Feedback Challenge - Are You Up For It?

I have been thinking a lot lately about personal responsibility and how it seems that many people don’t take responsibility for where they are in their lives, what their financial situation is, how their relationships are working or not … well, you get the idea. I believe that it is only when we take 100% responsibility for our lives that we can take 100% responsibility for our lives. Does that make sense at all?

It is sometimes really, really hard to admit that you are responsible in some way for every aspect of your life and situation (okay – I will give you the fact that certain cancers and illnesses, especially genetic ones of course are in no way your “fault”). It is also really, really hard once you do take 100% responsibility for your life because then you know that whatever you do if you aren’t where you want to be that it is because of you and you alone. This can be a bitter pill to swallow especially if you see your “months” (see previous post) passing by like a hamster laps on a twirly wheel (sorry, we were at Petco today).

But that isn’t really what I wanted to talk about. I wanted to talk about feedback. Not any feedback mind you but personal feedback. I have been thinking about one of my clients lately and that got me to thinking about the people currently in the astronaut selection. There are some people who you just know won’t make it even if they have been called for an interview. To be completely cliché: They don’t have “the right stuff”. I am sure that you know friends, co-workers, and family that if they just got a little gentle feedback or, perhaps, some in your face feedback that it might make all the difference to them. They might (BIG emphasis on might) not know that they (fill in the blank) and if they did and if they chose to change that thing they might be happier, more socially acceptable, wealthier, get promoted …

Do you think that you could tell someone the truth if they asked you? Do you think that you could give that person feedback? Do you think that you could ask for feedback for yourself?

That is my challenge to you – Ask 10 people (or more if you want) to give you some honest and direct feedback. You might want to say “If there were one thing that you thought that I could do better or would make me a better person what do you think that would be?” or “If you could improve 1 thing about me what would you improve?” or “Name 1 thing that you would change about me if you had a magic wand?”

As I am the blog author I would request that anyone reading this blog that knows me or has met me or even if you only know me from the blog please answer one of the above questions (directly and honestly even if you think that it is harsh) so that I can get some most excellent feedback. If you are worried that I “won’t like you anymore” (could NEVER happen!) or if you are just worried about being open with your name attached please comment anonymously (create a new user name if it won’t allow you to be anonymous).

Thank you!! I really appreciate it and I am very, very interested to hear your feedback.

Have a super terrific day!

Ella