When was the last time you did something that scared you? I did it last week. The Chartered Management Institute announced that the application for Chartered Manager of the Year is now open. My first thought was to apply. Then, I had this little negotiator in my head that said, “Do you have what it takes? Only the outstanding will win. By the way, who would nominate themselves? Ahh, how I wish someone would nominate me just to give me a little booster?” While my head did all the reasoning, an email came in: 3 reasons why you should apply – career advancement, professional recognition, team celebration. Above all, this was the only statement that struck me. You’re a Chartered Manager with an award-winning story to tell. We want to hear from you.
I do have a story to tell. But I am not sure if it will be an award-winning story. After a long debate with myself, I decided to start writing and think about the rest later. There are a total of 4 prompts, which led me to 2,500 words. Why not? I spent the entire week reflecting, writing, editing, and reading my work again and again before having the guts to read out loud in front of my partner. Where did I find my courage? At the end, I realised it wasn’t about writing a satisfactory piece that made me happy. It was the self-reflection of did I really do that? that amazed me.
We spend so much time running routine daily, keeping up with other’s needs, and staying away from unnecessary trouble that we often overlook the value of self-reflection. It’s no surprise that 365 days went by just like that. But it is a big surprise for me to realise how far I’ve come in developing myself in the past one year. One year seems like a short time. When I broke the year down into conscious and unconscious actions I’d taken in problem solving, decision-making, and driving commitment, I found learning that are worth appreciating and winnings that are worth celebrating. Because I was so focused on my mistakes that I spent so much time regretting instead of learning. Because I often look for perfection that I’ve forgotten to celebrate my little milestones.
Just as how much I care about submitting a winning story, that I almost miss the bigger picture. Self-reflection is my biggest motivator. It led me to courage. Without it, there would be neither interesting encounters nor stories to publish. Most of all, I would not be able to locate my core motivation or have the courage to press the submit button. It doesn’t matter if it is a winning one, it is my story. The story that I’m convinced of sharing. What do I stand for and what’s truly important to me, stay tuned for more.
As one of the Stoics said, a life not examined isn’t worth living. We need to take stock of our lives every once in a while, since it’s so easy to get swept by the winds and just drift through life. Here’s to always stopping and finding our mark, and always finding ways to fully experience life. And congrats on taking that scary step with your application!
Thank you Stuart. Writing is a wonderful exercise. It challenges us to think of a good story and put them in words so that others can equally enjoy our thoughts!