How to destroy your career in 3 easy steps

By Johnny Kelly, “MC Mastery”

Are you the best MC in the country? If you answered yes, the next 550 words could be some of the most important words you will read. Everything I am about to reveal comes from 21 years of experience and If you do what I did, you will succeed in destroying your career.

From my first gig, I knew I was the best MC in the country. I could dance like Travolta; I had a voice like Michael Buffer, and I could get people to do whatever I wanted. I was so good; people would move their dates just to get me. It was obvious to me that I was the best MC that ever lived.

Every party I performed at would result in 3 to 5 bookings. Weddings were my biggest market and within 2 years, I was the number one booked wedding MC in Boston. I was making more money than anyone I knew, and life was fantastic.

By the time, I was 35, everything I had dreamed of, came true. I purchased my 3rd home; I drove a Lexus 430 convertible and I had 4 Rolex watches. I was a member of a country club, and I dined at the Ritz 3 times a week. I was on my way to becoming a millionaire and no one could stop me.

Oh, I forgot to tell you about the people I pissed off while rising to the top.

Photographers, videographers, catering managers and party planners were “useless” to me. If they got in my way, I made sure to let them know I was the star of the show. I told catering managers to rearrange the room because it didn’t work for me. I did bridal dances without the photographer in the room. I told party planners I wasn’t going to pay a commission. I told videographers to get out of my way, and if the caterer didn’t feed me, I got the bride involved. After all, I am a star.

Here is what I didn’t know: Every vendor could have been a future sales person for me. If they loved me, they would have told people about me. Instead, they were deterring clients from booking me. Within 5 years I was booked solid but little did I know I would be the most hated MC in Boston.

It took 8 years for me to realize what I had done. My referral network was destroyed, and I was on my own. My career was in jeopardy, and I needed to change my attitude immediately. I would spend the next 13 years reconciling with people in order to save my business, however, I still feel the effects of my actions today.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still doing very well: however, I would have been able to retire earlier if I knew the repercussions of my actions.

So, “How to destroy your career in 3 easy steps.”

1. Treat everyone like they don’t matter.

2. Act like a superstar.

3. Alienate yourself from your referral network.

Just follow these 3 steps, and I promise, your career won’t last long. You may be the best in the world but, if you treat people as I have, you will fail, as well. If you want to be successful, you will need help from everyone you meet. You cannot do this alone.

Final note: Insecurity fuels perfection but it will destroy your career if you are not careful.