The Truth Behind the World of Work

I graduated from university 12 months ago! Well, not in the traditional sense where I walked across the stage in a cap and gown – but I did. I spent four years studying, passionate about putting my best foot forward, striving for perfection, and working toward my goal of being on the Dean’s list for academic merit. You might be wondering, did I end up achieving my goal? I did. Do I think it was worth it – take a guess.

I entered my first job, striving to deliver the best possible work, meet each deadline, and set perfection standards, which the school system had taught me as a means to survive in this world.?As you can imagine, it wasn’t long before I became overwhelmed by the idea that what I learned throughout my academic endeavours needed to be adjusted. You see, the professional hybrid working world doesn’t reward hard work with a distinction – it rewards you with more work, work that doesn’t end once you click submit. Work to balance all aspects of your life, work not to allow your hobbies to die, work to spend time with your family and friends, and work to maintain a manageable schedule that will enable you to give your best and not lose sight of the very thing that lights a fire in your soul.?

I quickly realised life is a journey of continuous learning, acceptance, work, growth, and challenging the very nature of any circumstance. My goal has shifted from reaching an end goal to prioirtising each facet of the journey – what does that look like?

In my opinion, it means leaning on the knowledge of those who came before you and striving to learn something new every day – be it through reading or podcasts, and asking yourself the question, what is your truths?

My Truths:

• Truth #1:

Live inside out, not from the outside in. To me, this means protecting your peace - not allowing your circumstance to define you. Instead, give yourself the grace to remember that, as corny as this sounds, “this too shall pass!” Embracing the circumstance as an opportunity to learn something new about yourself, the world, and the people around you.

• Truth #2:

Working toward living out your life purpose is not a journey to be taken alone – prioritise your relationships, be kind and speak words of encouragement to those around you, and spend time with people who water the soil that allows your passions to take root. After all, we are social creatures and aren’t meant to face life alone.

• Truth #3:

Remember your why and believe in your potential.?Your life will always go in the direction of your strongest thought – something I’ve learned in my almost 25 years of life is that perception is everything. If you believe you can and tell yourself everything will work out, you will only see opportunities. If you believe you can’t or that it won’t work, you will only see obstacles.

• Truth #4:

The work you do has a place in helping define who you are, but remember, you are more than your occupation. Give yourself a chance to develop outside of work, step outside of your comfort zone, lead with gratitude each day and commit to continual development by never ceasing to be curious about the world around you.

• Truth #5:

There is power in the tongue – whatever you say to yourself and those around you could be uplifting or detrimental.

• Truth #6:

Don’t allow yourself to be a prisoner to your fears. Face them, and accept that fear is a price of progress. The reality is that everyone, even a CEO, faces fears that they could fail. The only difference is they don’t allow fear to stop them. You can feed your fears or starve them; even when something doesn’t go as planned, don’t take failure personally. A great author named John C. Maxwell once wrote there is a vast difference between “I am a failure” and “I have failed” - allow it to redirect you and embrace it as a learning experience. This is the difference between growth and stagnation.

• Truth #7:

Your journey is different from those around you.

• Truth #8:

Welcome change with a positive attitude.

The value of educating oneself does not always have to come in the form of a degree, but having the desire to continuously place yourself in a position to learn, drawing on the knowledge around you, and experiencing life for what it is – a journey of continuous learning. Do I think the years of education beyond high school were worth it? Yes, and I know that the journey does not stop here. The biggest test is not in the form of an essay or exam. It is the joy of waking up each day ready to accept that I don’t know everything, but I have been blessed with another day to get the chance to change that.

I encourage you to take the time each day to consider your facts, an ever-growing list that will not cease to grow. In my opinion, this is what makes life worth living.

What are your truths?