What does it mean to "show up for you" & why is it important?
by Ray Bass
When we enter the workplace—into our very first job or another new job—we have a tendency to go in wanting to please others. We think it’s our duty to make other people happy, work really hard, and do whatever we’re told to do. Sure, hard work is important, and it’s easier to work with others when they’re happy, but this mindset takes the focus off you almost entirely. Suddenly your goals and success revolve around other people (whose behaviors and moods aren’t actually in your control), and while you may be “showing up” for work, you aren’t showing up for you.
Showing up for yourself is one of the most crucial lessons you can learn in the workplace—but it’s also one of the least talked about (and taught) lessons. To save you the trouble and existential crises (we’ve all been there), we’re here to explain what it means to show up for yourself, in hopes of sending you back to work with a renewed sense of purpose and drive.
What it means to show up for you
1. You recognize and embrace that your career is yours.
It’s easy to forget that we have substantial control over our careers. This, of course, depends on your specific situation, but oftentimes, we have more power than we think. We can choose to own our careers for ourselves, and advance in whatever direction we desire. In general, when we like what we do, we’re better at it, so it’s worth taking a step back and asking yourself what you really want. If the answer is something other than what you’re doing, it could be time to pivot (and yes, it’s never too late to pivot). Bottom line: Your career is yours—it belongs to you, and you can shape it however you please. Own that, and you’ll be much better off.
2. You constantly ask yourself “how can this situation work for me?”
Similar to owning your career, showing up for you means challenging yourself to get the most out of every situation. In other words, instead of only thinking “what can I do for this company and these people,” ask yourself “what can this opportunity do for me?” “How can I maximize it?” In practice, this means seeking out and taking advantage of opportunities wherever you are—finding the parts of your job or your company that you like, and figuring out ways to get involved in those areas. It also means asking for what you want, and not just doing what you’re told.
3. You show up energetically, buy in, and put in the work.
In most aspects of life, there’s little value in going through the motions, and the same goes for the workplace. Not much will happen for you if you sit back and wait for it to. If you want to be proficient at a skill, an expert in a specific area, or someone that people turn to for advice, you have to read, study, seek out mentorship, and engage with other people and platforms. Self-improvement requires action from the individual, and you’ll never regret putting in the time to educate yourself. Skills like negotiation, for example, aren’t just something we’re born knowing how to do. We learn it, practice it, and reap the benefits of having done so. It all starts with us, and the actions we take in our own interest.
By showing up for you, you’re arming yourself with the knowledge, tools, and resources to navigate the corporate world in its current form. We all have the power to learn more, work smarter, and expand our perspectives, which hopefully leads us down a path towards greater fulfillment and achieving success, however we choose to define it. Although we may at times feel trapped and completely out of control of our situation—we shouldn’t let those feelings discourage us from pushing forward. There will always be times when we feel powerless or frustrated, but it’s how we respond that determines our outcomes. When we persevere and show up for ourselves, we take back some autonomy. When you show up for you, you take back the reins.