This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure.
- Winston Churchill -
It's been ten weeks since I began a role in an industry I wasn't overly familiar with, my skills were transferrable though; I thought so as did those who interviewed and employed me, and it's turned out we're collectively correct. In the ten weeks I've been there I've secured revenue exceeding my annual budget by 30% and with what I have in my pipeline I'll go close to exceeding my annual budget by 140% - I think it's a good start.
Today I was sitting across from the lake with a coffee and toasted bacon and egg sandwich contemplating the last ten weeks and what lies ahead next week when one of the National Managers is coming to my State for a few days. He's a newly made-up national manager, up-jumped from State Manager, and he's not well regarded by the other State Managers. In his first week of his role, disenfranchised all of them even further and shown clearly why he's unsuited to the role. I expect conflict between my State manager and this chap and I wonder how it may impact upon me, if at all.
Last week my State manager released a company-wide email outlining my achievements in the last ten weeks pointing out I had a week spent interstate at head office and a week home with covid-19 out of the ten weeks further highlighting my results - I wish he had not done so as I don' enjoy that sort of attention. Furthermore, reading that email made me feel comfortable and that doesn't motivate me.
It's that which I'm contemplating right now, the feeling of comfort and the possible confrontation this new National Manager may bring along which could destabilise the State which is currently going very well indeed. Don't get me wrong, I like comfort, we all do, but I'll be honest and say it's when I'm feeling uncomfortable that I perform at my best in my job.
Being uncomfortable applies good stress, a little urgency and hunger, to what I do and I find I'm more strategized, prioritise better, far more efficient and more motivated when I'm a little uncomfortable. It's for that reason I set goals, and beyond them set stretch-goals which cause me to reach just a little higher, try a little harder, than I might normally.
I expect a lot from myself in most aspects of life; doing things half-heartedly doesn't sit well with me and I operate with a high tempo. Sure, I know how to back off, to relax and enjoy myself, but I also know the time in which to do so, and when not to do so. I'm not one to accept a mediocre level of performance from myself and so I push into areas of discomfort and I achieve more...Of course, that often means I have high expectations of others but I work to temper that these days.
The results I have achieved make me happy and I own them because the results have come from my own hard work and the many years I've spent building the skills to attain such results. I don't sit back in comfort and rest on those laurels though. Ten weeks is a small portion of the year and it's not in me to sit back and sandbag for the rest of my budget-year banking revenue to draw out for the next budget-year. I will push forward, stay a little uncomfortable and build on the platform I've created.
I've been told this National Manager is somewhat out of his league and has been promoted for reasons outside of actual suitability - He has demonstrated this to me in the last week or so also through communications. I've also been told he has, in the past, tried to take credit that is not his to own and that's not something I'll ever respect.
I don't need medals and awards, I get remunerated for my efforts and that's enough, but my State Manager wanted to ensure everyone in the company knew what was being achieved in the State he manages hence the email. I think it was a nice touch and also sends a message. It also shows his quality and how much he respects what I have done, and our working relationship. I'll be working towards giving the National Manager fellow the benefit of the doubt but he hasn't begun well in my opinion and he'll have to claw back some ground. I just hope he's not too confrontational with my State Manager however egotistical, hubris-loaded people are often that way right?
Next week my State Manager and I have a dinner to attend with that National Manager fellow and the National Operations Manager which I think will be interesting. I'm sure they'll say some They may say some nice things and will want more than I'm currently doing - that's the way of it - in most companies - and I'm also certain they'll ask what I'm doing to gain the success I have (which I'll not tell them of course); I'll probably say it's just magic, with a mysterious look on my face. I can be an annoying fucker at times. 😁
Feeling comfortable is an amazing place to be and I'm certainly comfortable with my results - I know what they mean to the company - this early in my time there. But I like to be a little uncomfortable as it means I'm doing the hard yards, putting effort into areas that are not necessarily easy and that's where the best results are. No one pushes me harder than I do myself and I think it's a good balance, the comfort/discomfort balance I maintain - It's worked well for me.
How do you find it for yourself? Do you work better and more effectively under a little pressure and by having a firm focus on your goals and the steps you need to take to reach them or do you float along hoping the right results will come? Do you set goals and stretch goals to motivate you a little more? Do you need to be driven or are you self-starting and motivated? Feel free to comment below and let me know.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
That's my own image above