All the cars in the junk yard have empty tanks.
The anatomy of winning:
Winning requires an ending.
A race that has no end has no winner. Even the longest car races in the world had an ending.
A race without an end is pointless.
A world without endings is filled with losing.
The necessity of endings:
Always ‘on’ leads to inevitable defeat.
Weariness is the consequence of rushing from one thing to the next without an ending. Weariness leads to lethargy.
Defeat is the child of fatigue.
Designing wins:
Short projects enable quick wins.
- Send three gratitude emails in 5 minutes.
- Notice someone’s strength at the end of a conversation.
- At the beginning of your next meeting, describe why you’re thankful to work with your team.
- Deal with one nagging issue. Respond to that nagging email.
- Inquire about a project that concerns you. End the conversation by defining a next step or a milestone.
Finish something, even if it’s a milestone on a long-term project.
Making wins work:
Suppose you send three gratitude emails in five minutes (#1 above). But you rush to the next pressing issue without noticing the win.
An unnoticed win is defeat.
Before you rush to the next thing, pat yourself on the back for finishing one thing. Breathe deeply for 30-seconds and record your win in a win journal. “Sent 3 gratitude emails.”
A pat on the back is fuel for the next win.
Arrogance scoffs at small wins.
Maybe a little humility will allow you to make a list of small wins in your day. I bet it’s longer than you think.
How might leaders create wins?
How might leaders put fuel in their own tank?