Prove It Up
Some people are comfortable living their lives in the shadows of others. Chances are if you are reading this blog you are not one of those people. I am asked all the time how I got into this line of work? What they are really asking is how did I make it to the top? I like to live my life with the terminology of “prove it up”. I live under the assumption that people do not want me to succeed and you know what that does? It makes me want to prove them wrong.
“I live under the assumption that people do not want me to succeed and you know what that does? It makes me want to prove them wrong.”
When I was 25 years old, I took a job not because I was interested to communications or government relations. I was interested in the strong female role model that was heading up the department. And like the free internship advice, if you only take a job for the starting pay you are short-changing yourself. That is why they call it starting pay. So, get in there and “prove it up”.
The decision to take the job was one of the best decisions I had made thus far in my life. Let’s face it I was like many teenagers that thought I had everything I needed in life. College was not for me after high school. I was too busy getting married and being an adult. Boy was I in the land of unicorns and rainbows. But I pulled myself out of it when my marriage failed, and I had to find my way solo. I got on my bull when I took this job and I decided I was going to be mentored by this woman. I did not ask her, I just made it my mission to learn everything I could from her.
She provided me the life education that made me realize that a college education was not optional. Her exact words were, “do not be passed by or limit your potential and get the damn degree”. It is interesting looking back and realizing that she recognized that a challenge motivated me. This just may be where “prove it up” came from. I had to prove to myself what, so many others said could not be done. I was going to go to college full time and work full time. For anyone out there that thinks this is not possible, it most certainly is. She was right in making me realize that the college degree would allow me advancements in my career. Within the first year of college, it was becoming apparent that a college degree was mandatory for a management position. She also seeded in my head that as a female a bachelor’s degree will not be enough as a female to make it to the top. I have proved her wrong there, but more education is on my bucket list. I see a law degree in my future.