WAIT vs. WISH: Why’m I Sitting Here?

I felt like my career was stalled, and I couldn’t gain traction. So, I asked my boss what was holding me back.

“You need to speak up more in meetings,” he said.

“But what if I don’t have anything to say?”

His response? “I don’t know. That’s your problem. Figure it out.”

Accent on “your,” not “That’s.” Ouch.

You know the feeling. Maybe you feel like you don’t have a lot to contribute. You’ve got a pile of work already and this meeting is pushing you further behind.

And who wants to be the person who talks just to talk?

We’ve all been in meetings where someone drones on without adding value. We’ve also been in meetings that are basically monologues—where no one else is expected to contribute.

I had heard of WAIT—”Why Am I Talking?”—a great filter before speaking.

But younger me didn’t need a filter. I needed a reason to speak.

So here’s another acronym: WISH—”Why’m I Sitting Here?”

If you’re in a meeting, a workshop, or a classroom, walk in thinking that there’s a reason for you to be there. Your presence isn’t random. Your perspective matters. Even if no one tells you why you’re there, take my boss’s advice: Figure it out. Own your answer.

Find your value. Share your voice. Contribute with confidence.

What do you think? Drop a comment.

#Leadership #FindYourVoice #CareerGrowth #SpeakUp