The World Is Not Yours For The Taking (It’s Yours For The Trying)

That feeling where you’re lost, clueless, and wondering if everyone would be relieved if you just didn’t come back on Monday. 

I had that feeling a lot early on in my career. 

Nothing really was working, at least not in the way people said it would/should/could. 

On one hand, I felt like I had proof something wasn’t working (ex. “cold call and tell them what exactly? Even though I’d hang up on me if I said any of this crap – do you know me, who you hired by the way, or just you all from 30 years ago?!”). 

On the other hand, I had no real proof of any alternate working measures. I was an impostor-syndrome-filled hack. I could tell someone I thought something felt wrong, but beyond constructive criticism, I had no path to proving why (i.e. I can make money my way too, let’s compete).

So I tried. Lots of different things. Mostly focusing on trying anything that anyone I could work with or for seemed to perceive as valuable. I was on the search for things that were inside their interests, but outside their expertise OR available time. 

It was a slog. 

Along the way, I saw a lot of other people giving advice and taking results from people in my spot. “You should do this,” followed by “Close enough, but not enough, so I’ll take this from here.” 

There’s a lot of people who exist by vampiring away your time and money. You’re little more than a refillable blood sack to them. Oh, and they’re not refilling it, so you can hang around so long as you are.

I can’t unsee it. All I can do is not forget it. 

I also saw a handful of people giving genuine advice and trying to help.

A handful.

I won’t forget how that felt either (and try to embody this at work and in regular life). 

All these feelings got knocked loose like dust off a rafter when I re-stumbled across this Scott Galloway quote:

The world is not yours for the taking, but for the trying. Try hard, really hard. 

Your career shouldn’t be a smash-and-grab job. You are not some vampires blood bag either. The only person you have to prove “it” to is yourself, which is damn near impossible and completely essential at the same time.

And if you prove it and find yourself on top, don’t get all mafioso and think you’ve earned kickbacks.

Don’t take. 

Just try. 

And encourage others to keep trying. 

Really, really hard.

bonus read: “Mac Miller, Consummate Giver“