Promote a Job or Just Do It?

We’re all good at a few things. One of my relatives is a master gardener who never worked in that field. A young Facebook friend transforms her face with make-up, like in the movies. A music teacher who rents space where I do is so talented that when I can, I open my sound proof door to hear his guitar’s sweetness. Yet, he seldom plays in public. It seemed a shame, until I realized that all his students get to hear him, and learn from him. These people do, not promote.

At a summer party, I met a 30-something man who pushed everyone to invest their money with him. He drove a flashy car and had a flashy mouth, and I found out later he lost money for many clients. He promoted and didn’t do.

Next month I’m giving a speech at the Harrisburg, PA Spirit of Oneness holistic expo. My topic is Murder: What It’s Like to Be a Psychic Detective. I guess, here and now, this seems like the promote part, while mostly in the past, I’d do, but that’s not why I included it here.

The things we’re good at don’t have to be shared. I didn’t start working on murder cases until I was 40, yet I knew all my life I had the ability. At 55, I decided not to stay silent, and promoted my skill set. Some days I regret that decision.

Work is not all about promotion. It’s about the accomplishment you feel and the drive to do something for yourself, not just for others. We all have talents we share, and ones we keep private. It’s important to do first, then think whether promotion works for you.