are you in the right environment?
Once, a mother camel and her baby were lying down, soaking up the sun. The baby camel asked his mom, “Why do we have these big bumps on our back?”
The mom after some thinking replied, “We live in the desert where there is not much water available. Our humps store water to help us survive when we embark on long journeys. “
The baby camel then asked, “Well, why do we have long legs with rounded feet?”
His mother answered, “They are meant to help us walk through sand, my child.”
The baby, still curious, asked a third question, “Why are my eyelashes so long?”
The mother camel replied, “Your long eyelashes offer you protection from sand when it blows in the wind.”
Finally, a little perplexed, the baby camel said, “If we have all of these natural abilities given to us to walk through the desert, what’s the use for camels in the zoo?”
***
Each of us has been blessed with a unique set of skills and talents. However, if we find ourselves stuck in an environment that doesn’t align with our abilities, we simply waste them and rob ourselves of the opportunity to unlock our true potential.
If you’re stuck in a career or a work environment that you think is not the right fit for you, then it’s time you do some self-introspection and recognize your unique strengths that you are not putting to good use.
Ask the people around you who know you well. Seek mentors who can help you discover your gift. Reflect on what makes you special and what unique product or service you can provide to the marketplace.
We have all heard of people who ditched their corporate careers and well-paying Wall Street jobs to focus on work that they found more meaningful and purposeful, work where they could fully utilize their unique abilities and show up as their best professional and personal versions.
It’s time you stop limiting yourself. It’s time you start thinking big and open your mind to new ideas and avenues. As Marcus Aurelius wrote, “Just because something is hard to master, do not think it is humanly impossible, but, if a thing is humanly possible, consider it within your reach.”
Living a life where your work brings you immense joy, satisfaction and fulfillment is in the realm of possibility. All you have to do is make a choice: Are you going to muster the courage and make a switch, or will you continue working in a soul-sucking job that doesn’t honor your strengths, remaining caged your entire life?