S U C C E S S E S – Celebrate them! All your experiences up to this moment have contributed to where you find yourselves today. Whatever your situation, it’s important to remember those significant times throughout your whole life that makes you who you are now.
It can be easy to focus on the things we can’t do, on our weaknesses or even to feel that when we start a new role, we’re starting from scratch. This is not the case. Starting a new role means taking all your successes, your learning and experiences with you. We build on all the amazing things we have accomplished during our whole career. Each of those jobs we loved, roles we hated, promotions, training courses, line managers, mentors and colleagues give us a little bit of magic to take with us onto the next step.
Today I spent time working with a client to identify her strengths that would help her prepare for an upcoming promotion. In pin pointing several significant successes from the very start of her career right up to the present day she noted endless highlights. We spent time focusing on the events themselves, but also drilled down into the role she played in that success, and what she learnt from it. By doing this she was able to bring so many skills, learnings and insights to the surface that she could then take into her new role.
Carrying out this exercise with my client encouraged me to reflect back over the significant things I have achieved during my career. What struck me was how much I had ‘misplaced’ while focusing on the things; ‘I should do better’, I understand to be weaknesses or I haven’t yet achieved. Recounting those standout moments gave me a huge confident boost and remember exactly just how much I have achieved. I shone with a little bit of pride.
I challenge you to think back over your career timeline, to think of two or three significant successes that stand out to you (big or small, but poignant to you). Think about the role you played, what you learnt, and what you can take from that instance into your existing (or new) role. I’d love to hear your thoughts below.
Gemma Brown is a certified coach who works with successful women, 1-2-1 and in groups, to identify their strengths and build confidence which enables them to have the self-belief to fearlessly bring their whole being into all areas of life. Gemma is based in Cambridgeshire and carries out face to face coaching in the area as well as 1-2-1 coaching via Skype and Zoom. For more about Gemma, visit her 'About' page.