Author: Andrea Grassi

I’d like to write even more and share my thinking with the world and one think that’s blocking me is one simple fact: I shouldn’t be anyone’s reference.

I am different than the majority in terms of willpower, energy, motivation, goals. This not to say “I am better”; but to say that some of these attributes influence my choices and decisions.

If I didn’t have such willpower I might give up early, if I didn’t have a sudden drop of energy when I face some confrontation I might reach even more results, but the whole mix? It’s my mix.

You can apply it to each and every person in the world. They can be your reference, you can be inspired by their words but keep thinking: What of their traits made them like this?

Because words are a starting point, but then you have to give what you have to reach those words.
Don’t look just for a reference, look at what traits are the one that make your ideal possible.

I miss judgement, people knowing better than I would what to do.
I’m not saying that I’ve reached a point where I can’t learn, only that when you can’t receive feedback it’s hard to truly grow.

To me it’s still ok because I always seek the bug and the improvement, but what would happen if I didn’t? From time to time having a clear path forward, knowing your deficiencies from outside, is a great help to focus on an outcome.

If everything is too easy, then you’re not doing the right job for you.
There should always be some tension, a kind of struggle.
That tension is the growth.

Some people do care about the label on their tag.
They do care about how people will call them.

It’s fine.

Yet, if you look at what are they doing, where is their value: that’s what defines their job.
Not their status on linkedin, not their label on the tag.

They can slack, they can overdo it, they can do it perfectly, but it’s not about the role. It’s about what _they_ want.
A status, sometimes.
Sometimes they simply want to help.

What moves you? Is it the money? Is the the status? Is it empowering those around you?
For each of these options the role won’t matter. Because the role is a consequence of your desire, and it might not even reflect it perfectly.

Before the pandemic we’d be always fascinated by the people that, when they entered the meeting room, changed the room’s mood with their presence.

That required a lot of body language, a masterful crafting of words and intentions.
Those people were rare.

Today we’ve been confined to online meetings and one thing is sure, the remote call removes part of the body language importance.
It’s still there, but since you’re showing less of it it’s less important.

Today you can even set a different speed for the conversation with a simple tool: Your voice.

Like no other time in the past we have this unique window where we can make an impact by giving people our sound and our full attention.
These two elements can drastically change how we are perceived by others during a call and we can influence the other participants so much that it would be foolish to ignore this.

We’re flooded by low speaking, dull sounding, boring voices.
We can speak up, light the room, make a difference, today, and be the one making a difference.

Many people say that they’d want to “Live the dream”, to have a job for themselves so they own their life.

That dreams also means having tough times with decision making.
Like saying no to a very big store that wants your products.

Drawing the line between what’s good and what’s right is what makes it possible.
What should you aim? The easy yes will give you more money short term, but more stress long term.

What do you value most is what you’ll prioritize, and that will be your work ethic and it always start with a no.