I've taken to Reddit on the daily to offer my perspective to a few of those who are seeking outside perspective. This came from an answer to a recent graduate who graduated with a 4.0 GPA and wanted to know how hard they should work. They mentioned that they were a slave to their manager and never said no. Their work ethic reminds me of a younger me, so I wanted to give them some encouragement and hopefully some wisdom that I wish I'd learned earlier. The difference between them and I? They asked for perspective early on. I didn't.
You recognize that you're giving more than you're getting. Good on you. This means that you understand that you earn money by giving more value than you take.
Your incredible work ethic will translate to every corner of your life. Never back off that drive to do your best. That spark is the key to lighting a fire in anything you pursue.
Your dedication to your job should be balanced with what it gives you. Respect it, value it and the opportunities it provides and use it as a tool to gain skills and experience and to build great relationships.
Be a ruler of your own kingdom or be ruled by the kingdom that will assume rule over you. This doesn't mean that you need to be a tyrant or defiant to leadership, but to take leadership with the understanding that you are capable of governing your own tasks, decisions and life is key to outgrowing the roles and surpassing your current capacity. Take the note and do what's required of you. It may help you more than you see at first. Also be open to seeking perspective on why you've been given the direction you have, even if it's after the fact. This will give you greater perspective on how you govern your own kingdom.
Your potential for growth is infinite. Don't let people who think small minimize your potential or your value.
Look around you and ask yourself if the 5 people you spend the most time with are living the life you want to live or moving toward it. If they're not, start meeting new people. Be aware of this in all your social and work circles and you will never have to ask yourself if you're headed in the right direction as long as your inner circle is moving in the right direction. At least one of these people should be a mentor who in continually growing and is willing to invest into your growth and development if you want to continue to grow.
This should be number one. Read. If you haven't read it already, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie is required reading for people who want to develop and invest in their current relationships and their communication skills. If you commit to ongoing development and building key relationships in your life like you committed to your schooling, you are destined for great things, if you're willing to go after them.
The direction you choose depends, not only on the map you're using, but who taught you to read it and how you learn to adapt to the paths you travel along the way.
I hope this is valuable to some of you and that it finds you well.
Much love and stay well!
