Day 3 – Ignore the Voice of Insecurity
Scene Setting:
A small, cozy diner in a suburban town. The air smelled of fresh coffee and sizzling bacon, and the gentle hum of conversation filled the space. Inse, 27, wiped his hands on his apron, exhaustion heavy in his limbs. The breakfast rush had just passed, leaving behind scattered crumbs and half-empty coffee cups.
At the corner booth, Curity sat sipping her tea, dressed in a warm yet polished sweater, her presence radiating calm authority. She had been coming here for years, always tipping generously, always kind. Today, however, her visit had a purpose beyond breakfast.
Inse slid into the seat across from her, rubbing his temples. “So, I suppose you’re here to tell me how I should be doing more with my life?”
Curity raised an eyebrow, setting her cup down. “I don’t do ‘shoulds,’ Inse. But I am here because I heard from your manager that you’ve been, what’s the phrase?, ‘checked out’ lately.”
Inse let out a dry laugh. “Can you blame me? I’m 27, barely making rent, no degree, no real career prospects. Just another guy stuck in a dead-end job. And meanwhile, everyone else my age is moving up in the world. Getting promotions, starting businesses, living the dream. It’s like I missed the train to success.”
Curity leaned back, watching him closely. “Ah. There it is.”
Inse frowned. “There what is?”
Curity tapped her fingers against the table. “The Voice of Insecurity. The thing that’s telling you that because you’re not some hotshot CEO by 27, you’ve already failed.”
Inse rolled his eyes. “Look, I know I’m not supposed to compare myself to others, but it’s hard when I see my classmates buying houses while I’m refilling coffee for a living.”
Curity’s expression remained calm. “And yet, none of that means you’re a failure. But do you know what will make you one?”
Inse raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“Listening to that voice in your head that tells you you’re stuck. That tells you you’re not good enough. That voice is lying to you.“
Inse scoffed. “Yeah? And what am I supposed to do? Just pretend I don’t hear it?”
Curity leaned forward, her tone firmer now. “No, you don’t pretend. You ignore it. You recognize that it’s not the truth. It’s just fear disguised as logic.”
Inse shook his head. “But my situation is real. I can’t afford to get another degree. I can’t just wake up and change everything overnight.”
Curity nodded. “True. But let me ask you this, what’s actually stopping you from making a change? Is it money? Time? Or is it that voice telling you there’s no point in trying?”
Inse hesitated. He wanted to say it was his circumstances, but deep down, he knew she had a point. Every time he thought about learning a new skill or looking for better opportunities, that voice whispered:
“You’re not smart enough. You’re too far behind. You’ll never catch up.”
Curity’s voice broke through his thoughts. “Here’s the truth, Inse: Your circumstances aren’t permanent. Your job, your income, your situation, all of that can change. But only if you stop letting that voice paralyze you.”
Inse sighed. “So, what do I do? Just wake up tomorrow and magically believe in myself?”
Curity smiled. “No. You wake up tomorrow and do one small thing that moves you forward. Apply for one new job. Watch one free online class. Ask one person for advice. And every time that voice of insecurity tells you it’s pointless, you ignore it. That’s step one.”
Inse exhaled slowly. Maybe she was right. Maybe the biggest obstacle wasn’t his lack of a degree or his paycheck. Maybe it was that voice telling him he was already too late.
Curity finished her tea and stood up. “I’ll check back in with you next week. In the meantime, stop listening to that voice. It doesn’t deserve your attention.”
Takeaways from Day 3 – Ignore the Voice of Insecurity in Careers
- Your Current Job Doesn’t Define Your Future: Where you are today is not where you have to stay.
- The Voice of Insecurity Lies: If it’s telling you that you’re stuck forever, it’s wrong.
- Ignore the Negative Self-Talk: Every time you hear “you’re not good enough,” recognize it for what it is, fear, not reality.
- Small Steps Lead to Big Changes: Progress doesn’t happen overnight, but small daily actions add up.
- Circumstances Change When You Take Action: Nothing will improve if you do nothing. One step forward is still progress.
As Inse walked back to the counter, he made a decision, tonight, he’d apply for one job outside of the restaurant industry. Just one. And tomorrow? He’d take another step.
Maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t stuck after all.
