The person you want to be

Chapter 319

A crisis doesn’t change us; it just amplifies what is already there. - Barbara Shannon

A decade or so back in the past I worked for an organization which was known for its super rigorous filtering process for International Workers. They proudly proclaimed and advertise that they had an 87% failure rate in their candidate progress. They knew that they were sending their workers into the most difficult challenges that they would ever face, and that each one of those crisis’s would amplify whatever weaknesses and deficiencies were already present in these workers. The challenges they faced wouldn’t necessarily change them, but it would violently bring to the forefront all their deepest faults.

And that is pretty much the way that it happened. I worked for them for 23 years and went through the deep cultural changes and challenges TWICE! As a result I eventually faced every deep crevice and wrinkle in my soul and heart and emotional and mind. Every insecurity, envy, jealousy, wicked, selfish, self-righteous, and nasty part of my personality came out in spades. In my self defense, everyone else was struggling with the same pressures and experiences, and they weren’t looking too pretty either, but that doesn’t change the fact that amplification is hard at work in a crisis. You will not be able to deter nor deflect this onslaught. It was already in you buddy, and now the jar is open and everyone can see what you are really made of.

So instead of avoiding every crisis that comes along in life, deal with all your monsters inside. I did eventually, and actually continue to do so. You can do it too. Become the person you want to be, wrestle those demons.