Most of what happens to us, whether in our lives or in our careers, is totally beyond our own control. But as Epictetus taught us, “It's not what happens to you, but how you respond to it that matters.”
If you instantly react to what happens to you, how people treat you, what people do or say, then you have lost control.
If on the other hand you pause and respond calmly then you retain control and you give out a totally different subliminal message about your level of emotional intelligence.
A former mentor of mine Stephen Harvey gave me a great example on a business trip to Denmark many years ago. Your child knocks over a glass of milk. You can either react with, “Now look what you’ve done, you clumsy idiot” or you could consciously relax, breathe, pause and respond with, “That was a clumsy thing to do for someone who is normally so careful.”
At work, at home or at play be aware of the subliminal seeds you plant in the minds of other people. Be mindful! #proteuscareermanagement #mindfulness #coaching #personaldevelopment
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