Small wins
Milton Erickson, a renowned psychiatrist and medical hypnotist, battled polio at the age of 17. Bedridden, he faced the possibility of death each day that he conquered one day at a time. One technique he used to sustain his hope was gaining a small win by watching the sunset every day. “I was damned if I would die without seeing one more sunset,” he declared. Milton Erickson went on to live another half-century.
“The great victory, which appears so simple today, was the result of a series of small victories that went unnoticed.” —Paulo Coelho
Networking reframe
If you want to find your way to a destination you have in mind, would you hesitate to ask a stranger for directions?
Would you feel guilty about taking up their time or energy?
Would you worry that others may see you as self-centered?
Career journeys don’t come with a well-laid-out map. Reaching out to unknown people is the only way to find your way to your next destination.
“If you want to go somewhere, it is best to find someone who has already been there.” – Robert Kiyosaki
Find, don’t search
Success need not be a myopic pursuit. When you search for something desperately, you risk overlooking what is right in front of you. It could be the shared moments with a loved one. It might be a potential opportunity in a different form and name. It could be something where you gain a deeper understanding of yourself. Keep your eyes soft. Gaze, don’t stare. Find, don’t search.
“…Because striving for your goal, there are many things you don’t see, which are directly in front of your eyes.” – Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha