Sometimes we are our own worst enemy, or our most critical judges. We do things that sabotage our success.
Not intentionally, of course. But if you take a close look, you might be surprised to discover you’ve picked up a few daily habits, practices and perspectives that keep you stuck in a rut and incapable of moving toward your goals.
Don’t be your own saboteur. Here are five things to stop doing now – and what you should be doing instead.
1. You listen to your gremlins. You’re not the only one with voices in your head telling you you’re not good enough or smart enough. I call these voices gremlins. Gremlins lock you in your comfort zone to keep you safe from the risk of failure. This means they also hold you back from discovering your full potential.
Do this instead: Gremlins aren’t bad. They’re scared. Thank them for looking out for you but tell them their fears are not welcome. Then shut them out. Give the megaphone to a different internal voice — the one that says, “Go for it! You can do it! This will be amazing!”
2. You focus on failure or setbacks. Things won’t always work out the way you’d hoped or planned. That’s disappointing. But focusing on the things that don’t work blinds you to seeing things that might be worth pursuing. Much like those pesky gremlins, fear of failure will keep you stuck in a negative frame of mind.
Do this instead: Confront your feelings so you can move past them. It could be as simple as talking it through with a trusted friend or mentor. Once you do so, you’ll gain the perspective to see the failure or setback as a gift. Take what you can – a hidden lesson, an experience to be shared – and then move on.
3. You don’t celebrate success. How can you be excited about your path if you don’t acknowledge the steps you’ve taken along the way? Motivation can be the most difficult part of any journey. Recognizing your successes, however small, helps keep you fired up about what’s ahead.
Do this instead: Celebrate and record your achievements. Did you get a call back on a resume you submitted? Celebrate! Did you make a new networking contact? Celebrate! Then record that success in your planner or calendar so you can look back and see at a glance how incredible you are.
4. You see struggle instead of opportunity. No matter what you’re trying to achieve, challenges are inevitable. If you choose to see only the struggle, you’re in for a tough road.
Do this instead: Accept that certainty is out of your control and work to better yourself by changing how you perceive these challenges. What you view first as an obstacle could reveal a chance to increase your knowledge base, develop a technical skill or make new contacts. The next time an interviewer asks you for an example of a time you overcame adversity, you’ll be ready.
5. You focus on tasks over the big picture. Life gets busy. You’ll never run out of tasks that need doing. But are those duties helping you advance toward attaining what you truly want? If you aren’t consciously taking daily steps toward your big-picture vision, you’ll end up lost in a sea of to-do lists.
Do this instead: Make decisions from where you want to be, not where you are. Visualize yourself in the moment after you’ve achieved your goal by aligning actions with your core values. What do you need to do today to become the ideal-future you? Always be focused on your goal, say “yes” to those things that move you closer to that goal and “no” to those things that don’t.
Rick Christensen: Director, Career Transition Practice Rick has been a career consultant for over 25 years, serving a very broad-based and diverse clientele. His specialties include effective group facilitation, one-on-one coaching and consultation at all levels including senior executives.
Rick’s passion is coaching individuals through career transitions, developing career management strategies and in identifying and sharpening competencies to open doors to new opportunities. His efforts have assisted thousands of individuals achieve their full potential.
Contact Rick at: Rick@CareerDevelopmentPartners.com
