Get over yourself

While I try to figure out what my next move will be, I've been doing lots of networking. It's a great way to make interesting connections and build relationships with new people.

At a recent event, I met a guy who seemed intent on "teaching" me something. He gave me lots of mandates about what I should or shouldn't be doing with my job search or my blog or whether I should write a book. I'm sure he meant well but the whole thing was extremely off-putting.

He didn't know anything about me but he just knew I wasn't doing "it" right. "You've got potential" is one of the most arrogant and offensive things you can say to someone you just met. When he said it, I wanted to laugh in his face. Who was this punk and what made him think he was somehow better than me? Why did he assume he could show me a thing or two instead of me teaching him something? That's the difference between arrogance and ambition.

He wanted to prove to me that his insights were valuable by ignoring what I've already accomplished in my career. Boo on that, shit!

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. — Maya Angelou

I follow the golden rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated. It's not that hard but several people I've encountered recently make it seems like a Herculean task or a lack of common sense. 

Curiosity, empathy, humility, rigor and flexibility are the five personal traits I value the most. Along with kindness and respect, those make up the foundation of being a good person, in my opinion.