During my first experience of getting a job, I learned something pretty quickly: sometimes, you have be a little bit annoying.

It was necessary for me to make calls and follow up with people and be just a little bit pushy. And that was against my nature. I concluded that if I wanted a job, I had to develop some persistence.

There are many, many things in life that you will never get unless you determine to put in a little work of persistence and push. And, sometimes, you might just have to be a bit of a nuisance. But practice with tact. Everyone knows its healthy to be assertive but not aggressive. If you prepare yourself now to be okay with it, then it will become less and less difficult when it’s necessary. I still have to push myself to push, but with each occasion I have found it easier and less self deprecating. I don’t feel like I’m a horrible person when I persist. Not anymore. I feel like a more confident person, in fact.