So, you recall the scene in Pretty Woman, where Julia Roberts has been given a whole wad of money and was told to go shopping for a nice dress, and she felt comfortable walking down the street, to the shop, but then they refused to serve her, saying they have nothing that will fit her and she left, red faced and humiliated. Of course we know what happens when Richard Gere takes her shopping and how she went back to the shop and said those words ” Big Mistake” seeing as they worked on commission and see how they lost out, simply because they would not see past the incorrect obvious.
Now let’s look at this another way? Imagine that the money Julia had to spend on clothes was takent that she could exercise in her job, imagine you brimming with enthusiasm and talent working for a boss who just does not appreciate you, may even go as far as to humiliate you sometimes, never gives you any credit for the work that you do, or worse takes the credit for the work themselves. They are effectively telling you that they don’t want your talent or your perky attitude right? This could be for many reasons, they could feel threatened by you, they just may not like you, because they feel threatened by you, no seriously though it could be a personality clash, they could just be mean or inept whatever the reason, you feel undervalued and put upon. You will be surprised at how common this scenario is, and yet we put up with it, I for one often used to bemoan how one day I would have my Pretty woman moment. I would be saying to those people see, what you are missing??
In some organisations, you get your Richard Gere in terms of mentors, and diversity programmes so you can exercise some sort of control over your career and take it out of the hands of your direct line manager. This though is not always the case and you have to be your own Richard Gere, and take responsibility for yourself and be accountable too. Its the only way you can create the life you want to live.
If you are currently in a job where you are not using your talents, or your talents are being shunned, the only way out of it is to take action, pick yourself up by the bootstraps and boom get control.
I am sure that I do not have to tell you that the happiest people are those who are living the life they way they have created it, they set out their goals based on their dreams and went for it. They have grown into a newer shinier version of themselves. So what would keep you from using your talents to make yourself happy? I believe that we all have the potential for success in us, its something that we can all define for ourselves. Sometimes we just need a little help, to put our dreams into motion.
Are you using your talents to the maximum in your work? What is it that holds you back from going to do your own thing, do let me know in the comments below or email me at nike@nikeakiti.com.
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