Independent Work Over Being a Team Player
Journaling Prompt: Do you prefer to work by yourself or on a team?
I am not a huge fan of playing on a team. This didn’t hit me for a good grip until now.
My husband and I are working on a project. He wants to know the items I have up so far, and what I’m working on on my end. After sharing my progress, he greeted me a very kind statement.
“Babe,” he began with his back turned to me. My husband took a subtle puff from his old man lookin’ glass pipe before clearing his throat. “Let’s put Pinterest to the side and focus on what matters right now. I’m glad you’re seeing the stats, but in order for this to work, we need the work on the platform directly.”
Excuse me?! No Pinterest with the trendy crap we’re doing?! Do you not understand what I can do once we post our items?!
Quietly annoyed, I disengaged from the conversation and focused on what I have to do. I’m a content creator. Every time I write, everyone stops me. Whatever, I’m going to do my own thing and see who wins first!
I used to be part of many teams, including marching band. Most of my friends in high school were part of teams, too. Hell, after school, we would team up and do things together.
My perception of the phrase “team” is this:
I can follow directions and take reasonable constructive criticism well. I’m ready to handle any rude comments or the good ol’ ‘that won’t work’ mantra people tell me whenever I present my idea. However, don’t tell me what to do if I have a solid vision for what we’re trying to do.
Why do I think this way?
After years of being told my ideas were stupid, it wouldn’t work, or it doesn’t make sense to do this when I can apply my energy elsewhere, I gave up wanting to do things other people’s way. If you’re not down to try out my hypothesis, then find someone else to work with. Besides, it’s not like anyone walked with me on this journey.
When you’re building a business for yourself, you are the only one that’s stopping you. Now, building a business or a little hobby with someone else is different. You’ll have to hold some ideas to yourself, possibly never using them at all. Other times, you’ll need to speak up and practice walking on faith each time a word slips from your lips and into someone else’s delicate hands.
It is super nerve-wracking!
The value and importance of working alone is worth more to me than working with someone else. At least I am in charge of what I need to do and don’t do. I can control what happens, however fast or how redundantly slow, and make things work out in my favor.
Yet, a tiny piece of me feels some type of way. What is this feeling and why am I feeling it? 😕
I love working alone, but I also want others to work with me too. Without using Medium, I can’t do what I love doing and learn more about others. Without Canva or Sketchbook Pro, I can’t create graphic images that reflect who I am on the inside and out. Hell, without my husband, I won’t know what to do with these trendy items!
I still love working independently. However, if I slow down and hear what he has to say, I might learn something I’ve been missing out on. Trends aren’t something I like or understand very well. Unfortunately, most of our digital platforms are nothing BUT trends.
