Ataraxy Friday: Do Better
Nigel Donovan
Executive Stress Management > Executive Leadership Coach > Emotional Intelligence Coach > Executive Coaching
Good to be back - I hope your Christmas and NY break (if you had one) was a refreshing as mine.
We had some laughs, connected with friends, lounged around a fair bit and generally 'clocked off' for a couple of weeks.
At one of our gatherings, we went around the table with a "what is something you want to do/think/move towards in 2024".
One of the phrases we, thankfully ironically, and with plenty of laughter at ourselves, used was to "do better".
"Do better" is used or subtly hidden in so many of our goals and resolutions. We want to 'do better at...' they can be very well concealed. For instance:
I want to be healthier in 2024
I want to read more
I am going to spend less time scrolling on my phone.
Are all "do better".
I am going to do better at being healthy, I am going to do better at directing my attention to books, I am going to do better at being bored.
"Do better: does not help much. Imagine a leader who says to their team, "Do Better" (unfortunately, many do).
The obvious question is "HOW?"
See, "Do Better" is about motivation - it is an appeal to what I "Want to want".
Change and improvement come from discipline, actions, and habits - doing specific things regardless of how I feel in the moment. Not what I "want", nor what I "Want to want", but what I DO.
If you are gearing up to make specific improvements in 2024 - do better than 'do better' and be specific about HOW - what you are specifically going to DO or change.