What Works: Learn from the past, don't live in it
Pasts — we all have them. Some are darker than others, but most provide timeless lessons we can use in the present. But what is the difference between learning from the past and living in it? How can you utilize the events of the past to make your life better today? This is something I am asked regularly and I face every day.
When you learn from the past, you take the lessons you picked up and apply them to the present in a positive way. Living in the past takes the past into the present and painfully rehashes it to the point where it has a negative impact, rather than a positive one.
Let’s review an example.
Past Experience — I had a business partner who didn’t pull their weight. Their priority was everything but the business. This resulted in broken client communications, missed deadlines, and some tense conversations. The dissolution of the partnership resulted in money lost for the business, confused clients, and a good amount of animosity.
Living in the Past — I’m not going to involve anyone else in my business because my last partner caused so much trouble. I am going to do it all myself. I am still angry at my partner for what they did.
Learning from the Past — If I am bringing in a partner, I need to choose carefully. I will be clear on standards and processes and assure anyone I bring into my business has the same vision I do. I’m grateful to my past partner for the lesson.
Do you see the difference there? Living in the past sparks anxiety, avoidance, and resistance. Learning from the past brings about solutions. After some time has passed, you can even develop a feeling of gratitude that things happened the way they did.
Think about a situation from your past. Are you living there or are you learning from it? What can you change today that will help you embrace, accept, and learn from your past? Is your experience moving you forward or resulting in stagnation because of fear, discontent, anxiety, or anger? The floor is yours, Carson City.
ABOUT DIANE HANSEN
Diane Hansen is the Chief Inspiration Officer of What Works Coaching, a coaching firm that has helped people worldwide with their businesses, careers, mindsets, and profit margins. She brings to Carson City more than 17 years of experience with a wide array of clients, ranging from top corporations, motivated entrepreneurs and individuals hungry for a fresh start. Her column appears every Monday on Carson Now.