I have a client who came to me with a problem – she doubts everything, both her capability and the capabilities of her team. In certain arenas the doubt has served her and the team, but in general, it creates a drag on their collective performance.
We agreed that to shift from doubt to optimism was too big a jump initially, so she has set herself a stepping-stone challenge: to effectively use her doubt by turning it into curiosity. She considers this challenge both achievable and a more positive way of thinking, but not “over the top like optimism”.
To do this she is adding one little word to her thinking and speaking – the word “how”.
Instead of thinking: Can we do this? She now asks “How can we do this?”
Instead of wondering “Is he right for the role? she now thinks “How is he right for the role?
Instead of doubting herself with the question “Am I good enough? she now asks herself “How am I good enough?”
She calls the word her “possibility pill” and her goal is to take one at least three times a day until it becomes a habit.
I’m looking forward to hearing how she’s gotten on when next we meet.