Make The Choice To Influence Or Be Influenced

“Do not become like the people who belong to this world. But let God completely change the way that you think, so that you live differently. Then you will understand what God wants you to do. You will know what is good. You will know what pleases God. You will know what is completely right.” Romans 12:2 EASY

In a team full of high performers, excellence becomes the norm. It becomes an ordinary event that must happen. When someone with a lower drive comes into the mix, he becomes the outcast.

On the flip side, in a team of people satisfied with mediocrity, a high performer becomes the outcast.

Because the outcast is part of the minority, over a period of time, one of two things happen:

• The outcast leaves or gets kicked out of the system. This is because whatever he is bringing to the table causes some form of discomfort to those there.
• The outcast becomes like the system. If he feels he is out of options and seeks external validation, he allows the culture to influence him.

Part of the reason why you approach work the way you do is because of your association over time. If you built your career surrounded by workaholics, and you preferred to not be labelled as the outcast, you eventually become like them.

But you know your natural inclination to that work when you leave that system.

If you always change with the wind based on where you find yourself, then you’re still yet to discover your personal flow. You’re yet to define your values and identify what’s most important to you.

If in your previous job, you were surrounded by excellence and so you strove for excellence and now, you’re satisfied with just “okay” because of where you are, you’ve conformed to what is around you. It doesn’t mean this new you is your true colour.

How would you define good work? For some, good work means sleepless nights and 4 cups of coffee. For others, it means doing what you can within fixed hours, every day.

In the beginning, you’ll experience different cultures, habits and motivations from different people some of which will rub off on you.

As you grow, you’re to choose the cultures, habits and motivations you place around you. Sometimes you may find yourself in an environment that goes against everything you stand for.

Your level of growth and your interpretation of what is good at that point will be determined by whether or not you are able to recognise the system you’re in and take appropriate action.

Always endeavour to identify where you are. You’re not here to roam.