Stop Underestimating It

It’s easy to underestimate the power of someone or something.

Last week I spent time coaching a world-class leader, and as I left her office, I was reminded of an insight from Tim Denning.

“Never underestimate an employee who practices self-education in their free time.”

You can’t always see it from the outside. They’re not the loudest, and they're certainly not bragging. But when someone is quietly improving and constantly working on themselves by reading, listening, training, and reflecting, something powerful is happening beneath the surface.

Because growth is often invisible… until it isn’t.

That’s why I no longer underestimate someone who practices self-improvement, when they:

• Listen to podcasts or books on the way to work

• Journal before bed

• Take notes in Evernote

• Get up early to train their mind or body

• Look in the mirror first when something goes wrong

See, they’re not just checking the proverbial box, collecting a paycheck. They are obsessed with leveling up daily. Looking for small and often incremental ways to become a better version of themselves.

So if you are that person (you are reading or listening to the Optimistic Outlook), keep going. You may feel behind or be starting to believe it doesn’t matter.

But you are wrong. You are working while you wait. Your time is coming.

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