#175 You can't outperform the way you see yourself

Welcome to Weekly Whisper #175.

You can't outperform the way you see yourself

I played golf last weekend.

I played some good golf last weekend which can be a rarity!

I played well enough to be 8 over par after 14 holes.

With 4 holes to go, could I keep my form going and have one of the best rounds I’ve had this year?

Yeh, nah.

I finished with 4 double bogeys for a 16 over round.

Now if you play golf you might think that’s a good round…and it is.

However, I played to my identity.

If you’re not familiar with golf, the sport operates a handicap system allowing good, average and beginners to compete on as level a playing field as possible.

My handicap is essentially my identity.

So, no matter how well I was playing for 14 holes I reverted to my ‘identity’ for 18 holes.

It wasn’t necessarily deliberate or intentional but as soon as I double-bogeyed the 15th ( went 2 over par for the hole), I started with the internal dialogue,

“I’m a 14 handicapper, what would you expect”

“I’m a 14 handicapper, of course I’m going to double-bogey a few holes”

“I’m a 14 handicapper for a reason”

And on and on it went for the final 4 holes.

I played to my identity.

I played to who I saw myself as.

I couldn’t outperform the way I saw myself.

When we’re consistent with how we see ourselves our ‘performance’ usually matches it.

When you change how you see yourself it’s possible something might shift.

Are you acting on behalf of an old identity or a new identity?

NEW EPISODE
Freedom Fridays Episode 90 - Leadership Isn’t Hard: Where the Secrets Lie with Tash Pieterse

In Episode 90 Pete chats with Tash Pieterse, an internationally certified and award-nominated People Leadership Coach, business owner, and dynamic speaker. Tash brings a fresh perspective to leadership, blending bold ideas with practical insights for today’s leaders. From challenging traditional leadership norms to rethinking how we handle imposter thoughts, Tash offers actionable strategies and unique insights to help leaders at all levels.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

• Leadership Isn’t Hard: Tash shares her spicy take on why leadership can be simpler if we focus on listening.
• Willingness to Change Your Mind: Exploring the power of open-mindedness in leadership and how it shapes team dynamics.
• Imposter Thinking: Why Tash believes it’s not a syndrome and how it can actually drive growth and stretch your potential.
• Three Key Traits for Leadership: Self-awareness, social awareness, and compassion are the foundational elements for impactful leadership.
• Navigating Discomfort: Tash discusses how embracing discomfort can help leaders evolve and thrive in uncertain environments.

                                                                             

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Cheers

Pete