Whenever our life is approaching a big change, we tend to think, “Wait a minute! What if my luck has run out?” Sometimes it’s a new idea we are attempting to pull off – one of those “if this doesn’t work my backside is hanging out there” ideas. Sometimes it’s a tough change we’ve had to make – one of those start-over, sharp left turn in life type of changes. And the question running around in our heads, keeping us awake at 2 a.m., is often, “What if my luck has run out? What if I’ve pulled it off or started over one too many times?”
Well, what if it isn’t luck, but it’s learning? And you never run out of learning.
You pulled off the last idea because you were able to make a good decision, plan it out (even if it seemed chaotic at the time), and marshal your resources to make it happen. That’s likely part of what makes you who you are. And it’s what makes you uniquely qualified to pull it off again! In fact, this time you are even more prepared than the last time because you have more learning.
Even if the last time failed, there is HUGE learning in that – probably even more than if you succeeded.
What if it’s a start-over decision AGAIN? What if you are letting that team member go and started the search for a new one again? What if you are pulling a business idea out of the marketplace and starting from scratch AGAIN? I suggest (and always tell myself) that it isn’t luck. You are able to start over, rebuild, regroup and succeed because you HAVE done it before. Having done it before doesn’t deplete your ability to do it again. In fact, it increases it because you have more experience and know how to draw on it.
So instead of treating our past as events that drew from a finite amount of success in your life, let’s multiply the past by drawing on it and using it as fuel for your now. I like to pull from a powerful exercise I did at a Strategic Coach workshop. It began by having you look 10 years into your past and write down your income, your job and other factors about your life. Then identify what you’ve learned, accomplished and gained as a resource since then. (Here’s a hint – the most valuable ones usually aren’t money.)
Can you rebuild your business brand? Heck yeah! You grew a business from scratch when you probably barely knew what you were doing! Of course you can take all that knowledge and all those connections and rebuild. You know so much more now than you did then! Mostly, you know what you want in your business brand – what authentically represents you.
Can you let go ANOTHER employee and start looking again for the right one? Yep! Is it a hassle, possibly! But you know much better questions to ask and what you are looking for now.
Don’t let your past successes or failures make you think your luck has run out – draw on them for learning and you’ll find infinite resources and possibility.
by Laney Lyons-Richardson
Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
