I stopped to re-read some of my old blog posts. At first, I laughed at the overconfident girl who was ready to take on the world. But as I made my way through some posts, I found that I left some lasting impressions that I would be successful.
The last six months has been a test in the career world I never thought I’d undergo. If you asked me 5 or 10 years ago, where I would be today, I probably would’ve answered “Director or VP position at Medtronic.”
That was not in the cards. At least not yet.
Instead, I’m owner of Leadership’s Success, a coaching and consulting business to serve people and business in improving.
Owner.
Now, if you asked me 6 months ago or 6 years ago about being owner, I would’ve brushed it off with a chuckle.
Sticking to your Calling
The semester before I completed my undergraduate degree, I was involved in many outreach programs across Phoenix. It was during this time that I found my passion in motivating and lifting people up.
I remember tutoring a young girl in a low income district. She was talking about not seeing her dad that much because she didn’t live with him. Then she asked me about my father. I froze. Here is this young elementary school girl asking me about my father.
I didn’t want to tell her he died but I didn’t want to lie, giving her any idea that my home was so-called better than hers.
I carefully said how I knew how she felt but didn’t think it was appropriate to talk about. After a few questions and pushing to get a better answer, she smiled and we finished her assignment.
If I knew how connect to this young girl, could I connect to others?
Learning how to fail
I became a manufacturing technical supervisor quite early in my career. I recall having direct reports who were three times my age (not exaggerating). It was this time that I learned about failing and what it meant in the greater scheme of things.
I had to let my guard down so others would feel comfortable to lead around me. I learned about being humble in my accomplishments and accepting when I needed help. But above all, I learned that when you inspire someone with no hidden agenda, it sticks with them.
I would causally spend 10-20 minutes at most encouraging someone to apply for a job or telling him or her how to work through a problem. The smile on their face or the job offer in their hands was enough of a reward.
Failing is about being humble and vulnerable - Admitting how you are wrong and then working a plan to correct that. When I can help others do that, I feel like I grow a little in the process.
Rejection is a temporary hurt.
I mentioned the last six months has been a whirlwind. I can probably go back further but won’t bore you. Plus, you have other blog posts to read if you want to catch up.
But what hurt the most, was the amount of job application rejections I received in a given week. Talking about learning how to fail- I mastered the class!
I would ask myself:
- What is wrong with me?
- What am I missing in my resume?
- Why did I leave the medical device industry without securing another job?
I was too scared to ask the question that was most important:
What drives me everyday?
And that has always been, quite simply, serving and inspiring those around me.
I posted my major career shift on LinkedIn and had an acquaintance from my previous life reach out. We met once in person, waiting for our turn at a busy Verizon store in Desert Ridge. We talked, we laughed and we inspired. This was at least 12 years ago! I remember the lighting in the store, I remember it being around the holidays and I remember he sharing the Christmas Cheech & Chong video with me.
We connected on LinkedIn but never met in person again.
Today after congratulating on my career change, he wrote: “You certainly left a lasting impression. Our dialogue was intriguing, engaging and uplifting...something I definitely wasn't expecting at a Verizon store.”
My passion is to help people grow. To pass on the wisdom and tools I’ve gained over the years. To uplift others towards a direction they didn’t know they could go.
With that “lasting impression,” I was reminded today how I was born to do just that - to inspire.
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