“I am struggling in my job. I don’t know if I should quit my job or continue. And if I continue, whether I should focus on this or that or the other thing. Is this type of work even for me? I feel exhausted. Not much positive feedback, and I don’t really know if what I’m doing is valuable for the company, for any customers or for other employees. I feel kinda lost. What should I do?”
He looked at me across the table. Across his cup of coffee, and mine. I started out slowly:
“You know, there’s stacks of books written about this, countless methodologies and coaching practices addressing these kinds of issues.”
He looked eagerly at me, waiting for some book or methodology that would match his complex problem. Some kind of intricate way of resolving his issues. But then I went on:
“But really, it boils down to just one simple concept. Just one.”
He looked sorta disappointed. Like I was about to invalidate his complex problem or insult his intelligence.
“You only need to impress.”
“Uh?”
“Yes, impress your customer, your boss, your colleague, your wife, your kids, yourself. But impress by delivering something of value. Impress your customers in every meeting. Impress your colleagues every workday. Impress your kids by really playing with them when they bring out the Lego. Impress your wife in bed. Impress by delivering. Unconditionally and as much as you can. If you do this, you’ll be doing good. And this is all you need to do.”
If it is one single tip you should embrace, it is this one: Impress! We are not talking about embellishment, “selling yourself” or making something that isn’t impressive look impressive. What we are talking about is creating real and lasting value. For others and for yourself.
Start by impressing yourself. Go a few steps beyond what you would expect of yourself. Do something that makes you proud, something that gives you that feeling of accomplishment. Ask yourself what could possibly make you go “wow!”. And then do that. Keep going.
Then impress others. But how would you know what an other would find impressive? Just ask[1]. Ask that other person what would impress him or her. Get a few answers. Then deliver at least one of them. If there is nothing you could do to impress that person – either because the person doesn’t know what could be impressive or because the answers are something you couldn’t deliver – then find another person you can impress.
If you keep delivering impressive results, success is virtually guaranteed. And it is the best tip to ensure your success. Whatever else you decide to do in life, at least do this.
Make sure to record your achievements and other’s statements about your results in your CV[2]. Your achievements are your assets that exemplifies what you are capable of – your abilities to impress by creating real value, to add a noticeable positive difference.
The difference you make each day stacks up during a year and make for an impressive life. Keep at it even when you’re having a shitty day or a terrible year. Maybe life is all dark and gloomy. You can still impress yourself – even if you have no long-term goals and only take one day at a time. It’s when your self confidence is at its lowest where you can do even small accomplishments that will make you proud. You can always surprise yourself by putting in that extra effort. Always.
If you think this is way too simple for your complex problem, then just start. Most people don’t start. Make sure to accomplish something worthwhile every day for 30 days. Then revisit this OnePageBook and see if that month made a noticeable difference in your life. Thinking about your problems, marinating in them, talking about them or sulking over them will never be as effective as doing something about them. And the best you can do is start creating some – even small – impressive results.
[1] How to listen, how to ask…read the OnePageBook, “Listening – Superpower” (
https://isene.me/onepagebooks/)
[2] To make your résumé really stand out, read the OnePageBook titled, “Your Kick-Ass CV” (
https://isene.me/onepagebooks/)
