I recently bumped into an ex colleague whom I hadn’t met for some time. We spoke about business and exchanged updates – the usual stuff business people do!
When I asked him what was challenging him most about the current business climate – he replied,
“Maintaining my confidence”
“Really?” I quizzed.
He continued,
“Yes, most of the time I really believe I can win through the economic downturn, but just sometimes there’s a nagging doubt at the back of my mind. It really frustrates me.”
To get to the point I offered to help him with his nagging doubt and then something really interesting unfolded – both for him and for me.
At the beginning of the conversation, his thoughts were on the nagging doubt about his ability to pull through the economic downturn with confidence. When I asked him what would help, he replied,
“Working on my self confidence”
After further listening, what transpired was this: This friend was spending time trying to talk himself out of self doubt whenever the question arose.
What became apparent after a while was that he hadn’t written any real clear intentions down on paper lately. Yes, there had always been business plans, but they had lapsed. Yes, he carried the ‘plan and financial targets’ in his head but hadn’t had the time to write them down. Yes he knew what income to expect this month but hadn’t calculated what sales were required in June to compensate for the holiday period in July; when sales could be slower.
When we looked at the August projection he remembered he wished to increase his team to build on the current success. Again, all this was in his head but in no particular clear plan, or succinct summary. For a guy who was so focussed on business this was all the more surprising how it could happen but all the more easy to see how it can happen when there is so much happening in the office.
Personally I used to be good at carrying all the plans in my head to the point they were not always clear on paper. Now, in case this sounds like another goal setting punt, bare with me here.
We took time over a cup of coffee to get clear on what he actually wished to achieve on paper. Not just what he thought he was aiming for in his busy mind.
This became more than a business plan. It became more than setting targets – it developed into his own awareness and desire to reward himself for success to date and make time for more in future. It unleashed lots of ideas, how he can spend more quality time with his family which doesn’t cost money and relieves his conscience about not neglecting his business.
But the real gain in all of this – and the point of sharing this story with you is this:
By the time we had finished – my friend had discovered so many insights about himself and why he had the nagging doubts about succeeding. The clearer he becomes about his plans and writing them down, the more he dissolved his nagging doubts about succeeding!
He learned a lot and so did I. Despite all my experience it did me good to witness something so blindingly obvious yet how easily it could elude any of us.
That not being as clear as we could be about what will give us peace of mind ACTUALLY stokes the fires of nagging self doubt.
So in case you have any self doubt about your job, business and how you will cope through the economic uncertainty, be rest assured that the clearer we become and write down, what we want to achieve, (instead of carrying it in our head), the more we snuff out the flames of self doubt and uncertainty.
Simple but true.
Have a great and confident week
Billy
