Build an entrepreneurial unbreakable mindset - People's stories
#1. I thought being an employee meant financial safety
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Introduction - People's stories
All People's stories are written in the 1st person to reinforce their impact.
While anonymity is preserved, all stories are inspired by real facts.
People's stories are examples, to feed you with concrete cases of how Thee Puzzle has been used. They are not to tell you what to think, or absolute truth: they were created with the intent to illustrate how you can transform your life with Thee Puzzle.
Each People’s story is presented in the following way:
Part 1. The authentic life experience
Part 2. What that same moment could have been, leveraging Thee Puzzle
Part 3. Decoding the story through the lens of The Puzzle framework
Part 1 - I thought they had my back
Since I can remember, I have been an employee. Not that I really though about it: it just happened that I finished school, and then naturally I applied and found a job. Then moved from job to job, there again not really questioning that model I was in. It was working for me, and so I kept going!
I remember reading about the generation of our parents, who lost trust in corporate as many were massively fired in the 1980s. I also have in mind seeing press articles about companies misbehaving with their senior population, and not keeping many beyond a given age - being so called too costly and less efficient. Last, I have read that younger generations aspire to being treated differently, and have different expectations around their job.
All of it felt interesting, but none of it felt really connected to me. I was not my parents, and as a senior I would be kept because I'd continue bring value. So none of it really applied to me. I was safe where I was. I was earning good money to live the life I wanted. It felt good to earn my wage each month, plus bonus. Have my weeks of holidays. The jobs were demanding and did not always make sense, but overall it was good enough not to question the system too much. I even had moved my family to take on a new job, that tells you how confident I was!
....Until that day.
A whole new management team was appointed.
I was dropped an email, informing me I would no longer be in the current role.
Soon followed by a meeting, where I was informed my presence was no longer required. I could go and would be compensated. I could go now and never come back.
No communication to the team, no transition, no thoughts about how to ensure what I had built would continue run smoothly. No recognition nor consideration for the work I had done. In 2 days, I was erased from the company like I had never been here.
It was extremely violent to take. I was all together angry, worried and sad! I felt I had given all my intellect and time I could have spent with people I loved - all to the wrong hands. I also feel guilty as I should have saved more too....
I feel deeply betrayed and that no corporate could be ever trusted again. I feel that managers would just do what they are told, without consideration for people. I do not want to work for them again, and yet I do have to because I need to earn money.
This is deeply destabilizing and I feel horrible. I am considering earning my own income and creating my company, but I don't know if I am capable of it. I have never done it. Am I making the right choice?.... I am so full of doubts, this is torture.
CONGRATULATIONS
MYSELF
EGO
PRESENT
CONNECT
FILTER
COMPASS
PROTECTION
POLLUTION
RULES
MASTER
You have gained perspective how others have overcome their challenge leveraging Thee Puzzle!
May it inspire you.
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Part 2 - I have my own back!
Since I can remember, I have been an employee. Not that I really though about it: it just happened that I finished school, and then naturally I applied and found a job. Then moved from job to job, there again not really questioning that model I was in. It was working for me, and so I kept going!
...until that day it hit me too. It was done in a disrespectful manner, and this deeply destabilized me. I also could not recognize myself, as I kept having thoughts such as "I am worth nothing, else they would treat me differently", "who will ever want to work with me again", "I will never be able to find an equivalent job again". And as these thoughts were dragging me down, started to pop up the idea that this was no me. I was not this person! None of these statements were true. The opinion of this group on me might be that I was not significant, but that did not mean I was not. In absolute terms, I had brought lots of value through out the years. This is who I am, no matter this event. I am worth a lot.
I was giving too much power to these people over me. Not to mention that all these scenarios in my head were also mine: none of them had phrased half of the sentences I was imagining. I assumed beyond the facts what they had in mind and thought of me. And frankly, they no longer mattered - because they were no longer around me. But here I was, along with myself and dragging me down! Well I thought, if I am doing this to myself, then I can have the opposite effect too!
So I went out for a walk and decided to confront myself. Deep down, did I believe I was this worthless person? No!
And was I doing any good to myself by thinking this way? No!
Did I deserve to beat myself up? Did I do something so wrong? No and double no!
