How dare you!
You’ve probably heard the quote: “Your value doesn't decrease based on someone's inability to see your worth.”
?However, the reality for some is that as much as they would like to lean into this quote, they have faced so many disappointments that they have started to believe that they might not be as skilled as they once had thought.
?Think of the person who has made countless job applications and keeps getting one rejection letter after the other.
?At first, they might think to themselves: maybe there were many talented candidates (you being among them) and the recruiters had to settle on someone else, even though you were a good fit, for one reason or another.
?However, when the rejection emails keep coming, and in some cases needle drop silence, only for you to find out the position was filled, it can start taking a toll on your confidence.
?My challenge to you is to not give up on pursuing your goals, be they professional or personal.
?I was having a conversation with a friend – Jane – about her journey into entrepreneurship.
She was an early childhood educator for years and had always desired to start her own nursery school but wasn’t quite sure how it would work out.
?When she finally decided to take the plunge and informed friends and other people she thought would support her about it, many dismissed the idea, telling her that her personality was “not cut out for entrepreneurship”.
?Jane is a reserved lady but has a very strong resolve. When she decides to pursue a goal, she does so audaciously.
?She has been running her school for five years now and it has grown, with several parents who appreciate the individualized attention given to their children recommending the school to others.
?She said that when she got negative feedback on her plans to start a school, she at first pulled back and thought maybe she was aiming too high.
?However, she evaluated her business plan and skill set and said, “I know myself. I know what it takes to run a good school and I can run a school, so I decided not to allow people who don’t know what is inside of me to tell me what I can and cannot do.”
?A powerful statement.
?How many times have you decided to pursue a goal and shared it with someone or people you thought would cheer you on, only for them to overtly or covertly give a string of reasons why they think you cannot achieve it.
?My challenge to you is to evaluate yourself. Know your strengths and weaknesses and once you are self-aware, you should not allow anyone to tell you what you can or cannot do. Only you know what skills and talents lie inside you waiting to be used to make your mark – however big or small – in the world.
?How dare you let others determine the course of your destiny based on their assumptions of who you are and what they think you can do!
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