Welcome to the Deploy Yourself Newsletter, where I share what impactful leadership looks like to show your own power. I also share the most insightful lessons and stories I encountered in the last two weeks. You can also read this issue online.
Hey,
Do not wait for motivation and confidence.
Action produces momentum. Not the other way round. Once you start moving and take action, it produces momentum. As simple as that.
The same is true for motivation and confidence. They are a result of taking action, not a pre-requisite. Yet, so many of us wait for motivation and confidence before starting.
Take my personal example. I stopped myself from coaching full-time because I used to say I am not confident. Guess what, after more than 200 hours of coaching in 2021, my confidence levels have gone up massively. Why was I thinking I would be confident before?
Motivation and confidence often come from starting, not before. Are you waiting for motivation, confidence, or any other form of readiness to go after your dream project?
Let me be honest with you. “Ready” will never come. You do not need readiness or confidence to start. They are an outcome of taking action and moving forward, not a pre-requisite.
As Matthew McConaughey writes in his autobiography Greenlights, which is one of my favourite biographies, “If you have jumped into the arena, you are already a winner.”
What has the above sparked for you? If you are thinking it can’t be that easy, remember I never said it would be.
The above is very simple when you understand it fully, but not easy. How is this landing for you?
Reply back to share what you think. I read and respond to every reply.
Articles and Stories Which Have Fascinated Me
One
The power of “Enough” – one word we don’t use much often
I don’t think growth is universally bad. In fact, I think it can be downright healthy. But it shouldn’t be left unchecked, and also shouldn’t be the default operating system setting.
We’ve delineated money as a Means vs money as a Meaning. Money has this sneaky way of transforming itself from a currency to a status symbol. If we let money or wealth define who we are, we’ll never come close to Enough, because someone is always going to have just a little bit more. To paraphrase Francis Bacon (or PT Barnum, depending on your source): Money is a terrific tool, yet a terrible tyrant.
From an article by Calibrating Capital titled Enough
Two
You’re Already More Persuasive than You Think
Vanessa Bohns writes in this HBR article about the opportunities we miss because we doubt our own power of persuasion. She says “we persistently underestimate our influence. “
Because most companies emphasize the rigidity and formality of their hierarchies, employees tend to assume that their influence is dependent upon their roles or titles — that if they lack official clout, they can’t ask for anything.
A major part of the problem is that employees tend to forget that managers are people too and that the dynamics affecting all relationships exist even in a boss-subordinate relationship. Bosses care about whether employees respect them, and they feel guilty and embarrassed if they let their direct reports down. It’s often harder for people, even bosses, to say “no” than “yes.”
When we ask for something, we tend to focus too intently on our own feelings — of embarrassment, weakness, or shame — and don’t give enough rational thought to how others perceive us. We assume that persuading people will provoke enmity.
What this all adds up to is untapped potential: to influence others, to effect change, to blow the whistle on wrongdoing. We don’t venture to transcend our formal roles. We fail to benefit from others’ cooperation. Some practical suggestions on how to make requests – Just ask, be direct, go back and ask again, and you do not need to offer an incentive.
From an article on Harvard Business Review – You’re Already More Persuasive than You Think
Three
Why True Joy and Real Happiness Doesn’t Come from Winning But From A Dignified Struggle?
We grow up believing that winning is what we should aim for, and that is what will give us true joy and happiness.
Even for those who “win” the big games of life, happiness often remains elusive. I have seen people win big in sports, careers, or friends and yet end up feeling empty, meaningless, and drained.
Have you ever felt something similar? Like you feel nothing after you get what you have been working towards all this while.
Over the years, I have realized that it is never just winning that makes us happy. It is always overcoming obstacles while going through a period of struggle or discomfort which leaves us feeling joyful and satisfied. Research has also shown that we are at our most blissful state when we are up against a difficult challenge.
When we push our boundaries and focus completely on learning from setbacks encountered, we get into a state of “flow“. In other words, we enjoy the most when we lose track of time while working on a hard challenge.
The best outcome of success when you go through a dignified struggle is never what you get out of it. The best outcome of going through such a challenge is what you become out of it. The medal, the bonus, and the adrenaline rush at the podium often go away in a fleeting moment. But your enhanced skills, abilities, and confidence will stay with you for the rest of your lives.
Your big game is out there waiting for you. You just need to embrace the challenge.
From an article from my desk – Why True Joy and Real Happiness Doesn’t Come from Winning But From A Dignified Struggle?
Four
Lessons from 10 years of remote working
Increase communication volume
To increase communication, especially if the message is vital, use the three-way handshake. Tell your message to someone using whatever medium you’re using. Then, have that person tell you your message back (in their own words, of course, no copy and paste). You then repeat that message back to them. Assuming everyone has it right, you’ve just completed a three-way handshake.
Fix technical problems
Don’t wait until the start of the meeting that you’re hosting to find out your software/hardware/network / whatever is failing you. Don’t email documents around, use the cloud, OneDrive and shared documents. Edit stuff together.
Develop good habits
First, establish a work area. Work relatively set times. Be flexible, just don’t be unpredictable. Take breaks and make them real breaks. Move away from your workspace. Eat right and exercise.
Be kind
Be flexible, understanding, and kind to one another. It takes real effort, but it’s worth it.
From an article on the Redgate Blog by Grant Fritchey
That’s it for now. If you have any questions or feedback, or just want to introduce yourself, hit reply. I read and respond to every reply. All the best,
Sumit
(Twitter) @SumitGupta
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