“When the impossibility of replacing a person is realized, it allows the responsibility which a man has for his existence and its continuance to appear in full magnitude. A an who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears…will never be able to throw away his life”

–Victor E Frankl, ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’

What is the Meaning of Irreplaceable?

Let’s agree first off, what being ‘Irreplaceable’ means, and let’s put it in context. At the back of your mind, place these two words: Competition and Domination. Anytime the word ‘irreplaceable’ appears, almost always people start thinking about…performance at work, specifically on a job. That is NOT what I am talking about.

To be irreplaceable simply means to show up at your very best, doing all that you can possibly do to deploy the MOST of the potential that God has placed in you.

This means that anybody anywhere can choose to be irreplaceable!

John Wesley, that irreplaceable revivalist (another great soul from the distant past) said the following:

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can”

Whether you are working or not, whether you are employed or not, whether you are a student or a teacher, business owner or consultant, you can be irreplaceable at any level being just you. Unique, intended, purposed and being fully deployed is what makes you irreplaceable.

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How To Be Irreplaceable:

1. Know the Meaning of ‘Irreplaceable’

When Robin Van Persie was still at Arsenal, the Arsenal Manager always had his name on the team sheet FIRST before he could sort out the rest. That is being irreplaceable. Now all the Manchester and Chelsea fans can stop reading right here. You are all replaceable! Just kidding.

How Can I be Irreplaceable?

If you were to write an email to your audience, and you get to see how they opened their mail boxes, would they:

• Open yours first?
• Favorite it?
• Scheme through it?
• Delete it?
• Devour it?
• Reply to it?
• Forward it to the people they care most about?

This happens daily. Let’s take a simple look at the first of the 9 ways you can hone your ‘irreplaceability index’.
Let’s answer this question that many people are asking: “How Can I be Irreplaceable?”

1. Know the Meaning of ‘Irreplaceable’:

If you google this topic, most of the writers will give you an advice based on what you can ‘do’ to enhance your chances of being ‘retained’. But irreplaceable people are not just those who can be retained, but they are those who will always be missed. They will always be remembered. The meaning of being Irreplaceable has little to do with what you do, but all to do with who you truly and congruently are!

The Preeminence of Life Purpose

This is where there is a heaven and earth difference between domination and competition. Irreplaceable people do not wallow in competition, but they just do dominate big time!

Do not get me wrong, because from time to time, even those who are congruent with themselves and what they are doing will have to compete in their respective niches. The competition however is not the goal, but the driving force of them competing is showing up their complete congruent make up.

If you are careful enough , you will notice that the eternal subject of Life Purpose is all over this topic. In fact, life purpose is preeminent in the discussion of being irreplaceable.

Again, if you googled “How to be Irreplaceable”, almost all the thought leaders on this subject will mention the subject of life purpose. They may say it verbatim, or use other words such as Passion, Specialization, What you Love Most and so on.

Life’s Eternal Questions

Of all the great souls that were mentioned in the previous post, there is one common denominator that identifies them all: They were fully dedicated to one major consuming cause! It is like they were totally immersed in it in such a way that you the very cause becomes irrelevant without the mention of their names! That is what Life Purpose is.

A man or woman who has intrinsic answers to the following questions has done more than 75% that needs to be done in order to be irreplaceable:

1. Question 1: Who am I?
2. Question 2: Where do I come from?
3. Question 3: Why Am I here?
4. Question 4: What Can I Do?
5. Question 5: Where Am I going?

An answer to these questions is necessary for all human beings whoever their current status in life. In fact, well answered, you will find that you shift from the group that competes to the one that is ready to dominate.

One curious thing we need to note here is this: These questions are introspective, yet the answers thereof really come from just one question:

“What is life asking of me?”

Again, quoting Victor E Frankl,

Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of life is, but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked…each man is questioned by life, and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to live he can only respond by being responsible”

Band Aids

Being irreplaceable starts from the inside out. Otherwise, all the ‘how to’s’ that people are telling you to employ are band aids that are replaceable in themselves. “Have a good attitude” for example is one of those band aids. What if you were meant, wired and purposed to be a preacher and you find yourself as a masseur with a good attitude? What chances to do you have at being irreplaceable? Well, compared to being a pre-intended preacher, you have a very small chance.

So, first things first. Know yourself. Know your purpose. At least be on the journey of knowing it.

More to follow in the next post.

Question: What is your meaning of being irreplaceable?