Our older daughter, Kaitlin, met us in New York City during the holidays, and we welcomed the new year in the Big Apple. We rented an Airbnb in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and we were far away from the Times Square traffic, but close enough to either jump on the subway or request an Uber to get there.
The Rock Star
At some point during our family vacation, I sat with Kaitlin to discuss how her work as an event manager was coming along.
She noted that her events were coming along well, and that her clients were happy with her performance. However, she was leery of receiving the Rock Star designation.
She said, “It seems to me that when you are considered a Rock Star, it’s probably time for you to find a different job.”
I thought about what she said, and it made clear sense to me.
It reminds me of the following saying, “If you are the smartest person in the room, you are probably in the wrong room.”
Knowing When to Move On
I am reminded of a situation when I worked as an IT Staff Analyst for an investment company. I was hired with a rock bottom salary of $32,000 annually. My peers were easily earning more than $70,000, and some of them had a salary that exceeded $100K.
Yes … it is true that most of them had 15+ years of experience, and the company made sure they paid wages commensurate with industry experience.
During my first performance appraisal, my manager mentioned that I had exceeded expectations.
He said, “You are doing Rock Star level work here! I’m so glad you are in our department!”
He went on to say that he was going to be transferred to a different area within the IT department, and he asked if I were willing to come along with him.
I was elated, thinking it would mean more challenging work that commanded a much bigger salary.
After a few months in the new position, my assumption about more challenging work was correct.
However, my compensation stayed the same. No increase!
I stuck it out with this company for 3 years before I decided that it was time to do something else. In fact, I took a big chance here and launched my own IT business.
All was not lost here because the work experience that I earned throughout the years increased my chances as an entrepreneur. Now that I was in a position where I was paid for my skills and hard work, I was happier with my career.
The Lesson Here
As Kaitlin stated, receiving the Rock Star label is not always a compliment.
The other point here is that top producers or high achievers are usually assigned more work than others. This happens because they are reliable, and they will do whatever possible to meet or exceed expectations.
A mentor recently shared with me some valuable advance that applies to this story.
He said, “Be careful when you are in a position or situation where you are too comfortable. When this happens, it is usually a sign that you are complacent. It might be time to do something else.”
The other key message is that I need to seek advice from people who are willing to be honest with me, even when the truth may be hard to hear.
Inspirational Quotes
“Do one thing every day that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“By leaving your comfort zone behind and taking a leap of faith into something new, you find out who you are truly capable of becoming.” – Anonymous
Homework Inquiry
During the next week, here’s your homework inquiry: What will you do to avoid complacency?