We all have one. Some are older than others and some are more realistic. We are born without freedom, but as we grow into childhood, we grow fast. We rarely put ours aside for others, but we expect others to put theirs aside. It affects our physical appearance and mental state. This is the source of much of our financial success.
This is our soul. Our confidence or self-esteem. Our vision guides us through the day, successfully creating confidence where uncertainty lurks, setting us up for success and reinforcing our relevance in everyday life.
Our perspective convinces us that we are important, necessary and great at what we do. And mostly we are those things. When the ego convinces us that we are more important, always needed and somehow better than others, our balance is disturbed. Checking your paycheck may be the most helpful step you can take to find balance in your life.
So, I’m going to do you a favor and tell you some unpleasant facts about your job. Put your ego aside and read them as universal truths—truths that transcend our understanding of reality. These aren’t direct insults to anyone, but if they annoy you, then it might be something interesting!
At work, you are not as important as you think. As long as people need you, count on you, and expect you to do a good job, if you’re not at work, someone else will do your job. Apple is still a very successful company without Steve Jobs. Every four to eight years we get a new president. Life always goes on, even without us.
Other people are just as smart as you, if not smarter. You don’t have to solve every problem, create every new product, or come up with the best idea in a meeting. In fact, the more you let others share their knowledge and ideas, the more they can help you get the job done. More brains – better product.
Your boss/client doesn’t always need you to answer their questions – they need someone who can answer the question. What matters to your manager/client is that the question is answered or the problem is solved, not who answers or solves.
Asking others to do a task that you cannot do is not a sign of weakness. In fact, this is the sign of a well-rounded leader who understands his temporal and cerebral limitations.
You will be remembered for the impact you had on your family, friends and community in this world, not how much you worked.
Being busy doesn’t make you important. In fact, being too busy makes you boring and useless to those who really need time.
Spending time telling others how busy you are is a waste of time – yours and theirs.
Bragging about how much free time you have left at the end of the year says more about your priorities than your importance.
Put aside your views. Don’t define yourself by how many tasks you complete in a day. Start paying attention to your teammates and friends so they understand how they can rely on each other to work less and produce as a team. Don’t think you’re indispensable, and see what happens when you take time off and let others answer questions, attend meetings, or put out fires. Delegate work to others, allowing them to learn and grow.
