Gasp, is she really going there? You bet! Let’s start with a personal story. When I was in university, I joked with my Dad that I planned to stay in school as long as possible so I could delay entering the professional workforce and essentially starting my 30-year sentence. As a Baby Boomer, my Dad didn’t have much sympathy for me. He even talked about this during his speech at my wedding a few years later. Nonetheless, I made the leap and joined the rest of the working world on the elusive hamster wheel of career ambitions and it didn’t take long to get completely sucked into it.
“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. They are work, family, health, friends and spirit and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – Family, health, friends and spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it. Work efficiently during office hours and leave on time. Give the required time to your family, friends and have a proper reset. Value has a value only if its value is valued.” – 30 second speech by Bryan Dyson (Former CEO of Coca Cola)
I got a job and worked to get promoted, I worked more and more to get promoted again and again. I was learning so much and growing as a leader. I started early, stayed late, enrolled childcare for my daughters, worked on weekends, and gave my all to contribute and make an impact at work. In those early days, my work and my role played a big part in defining me. I was proud of my accomplishments and just kept moving, until one day someone hit pause and I was completely out of my comfort zone. I remember driving home, unexpectedly unemployed, and I started to panic because who was I without professional leadership responsibilities to fulfill. During my 6-month career transition I learned that my work did not define me, my role and title were not crutches I needed to lean on. I started to learn more about who I was as a person. And, I was present for my daughters in even more ways than in the past. Eventually, I found an even better job, one that really stretched me and helped me grow even more as a professional and leader. Until life hit pause again because my eldest daughter was fighting for her life, I was struggling all around, and I felt inadequate as both a mother and a leader. So I made a choice to focus on my health and that of my daughter. Work would have to wait.
Eventually, I went back to work with a new company, a company that respected my value of family and health. It was an amazing journey. Through these years, I’ve had a mantra, a quote from former CEO of Coca Cola, Bryan Dyson, that I had found years early and kept taped to my bathroom wall. I read it daily and embraced it wholly because I had indeed learned that we juggle many balls in life – work, family, health, friends, spirit. It can be overwhelming sometimes, but I have learned that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back – in fact it can bounce back with even more vigor. The other four however, are made of glass. If dropped they may be irrevocably scratched or even shattered. Life is about choices and although some were made for me, I’ve learned that it’s up to me to focus on the priorities and protect what’s precious. Thank you for your inspiration, Bryan Dyson!
– Melissa
