This rings true to me, perhaps because I struggle with this one.
I used to think I was destined for success, because I'm good and creative at many things, and am curious and can teach myself things.
But: I expected the system to integrate me. I realize now that, unless you're lucky, it's up to you to integrate yourself into the system.
It's a bummer to be underpracticed at this, and to be integrating suspiciously late. Feeling your potential, your ability to create great value for the system (while hopefully inspiring the system to also take good care of you). But instead only tapping a small fraction of your capability, because you haven't managed to link yourself in right.
If you ever get involved in hiring people, you realise that there are people slipping through the cracks. I've come across freelancers or underemployed people making a fraction of what their skills should be earning them, and it seems totally arbitrary that they're in such a position. It's lucky - for both sides - when this match happens.
An efficient system would make this integration easy, but I agree, for a lot of people to get anywhere, they have to "insert themselves".
Simultaneously, it's actually quite easy to be oblivious to this -- if you go to school, get good grades, get a graduate job, and do well enough at your job (but remain a normal employee), you'll never have the opportunity to have this realisation.
I used to think I was destined for success, because I'm good and creative at many things, and am curious and can teach myself things.
But: I expected the system to integrate me. I realize now that, unless you're lucky, it's up to you to integrate yourself into the system.
It's a bummer to be underpracticed at this, and to be integrating suspiciously late. Feeling your potential, your ability to create great value for the system (while hopefully inspiring the system to also take good care of you). But instead only tapping a small fraction of your capability, because you haven't managed to link yourself in right.