What would I need? A hug! I visualized myself hugging myself, and it did feel like a relief!
I was misleading myself by being harsh on me, and blaming myself. I am a good and competent person: that was the starting point I wanted to build upon!
There is one thing I knew though and that could not be repaired: "they" had passed my limits. Something broke with the way this happened to me, and that could not be repaired. That anger I could feel, I would repurpose in something constructive instead of let it consume me. And I would do everything I could to be in this situation again, where someone else would have the power to expose me to the bones. Where someone else had the power to pay me every month, or decide to stop pay me and leave me on the side of the road. In a blink, without good reason. I don't know what the future will be, but I do know I will work hard to create my own job and my own financial independence. I deserved better, and I was about to give it to me. It was time for me to step up for myself, and to put all my intellect and my skills at my service - instead of to the service of others.
Something also changed in me I realized. My definition of what "being safe" is. I always assumed that earning money each month meant being safe.
Now I believe that owning my future is being safe. Money will follow as I create my own job. I had let other people lead my life again money, and ended up being in the wrong hands. Now I am in my own hands: the best to take good care of myself! I own my future, and that is priceless!
Part 3 - Thee Puzzle decoder
Let's decode this People's story with the lens of Thee Puzzle pieces.
MYSELF
EGO
PRESENT
At the beginning of this story, I let other people define who I am. I left them define what my worth is, and the value I could bring. Until I was able to realize, and truly believe, that I am a lot more than anyone can see. I am full of experience, of competences, of skills - and all of it makes me unique, lovable and valuable.
I also used my Ego to step up for myself and set up limits. I decided that my anger would fuel a constructive project - in this case becoming an entrepreneur. I also decided that no one would treat me this way again, which is also a strong motivation behind being an entrepreneur.
Being present helped me reconnect with reality, to acknowledge that I am not the person I was building in my head. Right here and right now, I am no less than what I used to be as an employee. I have in me all the competences that made me successful. Being lucid about myself is key.
Plus being anchored in the present allows me to take constructive actions and make plans, instead of worry about the past or the future.
CONNECT
FILTER
By taking a walk, I was able to reconnect with my body and physical sensations - and create a welcomed distance with my brain, which was going too much at full speed. When we feel that we are thinking too much, it helps to refocus on my body. Taking a step back has the interesting side effect of bringing new ideas into play.
Also, when I am more lucid, I am able to make conscious decisions - rather than, for instance, follow my Ego and enter in a path of anger or worries that will not do me good.
COMPASS
PROTECTION
POLLUTION
When there is a lot of emotions, I usually put something behind the situation. It could be the fear of missing and losing everything, as I don't earn a wage any more. It could be to make up one terrible scenario after the other in my head.... And that will pollute my whole life until I am able to exit that illusion. I need to come down, and reconnect with reality - to acknowledge this is only happening in my head. None of it is real. The only real part is now I have time to do something different with my life. What it is is up to me!
Protecting myself from toxic situations and abuses is key. This situation is very sudden and deeply destabilizing. Being aware that it is not normal to be approached that way. Being able to set limits and protect myself, in the moment or after the fact - is paramount. I don't need to restore any truth with anyone, but I do need to believe in myself. I do need and deserve to be proud of who I am. I do need to acknowledge that I am worth a lot, and that has nothing to do with the money I earn each month.
By stepping out of pollution and stepping up for myself, I can also set my Compass on a better future. I will stop creating situations which made me feel back, and instead I will fuel myself with enthusiasm and belief that it is happening for the best. And as I do so, I will find more and more reasons to experience these good feelings, getting better day after day.
RULES
MASTER
As I believe I can be a successful entrepreneur, I will find lots of occasions to reinforce this thought. I will come across other successful entrepreneurs, people will be enthusiastic about my project, I will read book and articles to learn from others. Not everything will work, but each time I notice something heading in the right direction, it will feed my conviction that I can do it too. The more I believe in myself and enjoy this life, the closer to my dreams I will be.
And being able to decide what my job is provides an incredible sense of freedom! It is certainly scary too, yet the idea to be able to lead in the direction I want, for ideas I love and to best serve customers - that feels like being able to align the stars! I know I do not control everything, but I control what my company is and what it is about - and that makes me feel incredible!