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Trials and tribulations

When I grew up my parents were in a extreme Christian religion, and I would walk the streets speaking to people about the Bible and selling religious magazines. 

Kids would laugh at me at school.

Not just laugh, but fully rip into me.

Picture this.

A person I know from school. One of those mean ones. I'm standing in a suit on their front doorstep.

It's a beautiful sunny Saturday morning. The sky is blue and they're enjoying life and I know already that I'm going to get sledged hard on Monday. 

It's not like they need another reason.

I was a gangly kid with buck teeth, a bad home hair cut and cheap looking home made clothes. 

I can't explain the complexity to my parents, because to them this is the right thing to do and if you're not getting teased then theres probably something wrong.

I would like to say it took great courage, but I'm not sure if it was courage. I was running scared most of the time.

Sooner or later, I knew that I would run into someone that I knew, and then I would get sledged for it. Again. But I did it. 

In addition to running into someone from school, many people weren't interested in talking about the Bible or God.

On a Saturday morning. Especially on their front doorstep on a sunny Saturday morning.

So they were yell and curse. 
They would slam the door in my face. 
They would laugh and mock. 

It was pretty tough talking to people who didn't care about my message.

It was brutal knowing on Saturday morning that Monday was already going to be rough.

Many years later, after I'd left the religion and grown up a whole lot, I found myself in a difficult situation.

I'd returned from living overseas.
It was close to Christmas and I didn't have a job. 
My wife called me as I was standing in Officeworks getting some printing done. 

She said: 'We need to talk about us'. 

A lead weight dropped in my gut and I swallowed hard. 

'What is it' I said? 

'Well', she said. 'We're pregnant.'

There was a swelling of pride in my heart. I was going to be a Dad! Again! 

The elation was mixed with an awareness that I wasn't working and the cost of living was significantly more with another human in the family. 

Something just clicked, at that Officeworks store, waiting for my printing.

That day, and for many days after it, I walked up and down the streets of Sydney CBD like a man possessed.

I would go into every building and look for recruiters. When I found one, I'd catch the lift up and cold call on them.

I'd say 'Hey, I was just walking past and wanted to talk to one of the consultants about a role'.

Or perhaps I'd say: 'I just wanted to register for a project management role'.

Most of the recruitment people were unsure what to do with me. It was usual that someone would cold call on them. 
To apply for a role that didn't exist, or hadn't been advertised yet.

I got some hate. One lady tore strips off my CV and told me I was wasting my time. That stung.

One guy said to me: 'We don't do project management here'.
'Where should I go? I replied.
'Go and see Steve up at XYZ recruitment.' 
Brilliant! Now when I arrived XYZ recruitment, I had a warm intro.
'Terry from up at the other recruitment sent me to see Steve. Is he in?'

I got so many connections and contacts and conversations, and I wore about three inches off the back of my shoes. 

Each time I heard the word no, or a variation of a rejection, I would smile. 

You see, to me a no meant that I was statistically closer to getting a yes. 

I literally said that to myself every time that I got a no. 

And it wasn't long before I got an offer. 

It wasn't my dream job ( I rarely dream of jobs!) but I secured a role in a record time.

If it had not been for the gruelling training process that I had gone through when I was a kid,  I don't know if I'd be able to tell you that story today. 

And gruelling training it was. Who do you know who has 15 years experience in face to face sales knocking on the doors of unknown people to tell them about something they didn't like? 

It sucked in the moment, getting abused and harrased at school.

However I tell the story.

I'm proud of the scars 

I'm proud that I was able to turn a challenging situation and traumatic memory into wind in my sails. 

So what is it for you? 

When was that time when you went above and beyond the expectations and delivered our result that surprised yourself and everyone else? Use that. 

When was that time when someone said you couldn't do it, and they treated you with absolute disrespect and you failed? Use that.

Every situation - past, present future is a chance. An opportunity.

To make a decision and to act in a way that aligns with your deepest values and desires.

And I think now is the right time for you to shine.

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