Make Yourself Essential

That's the key to stardom. Movie companies don't hire stars because they like them -- although executives will often boast of the close personal relationship they enjoy with Leo, or Tom, or Katy. They hire stars because they open. That is, a movie with a star in it will generally earn more money in its first weekend than a movie without stars.

Movie companies consider stars essential to their success. That's why they keep paying them millions of dollars even in a recession. What about your job? Are you essential to your company's success? If so, what are you doing to demonstrate that? Are you bringing in revenue? Do you have an essential operating responsibility? Do employees outside your department know who you are?

By the way, these days, even having an important role is no guarantee you'll continue working at the same company. But a star at one company can usually find a job with another company. If Warner Brothers doesn't want Leonardo DiCaprio for their current project, Paramount will be happy to sign him for theirs.

So what are you doing to make yourself essential? Are you paying more attention at work? Are you taking the extra steps needed to make your work better? Are you taking time to talk to your colleagues and learn how to make their work easier? If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you should have started doing all of that and more by now.

If you stopped going to work tomorrow, how many people would notice? Would they be able to go on without you? If your answer to the second question is "yes," then you haven't gone too far along the path to stardom yet. Resolve to improve one thing about your job performance tomorrow. Then two days later change something else. Keep that up for two months. In six months, you'll be amazed at the positive impact you've made on your workplace. You'll be well on your way to starring in your own life.