5 Inspiring Lessons from Netflix’s “Inventing Anna”

Since the time Netflix has dropped the binge-worthy series titled “Inventing Anna”, the urge to complete the episodes and pen down my thoughts has been monumental. After some contrasting thoughts, a statement that is clear to me is that I in no way support her methods of making money, but the sheer idea of how she pulled it off is extremely astonishing, fascinating, and at the same time, enthralling to me. The pretend German Heiress managed to con thousands of dollars from America’s elite with her core belief of the “Fake it till you make it” approach. Besides, I was impressed with her lawyer's opening sentence stating, “There’s a little bit of Anna in all of us”. 

Does that stand correct? 

Is there really a little bit of Anna vibe in all of us? 

Sure, one way of perceiving this is to browse through your social media or for that matter, retrospect on every resume you decorated and the degree to which you have managed to convince the employer in an interview by using filters to pitch a picture-perfect image. While that does not necessarily extend my inclination towards her infinite effort to climb the social ladder through betrayal, however, undoubtedly she was great with her strategy and self-belief. 

Here are some surprising yet worthy observations from the binge-worthy series “Inventing Anna” I believe in.  

1. Boycott Self-Loathing, Chase Your Dreams Rather

Very few possess what it takes to chase their dreams to the tee. Cannot deny credit when it's due, but the way Anna Delvey chased her dreams and had the confidence and belief to achieve them requires tonnes of grit and guts. Noway in my dreams can I ever trust an individual like her but I certainly admire her guts and self-confidence, something which the current generation lacks extensively. 

Imagine a situation where there is no holding back and self-loathing. Rather a feeling of worthiness and the thought that you deserve it all. That’s all she was all about. She saw something and went all out of it. How many times have we done that? 

To answer for me, maybe once. 

2. Stop Being a People-Pleaser

Accept this or not, most of us desire to be liked by people surrounding us or the ones who matter to us, to say the least. While the motive can vary, it does provide a sense of accomplishment to us. Unlike Anna, who was rude and unlikable in almost every way. However, people were drawn towards her. She had what it takes to make new friends and establish her network with her charisma and intellect by not being liked by nearly anyone except her best friend, Neff!

That’s another factor I admire about her. Maybe she is the epitome of following “The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck” religiously. You don’t need to be liked to achieve what you want. Focus on your opinion and what you are capable of achieving in hindsight. 

3. Tuning in the Feminist Card 

Love or loathe Anna Delvey, you can take away from her the propensity to bring your goals into reality, backed with a strong belief system and overtaking the various obstacles women face to make a big shot in the business pre-dominant by men. 

A self-made individual who in no way used her femininity to scam the New York elite. Surely, money was not the only thing she wanted to accomplish which was honestly easier to achieve by marrying and watching her vision falling in place, which she even accepts as shown by Shonda. The talent to con the wealthy and authoritative without playing the gender card made her dangerous and compelling. Brownie points for that!

4. Letting go of your fears

Often the fear of making a mistake and not knowing how to do something makes us question our skills. Let’s pause for a minute and ponder on how Anna let go of her fears by embracing the truth which has been very beautifully showcased during her high school days. She had soon become a fashion sensation at high school even though she belonged to a very different culture and could have easily fallen prey to culture shock. Rather, it was just the opposite. 

The same applies to all of us. Do not let your temporary defeat question the potential. Stay focused, and you will soon be where you need to be. 

5. Escapism has an expiry date 

In the series, we witness Anna dreaming about beauty, art, wealth, and tonnes of glamour. But was this sustainable by having a great plan in hand filled with white lies of family money? Anna resorted to escapism by finding new routes and distractions when left with herself to avoid looking forward. 

The truth is that what we see online is what the owner wants us to see and how they want others to perceive them. Stop running away from reality and start accepting the truth, helps us go in a long way. 

Skip or Stream “Inventing Anna”, the choice is up to you, but one lesson that holds correct all my life is to strive and become a better version of ourselves instead of chasing the ‘gram or social trend. Stop seeking validation and start loving yourself more often.