Most of us exist in a competitive world. We are constantly trying to establish our place in the “pecking order” of the workplace…make a name for ourselves. We listen carefully for those brass ring-offering opportunities and try to raise our hands higher than anyone else. At other times, we hesitate to volunteer for just a moment and when we see no one else is stepping up to the plate, we quickly consult our inner pep-talker to see if he tells us whether volunteering will somehow set us apart from the mundane and everyday.
We work with those who always seem to put themselves out there. You know the ones I mean. Maybe it’s you. They always volunteer to stay late so you can go home, work the extra jobs so no one else has to, and cover for anyone who can’t do what needs to be done for whatever reason. They are often the people who make you feel guilty instead of relieved or grateful that you can count on them.
But wait a second. Stop and see things through the “true reality” lens. It is likely you actually do your fair share of putting yourself out there. I personally struggled up until fairly recently with this issue. Then someone told me, “It’s okay to be non-essential sometimes. When someone else steps up, sometimes you should just sit back and enjoy it.” I realized there will be plenty of times when I will need to be essential. There will be plenty of opportunities for me to be the hero. But I don’t always have to be Superman. Sometimes, I can be Jimmy Olsen.
