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Why Being a “Sponge” at a New Job Could Be Holding You Back

Introduction Starting a new job can feel overwhelming. There are new people to meet, systems to understand, and expectations to learn. That is why new employees are often told to “be a sponge.” The idea is simple: observe, learn, and avoid mistakes. Learning is important, but blindly absorbing everything around you is not always the best strategy. Being a “sponge” can encourage you to accept every process, opinion, habit, and workplace behavior without asking whether it is actually useful. The goal should not be to absorb everything. It should be to understand your environment, learn what matters, ask questions, and develop your own judgment. Why “Being a Sponge” Sounds Like Good Advice Learning from experienced colleagues can help you understand how a workplace operates. You can learn how meetings work, decisions are made, and expectations are set. The problem begins when learning becomes passive. A new employee may remain quiet and follow existing systems without questioning them. Bu...

Best Motivational story of Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan Basketball
Migratory birds used to travel from 5000 to 7000 km to sustain their lives. In India, Siberian birds used to come in the month of December and stay there for more than three months. These birds used to come from Siberia but this long journey is not very easy. During winters Siberian birds have two options, first is to live in Siberia and die while tackling extreme temperatures in the range of -40 to -50 degree celsius or to travel to relatively warm areas like India. This is just like a process of change we also face in our lives. Change is never easy and we have a tendency to enjoy the status quo. But the status quo is very harmful and never benefits us. Siberian birds decide to travel 5000 to 7000 Kms and start preparing 3-4 months before the winters by subsequently increasing fat in their bodies. They face very harsh conditions like extreme temperatures of dessert area, starving, hunting, etc during their journey. But it's a matter of life or death for these birds hence they decide to change and travel to longer distances.
The power of change can easily be understood by the inspirational story of Michael Jordan. He was born in one of the Slums of America and his parents were very poor. His father had a salary of fewer than 20 dollars and it was very difficult to sustain 4 children on such a meager salary. There were two options available with Jordan and the first was to weep over his impecuniosity or he can fight against poverty. One day his father called Jordan and told him to sell an old T-shirt for 2 dollars. Jordan had a very optimistic mindset since childhood and he immediately started thinking of the ways by which he can sell that old T-shirt. Michael Jordan washed it thoroughly but he had no iron available with him so he kept that T-shirt under some heavyweight. The next day he started selling it at the railway station and after the hard work of 6-7 hours, he successfully sold that T-shirt for 2 dollars. When Jordan handed over his earning to his father, his father told him that one day he will become a very successful man. 
Migratory Birds V formation
After someday his father again told him to sell a similar T-shirt but now at 20 dollars. Jordan became puzzled but he agreed to give it a try. He visited his friend's home and decided to paste a Mickey Mouse sticker on it. Then he visited a school where children of rich people used to study. One child appreciated the T-shirt and insisted to purchase it. His father purchased it for 20 dollars and also provided 5 dollar tip. With a very big smile, he handed over 25 dollars to his father. But Jordan got a shock when his father handed over one more T-shirt and his new target was 200 dollars. He accepted the challenge but started thinking about the ways by which he can sell that T-shirt for 200 dollars.
You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan came to know that a very famous Hollywood celebrity Farrah Fawcett was coming to a nearby city. He immediately got an idea and with some posters, he left for that nearby city. Somehow he reached Farrah Faucet and asked for her signature. Looking at his innocent face, Farrah agreed and signed his T-shirt. Now Michael Jordan started selling that T-shirt at a price of 200 dollars but when people came to know that the T-shirt was signed by Farrah then people started bidding for the T-shirt. A big businessman purchased it for 2000 dollars. That was the level of persistence shown by Michael Jordan during his childhood and the same persistence helped him to reach the top-notch position in the NBA.
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