I’m finally getting around to providing the third and final blog in the series “A Bit of Yourself”. The hurricane caused a lot of disruptions. Thanks for being so patient.
If you recall, my series on “A Bit of Yourself” is focused on how you want to be remembered. In other words, your legacy. I was attempting to describe how each person will leave memories of themselves and to encourage you to start working on how you want to be remembered. I provided the example of how I attempted to do this by writing books; one for each of my two grandchildren and the one we’ll discuss today, “What’s In It for Me?”.
Prior to retiring, I set a goal for myself in retirement to write a self-help book for the working person. I accomplished this in 2021. It’s called “What’s In It for Me?” with a subtitle of “Getting the Most Out of Your Job”.
The title “What’s In It for Me?” appears to be rather self-centered, but it’s really not. Below you’ll find the first paragraph of my book which explains the title.
“It’s rather interesting that, as humans, we tend to look at everything from the viewpoint of “What’s In It for Me?”. Some would associate that with selfishness. I look at it as a component of survival. When something new comes along, the only way we know how to deal with it is by determining what affect it might have on us. When change occurs, it’s difficult to determine how that change will affect others. We don’t know their thoughts, their fears, their desires or their inspiration, but we know those things about ourselves. It’s not only common for these words to be the first thought that goes through your heads when something new happens, but also probably efficient for, in our relentless pursuit of survival, we need to ascertain how this change will affect us.”
The book starts by focusing on relationships since they play such an important role in our lives. I specifically talk about relationships at work, but my theories can be applied toward other relationships, as well. I use the example of science in nature, specifically our world’s oceans, to explain the different types of symbiotic relationships that occur.
Symbiosis is an interaction between two organisms living in close proximity or association. A symbiotic relationship can be either positive or negative, depending on the role you play in the relationship and the role others play with you. Using the creatures in our world’s oceans, I explain how the different types of symbiotic relationships work and how you might find these types of relationships at work. I won’t go into great detail in this blog; you’ll have to read the book for yourself. Instead, I’ll provide a summary of the five different types of symbiotic relationships and how each works.
Mutualism: a symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit from each other. I use the example of the clownfish and the sea anemone. It’s the healthiest kind of relationship and both organisms (or people) are better off because of this mutualistic relationship. In a company, this is where people work together for the benefit of everyone.
Commensalism – a symbiotic relationship where one organism lives off the host, but neither benefits nor harms the host in the process. I use the example of barnacles attaching themselves to the underside of a whale. In a company, this is when an employee is only interested in a paycheck. They do enough to get by, but nothing more. Although they may be completing a task the company needs done, they really aren’t contributing to the company’s advancement or ability to grow. They aren’t really hurting the company, but they certainly aren’t contributing to the company’s growth either.
Predation – a symbiotic relationship where the predator hunts and kills the prey. I use the example of the Orca or Killer Whale. In a workplace, an employee who practices predation doesn’t care who they harm as long as they get what they want. They often see themselves as highly competitive, when in reality, they’re only highly selfish.
Parasitism – a symbiotic relationship where one organism lives with, on or in a host organism at the expense of the host organism. I use the example of nematodes and leeches. In an organization, an employee that practices parasitism lives at the expense of the organization and will do the least they can possibly do. They often become experts at work avoidance. They miss a lot of work and are perfectly okay with co-workers having to work that much harder to make up for their absence and lack of output.
Competition – a symbiotic relationship where there is a competition or struggle for the same limited resources. I use the example of sponges that can take over and choke a coral reef to the reef’s demise. There are actually two types of competition in organizations: healthy competition where challengers motivate and inspire each other to become better, and unhealthy competition when an unhealthy competitor will slip into predation and feed on others.
I spend a great deal of time talking about relationships in my book because relationships are so important to an employee’s ability to thrive, enjoy and grow within a company. Promoting healthy competition is oftentimes critical to a company’s survival.
I also talk about becoming the best you can be. That includes making sure you’re utilizing mutualism and healthy competition to not only make yourself better, but everyone around you, as well. I provide some secrets on how to get ahead, like:
- Utilizing your God-given talents
- Utilizing maximum effort
- Getting past the limitations your mind tries to set for you
- Working for the right company
- Taking control of your career path
- Speaking from your heart
- and others
My whole purpose of writing this book was to pass on some tips I wish I had known when I first started my career. I somehow struggled through, but my work life would have been a whole lot better if I hadn’t had to discover these concepts on my own.
I intentionally keep the book short to make it an easy read. Several companies are now using my book as part of their training curriculum.
Through my book, I left a legacy for others. For those who already knew me and read it, I may have brought back some memories. For those people who read it, but never knew me, I’m providing them with concepts that will help them get the most out of their job. That’s a legacy in itself!
Leaving a legacy isn’t specific for people with Myasthenia Gravis. It applies to everyone regardless of age, experience or circumstances. Life is unique for each of us and you’ve learned a lot of things. There is someone out there that will benefit from the ideas, values, experiences and memories you will pass on.
As you’ve heard me preach before, now is the time to start working on the legacy you’ll leave. Don’t put it off until tomorrow, because tomorrow will come and go before you know it. Start working on it today. You’ll be thankful you did.
Thanks for bearing with me through this series. I hope it inspired you to start thinking about the memories and legacy you will leave. Make a mark on the people you love. Make a mark on the world. We all will benefit.