1,2,3 for Week #23

Enjoy this week. Not going to take up a lot of time setting this up. Just eager to get into sharing what I learned about my week. Let’s GO!

1. I was challenged to think about this question this week: “Do the people around me act the way I wish to act?” What that struck me as the topic of thought for this week to expand on a little, was how this introspective question knocked me off center. The truth, some people in my life do not act the way I wish to act. I had to come to the truth and realization that “these people” as cool as they are as humans, are not helping me achieve what I want in myself if they don’t mirror that. Seemed very biased to me in thought. But, then I remember a coach of mine tell me, “Where your thoughts go, your actions follow.” So, if these people that don’t mirror positive things that I want to be or emulate, how long before their thinking or actions infect my own thinking? Then once that happens, how long before my now, bad thinking or thinking that works in the opposite way of where I want to be, creates unfavorable actions? What would be the worst thing that could happen? It could set me back in my goals or personal aspirations years! Think about that. How long has it taken you to course correct a bad behavior once it has had the time to set in?
2. Readings for the week that caught my attention were really focused for some reason on working with self personally and professionally. The first one is focused on personal growth and how not to be so hard on yourself. We’re the worst when it comes to grading our own work. We are incredibly awful at self grades. This HBR article was a great 5 minute reminder on how to Stop Being So Hard on Yourself. Any of us ever sabotage ourselves at work? Sure we have. Again, another one, this time professional in nature about how self gets in the way. How to Stop Sabotaging Yourself at Work reminds me about why we need coaches in our lives. I like to call them honesty coaches. If we pick really careful, an honesty coach tells us what we need to hear, not want to hear so we can truly grow. Maybe having one of those coaches in both professional and personal capacities could helps us see ourselves in a truer light. Stop the imposter syndrome before it causes damage. Get a honesty coach.
3. So many good quotes heard and read this past week. It made it super hard to pick. Guess I got back up for coming weeks, so why stress. Here’s the three that stuck this week:

“There will never be a perfect time to do something that stretches you. That’s true whether you are starting a business, having a child, changing careers, or wrestling with any number of challenges. That’s not a license to be reckless and never think things through, but at some point you have to embrace the uncertainty because it is the only path forward. If you were ready for it, it wouldn’t be growth.” – James Clear

Stop waiting for the perfect moment. Rarely does that moment show up. What’s more consistent is you have the likelihood of losing out on the opportunity or shot altogether.

“A positive mind finds a way it can be done; a negative mind looks for all the ways it can’t be done.” – Napoleon Hill

Where our thoughts go, so does our energy. Negative thoughts begets negative energy. Positive, positive actions. It’s that simple. Nothing achieved great was done with a negative mindset that I have read or experienced.

“Let the joy be in your journey, not in some distant goal.” – Tim Cook

Keeping perspective while you are on the journey to me is key to learning along the way. Really enjoying your own personal growth as you become aware of it only happens when your present in the journey as you go along. Not being focused to far out, so you end up losing perspective of the moment at hand is key. There’s a lot to learn by being present, don’t get altitude sickness.

Been a short, but fast week as summer kicked in from the holiday this past week. Hope you enjoyed my takeaways, finds, and joys. Here’s to the weekend!

✌🏻 Shawn