Two decades ago, I worked as a Personal Assistant. I enjoyed the work, and while I was somewhat good at it, I wasn’t excellent. I was hired by a company in Pretoria as a PA to the Managing Director, Charles. He was excellent at his job and very pedantic about following processes and completing them to the highest standard. We worked well together, but he was very hard on me.

At that time, I had arrived in South Africa as a refugee and had endured many challenges. I was simply surviving, doing the bare minimum to get by and meet the basic requirements of my role. But Charles saw something more in me he saw my potential. He made the decision to coach me, to demand the very best from me.

My laziness and apathy were exposed. My character was tested

Here is what I learned:

Allow someone to challenge you someone who demands excellence because they know what you are truly capable of. These individuals will help build your resilience and character by pushing you to adapt, solve problems, and hold you accountable for your actions.

If you are serious about becoming the best version of yourself, embrace the challenge. When they are hard on you, don’t complain. Put on your “big girl panties” and remember: everything you want is on the other side of becoming resilient, excellent, tenacious, and ultimately amazing.

Often, when we are broken, we tend to label the people trying to help us as racist, sexist, narcissistic, toxic, or whatever negative label we can think of. Please hear what I am saying: I am not dismissing the fact that these things can and do happen. But I’m speaking about someone who genuinely cares about you, someone who wants to see you grow.

If you have a boss or coworker who is hard on you, ask them why. The answer may just surprise you.

I am incredibly grateful to Charles for his input. His guidance has made my life better, and I continue to grow from the lessons he taught me. Here’s to resilience and excellence!

Your Resilience Expert,