Why We Hold Back Our Best Effort, at First
Well, I am willing to give it a go if everyone else is on board.
How many times have we heard that conversation or some variation thereof? We want someone else to go through the door first. In military terms, we want someone else to take that bullet in the chest while we come up second or third and complete the objective.
It is a big obstacle for any of us in life - we are game to change as long as we know that we are not an island onto ourselves. While it is important that none of us become a one man or woman show, holding back until that first person sacrifices themselves to criticism is not our shining moment.
We all fear that initial failure or the critique of others when we step out from the crowd. We enjoy playing the game whack-a-mole but when it comes to having our heads blasted for being daring, well, we stay in our comfort.
When it comes to our careers, marriages, or families, we want to know that our efforts will have a lasting impact.
We care about senior leadership coming on board with our ideas and implementing them on a full-scale level. Our spouse knows that we love them and that we want to be as good to them as we were before we put a ring on it, but will they reciprocate our love?
Families can be some of the worst areas for conceding to the lowest common denominator - years of grudges or even generational sins keep our best character traits at bay.
How do we break the cycle?
In order to put our best foot forward, we must stop forming an opinion of people based on their actions, while judging ourselves by our intentions.
There is a balance to both of these. We cannot give ourselves the benefit of the doubt while holding others to a higher standard. A wise man once told me that he asks double the workload of himself than he asks of anyone else on his team. We must hold ourselves accountable, and be willing to take the blame when something goes wrong.
That is the mindset of a leader, and it may require that we jump into the water before anyone else does. Once we do, then great things begin to happen.
me for more great content.
The first penguin should always have great courage. Good post thank you. @lydon.sipe
Never heard that before, I like it. You are most welcome @maa.
"years of grudges or even generational sins keep our best character traits at bay." Really? Write about that.
Will do. :)
Great things may indeed happen!!
Yes! :)
Thank you for posting @lydon.sipe.
Lovely photographs......one has to see what you are going to say when one sees the goldfish....do they not.
That picture of the family at the table has to be every Mum's nightmare....unless she is on Steemit of course....^_^
Appreciate your commentary. Some thoughts that came to mind whilst reading your post.....for all of us....it is important to 'Know what we choose.'
Too many times we dither...therefore we would not be willing to be first to make a move as there is uncertainty.
Many times we make a decision in the 'conference room' when we should have made it before we entered the room and as you say be willing to take responsibility for that decision. Another way of saying the above is...Never make a decision in front of anybody....since that does not seem to make much sense to people ....it could be said as they say in business 'Know your bottom line.'
Appreciate the privilege you give bleujay to express thoughts as a result of your post.
All the best to you and @mustardseed. Cheers.
Thank you for your wise words @bleujay. You truly are a breath of fresh air to hear.
I could not agree more on the goldfish picture. It was a blessing to find it when searching for appropriate visuals for the words.
"Many times we make a decision in the 'conference room' when we should have made it before we entered the room and as you say be willing to take responsibility for that decision."
I made that mistake for quite some time, and then realized it was my fault and not the people asking me for a decision. You're right, we ought to know our purpose before the pressure comes upon us.