When it comes to winning the lottery, I am absolutely 100% certain that I will never win. How can I be so sure? Well, I never buy a ticket. No effort, no reward!
When I was nominated last year for a Northern Power Women Award in the Mentor of the Year category, I was pretty sure when the email came through asking me to answer some questions about myself that I didn’t stand a chance of winning – but I remember feeling pretty good to have been nominated.
I didn’t really have a clue what to write about myself. It was one of those emails that you open, read and then close back up and mark as unread with the intent to do it later. Eventually “later” becomes “do it now” and I was up against the deadline to put some information down about myself.
As women, we can so easily let loose, what I like to call the “Comparison Monster”. It has an internal chatter all of its own and some wonderful mantras. “Who do you think you are entering for one of those awards – you haven’t made half the difference compared with so and so… blah blah blah.” Sound familiar?
As a young girl, that Comparison Monster held me back from taking some great opportunities. When I went through my coach training, I finally started to understand the Comparison Monster was just a voice and I could choose not to listen.
We all make a difference. Every single one of us makes a contribution that is worthy of recognition and that is what the Northern Power Women Awards is all about. We are all good enough, just as we are.
So give your Comparison Monster a break.
Nominate someone you know that makes a difference, inspires you and create an opportunity for them to be seen.
If you have already been nominated and that email comes in … fill in the form. What would your best friend write about you? Just write it from your heart.
Twelve months ago, the last thing that I would have expected was to win “Mentor of the Year” and even if I hadn’t, simply being nominated would have been enough. In life, it isn’t always about the winning, its simply taking part!