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Each year, quarter, month, and week, we get to hit the "reset" button and reflect on what we did well, the mistakes we made, and how we can support our goals and desires.
I want to share a framework I've learned to help you reset as you aim to deliver critical projects and achieve essential goals at work and personally.
By asking these three questions, you're gifting yourself the opportunity to be reflective and "own" your value, what you accomplish, and your emotional state and well-being.
#1: What is one thing you did last ____ (week, month, quarter, year) that you are proud of?
Notice that I'm saying one thing to keep it as simple as possible.
Answer the question and notice how that self-acknowledgment helps you feel more confident and accomplished--it will boost your emotional state.
Why? Usually, our brain focuses on what is NOT WORKING.
Flexing the gratitude muscle will support your shift into a new pattern of acknowledging what IS WORKING, and it will spill into other areas of your life.
I recommend you answer this question often. What is one thing you're proud of today, this week, this quarter, month, and year?
If you are a high achiever like many of us in this community, you may tend to criticize yourself. And that's okay until you realize it, and then, we consciously choose to shift it as it diminishes our confidence.
Self-acknowledgment is essential in your toolkit in supporting you to be a fearless leader. It keeps you in a high-energy state and allows us to appreciate and acknowledge others, including our team and loved ones.
#2: What mistake did you make ___ (week, month, quarter, year), and what did you learn from that mistake?
If we put our blinders on and pretend that we're perfect, then we're not being honest with each other. The value of making mistakes is that they create an opportunity to learn, and when we dismiss them, we squander that opportunity.
The advantage of tackling this question often is that it will support you in developing a growth mindset--understanding that skills and abilities can improve. We realize that mistakes are unavoidable and use them as lessons to tweak and pivot in the future.
For example, last year, I launched a campaign for one of my programs, which was utterly dismal--only a few people signed up for the program. When I dissected what happened and what I did or didn't do, I realized what I needed to do differently next time.
One of the key reasons I could improve my approach was that I had experienced those "mistakes." When I planned future campaigns, I ensured to address the trouble areas and expand on what went on. That is the gift we receive when acknowledging our mistakes. And that applies to our teams too.
Similarly, in my personal life, I realize that I could have addressed a topic differently, spoken more respectfully, or been more patient when engaging in conversations with loved ones.
These are all moments to step back, assess how it went, and then take corrective steps moving forward. That's what it means to embody a growth mindset.
#3: What is one story that you are willing to let go of?
This question may seem "odd." And, here's the value.
We're always pitching ourselves a story that reflects our emotional state. In most cases, the stories are disempowering, make us question our worth, value, and potential.
For example, you may be telling yourself, "This is it for me; this is as far as I'm going to go in my career." "This is the highest title or the highest role, or the biggest impact that I see myself having."
Or maybe you tell yourself that you're not smart, young, articulate or ___ (fill in the blank) enough.
The POWER in understanding what stories you tell yourself is that you are the only one who knows what they are. And while you keep telling yourself the same negative narrative, it will hold you back from becoming the leader you have the potential to be.
Your stories, unless they are empowering, will keep you small, limited, and limited from seeing the possibilities right in front of you--a potential new role, opportunity, and potential for you to have a bigger impact as a leader.
Think about the stories you tell yourself about your career, work, leadership, and in you personal life too. The time you spend will be a valuable investment.
When I answered this question, I found that one of my disempowering stories was that "I'm not going to find a partner so share my life with." If I continued to tell myself that crappy story, I would squash the possibility of meeting a man to be my life partner and behave and show up closed-off. Why?
We behave in ways that aligns with our beliefs--so we can be congruent.
And if that was my belief, I would be sabotaging myself because that's not what I wanted--to be alone the rest of my life.
Without a willingness to shift my perspective about what was possible for me after my divorce, I would still be stuck in "I'm never going to meet someone."
Bringing it Together
Resetting is always accessible to you and possible any time of the year, and it relies on your self-awareness, which reflects what you notice about yourself.
Ultimately, my goal is to support you in increasing your confidence, strengthening your belief in your value and worth, gaining the courage to pursue your goals and desires unapologetically, and reaching your full potential.
If you feel misaligned between where you are and where you want to be in your career, you can reach us at www.callwithginny.com. Let's set up a complimentary strategy session and explore how our programs can support you or your leaders gain the tools and strategies leaders must possess to advance and thrive in their careers without feeling overwhelmed.
Live with purpose, live with joy!
Coach Ginny 💕
Whenever you're ready, we want to support you. Visit our Events page to learn about upcoming events and programs.
DR. GINNY A. BARO, Ph.D., MBA, MS, CPC, CEO, ExecutiveBound.com, immigrated to the U.S. at age 14 with nothing more than a dream. Today, she is an award-winning international transformational speaker & leadership coach, career strategist, and #1 bestselling author of Healing Leadership and Fearless Women at Work. Named one of the Top 100 Global Thought Leaders, Dr. Baro has successfully delivered keynotes, leadership training, and coachaing programs for organizations, ERGs, and Fortune 500 companies. She's been a Leadership Coach for the McKinsey&Company's Hispanic/Latino Executive Program since 2021. Leveraging over 20 years of corporate leadership experience, in 2020, Dr. Baro created the Fearless Leadership Mastermind™ to help high-potential female leaders advance and gain critical leadership skills to lead, engage, and influence their teams confidently and deliver business growth and personal well-being. She earned a Ph.D. in Information Systems, an MS in Computer Science, an MBA in Management, and a BA in Computer Science and Economics, and she is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC). To learn more, please visit www.ExecutiveBound.com.
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