We all tend to look for the negative. We’re biologically programmed to do it. At work, thinking about what will go wrong can be corrosive to our ambition, diluting our ability to take risks. It’s called performance anxiety, and it sucks.
The inner monologue in our ear says, what if I fail?
But someone said something to me during the holiday break - when I was thinking about all the things that could go wrong in 2024 -
“What if you changed that question, and asked yourself, what if this actually works out?”
I laughed. How often do we ask ourselves that? How often do things actually work out, just as planned. Our skills, character and vision all conspiring to deliver something just as it was intended?
But when you stop to think about it, things are working out all the time.
The question was so thought-provoking to me, I had to brand it (😇).
I call it, The Glimmers; those day-to-day moments of success - we tend to patently ignore. The well received email, praise from a co-worker, a project you are deeply proud of, managing a tough situation with grace, a note from a client on a great job.
These are all situations where it 100% worked out.
In fact, when you look at your day, you might find that it’s far more full of The Glimmers than…let’s call them, The Shivers. Those feelings of dread that squirrel into our minds now and then to store their unwanted nuts of doom.
When you’re the friend of The Glimmers; when you spot them and invite them in, you start to build a far truer picture of what you do well at work; not what your monkey mind says you do badly.
The Glimmers are the spark of your light. They’re the true reflection of your vision, skills and passion. They are your value and your innate spirit.
As we crawl back into work with a bleary-eyed thump, this week’s Jolt is to think about The Glimmers. Collect them all. Write them down. Find the patterns. See what picture they paint.
We bet they’ll shine their light on the true you.