Meet Makena Sommer Partington

We had the good fortune of connecting with Makena Sommer Partington and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Makena Sommer, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I strive to solve inefficiency or meet the needs of large groups of people through my apps, publications, and soon to be products. This is the reason why I start any of my businesses.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
At 22, I have lived many lives, embodying each role fully. At 11, I began training under Vladi Sapozhkov, which led me to adopt an obsession with training and perfection, so much so that success had to be inevitable. I became enamored with the concept of success. I studied, observed, read, planned, and finally became the woman I always wanted to become. Part of my training as a child taught me that excellence must be a baseline, and substance is where the value lies, not in convincing or communicating. You train hard with focus on technique, you treat your body with loving discipline, and you hold yourself to a high standard. This formula produces ideal results; there’s no need to talk or convince people, just be who you are. If you have it, then you’re doing it; if you’re not, then you’re not. To me, it really is that simple, so I put all my energy into being the best behind the scenes.

I truly believe that being a high performer allows you to succeed in most endeavors if you apply the same principles. Remain humble and coachable, take the necessary steps to become, and do whatever you set out to do. Completely absorb the industry that you enter, and cultivate a passion for your purpose in that space.

I wish I knew that career critiques are important, but not personal ones. I recently realized that in my personal life, I allowed people into my sphere who were not high performers or substantive. I allowed myself to be drawn into the illusion of potential and the value I saw in learning from them, even if those lessons were not meant for me. I finally realized that alignment matters more than lessons. I subconsciously attracted more lessons to be learned because I craved more knowledge to make better decisions. Eventually, I needed to arrive home to myself, homeostasis if you will. I know now that I make great decisions. Voluntarily surrounding myself with people with whom I do not align became self-abuse, not a challenging training session that I craved. It’s like training for the Olympics in swimming, but training with a tennis coach. It’s neither good nor bad, just not aligned. To make practice more difficult, increase the difficulty level to push yourself; don’t train in another sport. Although both can be fun, only one brings you to your goal. Training with the tennis coach with hopes of becoming an Olympic swimmer will most likely not make you win gold. It’s challenging because it’s unaligned, not because it’s enhancing your skillset. The distinction between these two different types of challenge is crucial.

Recently, my professional life has been easy. I set myself up to flourish, and I am finally aligned, with a newfound self-worth and boundaries.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would drive to Malibu on PCH with the top down for some rejuvenation at the water. I’m always meditating in the sand, and I’d hope to share that experience with my bestie. I would definitely bring her to LACMA (I am so eager to attend the new opening!!) and stop at my favorite secret spot for dinner after. Most importantly, always keep an extra bikini in your car!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mother, sister, and plethora of coaches, always.

Website: https://www.makenasommer.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makenasommer/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/makenasommer