Who Am I?

A few years ago, I was in the middle of a group conversation with people I worked with years ago and people I was currently working with. My worlds were about to collide, and I had no idea what to expect. At the time I hadn’t had a lot of success yet in my new department, so I was excited for someone in my new department to hear from someone that I used to work with about all the success I had previously had. It was set-up perfectly for me, the person who was about to talk was someone that I had hired and promoted. We had always gotten along, and I felt like he knew me fairly well. Then he said something in front of everyone that I never could have expected. He looked at everyone in the group and said something like, “He was great, I always remember him having Mt. Dew in his hand”. I was in shock, I couldn’t believe that with everything I had done, that was what people remembered most. I know it was only one person, but I felt like a failure. I spent fifteen years in that department, and it was all reduced to what kind of pop I liked. I love Mt. Dew, it’s my biggest vice, but I don’t want that to be what I’m remembered for. I don’t want that to be what people automatically think of when they hear my name.

If Not That, Then What?

I think it makes perfect sense to not want to be known for what you like to drink, but if not that, then what do you want to be known for? The more I thought about it, the harder the question was to answer. I know the question has multiple answers and some of those answers are fairly simple. I want to be known as a good person, who is friendly to everyone. I want to be known as someone who isn’t afraid to communicate in any form. I think those are great qualities, but in the end, it’s just not enough. We all know someone who is a good person, who knows how to talk, but they aren’t very good at their job. Even worse, sometimes those people do nothing but go around and annoy others. So, good answers, but not a complete answer. When I think about it, I want to be something unique. I want to be that person that is different than everyone else around them. Good answer, not very specific! Have you ever met someone who does something that few people do? Someone who works from home and makes good money. Maybe someone who runs a food truck. I want to be that person! I want to be the person that took the time to learn something that no one else took the time to learn. It might take five years to make it happen, but along the way when everyone else was watching TV, I was getting better at my craft. I read books, I watched videos, I took classes. The hardest part of thinking about this question is that I have to admit to myself that since I was a young kid, I’ve coasted. Now I want to work hard while so many others are coasting.

How do I change the perception?

So, if I know what I want to do, how do I do it? Things I know I have; I have a website; I have podcast equipment. What about work? The most difficult part is that I believe how you live all areas of your life impacts how you live the part of your life that you want to focus on. I need to do little things to be successful in what I want to do. I struggle with the little things at work. I can do them, but it’s just not where I want to spend my time. But, if I want to do things that no one else is doing, I will be the one that has to do those little things. The other thing I need to do is that I need to have the energy for everything I want to do. That means that I need to be a lot healthier. What is the easiest way for me to get healthier? Obviously, I need to put down Mt Dew. That is the ironic part of changing what people think about you, whatever you are currently known for, you need to stop doing. Most people aren’t willing to stop what they are currently doing even if it means success or changing the negative opinions of others. I was reading a book that said that the first two steps are knowing your vision and knowing your identity. The more I think about it, the more right they are. I’m going to go find both, go find yours!