Please share your thoughts…
Years ago I read a book on international business theory. It said that in Europe, young executives can take more risks and make the mistakes needed to learn because once they are selected from a top school, it is assumed they will reach top management. That freedom, the book theorized, made these individuals and the companies they work for more creative, driving innovation. Conversely in the United States, we assume that we can be fired at any time, for any mistake, and that can be crippling to our creativity and ability to perform.
Discussions of the relative health of European vs. US systems aside, it does bring up a fascinating question. What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail? What would you say that you don’t dare say now? What unique part of yourself would you show more of at work? What effect would this have on your output?
Once when I was stuck trying to write a workshop proposal, my friend Jacinta asked me this very question. She provided a critical change in perspective that allowed me to be myself and be OK with “good enough” for now. That shift got me unstuck and I was able to overcome the gremlins and stop procrastinating. It got me gathering information that would help me, instead of sitting there thinking, “If I were really good, I would just know.”
Here is an exercise. Think of a time when you know (or knew), that you can’t fail. Work or personal. What is present when you feel that strength and confidence? Who are you in those moments? What is the impact you are having?
How about taking another look at 2012 from this place? What will be different?