Hi there,
Welcome to the sixth issue of One Good Word from Dr. Dan.
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Today's issue is about status, and what you lose when you get it.
One Good Word
My Dad is retired now, but at the height of his career he was very successful. He was a senior vice president of sales at a major company, and he directly negotiated over a billion dollars of sales every year.
But if you asked him what he did for a living, he just said "I work in sales."
He sounded like a frontline salesperson, nothing special. He didn't give any indication that he oversaw deals that set the worldwide prices in his industry.
That was the point.
My Dad liked his job, but it wasn't the important part to him. After all, it's not like he got to keep the billion dollars.
What really mattered to him was people. He cared about mentoring the employees on his team. He cared about his family. And he cared about connecting with the people he met with every day.
It's easy to get caught up in the status game. It's tempting to show other people your impressive parts, and try to convince folks that you're worthwhile.
But my Dad understood that when you win the status game, you lose the chance to really connect. If you focus on getting people to admire you, you can't focus on getting to know them.
Of course, the fear is that they won't want to get to know you unless you impress them. That's ultimately what the status game is about. We all want to be loved, and we're trying to convince someone to give us a chance.
But look. Anyone that passed over my Dad because he was "just a sales guy" wasn't someone my Dad needed to know. And anyone who passes you over because you're not "impressive enough" isn't someone you need to know.
The best parts of you never fit on a resume or a trophy wall. The best parts of you are your kindness, your character, the way you smile.
For the right people, that's more than enough.
Three Good Things
(Got a good thing you think other readers will enjoy or find helpful? Suggest it by replying directly to this email!)
Thanks for reading!
Okay, that was One Good Word #6! If you know anyone that might want to read this too, I'd appreciate you sharing the signup link with them.
Got thoughts, questions, or suggestions? Just reply directly to this email. I may not be able to respond to everyone (and I can't give clinical advice), but I do my best to read every email.
~ Dr. Dan
P.S There is a fan-made comic of the Chronicles of Prydain which is honestly incredible. The books themselves are well-worth reading, but the comic is a great companion.
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