Double down on heart.
That's my career advice for you.
Some random valedictorian may be able to outthink you.
The latest AI may be able to be more creative or productive than you.
But no one can hold down a human being who has true heart.
Let's get specific...
People with true heart steer via an internal compass. They stand for something that has deep meaning to them. Rather than looking around constantly for external validation, they obey their own instincts.
Such individuals can be quite intelligent, but they aren't blindly subservient to logic and reason. They know that "let's be realistic" is a phrase often used to prevent needed change from taking place.
Many also exhibit a healthy capacity for empathy and compassion. They feel deeply and are not afraid to reveal their emotions or vulnerability. Their emotional intelligence allows them to connect with others on a deep level, fostering relationships built on trust and understanding. As a result, their impact on others can be transformative.
To put this another way, they relate to others and they make it easy for others to relate to them.
Many of my clients have this sort of heart. They make their own path, often course-correcting as the world tries to push them into a neat little box.
What I see again and again in such folks is an emotional response that says "hell, no."
I'm not going to quit
That violates my values, so it's out of the question
I'd rather take more risk than settle
I will reinvent what comes next
Some people were born this way, but I know plenty others who made a conscious decision to double-down on their heart (most of my friends, for example).
I could add more logic and reason to this issue, but instead I'm going to invite you to pick up the story from here. If you've doubled-down on heart, please share your story. If you've seen someone else do it to great effect, you can honor them here.