As Alfred Lord Tennyson once said, “I am a part of all that I have met.” I happen to agree. And that is one of the things I love about myself; the fact that I have taken away little pieces of all the wonderful people I have met in my 44 years. I guess you can say that’s one of the things I love about other people. It sounds a little strange saying, “I love that part about me that is made of up other people,” but it is something to cherish. I also happen to remind myself that taking in all the good stuff and leaving the bad stuff behind is an important part of the process. Receiving knowledge, habits, beliefs, and practices are a good thing…as long as the knowledge, habits and beliefs are good ones. Oftentimes we pick up bad practices and even bad energy and before we know it, we’re in a funk. It’s funny, but it is easier to adapt to poor habits than it is to adapt to good ones. There are countless books and articles out there teaching us 7 good ways to do this or 5 things to avoid, but did you know that where there is good, also can you find bad and of course, the converse. I’m not saying that every time you see something good, look for the negative; I’m saying that it can be there, so be aware.
Take for instance the way I do business. I’ve been selling SOMETHING or somebody for almost 20 years. I have a distinct style. I am good at what I do and I know what works for me. When I stay true to that person inside of me that instinctively knows how to close a deal, I close the deal. But at the very point I start to doubt my abilities; start to think that someone else’s way might be better than my way, I lose my mojo. And it can happen without fanfare or notice.
And ake for another instance your desire to fit in at a new company or meld with a new sales department; their ways may be great for them, but that doesn’t mean you have to necessarily adapt to them, even if they’re good!
All of this is to say, “be true to yourself;” go with what you know and make a conscious effort to cull through the bad to find the good, cull through the good to avoid the bad, and have confidence in what you know works for you. You are unique; you are an expert in what you do, don’t start doubting yourself now. You don’t have to be boastful about it, just aware that your way, even if unconventional or not of the latest techniques and processes, may very well be the thing that made you attractive to your employer in the first place. It’s your “eye of the tiger” that no one can take away, unless of course you let them. Here are 7 steps to finding and keeping good habits intact:
- Always look for the good in people and acknowledge it
- If you try on someone else’s style, make sure to check in with your instinct after a test run and ask, “is this authentically ME?”
- Be quick to assume responsibility for your shortcomings and slow to blame
- Remember how you got the great track record you possess and stay on course
- Be willing to make subtle changes to things like time management without causing a complete overhaul
- If your or the people around you begin to doubt your abilities, know that it starts with your feeling about yourself and spreads from there
- Be grateful for the lesson learned, but don’t wallow, leap ahead and get back in the groove
New habits are great, but only if they work for you. If you’re looking for growth and betterment, look around, try some things on for size but be willing to adapt to what fits you best. And if you believe you’re a sum of the parts of all the people you meet, just remember: keep some of the parts and leave others behind!
