Used with permission. Copyright Rick Cooper.
How often do you try new things? Do you persevere when things don’t go as you planned or hoped? If you didn’t answer YES! with conviction and without hesitation you might be falling short on Gumption.
Wait, wait, wait. When I was a young girl, I was told by a family member (who I really looked up to) that if I compliment myself others will think I am conceited. For years I carried this message with me and downplayed my strengths … it did not serve me well. It is important to differentiate Gumption from narcissism and egotism. Now I understand the difference. Here it is. Gumption is about confidence.
Don’t rob your own confidence! If you are doing any of these you are losing your Gumption!
Overgeneralize – when you don’t do well in one situation, you apply the same outcome to similar situations
Global Labeling – using negative self-talk or derogatory labels which inaccurately describe you
Minimize the Positive – discounting the positive and concentrating primarily on the negative
Compare Yourself to Others – focusing on how others are better than you
ACTION ITEMS: Complete the following sentences.
- Speak in positive self-talk. I am exceptional because _____________________________________.
- Take risks. One thing I have always wanted to do and will do in the next 7 days is ___________________.
- Try, try, try again. I have stopped doing _________________ because it didn’t work. I will approach it differently by doing ______________________________.
