How often do others suggest we take our own advice? What prompts them to say it? We’re probably very good at dishing out our own advice but are we as prepared to take it?
I had one of those moments last week. You may remember about 2 weeks ago I wrote a post about The Art Of Serendipity and how Serendipitous Happy Accidents more often occur as a result of our own engineering. If you want more of those chance meetings, you need to make sure you’re in the right place at the right time.
Its great advice. Yet once again I found myself debating whether or not I should attend a new business group. Not just any business group, a group of professional speakers. I do talks, seminars and training sessions, but these people are the peers I want to have, they are the best speakers in the area. If I want to raise my game this is where I need to be.
Yet I still debated my own advice. The meeting wouldn’t be finishing until late and it was an hours drive. I asked a business colleague who I knew was attending if he thought it was worth it.
He suggested that if I wanted to grow my business that I needed to make the opportunities and put myself out there (that’s not quoted verbatim but it was the essence). It was almost like he was throwing my own words and thoughts back at me. How daft did I feel?
So I went, I met some fantastic people, and delivered one of the best speeches I’ve ever delivered without pre-planning. It was a great meeting and I met 10 great new contacts.
So my top tip for today is, learn to take your own advice. Next time you’re debating a decision ask yourself:
“If it was my friend asking me, what would I tell them to do?”
and then act on it. Its the best advice you’ll ever get.
Perhaps you’d like to share your thoughts about when you last took your own advice and it really paid off. Please feel free to comment below:
copyright Carolyn Trafford
2 Responses
Wow, Ive a big decision to make and reading this post, I now know the answer. Thank you. Sometimes thinking too much can stop us doing things, but thinking about the advice you would give to a friend in the same circumstances brings clarity.
Yes, clarity, exactly, its easier to think when we can detach ourselves a little from the emotion that surrounds the dilemma.