Good morning, friends!
Three years ago, I published a book called Hidden Genius. As I reflect on the years since, it’s mind-boggling to think about just how much has changed.
When I first saw my book on shelves at Barnes & Noble in June 2023, I was there with my husband, my two-year-old daughter, and newly-pregnant with my son.
Here is a video of that moment:
Watching this today, I barely recognize the girl in the video. Little did she know she would have 4 kids, move back to New York City, see her book translated and published in her home country of Bulgaria, profile some of the most fascinating people in the world, and most importantly, share all of it with you.
But through all that change, there’s been one constant — this newsletter. These words — written by ‘2023 me’ and ‘2026 me’ have made their way to your inbox every single Sunday. And along the way, you’ve watched me experience some of the highest highs of my life — as well as moments that scared me more than I knew I could be scared.
Somehow, the book I wrote became the book I needed. Hidden Genius is about developing the self-awareness to know who you are, the courage to bet on yourself, the resilience to keep going when the plan falls apart, and the ability to distinguish between what matters and what merely feels urgent. I have gone back to all of those lessons in the last three years.
The greatest books aren’t necessarily the best-written or the most-read. To me, the greatest books are the ones that give you one idea that changes the trajectory of your life or one story that allows you to see your own life from a fresh perspective.
And there’s something else that makes this paperback particularly meaningful to me. It’s you. Many of you reading this right now were here before there was a book.
You opened The Profile when it was just an email from someone sharing profiles I found interesting. You forwarded it to friends. You sent me profiles to inclide. You corrected me. You encouraged me. You paid for subscriptions. You told other people about my work.
That tiny newsletter eventually turned into my career and then it also all somehow morphed into a book.
The paperback edition of Hidden Genius is officially out today. If you’ve never read it, I’d love for this to be the moment you do. And if you’ve already read it, consider giving a copy to someone whose hidden genius you see before they fully see it themselves.
How can you help on launch day?
If you want to support me today, here’s how you can help:
Leave a review: If you read the book and enjoyed it, I’d be so thankful if you took the time to share a review on Amazon or Goodreads about it so others can read it too!
Share a photo of the book in the wild: If you want to help me spread the word, I’d love it if you share a photo of the book and tag me on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn!
Introductions: If you or someone you know has a platform (newsletter, podcast, YouTube, etc) with a large audience (100,000+ people), and you’d like to make an introduction, please reply to this newsletter.
Sign up for my newsletter The Profile where I will be sharing more updates. Sign up here.
More than anything, I just want to say thank you. This book exists because The Profile exists, and The Profile exists because you continue to show up, read my work, share it, and believe in what I’m building.
You rock.
— Polina
Order your copy here:
Congrats! What an inspiring journey.
So inspiring!