(Great questions lead to great answers; weak questions, weak ones.)

 

“What impact am I having?”

 

Coaching Point: Do you occasionally have a ‘down’ morning or evening, wondering if you’re having any impact at all. I sure do. (That’s wondering about having a ‘positive’ impact. I always know when I’m having a negative one!)

The first thing I do when in this questioning mood is to catch it, feel it, notice what’s going on with me. Only through awareness is it possible to begin to change it. Staying in self-doubt is not an option.

Usually what’s going on is that I’ve been looking for validation from the outside…and not getting it. I’ve become attached to receiving some positive feedback and it’s absence triggers the doubt of my impact.

Early in my Coaching career I kept an atta-boy file into which I placed every bit of positive feedback I had received — letters, notes, calls, emails. On a down day I would pick up this file and read it until I felt better. About five minutes would usually do it.

Alternatively, a walk around the block on a pretty day would snap me out of it.

Now, all I require is to catch the doubt. I know who I am and what I’m here to do. I don’t need external validation.

What do you use to interrupt a feeling of self- doubt, of wondering if you are having an impact?

 

Copyright 2012 Steve Straus. All rights reserved.