Decide on a good day who you are going to be on a bad day
How to protect yourself from yourself...
Good Afternoon Team,
I hope your week has started well and things are moving in the right direction.
This week I want to introduce you to a concept that will protect you and others from your worst self. Maybe you know the concept already? Then this will serve as a helpful reminder of the importance of building an effective self-management system that accentuates your best features and keeps your self-destructive traits at bay.
The pressure of the eyes
If you are a leader or are in any visible position then you will know the pressure of eyes. The pressure of people always looking at you to set the tone, to inspire others or simply lead from the front. It can be overwhelming.
There will be many days where you rise to the challenge, however, inevitably, there will be days where you just aren't feeling yourself. My challenge to you is simple; build around those bad days.
The good days handle themselves because you are high energy, you are motivated and things are falling in place. However, what are you like on your bad days? What are you like when you hear bad news? What are you like when luck just isn’t on your side? Are you happy with that version of yourself?
I’ve learnt that people often don’t rise to their goals, they often fall into their systems or habits. This means the question we should be asking is, what is your self-management system when things aren’t going well?
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
In other words, you need to decide on a good day who you are going to be on a bad day.
This became clear to me just a few years ago after a string of bad news left me unravelled. Like many people, I started the then new year very motivated. I had my goals written out, and my plans organised and like dominoes, all of my goals started to fall away. Bad news from funders, bad news from friends and a series of unfortunate events left me exasperated. It led me down a mental spiral, and very quickly, I didn’t recognise myself. I was carrying disappointment, shame and a lot of angst about the future.
Here is where I went wrong…
When I was planning for my new year, I set goals and made plans however, crucially, I didn’t decide right then, who I would be if those goals didn’t come to plan. I didn’t build a rain shelter when it was sunny so that when the rain started I wouldn’t get wet. I was so lost in thinking about my highest self that I didn’t consider the worst me and his tricks.
We can be practical about this.
Make a list of character traits you wish to exhibit when things are bad and commit to them whilst things are good. This means when things get tough, you don’t allow the current to carry you away, instead, you look at those character traits and tell yourself, this is a great time to be the person you decided ahead of time you were going to be.
This short concept helps you take more control of your day. Things aren’t happening to you, but you are happening to your day. You have the agency and indeed the power to decide who you are going to be on a bad day.
Have a great week,
My Current Obsession
Dune 2 — A religious experience
Before I saw this film, I asked someone how it was and they said it was a religious experience and I scoffed. I was wrong. It was a deeply religious experience
The story is somehow easier to follow than in the last adaptation, motives and actions are easier to see and follow. I felt as though the book had come to life here, even if there were a couple of changes.
The acting is impressive, as is the music, the visuals however are the most incredible thing about this film, it looks awe-inspiring. The battles are epic, the staging is impressive, and you almost feel close to the action, I cannot praise that element highly
You must watch it
1) Israel and Palestine
I’ll be speaking this Thursday at Manchester University about how the media has been covering The Israel and Palestine conflict.
If you have questions about the topic or want to voice your perspective, grab a free ticket
Thursday 14th March 2024
4:30 pm
University Of Manchester
2 Creator Alpha Programme
I wanted to highlight a new programme/residency Common Sense Studios just launched for podcasters!
Every two months you get,
Ongoing recording time (10 hours every two months)
Ongoing studio support (email and WhatsApp support)
Discounted optional video editing
1-hour consultation on branding and podcast growth
Unlimited access to an array of set designs
It’s aimed at providing holistic support to people with amazing stories and video ideas!
Have an amazing week!
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