What three “gifts” would you give a 20-something if you were a “Forty-Godmother”? Here 40-somethings share three wishes to help a 20-something get a head start on the confidence to make decisions that are right for themselves. No more woulda, coulda, shoulda.
This week’s three wishes are from a board member, startup advisor and C-level exec. Her advice was tailored to an entrepreneur but it turns out it s excellent life advice as well.
1. Your past doesn’t have to be the basis for your future. If you are not under the auspice of thinking “this could fail” you can focus on what needs to be done to succeed. Put what failed in the middle and interrogate the reality instead of letting it hide and make you question the future. Learn and move on. It is not an inherited future. Make it.
2. You need to be exposed to pain at some point. It makes you start thinking about a problem in a a different way.
3. Don’t undermine your own confidence. We talk ourselves out of so many things. “Maybe I can’t do that. I’m not an expert. Will I look like a fool if I say that.” I don’t think men do that as much. You have to deliberately let those thoughts roll over you. As Buddha would say, when a self doubting thought comes into your head, you have to rewind instead of react. “Whoa. I’ve seen you before. I am not going to listen to you. I am not going to let you deter me.” You shut it out. You do it over and over again and it stops.