“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.”
- Robert Collier
The 'work smarter, not harder' mantra isn't new, but how well are you living it? In a world where time is precious, embracing a ‘less effort, more impact’ mindset can be a game-changer.
Blend this with a healthy perspective, and you're on the path to living your best life!
Your Story is Telling
Storytelling can be a powerful way to discover your strengths. It’s more intuitive than listing strengths and weaknesses, and it taps into those moments when you felt truly great—those times when you were in your element. You only need a paragraph for this, and it’s just for you. Here’s a prompt to get you started:
- “I feel awesome when…” (Describe the situation—who was there, what did you feel, what role did you play, how did others respond?)
- Then use a highlighter to mark your feelings and thoughts so you can extract the qualities and attributes that shine through.
This story is you at your best. It’s the version of yourself you’d like to embody more often. Congratulations, you’ve just taken the first of three steps to repositioning yourself!
Three Steps to Repositioning
- Vulnerability – Writing your story required vulnerability. In doing so, you’ve uncovered your authentic self, the starting point for genuine transformation.
- Acceptance – Now that you’ve seen the real you, it’s time to embrace it. This involves letting go of any ‘wishbone’ thinking—who you’ve pretended to be, or thought you *should* be—and instead developing the backbone to stand confidently in who you truly are.
- Transcendence – A lofty word, but simply put, it means elevating to a state of greater well-being. By owning your story, you’ve positioned yourself to face life with more resilience and clarity.
Uncertainty? Bring it On!
This acceptance of yourself lays a solid foundation for navigating uncertainty. Life will always throw unexpected challenges, but instead of fearing the unknown, you can welcome it as part of the journey.
Mark Caine puts it well: “The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.”
By repositioning yourself, you’ve already weakened one major influence: the sway of others over your self-assessment. As Scott Barry Kaufman says in Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization, “The more our judgment of self-worth becomes internalized, the less the power of others has to completely sway how we see ourselves.”
In other words, once you learn to stand firm against external pressures, you can apply the same principle to circumstances beyond your control. What you practice with yourself, you can practice with life.
Conclusion: By building resilience and healthy coping mechanisms, you’ll face life’s uncertainties with confidence and optimism. The unknown may still loom, but the power lies in how you choose to respond—and that, ultimately, is what shapes your journey.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical or psychological advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized guidance.
Photo by Alena Darmel: https://www.pexels.com
