What's One Thing You Do Well?

I have part of a Billy Joel song stuck in my head. Not just right now – it came to me a week or so and just keeps coming back! I woke up from a dream and, well, there it was!

I don’t even know if I have the lyrics right, but I think it’s from the song “Just the Way You Are:” “…what will it take for you to believe in me the way I believe in you?”

 I asked myself “what are you saying to me?” It can be easy to lose our belief in ourselves. We make one mistake and that’s what the brain focuses on.

Here’s a story: fall of 2021 was my first semester teaching at the college level. I was a little nervous and regained my confidence as the semester went by. At the end of the semester, students were asked to complete a course evaluation, that includes feedback for the instructor.

Two weeks into the second semester, I crossed paths with my Dean. “Joe, have you seen your evaluations yet?”

“Not yet; I didn’t know they were available.”

“Impressive! I may have lost my position as the favorite professor!” he laughed and went on his way.

About a week later, I received them. Yes, they were impressive and glowing. …except one. One out of twenty, that really, only had one negative comment. My mind zeroed in on that like Luke Skywalker shooting into the Death Star!

Later, I’m reviewing the feedback with the provost. We both laughed at how the mind will do that to us.

That’s how it works. The mind, in its effort to protect us, will focus on the smallest details that are negative. Listening to all that can quickly erode our belief in ourselves, damage our confidence, and even our self-worth or self-esteem.

Next time you find yourself homing in on the negative, here’s a strategy I want you to try. Acknowledge it, and then remind yourself of everything you do well. Replay that time you hit a home run – figuratively. Or even literally. How about when you aced an exam? Took all five tricks in Euchre? Alone?

If the mind keeps bringing up the negative, stop and sing to it: “what will it take for you to believe in me the way I believe in you?”

Are you ready to start believing in yourself again? Schedule a complimentary coaching call today.