Why don’t we take a shot? We miss opportunities in life when we pass on them. This can be at work, like if we decide to stay quiet in a meeting because you question whether or not what you have to say is valuable information.
What if what you have to say is more valuable than you realize? Could the information benefit your coworkers and or yourself? Is there a hidden opportunity in the situation?
If your gut is telling you to share, but your mind is questioning you, challenge yourself to be confident and say something anyway. Our minds like to imagine the worst case scenario at times, especially if there’s stress or pressure involved.
The worst that will likely happen during the meeting is probably a boss or coworker listening to the information and assessing it. If the information is good, then, it’s good. If it’s not helpful, then everyone learned that that information wasn’t going to help solve the situation.
More often than not, our minds imagine the worst case scenario. Things don’t quite turn out as bad as we imagine. Our effort matters. If we miss the mark, we learn from it.
Another example, is that this can happen when we want to register for a race, but we aren’t feeling confident that we’ll be able to finish, so we decide to wait for another year.
Why aren’t you feeling confident? Is this a confidence issue or that you truly aren’t prepared to toe the start line? Are you worried about what might go wrong during the event and how you are going to handle it?
Typically, with every event something goes a little wrong. The longer the event, the chances of something trailing off from your plan increases.
So, should you register? Consider racing, what could go right? Do the things that could go right outweigh the things that could realistically go wrong?
Don’t miss the opportunity to do an event that you really want to do. Don’t keep yourself from having a good race.
I’m sure you can think of other scenarios where we don’t take a shot.
We have to face these types of scenarios head on in order to grow. Very similar to how we confront anxiety, we have to do what we are afraid of over and over again. We have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
If speaking during a work meeting causes stress or anxiety, then speak. If you struggle with feeling confident while racing, race anyways and work on your confidence.
There are no easy ways around, just do it, work hard, make the best out of the situation, and try to enjoy it.
“There is no failure. You win or you learn. Either one is okay.”
Gary Keller
Questions to ask yourself
- What keeps you from attempting the shot?
- Are you worried you’ll miss the mark?
- Are you concerned that everything’s not quite lined up, so you hesitate or change your mind about going for it?
- Are you afraid of what others will think if you fail?
- Are you afraid of what will happen if you do make it?
- Do you think someone else can do it better, so they should try and make the shot instead of you?
This quote give us a lot to think about.
“You miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take.”
Wayne Gretzky
MANAGING ANXIETY AND DECIDING WITH UNCERTAINTY
LET’S TALK ABOUT ANXIETY WITH SAM BECKER AND SHANNON MICK, NCC, LPC: SHANNON’S PERSONAL STORY, COUNSELING SESSIONS, ANXIETY AND MANAGEMENT
WHAT DO YOU DO TO “GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD” WHEN NEGATIVE THOUGHTS AND SELF-DOUBT SETS IN? HOW DO YOU KEEP YOURSELF FROM THINKING NEGATIVE THOUGHTS OF YOURSELF?
SMALL EFFORTS ADD UP TO SUCCESS
How to Stop Overthinking and Overcome Self Doubt (The art of Improvement – YouTube)
