Imagine you're going down the street and you come across a person who has been shot. You, being a kind person, rush up to him and offer to assist him.

While you're attempting to assist him, someone else steps forward to assist him. He notices that the sufferer has been shot and that he will die if the bullet is not removed from his body.

Recognizing the danger, the other individual takes out a knife and prepares to remove the bullet through surgery. When you see this, you inquire whether he is a doctor, to which he replies "No." You inquire whether he has any prior experience doing such an operation. And he responds with a resounding "No."

You can see this individual isn't fit for surgery, and you'll have to wait for an ambulance. The other gentleman, though, is adamant about extracting the bullet with his knife. You state unequivocally that he is incapable of conducting such an operation and that he should not proceed. "You are not a medical professional!" you tell him. "But I am a decent person," he replies, "I have a clear heart with good intentions." and approaches the victim with a knife. By the time assistance arrived, you had to use force to stop him.

Would you ever let someone who isn't qualified conduct a medical operation on you or your family?

I'm guessing you're going to say no.

Why am I disclosing all of this to you? Because what we need to take away from this tale is that no one cares about your intentions or how wonderful of a person you are. The world is only interested in what you bring to the table and what you can do to assist them in achieving their goals. Without your talents, you are nothing in this world, and this is precisely what employers are looking for.

Companies and markets are unconcerned with whether you are a decent person or a good citizen. They are only interested in the abilities you bring to the table. As a result, we must continuously improve our skills or risk being left behind.