“It is in our moments of decisions that our destinies are shaped……”

I am sitting down on the floor of my mentor’s sitting room writing this post at about 12.09am at night. I’m actually supposed to be working on some content for the website of the organization I work with but I just watched this movie and couldn’t resist the urge to write about it.

The title is as above “The Devil wears Prada”. The lead part was done by Academy award winner Meryl Streep. For those who have watched this movie, I won’t need to explain some stuff, but for those who haven’t, first I need to tell you to go and get a copy, sit down and watch it carefully. There is a lot you can learn. These are some of the things I learnt.

  1. There are no limits.

The movie stars Anne Hathaway as Andrea “Andy” Sachs, a recent college graduate who comes to New York City and gets a job as a co-assistant to powerful and demanding fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep. She came on the job as a novice. She was not interested in fashion nor did she know the first thing about succeeding in the fashion industry.

Meanwhile, her boss did not relent or compromise on the deliverables she expected. After going through a lot, she eventually made up her mind to come up to par. The moment she decided, she took action in the direction of her decision and she immediately became noticeably different. Even her boss started to note the way she looked, her sense of fashion. etc……….

The limits we have are those we place on ourselves. Every skill can be learnt. Your background is not a limitation. We are products of our choices. You can become anything you set your mind on in within the time you desire. 

  1. Collaborate with experts

When Andrea decided to improve on her fashion sense, she didn’t immediately go to look for books on the subject or try to get the knowledge herself. She rather went straight to the Design Head at the organization and asked him to get clothes that would suit her. She came back to the office looking smashing.

Most of what you seek or desire is close to you or present in your immediate environment. All you need do is ASK. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Leverage on what is working already. Somebody close to you has either done it or is doing it or has an idea of what to be done. What you need to do is get in touch with this “somebody”. 

  1. Give a little more

Andrea didn’t just begin to match her boss’ expectations, she exceeded them. She understood the impact of the little extra. The difference between ordinary and extra-ordinary is the extra. She understood the little things that made a big difference.

Consider everyone you are accountable to as a client as make up you mind to EXCEED CLIENT’S EXPECTATIONS ALWAYS. Some of our careers, relationships and paradigms just need the little extra. The difference between nine hundred thousand and ninety nine and one million is 1. A little extra can change you level.