Written by: Asha Ghosh, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
If we want to climb to new heights of personal and professional growth, we first need to confront and kick out those pesky negative habits that might have dogged us throughout 2023.
The start of a new year always comes with an open invitation to do just that. But instead of relying on the tired 'New Year, New Me' mantra, this blog post nudges you towards exploring different routes. Overlooking this crucial step might land you right back into those old familiar traps that tie you down.
Speaking from the perspective of a leadership coach 5 core themes hold leaders back – a persistent sense of self-doubt, an unhealthy habit of constant comparison, the absence of firm boundaries, not pushing beyond their comfort zone (playing small), and chronically overpacking their schedule.
To allow you to embark on a promising year ahead by consciously ditching these toxic traits I’m sharing a 6 step strategy. Freeing yourself from these unproductive patterns will catapult you into a future teeming with success and fulfilment.
Step one - Kickstarting the journey: Let reflection lead you towards a shining future
Self-reflection is all about taking a breather and assessing every corner of our life – work, career, relationships, triumphs, failures, and every experience life has thrown at us and whether we reached our goals in 2023?
You are looking to unravel those actions, attitudes, or habits that might be acting as hurdles on our path to excellence. With the power of self-reflection, you can highlight these troublesome aspects that hold progress back and start to weed them out. This is as applicable to our personal lives as it is to our professional journey. So grab paper and a pen and review the year, use your diary, your Google photos, notebooks, whatever you have to remind you of what has taken place in the year…you’ll be surprised at how much you have forgotten about.
Step two - Let's say goodbye to self-doubt
You know that nagging feeling of uncertainty that constantly pokes at your confidence? That’s self-doubt! It’s a major roadblock on our path to personal growth and success. You see, too many of us second-guess our ability to make sound decisions and end up questioning our potential to achieve our goals. Believe it or not, much of this stems from how we talk to ourselves. Yes, you heard it right. Negative self-talk can be our biggest enemy, breeding feelings of insufficiency. In a recent Brainz article, click here.
The remedy? Start turning the conversation around. Concentrate on what you can do instead of what you can’t. Tough strategy when we are so used to letting our inner monologue run free, but cut into the chatter and tell yourself, I can!
You know the self-reflection you did, well you will have uncovered success. Encourage yourself to remember them. Believe in your ability, you have proof after all. Replace your 'I can't' with 'I can'. Believe it or not, this minor change can be a massive stride towards gaining the confidence required for success. Give it a go, you might surprise yourself!
Let's talk about the third step - Ditching the comparison game
The grass is greener mindset, where we compare rather than appreciate is a losing strategy – it doesn’t motivate us, it simply pokes at our confidence. Here's your goal for this step: start appreciating you, your achievements, what you have and what you are striving for. Each time you find yourself comparing your life with others, you are stealing a bit of your joy. Moreover, you are barring yourself from truly appreciating and being grateful for all the good in your life. So let's bid farewell to the comparison game and focus on gratitude instead in 2024.
Step four - Nurturing healthy boundaries
Establishing healthy boundaries is the cornerstone of personal and professional growth. A blurry or non-existent boundary line can often leave you feeling out of sorts, wreak havoc on your self-confidence and put a serious dent in your zeal to succeed. That's why it's imperative to take charge and define clear boundaries to safeguard yourself from detrimental relationships.
Setting boundaries is not just about marking territory or just saying no, it’s about creating a healthy respect for your personal space, your time, your resources and your capacity. By redefining what a boundary relating to time and energy relating to work, to friends… creates space where your ambitions can thrive.
Step five - Avoid the playing small syndrome
The spotlight can be tough to be in, but if you are not prepared to step into it once in a while, then you are playing small and trust me, it can greatly hinder your path to success. Surprisingly, we often limit ourselves not because we're afraid to fail, but because we're scared of succeeding. Success brings change, and that can be pretty daunting.
But here's the twist, it's absolutely okay to celebrate your achievements and victories, no matter how small. In fact, you need to claim them with pride, it's those moments of satisfaction that allow us to develop and grow more! When you own up to your success, it enables you to tap into your fullest potential.
Step six: Avoiding the overbooking trap
In 2023 did you spread yourself too thin, I have a client who describes it as: “I’m the last bit of butter being scraped over too much bread” I'm sure many of you leaders know exactly what this feels like Overloading our schedules until they're bursting at the seams is a dangerous strategy that can lead to – burnout. I have a video on signs and strategies to avoid burnout you can check out.
This strategy needs you to have done your work on boundaries because it is time to say no. With your diligence in sifting through the multitude of requests and tasks that come your way and selectively opting for those that are truly aligned with your goals, you'll manage to avoid the overcommitment trap.
Here's a great tip: The next time an invitation, project or assignment lands on your desk, take a moment. Pause. Ask yourself, Is this going to bring me closer to my goals or is it just going to distract me from them?
Get a head start on 2024: Say goodbye to bad habits
Remember, winning 2024 is all about a growth mindset regarding 2023 and celebrating our achievements and doing so promises a life more fulfilling. I’ve shared more tips as to how to reflect on success and failures in 2023 in a recent blog which you can check out. Or why not book onto my webinar on setting intentions in 2024 empowering you to move forward with intention, clarity, and motivation.
Asha Ghosh, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
My coaching programmes have already enabled senior professional women globally to unlock new levels of potential in themselves and their teams. Resulting in these professionals being able to lead, inspire and make bold decisions that not only support business objectives, but also allow leaders to find satisfaction within their home life, all underpinned by promoting a proactive approach to personal well-being.
