When I was young, I was told that no one was indispensable. I thought that was true until I met people in the workplace that you cannot let go.
They made themselves so valuable to the organization that it is almost unthinkable to think of a successful future without them being there.
In this fast-paced economy, people think of themselves as commodities. A commodity is always replaceable. But you must decide that you will not be a commodity in the marketplace.
Be a linchpin. And you will be irreplaceable.
Stand out among the majority so you can choose and pick opportunities to take on. Follow these simple steps.
Be extraordinary. What separates the ordinary from the extraordinary is that the latter do the little extra, the unrequired work. They are willing to do what most of us hate.
They are willing to wake up early and work early. They are willing to give extra effort so they can wow customers. They go beyond what their job descriptions say about their job.
Do the extra to be extraordinary.
Pick your crowd. Avoid toxic people. Don’t indulge yourself in toxic conversations. If you are not a politician, don’t wallow in the mud of politics. Find something else that you can be more productive.
Tell me who your friends are, and I will tell you what you value most. I have learned somewhere that you are the average of the five people you talk to every day. Yes, even if you believe that you are the brightest among them, you are still the average of people you spend your time with.
What can you do then?
Reevaluate the people you’re around the most. Limit the time you have with those people who are pulling you down. Find those people who can pull you up.
Surround yourself with the best people.
Multiply your value. Do something daily that will increase your skills and influence. To live an inspired life and operate at your peak, you must see to it that you grow every day.
To be more valuable, you must increase your capacity to add value to others, to your company, and to your community.
I know someone who takes online courses very seriously. These courses are free. Nobody monitors here. Nobody required her to study. She has already finished many courses, and she has converted these courses into live seminars.
She has learned two new languages for free. She knows how to facilitate design thinking. She creates websites in minutes. All because she decided to amplify what she knows.
Increase your value every day.
Get things done. People who get things done are irreplaceable because there are very few of them. They have the determination to deliver what they promised no matter what. They work with others but aren’t dependent on them.
That’s because they hold themselves accountable for their results.
Do you delay your growth? Do you procrastinate? You can solve this by constantly reminding yourself that you must take action. Because procrastination doesn’t exist when people move.
Take action and get things done.