[Author’s Note: This post was originally written in September 2019, right as my son was starting fourth grade.]
My son started fourth grade this week, and on his first day he brought home something from his teacher that I found profound and inspiring. As he was excitedly recounting his first day, and telling us about old and new friends, his new locker and how he intends to decorate it, he pulled out a piece of paper sent home by his teacher.
The paper was titled “The Power of Yet” and it contained some simple advice. The essential idea is that if you end every sentence of self doubt with the word “yet” you can turn that self doubt into something empowering.
“I don’t understand” becomes “I don’t understand… yet.”
“I haven’t achieved my goals” becomes “I haven’t achieved my goals… yet.”
You get the idea. Simple right? Incredibly so, but in my experience the most powerful ideas are almost always the simplest ones. The power of the idea is almost always related to the simplicity of the idea. At least for me.
After we taped this up, I did a quick internet search. This apparently isn’t a new idea. But it was new to me, and thus I share it with you.
How does this connect to our work at The Latimer Group? Let me count the ways! You will be more persuasive when you are more positive and confident. Your leadership will be stronger. You will be a better teammate. You will be happier and feel more empowered. Shall I go on? I can do this all… day… long.
The human mind is an amazing thing, an amazing “place.” When we nurture our minds with ways to empower ourselves and stay positive, we unlock potential inside ourselves that may be limitless.
I learned something from my son yesterday… or rather, from his teacher, who shared this simple and amazingly powerful idea. And I am extremely grateful it.
The Power of Yet. Pass it on.
Have a great day.
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Does your team:
– Overwhelm the audience with too much detail?
– Make things too complicated?
– Fail to ask for what they want or need?
Does your organization:
– Waste time because of poor internal communication?
– Take too long to make decisions?
– Struggle to clarify and frame discussions?
Do your leaders:
– Exhibit poor executive presence?
– Lean on incomplete communication skills?
– Fail to align the organization?
We transform teams and individuals with repeatable toolsets for persuasive communication. Explore training, coaching, and consulting services from The Latimer Group.
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