Frequently, in working on career direction with someone, I realize
that person is trying to be in sales when he is skilled in accounting or trying
to excel in teaching when she is more gifted in playing music.
Why do we try to make ourselves something that God has not designed
for us? Part of the pressure is that we rank the value of certain jobs or abilities.
Would you rather be an average doctor or an excellent carpenter? A mediocre teacher
or an outstanding landscaper? We need to identify the special gifts God has given
each of us and then be excellent in the use of those gifts.
Let me use a story to illustrate the pressure many of you feel to
perform in ways you may not be equipped for. It begins in school.
Once, all the animals in a special kingdom became excited about the
new school being formed for all the animal children. Administrators organized
the school and adopted a curriculum of activities consisting of running, climbing,
swimming, and flying.
All the animal parents flocked to the school, eager to enroll their
children in this new progressive school. After all, they wanted the very best
for their offspring.
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Mr. and Mrs. Duck enrolled their son, Davy Duck, and expected great things
from him because he was an excellent swimmer. But when administrators discovered
he was poor in running, jumping and climbing trees, they made him practice those
skills.
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Now, Ronnie Rabbit was at the top of the class in running but ended up having
a nervous breakdown because of having to do so much extra work in swimming.
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Ernie Eagle was a problem child. In the climbing class, he beat all the others
to the top of the trees, but he did not follow the procedures. Ultimately he was
put on Ritalin to try to make him a better student.
How sad that we often diminish our best gifts by struggling valiantly
to develop in someone else’s area of ability. Focus on your uniqueness and
do that with excellence rather than end up with mediocrity in several years.
Use this rule of thumb: 1) Work where you are the strongest 80 percent
of the time; 2) Work where you are learning 15 percent of the time; and 3) Work
where you are weak 5 percent of the time. PE
