We all have one – an alter-ego who is a ‘smaller’ version of ourselves… our own ‘Mini-Me’.
A version that whilst small in stature, can be large in presence…
Someone who is skilled at self-sabotage and can send us in a tail spin of comparison or self-doubt within the blink of an eye.
A personality who likes to focus on the negative and what we need to do or haven’t done, rather than celebrate our achievements.
Someone who keeps us playing small; rather than extending to aspirations beyond our reach.
They may even cause us to behave in ways that are unhelpful to ourselves and others.
As leaders, not only do we need to challenge our own alter-egos, we are also in the business of supporting others to challenge their own “Mini-Me’s’. Like a personal trainer we not only model mindful choices, but we also support others to strengthen their own wellbeing. This may include helping them recognise their ‘Mini-Me’s’ and support them to have a mindfulness around how much or how little they choose to give their alter-ego a voice.
So as you head into this week, notice your own ‘Mini-Me’ and how it is affecting your life and those around you. As a leader, support your team to notice their own alter-egos. Some questions you might ask of yourself or put forward to your teams for their reflection are:
- Who is your ‘Mini-Me’?
- How do they keep you small?
- What do they do to keep you playing within the ‘safe-zone’?
- How do they sabotage you from becoming everything you dreamed of?
- How are they affecting your relationships?
- How much of a ‘say’ do they have in your life?
Go well and be amazing.
Mary-Anne 🙂