This is a guest post by Brandon Prideaux, Director of Talent Acquisition at HCA Healthcare. Brandon and I been “LinkedIn buddies” for a while and I’ve always appreciated his thoughtful approach to TA and life. These words do not disappoint. On a day like today, with all that’s tied to it, combined with our current situations, this message has never been more important.
Enjoy!
It’s September 11th. Of course, we remember. But I want you to consider a different perspective of that horrific event.
There are so many things that we don’t control. Life can change in an instance. Hopefully not as catastrophic as what we witnessed in 2001. But as we’ve seen repeatedly in 2020, catastrophes come in many forms.
COVID-19 wreaked havoc on our economy, our country, and unfortunately our friends and family. Some of you reading this were negatively affected by the crisis, up to and including losing your job. Unfortunately, you observed first-hand the point I want each of us to take away from the tragedies of 2001 and 2020.
Sadly, that point is this:
We are replaceable. Yes. You read that right. We are all replaceable. As good as you are at your job, you can be replaced. I promise you that.
If I die tomorrow, my employer can absolutely find a replacement for me. There are literally thousands of people who can do my job.
I’ve seen extraordinary talent be laid off at other companies in recent months. The type of talent people thought would be impossible to lay off––pillars of the organizations they were at.
But at the end of the day, we are all replaceable. It’s just the cold hard truth.
But do you know where you cannot be replaced? Do you know the area not a single other person can do what you do? Do you know what role will never go away regardless of economic crisis?
Being a dad. Being a mom. Being a husband. A wife. A partner. A son. A daughter. Etc.
You cannot be replaced in these roles. There is NO ONE who can do that job as well as you can. So…my challenge to each of you reading this….do not trade time at a job that no one else can do, for time at a job that anyone else could do.
Let me say that one more time so that it sinks in. DO NOT trade time at a job that NO ONE else can do, for time at a job that ANYONE ELSE COULD DO.
Prioritize your day, and your goals, to make sure that your focus and time is spent on the job that no one else can do. Like being a great father/mother. Or being a great husband/wife.
Because rest assured, if we interviewed the sons, daughters, husbands, wives, and anyone else who lost someone on 9/11, not a single one of them would say that they wished their lost loved one worked more. None of them would say they wanted them back “so that they could get that promotion they’d been working so hard for”.
And I’d bet good money that many of those close to you don’t care all that much about those things either. They just want you. You are the best person for the job. You are the only person for the job.
Don’t lose sight of that.
Amazing insight...especially in today's world. Much needed. Thank you.