[Flash] Old Keys Never Open New Doors
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Bob scheduled a car to pick me up. He said, “I’ve worked with Mr. Woldegiorgis for 8 years and he’s fabulous.” When Mr. Woldegiorgis arrived, the first thing I said when I got in the car, “Bob thinks you’re fabulous.” Mr. Woldegiorgis smiled, sat up proudly, and drove me to the airport as only a fabulous driver would.
It is estimated that 50,000 thoughts race through our minds every day, and 70% of them do not serve our success. We spend an inordinate amount of time doubting ourselves, obsessing about mistakes, and worrying. The flood of negative thoughts is self-deflating. But we can help combat people’s sabotaging self-talk by repeating the good stuff we hear others say about them. For example, when Barbara emailed me, “My mentor is awesome!” I forwarded Barbara’s email to her mentor, repeating the good stuff. Barbara’s mentor immediately replied, “Thank you! That made my day!” It’s a phenomenon called the “Pygmalion effect” in which people internalize positive labels. Essentially, others’ expectations of them affect their performance. As leaders when we repeat the good stuff, we elevate the importance of that positive label which serves to:
And this leads to an increase in performance, because people want to emulate their positive label. Here’s what I love about repeating good stuff:
When people feel good about themselves, they achieve more. And we need people inflated by pride, not deflated by self-sabotage. |
Today we finished our cycling adventure around the Green Mountain State!
As the last few miles moved under my pedals, I reflected on what I’ve learned from this year’s ride…
Was it about having more fun and finding more joy? No!
There were plenty of un-joyful moments during this trip:
So, no. My insight was not about creating more fun-filled journeys in life.
Rather, I re-discovered what it means to persevere in spite of all those un-joyful moments. To set a goal and endure through a deluge of unwanted circumstances. To be completely uncomfortable and inconvenienced (and hungry!) in dogged pursuit of a finish line. And to get up the next day and face it all again.
My reward? I experienced a beautiful state, explored delightful towns, and met interesting people. And I amazed myself with my own strength and power.
As Jim Rohn once said, “The ultimate reason for setting goals is to entice you to become the person it takes to achieve them.”
Ultimately it wasn’t about the mileage or the elevation. It was about becoming a stronger person mentally, emotionally, and physically. It was about re-learning to persevere in the face of uncontrollable, unforgiving circumstances.
I’m ready for the next challenge!