The new year is a wonderful time. It’s a time for reflection, celebration, and new promises. 60% of us make New Year resolutions, many of which are centric on overall personal well-being: eating healthier, exercising, and saving money. But I believe there is a foundational step to any of the resolutions you make, whether they be personal or career-related. And that is why showing up is the only new year resolution I am making for 2020.
What does it mean by showing up
Merriam-webster defines showing up as making an active contribution. I want to take that definition one step further: showing up means making an active contribution, with intention and consistency. It means getting up and trying, even if you failed the last ten times you tried.
Why showing up builds habits that stick
James Clear, the author of the best-selling book “Atomic Habits,” argues that changes that seem small and unimportant at first compound into remarkable results if you stick with them for years. Concisely put, habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.
In one of my recent posts, “Small habits that lead to big career success,” I shared three small habits that help me enhance my leadership capability and maintain a better work-life balance. Making a habit of taking a seat at the table or asking questions is hard because it is pushing you out of your comfort zone, and the incentive to go back to the status quo, where it is easy and familiar, is high.
That is why showing up, consistently and intentionally, is so important. It is really the first step if we want any new year resolution or habit to stick. Similar to how the power of compounding for wealth creation is magnified with regular deposits, good leadership habits are only solidified when we show up!
How showing up helps you be successful in your personal life and career
I recently heard this quote,
“Look at a stone-cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow, it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before.”
Jacob Riis
How true is this! You land your dream job, not because of one good interview, you do so because you failed the last 20 interviews but continued to show up for the next one. When fear tries to take over, and you think if you’ll ever find a job as an international student (hint: this was me during my Masters program), you continued attending networking sessions around town with a confident smile, connecting with people on LinkedIn and applying to company websites even when the responses are few and far between. Success comes to those who persevere and continue to show up strong the next day!
One of the most essential qualities that separate a good leader from a great one is that great leaders continue to show up even when things seem impossible. Showing up whether it is sunshine, hail, or snow, sets expectations around your wants, beliefs, and who you are as a person. And it builds trust. Trust is the foundation of all strong relationships, whether in your personal life or at work. When your employees trust you that you will be present for them, whether things are going north or extremely south, you will have a motivated and loyal team.
Be present in your relationships with your partner, your kids, and your friends. My husband and I did five years of long-distance relationship before we finally united as a family. Cross-country long distance. No, scratch that. Cross-continent long distance. There were so many ups and downs during that time that I even cringe to think about it. But the only reason our relationship worked was that we continued to show up. Whenever we missed each other, whenever we fought over not being able to talk, whenever we got jealous, and whenever doubted our relationship, we still showed up the next day.
Showing up at work, life and my side hustle: plans for 2020
At work:
Last year was challenging. I was leading a large global team and navigating issues around employee burnout, motivation, and attrition. Though my team overwhelmingly rated teamwork as our biggest strength, I feel I could have supported them better with their training and development plan. In 2020, I will continue to show up for my team and stakeholders by securing adequate resources for timely project completion, but also support them by providing training and growth opportunities.
At home:
Of late, I have realized that I have become a less patient momma and wife. As soon as my four years old starts to whine or ignore my well-meaning requests, my blood pressure shoots through the roof. It has neither been good for my kids nor my poor husband, who is usually the victim of my outbursts. Therefore, the number one thing I am committed to in the new year is to show up with greater patience, especially when my kids get on my nerves.
At Pinkcareers:
I have big dreams for Pinkcareers. In 2020, I will continue to show up for my audience and share the best resources, advice, and inspiration so that all women can pursue career success with feeling inadequate, overwhelmed, or guilty. My goal is to expand my visibility, do multiple webinars on job search made easy, and beta-launch my Emerging Leaders Academy program. I am also committed to overcoming my biggest fear: going LIVE on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook.
How to show up do when life takes over
What if you were committed to showing up for the run at five in the morning, but just today, you don’t want to because your kid is sick and woke up twice in the night? Or what if you were committed to working on your top priority tasks in the morning, but just today, you slipped into the old habit of checking your emails first?
Sometimes life takes over. Sometimes we are so tired that our soul doesn’t want to move. And sometimes, we err even if our intentions are good. The key to success lies in taking a few moments to reflect on why we faltered, giving yourself grace, and showing up again tomorrow!
How do you plan to show up in your work, life, or after-work endeavors in 2020?
Great!
Thank you Hua… glad you liked it!