From Impossible To Inevitable

Chapter 23Are You Abdicating Your Opportunity?

Hi, employee. There's always someone or something you can blame when you're not getting the recognition, excitement, or results that you want: a manager, a job, the market, teammates, the CEO, HR…

But you can't control them. You can control only yourself. And you can't wait around for the perfect opportunity to drop into your lap. Stop waiting for someone else to fix it, and use your frustrations to motivate you to Define Your Destiny rather than letting others define it for you.

Your Opportunity Is Bigger Than You Realize

When we ask executives, “What do you wish employees knew?” they answer that employees have way more opportunity than they realize to make an impact in the business, their careers, and their lives.

Employees: you wait around for others to tell you what to do, to help you, or to motivate you. You're letting yourself become dependent on others, and that's not going to get you to your goals.

How often do you catch yourself saying “But”? “I want to get promoted/be recognized/earn more/become a manager/but …”

• “… I don't know what to do to get ahead.”
• “… no one listens to my ideas.”
• “… I don't have a college degree/MBA/certification/award.”
• “… I'm not an exec favorite like Bob, who can do no wrong.”
• “… I don't have the budget/money …”
• “… I'm not talented at selling/marketing/product/speaking/and so on.”
• “… I'm too busy/I don't have the time…”
• “… I'm just here to pay the bills, because what I really care about is X, ...