Monday, June 29, 2009

Another confidence trick

Huge day tomorrow, starting with an interview (I'm conducting, not attending!) at 9am, so unlikely that I'll get a spare moment to post my thought for the day. So, instead, a lesson from last week:

Another trick if you're not feeling all that confident:
Be prepared.
Find out as much as you can about the situation while you're approaching it. Ask questions, plan your approach, dwell on your desired outcome (not your feared outcome!)
If you walk in knowing you've done as much as you can to face the situation as well equipped as possible, you'll have that to believe in and consequently you'll walk in taller, stronger and far better placed to come out even more successfully than you've planned to. (and of course you've planned to be successful - that's the 'dwelling on the expected outcome' part of preparation - and worth a 2nd mention!)

Saturday, June 27, 2009

How you think about it (preaching to myself)

If you're faced with a situation that you perceive as being "stressful", "bulls***" or god forbid "impossible", then you're hardly going to get through it with a sense of calm or satisfaction or anything vaguely positive.

Instead, approach the situation with confidence, knowing that you will get to the other side (sometimes you may have no choice but to do so!) and that you do have the resourcefulness or the creativity to rise to the occasion.

With a confident approach, you're far more likely to have a satisfying outcome. (and if you don't feel confident, tell yourself you are anyway, square your shoulders back, stand tall, and stride on in boots and all! Make them steel capped if you need an extra boost!)

Friday, June 26, 2009

Another one (or: mixing metaphors)

You're accommodating. Fine.
Make sure you have some house rules, respect them yourself and make them clear.
Otherwise you'll find yourself sleeping on the street after you've accommodated everyone else. (and without house rules, they may never leave, and almost definitely won't leave things as they found them)

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Jane's Thought for Today

Be consistent.
If you expect it of yourself, why not of others?
Conversely, if you won't expect it of others, why do you expect it of yourself?