Spring cleaning is out in full force on my For You Page. From dust mites to subscriptions, everything’s getting a refresh! But don’t limit sorting and decluttering to your closet. Instead, also include intangibles like skilling on your list.
It’s tempting to overhaul everything at once, but that just leads to overwhelm. Instead, simply release anything that will block your Future Self. That’s what we’ll talk about in the April series, Spring Clean Your People Skills. By the end of the month, you’ll know how to unwind habits and patterns that aren’t working and make space for what is good, fresh, and fun.
First, let’s talk about the trends where either 2016 or even the ’90s are making a comeback. Those ideas might be fun for an Instagram reel, but getting stuck looking back or daydreaming is career kryptonite.
For example, as you walk down memory lane, are you still wrestling with what a teacher, coach, or boss said? Did they plant a negative seed while you were still in the tender “becoming” phase? Conversely, have you fallen under the spell of future faking by your favorite AI chatbot, who the New York Times noted skews toward automatic validation?
No matter who said what to you or when, it may be time for a reboot. Let’s meet someone who changed their life by overcoming other people’s perceptions.
When you look at the cover of David Goggins’ book, Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds, he’s fit and fierce—the prototype of a US Navy Seal.
At first glance, you’d never know about his difficult past with an abusive father. Eventually, his mother broke free. But by that time, David’s unstable educational history resulted in communication and learning challenges. Issues like racial prejudices and poverty added anxiety, leading to stuttering.
Joining the military reshaped David—literally. He transformed from a scrawny, scared little kid whose dad picked on him into an elite athlete, renowned fitness coach, and motivational speaker.
You might relate to David Goggins’ journey about overcoming a difficult past. But even if the case study doesn’t resonate, everyone picks up distorted perceptions of themselves along the way.
For instance, you may have spent time in work or school situations where success required making sense of baffling behaviors around you. Social skills that became survival skills make sense for a short time, but not a lifetime.
Charles Barkley brought this idea to life during March Madness. He saw an old photo of himself and cracked, “I wore that suit the last night I was poor!”
So, using Charles’ comment for inspiration, let’s make it real with a quick game of bingo. (And if you’re on the fence about the reflection exercise, consider where you might be in 2036 if you hold on to a self-image shaped by other people’s false beliefs and limitations.)
Here’s how to play: Start the sentence with, “I don’t need to,” then call out anything you’re ready to put in a box to the left.
For instance, “I don’t need to…”
And your AI prompt to personalize is: Act as a career coach. Give me a list of 5 habits that might make people think I lack self-confidence or competence, and ideas about how to change those habits.
Trends may be fun, but they’re not meant to be forever. So, save your throwback reel for Instagram. Spring clean your skill set and start cultivating a healthy self-image.