You’re a Wildcard
I had a conversation with a colleague the other day. I didn’t like it. He told me a friend of his described me as a “wildcard.” The friend he was referring to has never met me. It was a deduction based on hearsay. In the past, my colleague has shared similar sentiments from other men in the community. Apparently, I can’t be controlled.
I’m still trying to figure out why hearing this makes me so angry. Anger is a secondary emotion, so what’s lying underneath it? Perhaps I’m just offended. I am a high-achieving, independent thinker who is very skilled in balancing soft and hard skills in the workplace. My brain loves analyzing and strategic thinking. My heart loves to help people. Anyone who takes the time to know me learns I’m actually a secret weapon. So why are so many people so concerned with labeling me as a “wildcard” or “uncontrollable,” as if it’s a negative thing?
I wonder if the issue is that I don’t fit in a box. We’ve all been taught from an early age that we are supposed to sort things according to size, color, and shape. But when we mature, we’re supposed to be able to think broader than that. When a person comes into our life who doesn’t fit into the boxes we have pre-assigned, we have an opportunity to view them as an asset to be utilized instead of a liability to be discarded.
In the last two years or so, I’ve decided to make myself my favorite topic to research. One thing I’ve learned is that it is completely okay for me to jump from box to box as I see fit. The term or label I’ve found for it is multipotentiality or multipotentialite. I am different. I’m finally okay with this. I never felt like I fit into any box presented to me, and now I understand and embrace why. I wasn’t designed to be assigned.
You hear me?!
So here’s what I’ll do with the anger I feel… I’m going to turn it into gratefulness. Every time I hear about yet another person who refuses to work with me because they can’t control me or predict how I might move, I’m going to be grateful that I don’t have to waste my time, energy, or talents with that person. I’m going to be grateful that my path is clear of ignorance, strife, and stagnancy. Maybe it works for them, but it doesn’t work for me. Call me a wildcard all you want, but put some respect on it next time. If we’re playing Uno, a wildcard is one of the most desirable cards in the deck.
Draw four, uno out.
