Every Great Oak was Once a Little Nut…
Climbing the ladder to your dream job? Or beating your head against a wall trying to decide what to major in? In either case, know this: the very best employee or student was once the sleep deprived, hungry, stressed out human you see in the mirror. Being overwhelmed with creating a life your mama would be proud of comes with the territory. But if you take a step back and look at the big picture, you will see your trajectory can lead you to that corner office or the valedictory speech at graduation. How will you go from rags to riches? Peanuts to prime rib? Trailer to tri-level? Acorn to oak?
Get Comfortable with being Uncomfortable
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Just because something doesn’t feel natural or come easy, doesn’t mean you can’t be successful in finding your way through! If you ask “experts” in their field, they didn’t start out that way. Persevere. At some point, you won’t be able to remember what it felt like not to know what the heck you were doing. You will take your grades to a new level. You will take your career to a new level. You will keep rising because being uncomfortable feels more comfortable than not progressing. Remember that acorn? It has to undergo some pressure to transform into an oak tree. So do you!
Rest assured that you are not the first or the last. Any struggles, doubts, or questions you may have have been struggled with, doubted, or questioned already. What does this mean for you? Look to others who have walked your path, and use their wisdom and experience. Why reinvent the wheel, when they have already fixed the flats? This is true for everything in life. And when it is your turn to look back and help someone else along, you will understand the satisfaction that accompanies the saying, “A job well done.”
No matter how hopeless you feel, don’t lose hope. An acorn doesn’t become a mighty oak overnight! A positive attitude is equal to a positive altitude. STOP saying, “This is too hard!” or “I will never catch on!” or “Who’s dumb idea WAS this??” and START saying, “I got this!” and “This is making me a better person!” and “I don’t know who’s idea this was, but there’s a new boss in town!” Think Eeyore and Tigger. The Hundred Acre Wood surely had a few great oaks in it and while Eeyore was bumbling around tripping over the roots, Tigger was focused on his vertical into the branches above!
So turn that frown upside down! Turn that failure into fabulous! We can’t be on our A-game all the time, but we CAN learn from our experience and discover ways NOT to repeat our mistakes in the future. Before long, instead of cursing all of your “not successes,” you will be singing their praises. They grant you the opportunity to smooth out some rough edges in your character and taste the sweetness of sticking it out. Einstein said it best: “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” He also said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Either which way, we all know how Einstein fared, so make the mistakes, and take the opportunities!
Growth Mindset
Faith over fear, my friends! Don’t let uncertainty hold you back and keep you from the big payday. Be uncomfortable, struggle, feel hopeless, and fail. There is beauty in the journey and bliss in the destination. In the concept of growth mindset, as told by developer, psychologist Carol Dweck, “…people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work – brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” Go forth little nut and be an oak!