#168 How good are you at getting better?

Welcome to Weekly Whisper #168.

How good are you at getting better?

At a recent workshop I asked the group “How many of you want to get better?”

All the hands shot up.

Then I asked “How good are you at the process of getting better?”

Some hands tentatively crept up.

I then shared a really simple new strategy for completing a task on the condition that we practiced the strategy in real-time.

Everyone agreed to play along.

Knowledge acquisition of the new strategy took 2-3 mins.

Then we set a real-time practice exercise to apply to knowledge acquired.

After 2-3 mins of deliberate and intentional practice most stopped.

Now, I wasn’t in the head of everyone present but from anecdotal comments, many were mentally exhausted (after 2-3 mins!) or, their heads were ‘full of new stuff’ or, they had lost motivation after the initial burst of energy.

So, do you want to get better at something? Of course you do.

Are you willing to lean in to some combination of the following:

☑️ Deliberate reflection

☑️ Discomfort

☑️ Public and/or visible learning

☑️ Experimentation – knowing some experiments dis/prove your hypothethis

☑️ Being intentional with your time, energy and attention

☑️ Willing to go again, and again, and again, and then again until you’ve built sufficient ‘muscle’

☑️ Surround yourself with others who are willing to do the same

☑️ Seek feedback on how you performed

☑️ Willing to implement the feedback and check it was noticed

I love Adam Grant’s take on being a creature of discomfort.

He states…

“Becoming a creature of discomfort can unlock potential in many different types of learning. Summoning the nerve to face discomfort is a character skill - an especially important form of determination. It takes three kinds of courage: to abandon your tried-and-true methods; to put yourself in the ring before you feel ready; and to make more mistakes than others make attempts. The best way to accelerate growth is to embrace, seek, amplify discomfort"

Adam Grant Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

So, what about you, how’s your courage capacity today?

Are you willing to put yourself in the ring before you are ready?

Are you up to date with the Freedom Fridays Podcast?
Episode #88 Featuring Glin Bayley

In Episode 88 Pete chats to Glin Bayley – colleague, author and negotiation Specialist about her new venture, The Value Negotiator and the accompanying book The Negotiation Playbook.

An in depth discussion pointing directly at the wide range of contexts that are negotiable. If you’re interested in negotiating bigger, better deals; negotiating a better salary; negotiating with the kids on screen-time; or even negotiating with yourself, this is a must listen. Glin shares her expertise and touches on topics such as ‘power with’ rather than ‘power over’ and 5 steps to negotiate anything. 

                                              

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As always, please send me an email at [email protected] to send me your feedback or to let me know your thoughts.

Cheers

Pete