Betting on YOU...

This coming week, we have an exceptionally special episode of Recruiting Hell coming up.

Laurie Ruettimann will be joining us to discuss a number of topics, but the most important one happens to share the title with her newest book*.

Betting on You.

Betting on you is the smartest single thing you can do.

Nobody else is going to do as much work to help you succeed as you can.

It's never easy because it requires discipline, and discipline takes time and effort to build.

As I read her book, smiling and at times laughing out loud with some of the stories she told, I was reminded of all the times in my career that I should have bet on myself rather than betting on others.

Don't get me wrong, it's good to help people, and it's good to help elevate others.

But don't forget who #1 is...

YOU.

Looking back, I made the mistake of not remembering who #1 was a number of years ago.

I took a side grade promotion to work on a new project at the company many of you have heard me call my dream job from a number of years ago.

A new position had opened up selling advertisements for our in house radio program. I had recently come off the successes from other departments, Social Media and Member Loyalty. I was ready to take on a new project, but I had reservations about the position itself.

This led to a series of conversations with company leadership that eventually convinced me to take the position, "because I was the right person for the job".

It was one of the biggest mistakes of my life.

I had reservations about the job initially. It didn't have much structure, and nothing had ever been done with the program and advertising before. It was uncharted territory, and I let myself be convinced that I could benefit the organization best by taking on this new challenge.

You saw it in there.

The big mistake.

Not looking out for #1.

"I could benefit the organization best."

I didn't look out for me. I was hesitant to take the job from the beginning, and even after sleeping on the opportunity, I wasn't convinced.

I let the leadership of the company talk me into what they thought was the best for me.

I didn't listen to #1.

And it, along with a few other factors, cost me my position at the organization.

I didn't listen to #1.

It's a heard lesson to learn, especially at age 32. I hadn't been exposed to the fact that even though I worked in an incredible culture, that I needed to look out to make sure what I was doing was the right move for me, even though I trusted the people in charge of that company and culture.

This job was a challenge from the get go, not only did I have to educate myself about the world of radio advertising, I had to build a pipeline, find clients, manage the show uploads, a website... Kind of a lot like this show.

It was tough, and unfortunately I didn't have much success, much like I had feared.

Despite this, I forged ahead and landed a few deals, but the price on me was mounting... I was tired, frustrated, not making the money I was hoping to, but I did my best to keep a positive spin on it.

4 months into that position, my wife, who brings so many great one-liners to the table, looked me dead in the eye the same way she did after I lost my job in 2012.

"Robb... how come you're the one doing all the work, killing yourself to make this position work, and everyone else involved in it is sitting around, smoking cigars and making six figures?

I didn't have an answer for that.

She was right of course, and the reason I didn't have an answer was because I had bet on other people and lost.

I didn't bet on myself, and it kicked off a nearly 2 year run of losing in my life.

Because I didn't bet on myself and work to make who I was better, the success I had enjoyed earlier in my career was gone.

It took a major investment in me, effort wise, to break that cycle.

Whether it was learning new skills, advancing my personal brand, or simply making new friends and connections, I had to re-learn how to bet on me.

I said to myself, "I should write a book."

Some day, I will.

But right now, the lessons I learned and a few more I didn't yet, are present in Laurie's work.

It's a great read, a quick read, and it made working this week exceptionally difficult, because I couldn't put it down.

Be sure to catch her whole episode with me on Recruiting Hell, whether that's on your favorite podcast platform, Youtube, or here on this site, and consider picking up her book.

(*Full Disclosure - NO financial agreements exist between Laurie's company and Recruiting Hell/Westport Studios LLC as of the writing of this article. It's important that we are always transparent with you, our listeners and our readers. If there ever is a financial agreement, or any other exchange of value between this show and any of its guests, rest assured you'll be made aware.

**Recruiting Hell Received a digital, advanced copy of her work in the form of an e-book in order to help create this article, episode, and it's surrounding content. )

~RH