This past week I got a random message from someone who claims to be a well-known public figure.
At first, of course, I gave them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe it was them or someone from their team, just trying to stay in touch with the world.
But things started to fall apart for them as it started to become obvious.
Here’s how I knew that they were definitely not the person they said they were:
- They were focusing on all the wrong things. Knowing the person’s philosophy, I doubt that they would call their readers ‘fans’. And yet this person kept referring to “fans” this and “fans” that. Odd I thought. Definitely did not sound right.
- They were unable to expand upon their expert topics. When I asked them about a topic on leadership that they would normally be jumping on, they brushed through the subject as if it was unimportant. Something I know the real person would hardly pass up.
- They kept asking irrelevant questions. They said: where are you “chatting from”? Which is weird because, why should it matter? Secondly, why keep on bringing it up AGAIN when it was SO clearly irrelevant?
But this is the reality of work and life, isn’t it?
That even when you’re working your butt off, you will have to face the fact that people you are talking to may have experienced weird stuff like this.
And that they might be looking at you with a certain degree of exhaustion and jadedness.
NOT because they don’t like you.
But because they had been on the receiving end of things like this.
As a result, whenever YOU are trying to get better at what you do, your work, your business, and reach out to build relationships with people, they’ll look at you as if YOU had done something like this to them.
Which you clearly did not.
So what should you do if the world is making things more difficult for you?
- Stay above the water.
Resist the race to the bottom. When you see thing like this, it’s easy to let the current take you. It’s a noisy world and many will want you to focus on all the wrong things. It’s up to you whether you’ll listen to this. Or listen to your better self. I’m not perfect either and this is a daily intention I set for myself. Let’s support each other in this.
- Turn things into a learning opportunity.
What I learned from this experience is that there will always, always be things that do not deserve your energy and time. Period. Better to give it to those who are actually serious about creating extraordinary work. In the years that I’ve worked with professionals and businesses, I’ve learned that when someone has decided that their life is only entertaining when they hide behind someone else—there’s nothing I could do. It’s like watching a boat that is inching into a 100 feet drop. It’s simply too late.
- Only few are brave enough to LIFT up, instead of just bending down.
I have no problem if you accommodate the way things work in your space—IF that’s something you’re cool with. But if every day you wake up and feel like … something is not right …
Then you’ll get to decide whether you want to stick around to LIFT up those around you.
Or move on to LIFT up others who are not yet around you.
It’s really your choice.
And the real question becomes whether you are willing to accept that you CAN do all these things—even if you feel short-changed or disadvantaged.
I think you can.
Do you?
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This week, I wanted to find out some more ways in which we all CAN rise to the occasion, even if you feel shortchanged.
This could mean that you’re an introvert in an extroverted space. Or maybe you just hate the hustle bravado and can’t seem to get away from the hustle culture. And yet, you STILL want to succeed.
So what makes someone able to stay true to who they are and STILL rise to the top?
To find out how different success stories are dealing with this, I talked to:
- Margaret Soraya, CEO of Quiet Landscapes photography.
- Kristie Kennedy, TEDx Keynote speaker, 20+ year as professional speaker.
- Isabel Barron, CEO of Wholelistic Nurse, LLC.
- Ann Chu, Treasury Director turned professional coach.
When you listen to this episode, Growth Solvers, you will learn:
- How a COVID-19 survivor was able to defy all odds, and continued to balance being a creative entrepreneur in a fast-moving world.
- How to be more selective about what you read and listen to, especially if you’re an introvert in a loud and noisy world of business.
- What you can learn from what hospitals can do for nurses and what this means if you’re growing a business and an audience.
- What you might be able to do if you’re furloughed or are stuck in a corporate job you hate.
Get EXCITED, Growth Solvers, as you learn about:
(7:12) Margaret’s first-hand experience with COVID-19, and what her lung pain really felt like.
(8:12) What to do if you want to change careers after 20+ years
(9:33) How to capitalize on your passion and hobby, even if you don’t think it’s possible.
(10:16) What you might not know about introverts that can be a total game-changer.
(11:06) What to do if you’re exhausted from doing things that you love.
(11:58) What to do if impostor syndrome gets in your way.
(12:45) How to start and become a massively successful professional speaker, even if you have no experience.
(13:20) How to bravely step out of your comfort zone and start with a bang.
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(15:03) Hear Kristie’s 20+ year experience in powerful public speaking as an introvert.
(16:16) What to do if you’re not sure about what you want to do.
(17:10) How to know whether you’re doing what you should be doing in life, work, and business.
(17:54) How to stay productive even if everything around you is keeping you from getting things done in a meaningful way.
(19:39) What you really should be doing with your comfort zone.
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(20:34) Hear Isabel’s account on how she conquered her anxiety when speaking in public.
(21:40) How to still do meaningful work even if you don’t feel like doing things you’re uncomfortable with.
(22:58) Why doing work that you love often comes with things you don’t love and what to do about this.
(24:17) How to make your employees, colleagues, partners, or even just your family thrive doing what they love by learning from hospitals.
(25:18) How to be successful by linking up with other introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts.
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(26:10) Hear Ann’s transition through treasury and corporate America and how ‘not wanting to be a coward’ created massive changes.
(27:22) If you’ve been furloughed, and you’re on a fork, this is the advice you need to hear (and find out the advice you should not be listening to).
(28:40) How to make decisions in a way that you won’t regret it years from now.
(29:50) What your expenditures say about you (and what steps you need to take next).
(30:41) How to understand your choices to avoid missteps moving forward.
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Do you think you can achieve what you want—even if you felt short-changed or disadvantaged?
I think you can.
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FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to get weekly juicy and massive ways you absolutely CAN do this!
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Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the episode while you GO. SOLVE. And GROW.
Learn more about the speakers:
- Margaret Soraya, CEO of Quiet Landscapes photography.
- Kristie Kennedy, TEDx Keynote speaker, 20+ year as professional speaker.
- Isabel Barron, CEO of Wholelistic Nurse, LLC.
- Ann Chu, Treasury Director turned professional coach.
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Join me and listeners from 33+ countries worldwide by learning more about how to make MASSIVE waves at work, life, and how to create a meaningful business that you’re proud of: www.goodgrowgreat.com/introvertsrise
