by mohammadalamin584@gmail.com | Dec 24, 2024 | Leadership, Resources
99% of us avoid discomfort. 😖
It’s not a weakness. It’s a fact.
It’s how our brain reacts to ‘threats’, even if it is just the discomfort of the unknown.
It’s because when we step out of our comfort zone, we are confronted by our fears – of failure, judgment and not being good enough.
This fear leads to excuses, procrastination, and self-doubt, pulling us back into our comfort zone.
So, why is it so difficult to push through the ‘Fear Zone’ on our own?
𝟭. 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘂𝘀:
When there’s no one to challenge our negative thoughts, we start believing “I’m not ready” or “What if I’m not good enough?”
Over time, these limiting beliefs become our truth.
𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀:
When faced with the unfamiliar, we find excuses such as
“I’ll do it later,” or “I need more time.”
These may feel valid but we know we are holding ourselves back.
𝟯. 𝗡𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲:
We avoid uncomfortable actions when no one pushes us.
Without accountability, we take the easy options and avoid the REAL work.
Overcoming fear alone is tough. 🌩
📌 But what if living in that comfort zone comes with opportunity costs?
As a Growth Mindset Coach, I work with my clients to take small, intentional steps toward overcoming their fears.
After 100 coaching sessions, I’ve identified 3 effective ways to help you navigate fear and toward your goals:
𝟭. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀:
When you start making excuses, it’s a sign you’re on the edge of comfort. Instead of retreating into comfort, ask yourself, “What opportunity does this fear bring?”
𝟮. 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲:
Start with one small, uncomfortable task this week.
Completing each step will build momentum and over time, you will learn to trust yourself more.
𝟯. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀:
Each time you push past fear, your confidence grows.
Leverage your strengths to remind yourself of what you’re capable of.
The results you want are often on the other side of fear.
With the right support, you can push through fear to reach your goals.
So, are you ready to take that first small step towards your #ICAN?
The power is in your choice to start.
📌 Have you ever faced this fear, and what helped you push through it? I’d love to hear your story.
by mohammadalamin584@gmail.com | Dec 24, 2024 | Career, Resources
Recently, I spoke to several individuals affected by the latest wave of layoffs.
Amongst them were former colleagues and clients.
News from Samsung, Dyson, Love Bonito and META reminded us that 3 years after the pandemic, a new norm is here.
As companies chase cost efficiency relentlessly – faster, better, cheaper options will always win.
At the rate of AI advancement, knowledge-based roles risk being automated.
It’s reasonable to ask, “Will my role be replaced by AI soon?” 😵
If that’s you, I’d like to offer my perspective.
AI is a powerful tool.
However, it relies on past data and requires clear instructions to perform.
Without clear and precise instructions, it can’t produce the desired results.
📌 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲?
→ Do you also lean on your past and require clear instructions to deliver?
→ Or are you proactive in seeking answers and driving improvements?
Here’s the fact.
→ In today’s competitive landscape, the passives will be overlooked.
You can’t get ahead by thinking in the same way as everyone.
It requires a different mindset.
Those who stand out anticipate needs, solve problems and add value without being asked.
They are proactive, adaptable and always looking ahead.
→ Developing a Career Growth Mindset moves you from passive to proactive.
It’s about continuous learning, embracing the new and adapting to changes.
25 years of corporate experience shows me,
→ You don’t advance in your career by protecting what you know.
→ You get ahead by pushing yourself to learn what you don’t.
You can’t stop technology, but you can be competitive…
by offering what AI can’t (yet) – that is, by being proactive in adding value.
Developing a Career Growth Mindset is like having an ice-cream sundae – you get to add colors, toppings and flavors to create a career uniquely yours.
📌 What was your #1 career advice?
by mohammadalamin584@gmail.com | Dec 24, 2024 | Career, Resources
Some moments change the course of their lives.
These are moments of pride or regret.
Back in 2013, I had the chance to pursue my career outside Singapore.
It was an opportunity I couldn’t ignore, but also one that I was afraid.
Taking up an overseas assignment in my late 30s wasn’t a decision I took lightly.
In my mind, I was doubting ‘Are you 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙇𝙇𝙔 sure?’
→ “You haven’t led a team in 6 years!”
→ “You don’t even speak the language!”
→ “And you will be overseas alone for 2 years”
It was a choice between “playing it safe” in Singapore or leaping into the unknown in Indonesia.
My stakes were high, and the risk of failure was real. 
But I knew I didn’t want to look back and live with regrets, so I took the leap.
Settling into my new role in Jakarta wasn’t easy.
I had to learn the language, adapt to the culture, and work hard to earn the trust and respect of stakeholders.
It was tough at the beginning.
But it taught me humility, patience, and showed me the beauty of human potential through the people I worked with.
What started as a 2-year assignment turned into 4 of the most rewarding years of my career.
That experience taught me lessons I never would have learned had I “played it safe”.
It even led to a new opportunity in the e-commerce sector later on.
Looking back, I supposed my leap of faith paid off.
——–
Change is never easy.
Instead of seeking guarantees, we can learn to take calculated risks
and put our best efforts into making failing a non-option. 💪
The point is …
→ When nothing changes, nothing changes.
Sometimes, we just have to trust ourselves instead of giving in to fear.
When we do, we give ourselves a chance to succeed.
And our next chapter might turn out to be the best one yet.
📌 Was there a time when you took a leap of faith too? How did that turn out?
by mohammadalamin584@gmail.com | Aug 3, 2024 | Mindset, Resources
Psychologist Thomas Curran explained perfectionism is not the quest of perfecting a task.
It is an act of covering up the ‘perceived imperfection’ in ourselves.
