When I would get feedback/reviews at my vacation rentals in Panama, my instinct was to respond with pride because I created that experience!
Proudly, the good reviews gave me ego boosts and the bad reviews’ root causes went unnoticed (because I could not or would not see em) and the problems therefore persisted. Unimaginable. Impossible!
It took me a while to figure out that pride means taking a defensive stance in favor of something — I know my way best, all outside opinions are wrong and I'll prove it. Don’t say nothin bad bout my baby!
The consequence of responding proudly? Pigeon holing yourself — business gets stale, opportunities get missed, and precious energy is expended to ward off evil spirits (I mean opposing opinions) because protect the pride ego chamber at all costs! Pride is also exhausting ... ask a new parent! And unsustainable ... "pride goeth before the fall."
Better than being proud, respond courageously.
Courage is your willingness to sit down (teammates and unbiased third parties can be helpful here) and determine what the feedback/review is ACTUALLY saying ... even/especially when you disagree. The root problem is almost always several levels beneath the surface and it often touches on something you’re scared or nervous or embarrassed about. In my case, the root problem was my very legitimate fears of giving up control. Realizing this took a while!
Courage is curiosity in peeling back the layers and accepting maybe I was wrong: maybe there's a better way. Pride is trying to protect some thing. Courage is genuinely trying to better improve it.
In hindsight, pride to courage (for me) was a kind of magical turnaround where burnout reversed its course and a world of previously unseen opportunities appeared ... many of which were just kinda sitting there, only now was I paying more attention. From pride to courage, suddenly things got really fun!
Proudly, the good reviews gave me ego boosts and the bad reviews’ root causes went unnoticed (because I could not or would not see em) and the problems therefore persisted. Unimaginable. Impossible!
It took me a while to figure out that pride means taking a defensive stance in favor of something — I know my way best, all outside opinions are wrong and I'll prove it. Don’t say nothin bad bout my baby!
The consequence of responding proudly? Pigeon holing yourself — business gets stale, opportunities get missed, and precious energy is expended to ward off evil spirits (I mean opposing opinions) because protect the pride ego chamber at all costs! Pride is also exhausting ... ask a new parent! And unsustainable ... "pride goeth before the fall."
Better than being proud, respond courageously.
Courage is your willingness to sit down (teammates and unbiased third parties can be helpful here) and determine what the feedback/review is ACTUALLY saying ... even/especially when you disagree. The root problem is almost always several levels beneath the surface and it often touches on something you’re scared or nervous or embarrassed about. In my case, the root problem was my very legitimate fears of giving up control. Realizing this took a while!
Courage is curiosity in peeling back the layers and accepting maybe I was wrong: maybe there's a better way. Pride is trying to protect some thing. Courage is genuinely trying to better improve it.
In hindsight, pride to courage (for me) was a kind of magical turnaround where burnout reversed its course and a world of previously unseen opportunities appeared ... many of which were just kinda sitting there, only now was I paying more attention. From pride to courage, suddenly things got really fun!
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