“It pays to be honest, but it’s slow pay.” ~ Proverb via Tiny Buddha
I recently met a new colleague who shares a lot of the sentiments I have about yoga, meditation, and what really matters in life. It was a refreshing introduction and a reminder that wherever you are, there are like minds. You may need to draw them out by trumpeting your own beliefs. As Clarissa Pinkola Estes said so beautifully, “She who does not howl will never find her pack.”
This path of finding your pack is not easy. It requires courage and faith. You will be asked to think and act like every one around you. You will have to be brave to be authentic. You will be told that thinking and acting like everyone around you is what you need to do to get ahead when the truth is a that thinking and acting like everyone else is a farce. That group persona doesn’t represent the persona of any individual member. It’s a vague meet-in-the-middle, mediocre compromise. And it doesn’t serve anyone well.
My advice, as I’ve given before, is to Be on Record. Be respectful of your environment while also being who you are. Listen and then speak up. Yes, honesty yields slow pay, but it carries a greater guarantee of a purposeful life in the long run. Steady, and authentic, wins the race.
Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
“It pays to be honest, but it’s slow pay.” ~ Proverb via Tiny Buddha
Christa Avampato 
As always, you so hit the nail on the head. in my years at amex I experienced a lot of people attempting to make me fit the mold. I slowly moved from secretary to office manager to program manager to project manager and am so glad that I never listened to those people, who, by the way are LONG gone from amex while I’m about to mark 23 years. I love reading your blog Christa! Your making me think I should start one of my own :). Oh, and love the howl quote! Totally stealing it!
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Urs,
It is so cool to hear about your experience. I learn so much from you! You should start your own blog, and feel free to steal that line. I use it all the time 🙂
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And omg I turn the page of my magazine after my last post and what’s the article about? “how to win at work? Be yourself”. Its gonna be a good day!
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Love that quote about finding you pack! So very true 🙂
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Hi Nikita – it’s one of my very favorite! 🙂
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Christa:
Nice post, as usual, about honesty. Thanks for sharing it.
It is important to be honest, but try to be tactful as well–be diplomatic, so you do not offend people.
I have learned this lesson the hard way–by attending the school of hard knocks. Sometimes, I have to bite my tongue.
Those of us who are Sagittarians tend to have the noblest of intentions, but we seem to have been born with two left feet. So, we trip over our shoe-laces and fall flat on our faces.
Consequently, we find that people are upset with us, and we don’t have a clue. What gives, dude, cheer up and shoot the breeze. But if only we had not opened our big, fat mouth.
Next time, for example, a woman asks me: honey, does my butt look too big in this dress or jeans?
Well, I will have to bite my tongue off, stay very still, be silent, and run out of that exit, full speed ahead. Don’t want to get into trouble again, you see?
Your post reminded me of what befalls us foolish mortals when you are accursed with too much honesty. Cheerio.
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