Create your situation
You delivered a great presentation that wowed the client and you are now under tremendous pressure to repeat the same performance. The pressure to deliver brilliantly each time can be huge and overwhelming. One way to deal with it is to focus outward. Instead of attributing the outcome entirely to your abilities, consider how the situation was conducive to success. A lot of effort goes into recalling and repeating past actions that led to success without considering the situation that enabled the performance. Recreate the situation, while you repeat the action.
“A strong, successful man is not the victim of his environment. He creates favorable conditions. His own inherent force and energy compel things to turn out as he desires.” – Orison Swett Marden, American author and founder of Success Magazine
Suffering in silence
When I asked someone how they were doing, I was surprised to hear from her “I am not okay.” She was an elderly woman and she felt comfortable sharing her pain with me. I felt grateful that she opened up. She could share because she had no burden of trying to be infallible. Today, many say that they are okay when they are truly not okay. While, this is hugely prevalent with Gen Z, even other generations are not immune to suffering in silence. It requires inherent faith that someone can understand. You are not seeking a remedy; just a listening ear would make a huge difference. Don’t be too proud to reach out.
“There is a certain strength in being alone, a stoic resolve in dealing with inner chaos that can be commendable – but there is nothing noble in being silent when a cry for help is swallowed by pride” – Unknown
Away from the rat race
Often you get caught in a rat race without knowing the impact of it on the outcomes you create. This is true not only with humans but also with organizations and institutions. Very few are bold enough to zoom out and look at the larger purpose of why they are doing what they are doing. A recent example is the announcement by the University of Zurich to stop participating in ranking systems as it pressurizes their academicians to prioritize quantity over quality in research. Competing to be the best only erodes your value to your customers. Compete to be unique as it helps achieve sustained superior performance.
“Competing to be the best feeds on imitation. Competing to be unique thrives on innovation.” – Michael Porter, Academician, Harvard Business School