JSC: July 13, 2026
Welcome. Its the 2nd Monday of July, and we're two weeks into Q3. The quarter is young enough that nothing is set, but old enough that the habits you're building right now are starting to compound. That makes this a good week to check your direction, not just your effort.
This week's Mindset Monday takes on a question too many job seekers quietly ask after enough rejections: "What's wrong with me?" We're going to replace it with a better one. Then we'll wrap with this week's rep.
OK! Let's get into it.
Mindset Monday: Stop Fixing Yourself
Let me ask you something. After enough rejections, enough silence, enough interviews that went nowhere, have you caught yourself quietly asking "what's wrong with me?" Most of us have. Here's the thing: it's the wrong question. This week we're replacing it.
The throughline: growth should refine who you are, not replace who you are.
A few highlights worth carrying:
- This week's message drew from David Rendall's TED talk, [ here the link] How Our Weaknesses Can Become Our Strengths. Go watch it. The story that stuck was a simple one: for a man with limited mobility in one arm, drive-thrus in the US were a constant frustration. Then in Australia, where the wheel is on the other side of the car, the problem simply disappeared. His abilities never changed. The environment did.
- There's real research behind this. Psychologists call it person-environment fit, and Gallup's data is clear: people who spend their days using their natural strengths are far more engaged than people burning energy patching weaknesses.
- Perception creates perspective. "Too analytical"? A finance team calls that strategic. "Too quiet"? You might be an incredible listener. "Stubborn"? Try persistent. Nothing changed but the lens.
- And no, this is not a pass to stop growing. If your interviewing needs work, practice. The point is to stop assuming everything different about you is broken.
Your three moves this week:
- Write down the one thing about yourself you've been apologizing for. Then ask: who convinced me this was a weakness? One manager? One rejection?
- Reframe it into interview language: "I bring [strength], which means [specific value] for your team." Say it out loud until it feels natural.
- If something does need real work, name it and put practice on the calendar this week. That's refining on purpose.
Then ask the better question: where would someone like me create extraordinary value?
Join us every Monday for our live Mindset Monday call at 10:30am ET — 30 minutes to start your week with clarity, community, and a little push in the right direction.
Ready to build a pace you can actually sustain with someone in your corner? Book some time: Personalized Workshops+Coaching
That's a wrap!
One thread runs through this week: the goal was never to become someone else. It's to sharpen who you already are and put that person in the right environment. Refine, don't replace. The right fit is out there.
Last week was about pace. This week is about direction. Together they're the whole game: sustainable effort, pointed at the right target.
My rep this week is taking charge of being proactive: making a list and systematically checking things off, one by one. I invite you to do the same, it's amazing what we can get done when we start by writing it down.
What's your one rep this week? Hit reply and tell me yours. I read them, everytime!
We are here with you.
Tena & Stephen
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