The next time you feel stuck, I hope you think of me. Because I’ve got a trick up my sleeve that could catapult you out of the muck and into your next big thing. Ready for it?
Write down the best compliment you could ever receive.
That’s right. Look at the project or challenge in front of you, and imagine precisely what someone who’s awe-inspired by your efforts might say to you. Don’t settle for envisioning broad and bland praise – like “I really like your blog” or “I love the way you decorated this room” or even “I’m impressed by how you handled that situation.”
I’m talking about a compliment that rings so true it could move you to tears.
So many women on a mission to light up the world say they just want to inspire people. But when I ask them what they want to inspire others to do or be or feel, they often stammer. Why? Because they haven’t peeled away the layers to get crystal clear on what kind of light they want to create.
You don’t even need to know how you’re going to do it. When someone utters your ideal compliment – the one that makes you buzz from head to toe – it means that you will have served them/helped them/inspired them in a powerful way that is aligned with your innate purpose. So let the vision of that perfect compliment serve as a guidepost; a litmus test for each step you take. Consider what you’d need to do to attract a glowing compliment like that.
I can’t tell you how many times I have used this tactic at the start of something new – and been amazed (and choked up!), down the road, when someone expressed the very sentiment that had been my lighthouse from the beginning. It’s incredibly powerful. So say the words you want to hear, and let them lead the way.