What do you do? Two stories that will shake up your answer
For now, I want to share two parables that spoke to me this week. Both are paraphrases from online sources.
The Ladder
Imagine in front of you is a ladder. You lean it against a wall and start climbing.
You're successful in your mission, but when you reach the top, you realize you leaned it against the wrong wall.
The Three Stonecutters
A man was walking down a street when he saw three stonecutters. Curious, he asked the first one, “What are you doing?”
“I am cutting stones,” was his response.
Coming upon the second, he asked the same question.
“I am creating the most beautiful stones. Look at how perfectly they are polished, the corners are perfectly rounded, and each one is perfectly shaped. My goal is to be the best stonecutter in the world.”
Impressed, the man asked the same question to the third stonecutter.
He responded, “I am building a cathedral. My goal is to create something that stands for centuries, a place where the community will come together to worship for generations.”
The Point of These Parables
You can reach "success" but is it "your" career success or someone else's definition? Are you paying attention to the ladder you're climbing in your career?
How do you know you're leaning against the right wall?
When people ask you what you do for work, are you giving standard answers? Are you trying to be the best, or is there a deeper vision, higher purpose, or hidden truth you're striving for that only you can see?
When someone asks you who you are or what you're doing in your work, imagine if you had the clarity of the third stonecutter. Even if the rest of the world obviously sees you cutting stone, you know in your heart and mind that you're doing something with more intention.
What answer do you give when someone asks what you do?
How do you help others see you the way you truly see yourself?
This is why knowing yourself and knowing how to describe your hybrid professional identity transforms everything.
We are not the small actions of our work. Our true professional identity is something only we can name and claim for ourselves.
Speaking of naming the unnamed...Dana and I have an entire conversation about this.
READY FOR MORE?
Watch these LinkedIn Live conversations on the Great Reinvention. Dr. Sarabeth Berk interviews a range of experts and authors and who’ve unpacked hot career topics.
Listen to my latest podcast interview (it's the longest one I've done at 1.5 hours!!) and hot off the press. I get to go into all kinds of detail that I ordinarily don't have time for.
5 WAYS TO STAY INVOLVED OR FURTHER SUPPORT THIS WORK
Join the Hybrid Professional Slack group to keep the conversation going. There's a great group there. We chat about all kinds of hybrid topics
Invite your friends and colleagues to the next Hybrid Jam session on June 6th, 6pmEST.
Know of any groups who would benefit from hearing about hybrid professional identity? Please respond to this email with ideas for guest speaking events or webinars. I'd love to connect.
Schedule time with me if you want to go deeper on an idea or question.
Sign up on the waiting list for my next cohort-based course if you're ready to go on the journey of discovering your hybrid professional identity through collaboration and camaraderie.