Do you watch tv singing or talent shows? …. C’mon admit it.
Love em’ or hate em’, tv talent shows have taken over American television. These shows portray the stories of ordinary people who are given the chance to show the nation just what they can do. On programs such as these, anyone has a shot, no matter who they are or where they have come from. Not everyone will make it big—but some do.
Likely, the ones who make it were considered nothing more than the girl or boy next door. But suddenly, their hidden talent is revealed. Many viewers identify with these contestants. Their accomplishment at being discovered is validation that success is not confined to “other people.”
As an entrepreneur and business owner, I had to be willing to believe in myself before I could take that first step in opening a start-up small business. Once I believed in and committed to my success, things started happening for me. Of course, I also had to be willing to accept criticism while facing all the challenges and obstacles associated with business ownership. However, at the end of each day, I am satisfied knowing I believe in what I do. I believe in my awesome team, and I pride myself on taking that leap of faith.
In life, we all exist with hopes and dreams. Sometimes, when we witness a success story it can inspire us to realize our own ambitions. Living without dreams or passions can leave us with a certain emptiness, whether we care to admit it. Embedded in our minds is the rather pessimistic attitude that we have to settle with what we’ve got, because we can’t have what we truly desire. Sometimes, of course, we are just being realistic. Sometimes, however, we are only held back in life by our own fears and negativity.
One thing we shop talk about at O’Brien’s is the people we meet during the course of our training and consulting. So many times, we share stories about encountering the most ridiculously talented person who is confined by their own lack of self-belief. Maybe a bad boss gave them the impression they were not good enough or maybe they just lack the motivation to do more.
One of the coolest things about training & consulting is that we meet a wide variety of people. Yes, we must impart safety knowledge or environmental regulations, but we also have the remarkable ability to leave an impression. We always try to draw out people who could use that push or that compliment to return to their work better than they left, to return to their workplace more motivated about safety and willing to be a champion for compliance.
It is not uncommon to find an undiscovered talent by way of training. I’ve often gone back to the manager of a business after a training session saying, “You really have an undiscovered talent in this person. You might want to see if they would be interested in joining the safety committee.”
If all of us took this view—that we can be a spark who lights a flame in someone else—then the sky would be the limit for that organization and their people. If you want help discovering the hidden safety stars at your business, call O’Brien’s to set up your next safety training class. We pride ourselves on helping discover your safety stars!