-year-old businesswoman Mallory Rothstein put her electronics away and started to make a list. This list included every place, every experience and every person that made her happy.
Then, she asked herself a critical question: “How do I build a life around those things?”
In that moment, in August 2017, Mallory Rothstein’s Learn What Matters was born.
“Why didn’t I think about this in high school?” asks Rothstein. “Why don’t they teach you about building a life not a career? So many people focus on their career, and they forget to focus on their actual life.”
Rothstein, who has been an Administrative Business Partner for Google since 2016 (first in Ads Quality and now in People Development), works alongside executives in the department on multiple different projects. One such endeavor is a potential partnership between Google Search and Crisis Text Line, one of the many places Rothstein volunteers her spare time.
“There are a lot of things that I do at Google that I think are super impactful,” she says. “It’s not like I can write it on my performance review or capture it in a social media post, but I still think it’s awesome. That’s what really keeps me at the company: little moments that create lasting impact. Your legacy is never going to be fully captured by metrics.”
However, Rothstein is very open about the fact that her purpose extends far beyond Google. Personal development has always been a passion of hers, ever since she began watching Oprah as a middle schooler. She created Learn What Matters, which will officially launch in 2019, as a platform to teach high school students about the importance of personal development.
“I want people to have a foundation when they are really young to understand what personal development is,” Rothstein explains. “I think what has really kept me alive is having a foundation. When I get in a dark place, I have certain exercises that I do or know of. I want young people to have that too.”
Ultimately, Rothstein hopes to grow Learn What Matters into a global brand and “make personal development cool.” Among her many goals for the organization, she plans to create personal development workbooks for high school students, help high schools establish thriving alumni networks, and disrupt the scholarship space by providing scholarships to students who show true dedication to reaching their personal and professional goals—regardless of what those goals may look like.
“I am definitely going to be giving a scholarship out to my high school,” Rothstein said. “The scholarship is not based on grade or standardized test scores […] It is all based on how you can communicate who you are and how you want to better yourself and the world.”
Rothstein believes that every story matters, and that every young person should have the tools to pursue their passions and explore their personal potential. “If everyone learns what matters to them and in their life, it will lead them to great places.”
Wow! Awesome, you are one smart lady. I am so thrilled to read this, especially since it is written by someone who is in my children’s generation. I see so many young people get so wrapped up in and on social media. I see young people not communicating with each other. I see entire families on their phones while waiting for a sear at restaurant instead of talking with each other. It gives me hope to hear about people like you making a difference like you are doing. Congratulations.
I grew up with your Mom and am sure she is very proud
This is a great article. I wish I had someone like Mallory in my corner when I was young, even before high school! Middle school is a super hard adjustment and along with family issues and abuse it’s near impossible to focus on the right things and one often feels completely lost. I’m excited to see what this year brings for Mal and Learn What Matters!
I am not very fantastic with English but I line up this real leisurely to read .