“Stay in your lane!”
I used to hate hearing that statement. It used to boil my blood every time I heard it. Now it’s a creed that I live by.
A mistake that I made professionally was thinking that I knew everything about the EP/security industry and that my career would flourish based on the little knowledge I had retained from previous mentors such as Michael Trott, Ivor Terret & Mike Ginty.
Two years ago if you would have asked me what I thought about sitting down and reading books related to my profession… I would have met you with a blank stare and probably some snub comment. I was on a high-level EP team… why would I need that? Everything that I needed to know was either in the SOP’s or provided in some manner of practical training.
I was too focused on chasing the dream of becoming an internal employee I was tired of being a contractor. I felt that I deserved that. But what did I bring to the table? At the time I thought, “I have tons of experience. I’m an asset to any team I’m a part of!” The reality of it was I didn’t know shit.
I had to take a hard look at myself and the “chip on my shoulder.”How much did I really know about the industry? The answer was a hard blow to my pumped up ego.
Steps had to be taken, changes had to be made. Not with the people around me, but with myself…
By “staying in my lane” and focusing on my personal growth, my professional growth has followed. I had to start by reading 20 pages a day, which was a challenge in itself. If the content didn’t immediately jump out and resonate with me I would drift off, or get distracted.
“Stay in your lane” would be the credo I would say to myself to refocus. If you know about Mel Robbins and her book “The Five-Second Rule” The phrase “Stay in your lane” has the same kind of effect on me. I would recenter, knuckle down and continue to push forward.
One book took me 2 months to completely get through the shortest book in the ASIS International series. “Information Security.” A couple of months later, another book… Slowly but surely I was chipping away at something that I had previously dreaded. At the beginning I found myself having to repeat my credo over and over again. “Stay in your lane, stay in your lane, stay in your lane.” slowly but surely it became easier to sit for longer periods of time, 20 pages turned to 100 pages a day, the content that I had once thought was outdated and dry became more coherent and useful.
Now it is February 2020 and I am reading ASIS International’s book titled “Legal Issues” for the 3rd time. I’ve read all of the ASIS books required for the CPP certification at least twice. Highlighters and post-it notes are a must (for me at least) It allows me to easily find things that help me create, grow and evolve myself & Veterans Covert Protection Group.
By staying in my lane I have managed to let go of the alpha ego superhero mentality that I thought would excel my career in the past. I now understand that I can never stop learning, growing, or asking questions. I now truly understood what it meant to “Stay in your lane.” As previously stated, at the time this was said to me I was in a different mindset, a poisonous mindset. I felt that it was an insult, a low blow, but now looking at it, those 4 words are what got me to where I am today. They saved my career in executive protection.
It doesn’t’ matter if you have 10 months or 30 years in the security/executive protection industry. Thinking that you “know it all” will catch up with you (I know.) Focus on yourself, your growth, learn something new every day & Stay in your lane.
The results are endless.