I heard this from Tim Ferriss’ podcast episode on The Man Who Studied 1,000 Deaths to Learn How to Live with BJ Miller. This is so true in life and your job search…
You are your own worst enemy
We see it everywhere in quotes. The power of belief or disbelief is staggering. I even see it in 9-year old baseball. If a kid walks up to the plate WANTING to hit the ball and BELIEVING they’ll hit it they are much more likely to get a hit. The reverse is also true. If they don’t want to be there and don’t think they will hit it they usually won’t.
In Malcom Gladwell’s book Outliers he says the same thing is true. The people who are successful, in large part, are successful because they believe they will be successful. You can take the same thing to your job search. You need to visualize what it will be like when you get a referral, the recruiter calls, you go on the interview, etc… Call it karma, positive thinking or the power of God within each of us, it works. But, just as with God’s timing, it is often times not on our time schedule.
Sekou Andrews puts it into perspective in Tim Ferriss’s podcast where he gives everyone in the audience a huge takeaway. Sekou has everyone repeat after him… “at least I’m not trying to build a successful life from poetry.” He goes on to say “I got no sympathy for y’all” “I built my business off a dead art form you hated in high school.”
Today, take the time to write down all the things that are holding you back. Say them out loud to someone else and get them out in the light where you can see them for what they are… they are agreements that you have made with the enemy that you are not enough. Here is a tip… you are MORE than enough.
Take me off your Rolodex and put me in your calendar
Sekou Andrews