How the World Sees You summary

Perhaps you’ve heard this story: a priceless painting is sitting up in some forgotten attic, collecting dust for decades. Then, one day, someone stumbles upon it and sets off a million-dollar bidding war. Do you ever feel like that painting, waiting for someone to recognize your potential?

The problem is, you have to be in the right environment for people to notice your unique talents and the great things you have to offer.

Take Joshua Bell. He’s one of the world’s most famous violinists – but even a musical genius needs the right environment.

He participated in an experiment in which he busked anonymously in a Washington, D.C., subway station. While he played, the people passing through the station were naturally caught up in their daily routines and failed to notice his amazing talent. In the end, he only made $32.12 whereas, under normal circumstances, he could easily earn $45,000 for a single performance.

So, whether it is a priceless painting, Joshua Bell or you, without the right environment your talent will go unnoticed. You need to stay on the lookout for the kind of environment that will maximize your unique contributions.

Luckily, there are some simple indicators that can tell you when you’ve found it – or if you might already be there.

A good sign is when your boss approaches you to ask for your feedback and advice. The same goes for when clients decide to work with you rather than with more affordable competitors; this shows you that your good work is being recognized.

On the other hand, you might not be in the right environment if your emails and calls are going unreturned. And if you’re self-employed, it should raise a red flag if you have to attract clients by offering the lowest price.

So, finding the right environment is crucial to success, and in the next blink we’ll take a look at the obstacles that can stand in your way.