I was asked by a novice what the secret to my success in this industry has been. It really hasn’t been a secret to my success, but more of a ‘secret to my survival’. Arguably, this industry is no place for an English Lit Major who turned down a job to teach English in Japan. Even more, this industry is no place for someone who turned down a job as a district sales manager to move out to Toronto to become a Merchandiser.
Well, if you tuned in long enough here and paid attention, the secret is no secret…
Give yourself Options. Choices.
Give them to YOURSELF, create them YOURSELF. They’re not necessarily given to you, and even if/when they are given to you, they may not be the best for you.
Choices as in “Choose Your Adventure”. You are the one in control, and you can have as many or as few choices as you want/need.
Sure, there is more that comes along to achieve success, Diversifying but Focus, Achievements and Milestones, Score Wins, Celebrate Wins, and keeping your Integrity.
The person that I was talking to was eager to climb the ladder, and anxious to “move and shake”. She resembled everything to me that personified Toronto when I first moved here: people trying to get ahead, go-go-go, climb the ladder, climb over people, move and shake, run the rat race, and eventually burn out. Don’t worry, she’s young so she won’t burn out very soon, but she will. They all do.
If that’s your definition of success, then you go and achieve it.
Me, I’m on to other things.
Song of the Day: Regulate – Warren G
