Jan 08 Create Your Career Masterpiece!
Here is a profound idea to ponder at the start of your year: We fear being wildly successful more than we fear failure.
For the vast majority of people – including talented and ambitious leaders – the greatest obstacle is not their fear of failure. They aren’t scared to fail because they have gotten so used to it.
They have come to expect it, because since childhood they have been looking forward to failing tests, not meeting the expectations of adults, or falling short of their personal goals and ambitions.
Failure – once you’ve got the hang of it – isn’t scary; it’s a familiar feeling – maybe even a security blanket. Unfamiliar feelings are what scare us, like when we step out into the unknown zone to accept a new position, compete for a promotion, or grab hold of our dreams.
What makes us panic and presents the most significant challenge is when we are faced with a chance to step forward and be extraordinarily powerful or uncommonly successful! 2013 may be your year. But if you let old, deep-seeded fears cloud your focus and dampen your determination you’ll never find out for sure.
Take a lesson from the artist Vincent Van Gogh – the poor fellow who had that ugly ear incident. Vincent said he heard negative voices in his head. They told him “You can’t paint!” But he painted anyway, and guess what? As soon as he put the brush to the canvas the voices were silenced! By the way, Van Gogh’s paintings are now among the highest selling works of art in history and if he were alive today he would be a multi-billionaire.
Voices in our heads have been telling us for years that we’re never going to achieve true greatness. But not this year! Don’t let doubts and fears dilute your dreams and silently erode your success in life! Be fearless and create your 2013 career masterpiece!
Predictable Promotion™ Assignment
Imagine that you are suddenly offered the dream role of your career.
Step #1 Visualize it until it triggers your uplifting emotions and excitement.
Step #2 Next, answer these questions:
- Who do you share the good news with first?
- Who do you dread having to tell?
- What scares you the most about this new opportunity?
Step #3 Reveal the answers:
The person you told first is inspiring/motivating you in positive ways that should be valued and appreciated. But the one you dreaded telling may be causing you to hold back from playing a bigger game. Meanwhile what scares you offers clues regarding where to concentrate your energy as you map-out your ongoing leadership development training.
As a pioneering and visionary innovator, Sarah is a certified professional image consultant and brand strategist, speaker, trainer and author. Her company, Illustra Consulting, provides leading-edge image and brand management strategies for top leaders and high achievers who wish to take their career to the next level. She also delivers innovative and inspiring corporate workshops to assist large organizations in strengthening their corporate brand.
Illustra Consulting
Copyright © 2013, Sarah Hathorn, AICI CIP, CPBS
1-800-267-3245, [email protected]
This article may be reproduced only in it’s entirety, including the above bio.
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Sarah Hathorn, CEO of Hathorn Consulting Group, is the go-to-expert in working with leaders and companies to create successful corporate DNA. As an executive coach, consultant and speaker she collaborates globally with clients and brands such as Deloitte, McKesson, Kimberly-Clark, Sherwin-Williams, Home Depot and other leading organizations.
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