Why You Need to Stand Up to Get What You Want at Work

Growing up in a Chinese immigrant household, anything an elder said was taken as the truth. I wasn’t allowed to express my opinions because that meant I was “talking back.” I learned to accept things even if I didn’t agree with them. For a while, this type of behavior served me well. I was a good student and always did as I was told. I got along with people easily, always mediating and avoiding tension. 

It wasn’t until I started working at a full-time job that I realized the pitfalls of my conditioning. No one was going to stand up for me the way that I would stand up for myself. It was up to me to be my own advocate, even in situations that make me feel uncomfortable. There were times when I fell short, and there were times when I pushed myself, even when I felt scared. Here’s what I learned from those experiences.

Continue reading the rest of the article on Fairygodboss here.