No one's going to do it for you.

Today, we had a very engaging workshop on storytelling. I enjoyed every bit of it. But beyond the principles and ideas around storytelling, what really struck me was the discussion about branding and making yourself known.

I’ve been feeling unrecognized and unheard lately. But hearing this was like an eye-opener.

"You should make yourself known. No one's going to do it for you."

I’ve been feeling down and indifferent, thinking people weren’t recognizing my efforts. I realized that while I can't control how others see me or compel them to recognize my efforts, I’ve also fallen short in letting people know who I am and what I’ve achieved.

For one, I like to keep a low profile. I don’t speak up, and  I keep my ideas to myself. I’ve been complacent, not wanting to be perceived. I shy away from attention.

"Let my work speak for itself."

I thought hitting KPIs, exceeding expectations, and going the extra mile were enough. Not that these things don’t matter, they absolutely do. But sometimes, you have to own your achievements. You have to own your success.

This is the hard truth: no matter how much you achieve, people often recognize those who show up, stand up, and speak up more readily.

We might cringe at those pabida and pabibo colleagues, but it’s clear that they often become more recognized and known.

At the same time, it’s not just about being present; we also need to produce results.

What I’m getting at is that it’s always a balance. It should be both result-driven and presence-driven. From my experience, relying on just one isn’t always enough.

So if you want to achieve self-actualization through affirmation and recognition, go ahead and make yourself known. No one's going to do it for you.