I have never regarded myself as a perfectionist.
It came as a surprise when perfectionism emerged as my chief saboteur when I took a self-assessment test developed by Positive Intelligence (PQ, link in comments) recently.
As I reflect on my results, I can see truth in it.
My fixation on getting things 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩.
My tendency to self-judge when I fail to meet 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨.
My habit of pushing myself even harder for 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣.
This haunting feeling of ‘𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝’ has continued to weigh down on my shoulders subconsciously.
I should know.
The perfectionist in me took up to 5 hours to draft 1 LinkedIn post when I started posting this February.
I wasted considerable time over-thinking and over-tinkering.
I undermined my self-confidence, mistaken fulfilment lies in perfection.
𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗲𝗱.
The first step to harness perfectionism is to acknowledge its existence in us.
The desire to be better has given me the strength to strive.
It has empowered me to overcome the ‘impossible’ in my life.
It fuels my motivation towards lifelong learning and personal growth.
Recognizing my perfectionist traits has allowed me to be self-compassionate.
Instead of being frustrated with myself, I learned to understand the origins of my habits. This has given me the confidence to be less than perfect.
We can achieve more and find joy when we choose to put down our baggage. 🌟
We can find peace when we recognize no one is judging us other than ourselves. 🌟
⏩ PS: Would you put down your baggage?
by mohammadalamin584@gmail.com | Aug 3, 2024 | Mindset, Resources
Most of us recognize the transformative power of having a growth mindset.
Does having a growth mindset stop us from going down the slippery slope of a fixed mindset again?😬
Last Thursday, I had an interesting conversation with an ex-classmate over dinner.
When I updated Wendy about my current work as a growth mindset coach, she went, “𝘢𝘩! 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘵”.
“𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯.” 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥.
Everyone experiences doubts and anxiety.
But we can learn to manage them better.
Here’s what I learned.
5 lessons you may consider to shift towards a growth mindset.
✨ 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝟭 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗽.
Make progressive changes.
Every small change = many small wins!
This rewards your brain to work harder to adopt new habits over time (neuroplasticity).
✨ 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳, 𝗻𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱.
Your mindset influences your life.
Start by tracking 3 tasks that you accomplished each day and see your confidence grows.
✨𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻:
As my mum taught me, 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 = ̶‘I̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶’t̶ ̶k̶n̶o̶w̶’.̶
Your aptitude for learning is your ONLY KEY to becoming your best self.
✨ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁:
Everyone makes mistakes!
There is no failure from trying new things and learning. Ask ‘𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘛𝘏𝘌 1 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦?’ They are meant to show you the way forward.
✨𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝙔𝙤𝙪!
YOU must first learn to trust 𝘺𝘰𝘶, before others can trust 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 100%.
Recognize times when 𝘺𝘰𝘶 showed up and take responsibility.
Be THE source to inspire others’ trust in you.
Our mindset exists on a spectrum instead of a binary trait. 🌟
In her book ‘Mindset’, Dr Carol Dweck PhD explained that we will experience both fixed and growth mindset tendencies in different situations. 👁️🗨️
This is how your brain is hardwired to keep you safe from unfamiliar situations or perceived risks.
Through self-awareness and consistent effort, you can shift from a fixed mindset towards a more predominant growth mindset over time.
While you can’t change your mindset completely, you can make the shift. 🚀
⏩PS: How did you shift your mindset? Share your success!
by mohammadalamin584@gmail.com | Aug 3, 2024 | Mindset, Resources
Last November was the mid-term of my 6 months Professional Coaching Certification program.
It was a special milestone that I looked forward to. A timely opportunity to measure my development and competency as a coach.
The 2-day mid-term workshop was packed with practice drills. I started the workshop feeling confident.
As the drills progressed, my confidence started to dip. I was called out for gaps in my listening and questioning techniques.
The foundational skills of a coach.
By the end of 2 days, it became clear I was not as competent as I had 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 of myself. I began to see I was not as good as I 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙.
To realise I was 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 struck me hard. Very hard.
A voice in my head questioned ‘𝘈𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴? I had let myself down.
My mind space was completely clouded in doubts the following week.
I couldn’t coach. Neither did I want to.
That Friday, I presented my issue as a ‘𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵’ during a team practice session.
A peer coach asked ‘𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 (𝘮𝘺) 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴?’
It came across as a redundant question.
‘𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥’, I answered as a matter of fact.
Somehow, her question stayed in my mind that night.
Now, ‘𝙒𝙃𝙊’ sets those expectations, I pondered.
I finally understood 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 by the next morning.
In that instance, everything made sense!
It became clear my parents’ expectations of me as a child had stayed with me. It has shaped my self-expectations to this day.
This new clarity showed me where my self-judgement came from.
It gave me control to change my narrative.
That I don’t have to prove my worth to anyone.
Not least, to 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 in my head.
This realisation changed my perspective about my self-doubts. I became less afraid and learned to appreciate that they exist for a reason. 🔆
In my case, it was protecting me from the stress I experienced as a child from not meeting others’ expectations.
I shifted from being deflated to gaining control of my negative self-narratives. 🚀
Fast forward 4 months.
It was pleasing when a master coach commented last week that I had improved by leaps since the mid-term workshop.
𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀
Self-doubting is normal. Everyone experienced it at some point.
It doesn’t mean you are weak.
Recognise this voice is 𝗡𝗢𝗧 you. ❎
When 𝗬𝗢𝗨 detach from it, you gain the power of control.
Our narratives give colour to our lives. 🌈
When you understand yourself better, you start to give your best self to the people around you. 🙌
PS: What 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 can you attach to your doubts? ⬇
