I saw some sad news about John Lewis this week, Potential 11,000 layoffs. John Lewis was my first corporate love. As I wrote in my article book, where I worked as a Saturday boy, putting 40-inch TVs in the backseats of people’s luxury cars every Saturday and working in the workshop every holiday, and even took part in a graduate training scheme after college. I wanted that job. Staff restaurants vary depending on grade, language, military service, and standards.
It still appears in my dreams. Earnestly.
I did graduate school for about six months before I decided I didn’t want that job. The same goes for the retail lifestyle. And certainly not the salary. But John Lewis will always hold a special place in my heart. I also holidayed on an island off the beautiful Dorset coast. It was located right next to an operating onshore oil field (at the time). Everything comes full circle.
Well, almost.
Because when I started working at John Lewis, I decided I needed more from my job. And I backed myself up with a master’s degree that made me a management consultant. No one at John Lewis understood why I was leaving. Except my high-flying (also a graduate trainee) boss who hit his head on the desk when I told him how much he could make in a year.
But going back to college wasn’t my plan. In fact, it felt like a setback. Especially since I already took a year off before going to college. I felt like I was running out of time. Or at least a waste.
But of course it was a big investment for me. And that delivered on my salary and job prospects. And it was really fun to be a student again.
At that time, I supported myself. And when I quit my job, I stood up for myself again.
Until then I was supporting BP. I supported my business unit by bp, I supported my company to avoid another disaster, and I supported my boss to get along and take us along with him. In other words, I was sponsoring something I had no control over.
Of course, living is also a way.
But I think it has a lot to do with why my confidence isn’t very high.
And why it has skyrocketed since I left.
Because when you go out on your own, you have to silence your inner critic, your voice of self-doubt, and the part of you that wants to stay quiet and unobserved. Because instead you have to learn to say, “I am worth something.”
I have value as ‘first name, last name’. Outside of the company, teams, positions.
And when you withdraw from yourself, surprisingly, other people start to do the same.
And they start choosing you when they could choose anyone else.
And then they recommend you to people they know.
Today I’m talking about our latest podcast (here and here) with hunger cannon. Although she is now an artist and coach, she spent more than a decade working a “grey and boring” corporate job: an actuary. One day she stood up for herself. She takes a £96 art course at her local community centre.
She said something that has been on my mind since the recording. That will probably always be the case.
“It’s interesting that it’s worth spending this £96 on something I care about. Everything started to expand and I realized that this was the theme of my life. You have to go first. You have to say that I want this and that you will get this for me. And I feel really scared and uncertain about whether I could spend this money on other people who depend on me, including my loved ones. But I will do this for me. “It’s probably the first time in my life.”
Whether it’s the universe, or a confident glow is more likely to breed confidence in others, it starts with you.
You need to back yourself up first.
Now comes the miserable month of January. Personally, I hate February because it makes me think spring is coming when it hasn’t yet.
But now we are well into the new year.
No more January excuses.
Now is the time to get yourself back.
If you’re ready to advocate for yourself or need help finding your why, please reply to this email to help me keep going. If you know someone who needs help, please let me know your way. I have this blog. Instagramall lecture And of course – podcasts too. spotify and youtube. And you can book a time with me Carl Endley.