Astronaut Kayla Barron on: How to Be the Best Version of Yourself Journey to becoming part of the NASA Artemis program
Kayla Barron sits down with John R. Miles to talk about how to be the best version of yourself. We all need to learn to act with vulnerability and authenticity in every step we take in our life, to form strong bonds with others by acting with humility, and to permit ourselves to dream the dream we have for our lives.
“Studying whether there’s life on Mars or studying how the universe began, there’s something magical about pushing back the frontiers of knowledge.”
To be the best version of yourself is doing the hard work that is necessary for you to achieve your full capabilities. It is becoming passion-struck and unleashing your full creativity and leadership abilities. When we become the best version of ourselves, it means becoming our ultimate self.
And, as simple as that sounds, it’s anything but. Authentic self-discovery requires us to face our fears, step into our sharp edges and do things every day that scares us. To approach your authentic self requires that you move away from self-limiting beliefs and embrace a growth mindset that is focused on being the best that you can become.
“It’s super important to have that awareness that you’re not perfect and that you have things you need to work on.”
Kayla Barron
Kayla Barron’s Path to the NASA Artemis Program
Kayla Barron is one of the first females in the U.S. Armed Forces to serve on submarines and was selected as part of the NASA Artemis program in 2017. Astronaut Kayla Barron describes how being an astronaut is the best thing she could be doing with her life. But, this wasn’t always her life goal. She decided to apply after meeting astronaut Kathryn Hire while the Flag Officer for VADM Ted Carter, then Superintendent of the Naval Academy.
Kayla is part of the NASA Artemis generation of astronauts, which is NASA’s return to the moon. This group was handpicked to fly initially to the international space station and, more importantly, to focus on space exploration and using the moon as a proving ground for Mars.
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Be the Best Version of Yourself Show Notes
0:00 Kayla Barron teaser
1:21 Show Intro and Kayla’s Background
4:49 Her time as Flag Aide to VADM Ted Carter
6:25 Why she decided to attend the Naval Academy
9:37 What makes the Naval Academy so special
10:47 What she learned from Division 1A Sports
14:50 Her path to the astronaut selection
20:16 Her advice on overcoming failure
24:00 The importance of discomfort in our personal growth
27:12 Becoming one of the first female’s on submarines
32:01 Her Gates scholarship and Cambridge University experience
38:35 Her advice on how to be the best version of yourself
42:44 What it means to be part of the Artemis program
48:00 The importance of humility
51:52 Vulnerability and authentic leadership
QUOTES FROM KAYLA BARRON
“Having humility is just being connected with the reality of your humanity.”
“Choose opportunities that are challenging and developmental but that you actually really really care about.”
“I want to be the best version of myself every single day because that’s what the people around me deserve.”
Quotes by Kayla Barron
ENGAGE KAYLA BARRON
NASA selected Kayla Barron to join the 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class. She reported for duty in August 2017 and is currently training as Mission Specialist for NASA SpaceX Crew-3 Mission to the ISS scheduled to launch October 2021. The Washington native graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering. A Gates Cambridge Scholar, Barron earned a master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Cambridge.
As a Submarine Warfare Officer, Barron was a member of the first class of women commissioned into the submarine community and served on the USS Maine.
