Stop Trying to Fit Where You Don't Belong

A philosophy teacher asked his students, “what makes something pure or impure?” The students confused asked, what do you mean? The teacher said, you love your mothers hair, but if you find one strand in your food, it’s disgusting. Similarly you enjoy cheese spread on your bread, but the same cheese spread on your shirt is termed dirty.

Same thing at different places has different value. 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 "𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵". if you are in the wrong job, wrong relationship, wrong circle of friends, you will feel like something is wrong with you. But maybe you are just in the wrong place.

Think about it. A cactus in the Amazon rainforest will struggle to survive. Not because it's a weak cactus, but because it's in the wrong ecosystem. A dolphin on a mountain will suffer. Not because it's a flawed dolphin, but because it's in the wrong environment. Yet we spend years convincing ourselves that if we're struggling at work, in a relationship, or within our current circle, there must be something fundamentally wrong with us.

The principle is simple but transformative: Location determines worth. The same person who feels like an imposter in a corporate boardroom might be a natural leader on a social enterprise team. The same person who feels lost in a high-pressure relationship might flourish with someone who values their quiet, introspective nature. The person dismissed in a competitive, cutthroat circle of friends might shine brilliantly in a community built on collaboration and mutual growth.

I've watched this pattern countless times while coaching professionals, especially the ones in their formative years of career. Someone comes to me exhausted, convinced they're not good enough, only to discover they're in the wrong job, wrong team, or wrong organization. The moment they move to an environment that values their strengths, aligns with their values, and appreciates their contribution, everything changes. Suddenly, they're not just surviving; they're thriving.

Liboo (𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘄𝗹) says the real question sometimes isn't: "𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲?" 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀: "𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲?"

If your answer is no, if you feel that persistent mismatch between who you are, what your core competencies are, and where you are, then it's time to start looking elsewhere. Look for the place where your strengths are not just tolerated but celebrated. A place where your work is a contribution to the larger picture. Seek out the circle that lifts you up rather than holds you back. Discover the role where your unique contributions make a tangible difference.

Stop trying to fit where you don't belong. Start looking for where you will bloom.

The moment you find it, everything shifts. 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.