Member-only story
I am a nobody!
When I was in a previous job, I constantly told myself that I am a nobody. People found this strange as everywhere I went, people were nice to me. I was invited to dinners and events, met at the door of events, given preferred seating, and everyone wanted to hear my views on things. I had attention and respect, and it felt great.
Unfortunately, it was not me they were respecting. In fact, they probably didn’t even like me. Everything stopped when I left my job.
You see, in my previous role, I was close to and had access to power. People were nice to me not for who I was, but because my job gave me access to people of power. It was not me they respected, but the position.
This is why I believe that it is important to constantly remind ourselves that at the end of the day, the trappings of power are temporary. Power ebbs and flows, and tying your identity and self-worth to it is pointless.
So even as people are nice to you today, it is good to remember that it is likely not you they are being nice to. And that one day you be a nobody …. again.
