Thoughts of the Week: July 28, 2023

Don’t let how you receive feedback hold you back.

Receiving Feedback is hard - but essential to become better.

This week, ditch defensiveness, and remember that everything is information. Good, bad, or indifferent — the reactions you witness from others, the conversations you participate in, the criticisms you receive…you get to decide what to do with it. You get to decide what’s valid and what to toss aside. 

But the problem? Most people get caught up in their emotions. They get angry or upset — and they start rejecting information wholesale because it stings the ego. In the process, many lose a valuable opportunity to use that information to grow - and to gain an advantage moving ahead. 

Instead, accept feedback for what it is — words, data, or input — and remember that it’s a two-step process. Step one? Listen to it. Step two? Parse it out. Take what’s helpful and leave the rest…just don’t throw it all out the window because your emotions got the best of you.

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1. If you push through obstacles instead of letting them remain roadblocks, you can accomplish the unimaginable.

2. In these four minutes, Michael Phelps shares the vast importance of the little steps when going the distance.

3. This is an incredible illustration of a quote by Jerzy Gregorek, showing the value of facing challenges now so you don’t have to face them later.

4. Don’t fall victim to ease; push yourself out of your comfort zone.

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