The Things You Keep Off Your Resume

She said, “I really like it when you share personal stuff. It makes me relate to you and like you even more as a business person.”

Well, isn’t that interesting?

Do you ever find yourself censoring the very thing that you consider to be a liability instead of viewing it as a strength?

I have a bunch of liabilities that have proven to be strengths in my life and business.

I am a high school drop out.

I don’t have any post-secondary education.

I grew up poor.

I mismanaged money terribly when I was young.

I had to work in retail because it was the only place I could get a job.

I have an auto-immune disease, that also happens to be a “crappy” bowel disease, too.

These are things I always wanted to keep OFF my resume.

These are things I used to be embarrassed and even ashamed about until I learned that sharing how I overcome the liabilities in my life turns those very things into strengths because it allows other people to see what is possible for them TOO. When you are vulnerable and share the possibilities that exist, even in the face of hardship, you inspire others.

So, what’s your liability?

What are you hiding that you think people may judge you for?

Have you ever considered that?

I want to leave you with one message I passed on to a client of mine this week: “Don’t change. Who you are already is enough. In fact, I beg you not to change but instead embrace more of who you are and pave the path your way.”