So that completes my week at the All American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio. And a fine week it was, lots of personal insights, lots of opportunities to serve the Champions and their families. I also got lots of opportunities to be a “star”. For at least 12 hours during the week I was the track announcer, being listened to by everyone in the area, I was honored to serve on decision making panels, and I even had the pleasure of taking the World Champions to dinner after the final races on Saturday. In short, I had a very high visibility and unrestricted access to every corner of the event. This is where the rub comes in.
Today it is back to work as usual. No more special handling, no more “star” treatment. Nope, today it is work as usual. This could be a very big let down, similar to what we might feel at home when we come back from a position of oversight at work. The kids don’t care that we are the best at what we do at work, neither does our spouse. They have their own needs: we take out the trash, we clean toilets, walk the dogs, everyday stuff. No “star” here.
This is an opportunity for us to remember, we are not what we do. We are who we are. If we are not enough as who we are, we can not be enough regardless of the titles we hold, the power we hold at work. IN-powering our selves means we learn that we are enough, that we are worthwhile cleaning toilets, or receiving accolades; it is all the same, and we can shine doing either.
Our true power comes from within, not from outside.
