He’s The Greatest!

It’s Saturday and I’ve been on the phone with clients who are looking for jobs.  I’ve been reading through all the job news (or jobless news) hearing Obama talk about the possibility of double digit unemployment if we don’t ‘act fast’, and basically just feeling a bit gloomy with all the down news.

So, I decided to clear up some paperwork and get ready for good ol’ tax season (wow, what a way to add to and already down day!).   I came across this paper that was handed out in a psychology class that I took some time ago.  After reading it again now,  I thought I would post it because it struck a cord in me of hope and possibility.  I wish I knew who wrote it because I would certainly give full credit and links, but there is no name on the paper (if you know who wrote it let me know).

He’s The Greatest!

Yesterday I overhead my son talking to himself as he strutted through the

backyard wearing his baseball cap and toting a bat and ball:

“I’m the greatest hitter in the world,” he announced.

Then he tossed the ball into the air, swung at it, and missed.

“Strike One!” he yelled.

Undaunted, he picked up the ball and said again, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world!”

He tossed the ball into the air.

When it came down, he swung again and missed.

“Strike Two!” he cried.

The boy then paused a moment to examine his bat and ball carefully.  He spit on his hands and rubbed them together.  He straightened his cap and said once more, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world!”

Again he tossed the ball up in the air and swung at it.  He missed.

“Strike Three!” he yelled.

Then he exclaimed, “Wow! I’m the greatest pitcher in the world!”

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What struck me (no pun intended) after reading this is that when we grow up and get out there in the world of ‘career’ we think of ourselves in only one way – as an accountant, or as an engineer, or as an administrator, or as a product manager.  We forget how many gifts we really do have and how transferable our gifts are into so many different professions and industries.

I think we need to think more like the boy in the poem – it didn’t end when he didn’t hit the ball (hence, it doesn’t end when we get laid off), he turned it into a success and another gift he was able to give to the world.  I think we all have that inside of us if we just start thinking differently.