Stretch for Success – Proactive Stress
Guest Column
Lori Irvine
TGNA Team & Leadership Coach
Success involves risk taking. Stepping away from complacency into unknown territory is scary, but it is an essential element for professional growth.
“University?” “My school days are over!,”
“A supervisory position?” “But I’ve never led a team before,”
“I’m great at this job, have been for over 15 years.”
Sound familiar?
Our instincts start us off with two choices; fight or flight. Instead of enjoying a peaceful afternoon alone in a forest, human beings have a default wiring to fear the beast stalking us for their next meal. Although we certainly can’t overcome this natural instinct, we are capable of managing the stress that inevitably comes with it.
Excessive worry robs us of intellectual capacity and stifles our development. Quiet your internal “nay-sayer” and take risks without expecting perfection. Think about it, do you expect more from yourself than you do others? Be your own advocate and allow yourself permission to fail, as the mistakes we make are our best teachers. When you do slip-up (and you will), simply accept it, release it, and draw from the experience to try again.
There’s no need to take a flying leap out of your comfort zone; start with a tiptoe, but be proactive. Research, discover, and go after opportunities; don’t wait for them to present themselves. Have confidence in your strengths. Recognize them. Develop them. Use them. You are ready! Take that class, vie for that promotion, STRETCH YOURSELF and celebrate every one of your many successes moving forward.
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