Are we covering up our failures too quickly?
Mistakes and failures are valuable learning tools to use as stepping stones to get better, instead of something to feel embarrassed or upset about. Reflection is an important way to learn and grow.
If we’re not failing and making mistakes, then are we really pushing the limits of what’s possible?
Are we slowing down and spending the necessary time to process and reflect our experiences and what we learned from those experiences so we can grow as business leaders? That’s why journaling is so powerful!
Learning comes from thinking and reflecting about what we did ..., NOT just from doing the action. Reflection is one of the most important parts of the learning process, and whatever is not reflected is usually not learned or retained.
Do you know what’s truly working and not working in your business?
What specifically have you ignored about your business? And, what needs to be corrected?
What skills or tools do you need to learn to help you overcome the obvious obstacles that might be restricting your growth, sales and profitability?
What do you feel most gets in the way of your progress, if anything? What are you most proud of?
When we reflect on the things we did right, it allow us to celebrate on the little things and little successes. It allows us to realize how much we’ve done right, and empowers us to do even more. Without reflection, it’s too easy to forget these things, and focus instead only on our failures.
As you look back on your journey … What are the most important lessons that you have learned?
Have you learned the power of setting expectations and standards and following through?
Have you learned too many opportunities consume time and draw attention away from the really good ones?
Have you learned every hire we make should raise the average?
Have you leaned almost everything takes longer than you think it will and costs more than originally budgeted.
Have you learned to execute on a plan vs an idea?
Have you learned to take advise from experts vs just someone with an opinion?
Or here’s a great lesson that my friend Jordan Freed shared with me: people are only limited by what they are unwilling to feel?
When we reflect - it allows growth to catch up - it helps turn our experiences into insight - and it expands and enriches our thinking.
Remember: We either win or we learn … and the more we reflect on what we’ve learned the more we win for ourselves and others.