On this episode of Creating Disney Magic, I answer a listener question that may seem unique, but it is more common than you may think.

A listener told me she is 28 and people think she is a teenager. It creates a challenge at work because people think she is young and therefore inexperienced.

Although you may not have this problem of looking like a teenager, you do have something in common with this listener.

You have a challenge that gets in the way. You hope people don't notice, but they probably will.

Maybe you try to get around it by not talking about it.

Hiding your challenge is not the right approach.

For this podcast listener, people treat her differently because they think she is young. It's not uncommon for people to discriminate against someone for being too young.

Or too old.

People shouldn't focus on age. Young or old. What matters is experience and knowledge.

But sometimes it is to your advantage to bring it up right from the start.

Call out your challenge from the beginning. Deal with it as soon as you can.

When I was younger, I thought people would question my ability because I did not have a college degree. So I brought it out front in the beginning. It allowed me to draw attention to my experience and the positions I held during my career.

If you don't address what people may already be thinking, you may not get the opportunity you are after.

Bringing out the issue upfront will also show people you are not afraid to have a difficult conversation.

Use the situation to help create a personal story of perseverance and overcoming a challenge.