Have you ever bought a raffle ticket or attended an event and on your ticket it was printed, “Must be Present to Win”? Sometimes I have felt like it was a ploy because I was so ready to leave, but I didn’t want to miss my chance. Other times I was so engaged in the event I wanted to stay regardless of the raffle potential. Being engaged made the difference.
Engagement is such a critical piece of the satisfaction quotient when it comes to enjoying a career. You really do have to be present to win. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and numerous other sources, employment engagement numbers vary between 30-40%. That means more than half of the people in the work force are not engaged in their work….they may be physically present, but they are not “Present to Win”.
Athletes are notorious believers in similar beliefs: “Nothing left in the tank” or “Leave it all on the field”. But the concept applies to more than sports. Just like soft skills transfer across so many career options, success can happen anywhere, but you MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN.
Being present is NOT demonstrated by, being late, frequent interruptions using social media not associated with the task at hand, conversations with peer colleagues about negative work conditions or other issues that do not further your positive movement forward.
Being present IS demonstrated by on-time behavior, limited personal interruptions, focused time on task, deadlines met and positive work quality.
So, are you Present to Win? Do your actions support your goals for a positive outcome? What is your purpose and are you building toward it in an effective manner? Think about it…every single day is a bit of a lottery and we have one ticket, one chance, to make it a win at the end of the day.
Are you Present to Win?