"Successful people learn from failure. In fact, most successful people fail faster and more often than the average person. They learn from failure to become successful."- Monday Morning Choices, page 89
In my daily life things go wrong all the time. The myriad of ways in which failure occurs can range from a work project blowing up to a personal relationship that sours to almost anything in between. One of my core competencies is being able to deal with these failures in a way that contains the problem. I am a capable firefighter and will not get derailed by something going sideways. Like many of you, I focus on the solution, not the problem.
As I consider how to apply the “persistence choice” in my daily life, I have realized that the solution focus may not be the right choice for me. I need to think more about the root cause and systemic issues that create this “sideways” scenario. A more critical look at my failures may present opportunities to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
"By surrounding yourself with others who choose commitment and passion, you’ll find yourself making more progress."- Monday Morning Choices, page 22
When considering our passion choice, Cottrell asks us to find those who share our passion and commitment. He logically points out that those with a shared passion feed off each other and are in a position to achieve more. I need to focus on finding other avenues where I get connected with others that share my passion to excel and discover. I am going to leverage my networks and social media to create the group approach to rereading Monday Morning Choices that Cottrell suggests.
"We have an opportunity to choose our attitude for each decision everyday…"- Monday Morning Choices, page 100
Cottrell reminds us that we have the opportunity to choose our attitude on a daily basis. It is entirely up to us. We need to consider that there will be challenges but a proactive and optimistic approach is in all of us. As a firefighter my attitude tends to what is required to fight today’s fire – I’m incredibly reactive. I am going take 10 minutes on Monday mornings, to reflect on the week ahead and establish my attitude. I will work not to get sidetracked during the day.
Monday Morning Choices poses important questions to consider and brings some of those unconscious choices we make into the spotlight for new examination. Additionally, David Cottrell has provided an excellent tool to guide you in the reexamination of these choices.
David Cottrell has walked in leaders’ shoes. With over 30 years of leadership experience in corporate America, David knows firsthand the obstacles, frustrations and issues leaders face. In sales and executive management positions with FedEx and Xerox, he created a legacy of leadership excellence, earning awards and achieving levels that continue to stand out as remarkable. His wisdom and sincerity come from one who has “been there.” David’s depth of knowledge and experience make for content-rich learning experiences that few other speakers can match.
