Everyone’s Going Through Something
Behind every missed meeting is a story you probably haven’t heard.
Maybe it’s just me, or maybe it’s something in the air, but this past week, I’ve had multiple candidates miss their interviews.
When it happens, I get that initial wave of frustration. Did they ghost? Stand me up?
Then the reasons start rolling in…
One had to rush his wife to the ER.
Another was stuck midair with no Wi-Fi.
One had the wrong time zone on his calendar.
Another is just going through hell at her current job and can barely come up for air.
Most candidates show up early or right on time. But the ones who don’t? There’s usually a very real life story behind it.
And it’s not just candidates.
Sometimes I hop on a call with a company looking to hire, only to realize halfway through… they’re not actually hiring, they’re looking for a job themselves.
These moments are reminders: everyone is going through something.
Maybe not publicly. Maybe not dramatically. But internally, quietly.
Thoughts like:
“Do I even know what I’m doing?”
“I’m tired of the grind.”
“I have too much work and not enough hours.”
Or maybe even worse: “I’m bored and stuck.”
This week, someone reached out for help hiring. But the real conversation became: “Can you help me find a new job?”
That’s where they were at.
So I listened. Helped how I could. Maybe we’ll work together again. Maybe we won’t. But maybe that moment mattered.
When you meet with your team, your spouse, your kids, candidates, clients… anyone, remember this:
You have no idea what was in their head five minutes before you walked in.
Meet them where they are.
Check in with where you are.
Then go from there — with the goal of making things a little better.
That’s what creators do.