Leading Thoughts for January 25, 2024

IDEAS shared have the power to expand perspectives, change thinking, and move lives. Here are two ideas for the curious mind to engage with:

I.

Shayne Hughes on the toxic habit of being right:

“For our ego, the sensation of being right is like electricity to a lightbulb. It fuels us with energy and vigor. We sit straighter, our voice sharpens, and our language hardens. We face an issue or a conflict, and we see the answer clearly. With this certainty comes a feeling of power and righteousness, as captivating as a drug rush. This is the way it is. Being right sweeps us so automatically into an aggressive mental stance that any collateral damage seems just a necessary evil.”

Source: Ego Free Leadership: Ending the Unconscious Habits That Hijack Your Business

II.

Chris Westfall on the danger of hanging our identity on an outcome:

“Human beings are really good at making stuff up. We create plans and projections and proclamations — stories inside our minds about perfect statues and how high expectations are a requirement for high performance. I’m not saying that having goals is completely useless. It’s not. What I’m talking about is our relationship with our goals. We build up all these ‘if/then’ statements: ‘if the doesn’t go for this idea, then I’m a failure. If she doesn’t love me back, I’m a loser. If this doesn’t go exactly the way I’ve scripted and sculpted it out, I’m a disaster.’ Hanging your identity on an outcome is a recipe for defeat. Because the expectation is based on a misunderstanding. Yet we do it all the time!”

Source: Easier: 60 Ways to Make Your Work Life Work for You

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Look for these ideas every Thursday on the Leading Blog. Find more ideas on the LeadingThoughts index.

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Posted by Michael McKinney at 12:15 PM
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