When is the last time you studied a sign and thought, “Nah, I’m not going there.” By definition, road signs exist to direct us. Detour. No Left Turn. One Way. Do Not Enter. Road Closed. Under Construction. Human beings, by definition, make their own decisions. We read the sign, evaluate our options, predict some sort of future outcome (correct or incorrect), and off we go. I faced that situation recently, and when it was all over, I was glad I followed the sign.
How do you respond under pressure? It’s the ultimate self-leadership metric. Consider this quote about Maria Sharapova, tweeted by the mother of tennis star Andy Murray. “Sharapova is like a tea bag. Put her into hot water and (you will) find out how strong she is.” Here are 5 tips to help YOU succeed when YOU are the teabag in hot water!
“There is a Japanese proverb that literally goes ‘Raise the sail with your stronger hand’, meaning you must go after the opportunities that arise in life that you are best equipped to do.” – Soichiro Honda
What’s happening in your head right now? Are you chastising yourself for a mistake made yesterday – or six years ago? Are you dreaming about dessert? Are you wondering what your boss thinks of you, or wishing death upon the mean girl at the office, or evaluating when you can quit and do what you really were put on this earth to do? What is that conversation like, and who is in charge? What if that same mental chatter was happening between you and a REAL PERSON – with them doing all the talking. Would it change things? Would you smile, press their hand gently, and say, “Shhh… take a deep breath! It will all be okay.” Or would you say, “Shut up, you neurotic nimrod! Get outta my house! You’re driving me crazy!”
Mastery is a complicated and difficult goal. What does it mean to master your craft and “be your best?” How do we get there? Research shows it is a 10,000 hour commitment, whether you’re learning to play piano, speak French, or become a brain surgeon. Let me put this in perspective. If you dedicate yourself to improving your craft with 5 hours of concentrated effort each week, that equals 260 hours a year. At that rate, you’ll be a master in 38.5 years. Ouch.
