I was looking at the framed poster that sits on the wall in my office. It's a poster I bought almost 30 years ago when I saw it on a bus stop in New York City. It was from The School of Visual Arts. I took the poster home and I framed it. It was (and continues to be one of my favorite posters). I put it up in my apartment. And then I moved out of New York City. And then I got married.
My husband didn't like the poster. "Why do we need this silly poster up in the house?," I remember him saying, "There's a colorful striped zebra on the poster...I don't like it."
So, I took the poster to my new office...my new office in New Jersey. What my husband didn't understand at the time was that the saying on the poster was what had meaning to me. Yes, I liked the colorful zebra...it is actually a rainbow zebra...but, it was the words on the poster that inspired me ...yes, it was those few simple words that I read each day that were the catalyst to my brilliant career over the past 25 years.
"To be good is not enough, when you dream of being great."
Those are the 12 words I have recited each day for the past 25 years as I entered my office. Why should I just be good...when I dream of being great?
Maybe that is why my colleagues called me 'Souper Judi' when they honored me last week at my 25 year anniversary with my company. I've always gone above and beyond in my job...looked for the next 'big idea'...tried harder...searched farther...read more...worked longer hours...reached higher.
"To be good is not enough, when you dream of being great."
Am I 'Souper Judi' because of those 12 words? Hmm...hmm...hmm..has a zebra with rainbow stripes been driving me to perfection all these years?
"To be good is not enough, when you dream of being great."
Now that I am 50 is it time to take the poster off the wall? Is it time to put my rainbow zebra in the closet...or perhaps donate him to my twentysomething mentees? (notice I said him...I always thought of my zebra as a him...maybe it has to do with my generation and the glass ceiling...I hope my mentees will think of my zebra as a her).
"To be good is not enough, when you dream of being great."
I cleaned out my closet the other week when I was on vacation. I donated a lot of my old clothes to those less fortunate who are starting out in their careers. I gave away my bright red silk suit that I wore to many memorable press events...and the brown tweed jacket that is now two sizes larger than my current frame...and I parted with the teal wide leg pants that were a popular color two years ago...and the flared black skirt...the skirt my husband always said made me look like I belonged on an Amish farm.
My closet is much neater now...much more organized. At 50 I'm finally starting to see things more clearly now...perhaps more black and white...like my favorite black and white cookies.
Should I have donated my zebra poster to those less fortunate who are starting out in their careers?
But...but...but...I still like rainbow sherbet...and I also like rainbow sprinkles on my ice cream...and I do love the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," (although I never liked The Wizard of Oz...not when I was little and not now...the Wicked Witch is just too scary).
I guess I can't give my rainbow zebra poster away...I'm not ready yet...it made me who I am today...and might just be the spark that sets my second career in motion some day. I may be 50, but I still have a rainbow full of dreams to accomplish. As my rainbow zebra says...
"To be good is not enough, when you dream of being great."
Judi
2 comments:
Just make sure your drive to be great is for the right goals - doesn't all have to be for that 25-year job, at least all the time, anymore... When you see that zebra in your corporate office, remember he's now trying to herd you toward that second career.... smart zebra. :)
Judi with the little "i", your blog is now bookmarked. As a 30 something mentee I hope that after 30 years in my career I can look back and say I too inspired others to think that "good is not enough, when you dream of being great."
I have been blessed with a few mentors in my life, probably more than most. Thank you for being one of the few.
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