Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Oh I bet you heard that before, but imagine with me for a second that you are paid every time that broken clock shows the correct time. Now, let’s also say that you are able to hit a button to randomize the time on that clock as many times as you want and when it hits the correct time, you get money.
What would you do?
Wouldn’t you try to hit that button as many times as you could, assuming that the time it takes to do so is worth your while?
I would. In fact, I have proof, because this is pretty much how real life works and I have been known to experiment. I never know whether I will be rewarded for my actions, but we are all ultimately paid according to the results that we achieve. There are some consequences of failure, but for the most part, more actions leads to more positive results.
No one ever knows for sure whether success will come out of every project he/she gets involved in, but that shouldn’t be an obstacle. Even if I jump into something new and don’t get the desired result, I have gained a great deal of knowledge. Now, that’s power.
My boss used to love asking me to do everything because I almost never say no. At some level, one can argue that I was being taken advantaged of but it also gave me incredible exposure. Exposure that led to experiences few receive, especially considering my age. I mean, who would ever get a chance to help design an interior of a business building from the ground up, be in a a pressurized sales position handling multimillion dollar accounts, run an IT team and negotiate with its vendors at the same company? As I hopped within the company from job to job, it was insanely difficult but everything I did helped me so much. Negotiation? Check, relationship building? Check. Operational and technical skills? More checks.
It’s not how much you read. It’s how much you have done and know.
Sometimes, you have to say no to stay focus, but there’s incredible power with taking action and telling yourself yes.
- Yes, you can do it.
- Yes, you should do it.
- Yes, you need to do it.
Get started. From career to family to personal finance. Get off your a** and do something about it.
{ read the comments below or add one }
I like what you have said that one can never really know if success will come out of a project but this should not be an obstacle. This really motivates me because I have started a few entrepreneurial ventures that I have never tried before and I know not of anybody that has much less succeeded. Also that for the nudge into action 🙂
Knowledge without action just remains knowledge. The experience of doing brings rewards and a better understanding of yourself.
You can’t succeed if you don’t try. And making mistakes is a great way to learn the ways to save and stay optimistic about building wealth.
I think it all boils down to being pro-active and optimistic. Plus if you were able to successfully accomplish what your boss asked of you, you can put that down on your resume. You did it and now you know how to do it.
I’m the same way at my company, and I find it hard to plow through everything because I never feel that it’s fair when my colleagues do much less and get the same salary. Thanks for the story. This helps A LOT.
I admire your work ethic, but I think you need to stay focused on yourself. Hard work almost always gets noticed. If you feel you are appreciated but undervalued, ask for a raise. You deserve it and your superiors may agree.
Asking for a raise is a good idea, but always wait till the opportunity presents itself like during a performance review. Otherwise, it could very easily seem like you are whining about your workload.
I think this is good advice. Often times, two sides have different perceptions of each other, and if you don’t know your boss’s perception of you, you will do yourself A LOT of damage.
You will feel that way at times, but keep at it because you never know when those experiences you’ve accumulated will help you.