Three Lies of Career Limitation
Most people get into a comfortable career situation and it becomes easy for them to maintain the status quo. As time goes on, and they get caught in a tunnel of everyday activity, it becomes increasingly difficult to change. They become blinded to the vast opportunity that the world has to offer. Indeed, they come to believe the Three Lies of Career Limitation:
Security
Lie: My company may not offer me the opportunity to make terrific money or to control my own destiny, but it is a safe and secure place to work. While my performance is not recognized as outstanding, I can count on having a job to come to every single day.
Truth: The only security you will ever have is confidence in your talent, skills, and knowledge. If you are secure and self-aware, you will always be in demand. Even the most tenured and highest performing employee in a company faces the risk of being fired. The minute a company’s profits evaporate, so do the jobs. As we have seen in the cases of Enron, WorldCom, and others, profits can evaporate for a number of reasons that are outside of your control. Security only comes from controlling your own destiny.
Benefits
Lie: I’ll never get the (fill in the blank - pay, benefits, time off, tuition reimbursement, free meals) that I have here.
Truth: You can always do better. Outstanding athletes always find a team owner that will pay them more money than did their previous team. You have talent. There is a market for your talent. You simply need to identify your value and your market.
Loyalty
Lie: The company has been good to me all these years. I owe it to them to stay.
Truth: You don’t owe anyone anything. Your company is getting a lopsided return on their investment in you. It’s guaranteed that you have the potential to generate a minimum of ten times your salary in productivity for your company. If you are not currently doing so, someone is probably going to come and speak with you shortly.
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