What’s your winning strategy?

All of us have one.

Maybe yours is to be fast. Or to be smart. Or to do it yourself.

For many business owners, it’s to be in control.

For others, it’s to be liked.

Whatever it is for you was decided by your subconscious years ago in answer to the question: “What do I need to do in order to make sure everything turns out the way it should?”

Your winning strategy was created to keep you from feeling rejected, humiliated, betrayed, alone, confused, stupid, or ordinary.

It’s been working pretty well for the most part. You can find lots of evidence that it’s a good idea. In fact, you attribute much of your success to your winning strategy.

The problem is the winning strategy that got you where you are is the same strategy that’s holding you back now.

It’s the classic example of what got you here, won’t get you there.

When your business reaches a certain level of complexity it becomes impossible to control everything. But if that’s been your winning strategy, you’ll try. You’ll work harder, feel frustrated and burn out.

When your business reaches a certain size, the need to be liked clouds objective decision making, and you don’t hold employees, suppliers and even customers accountable.

You may decide to let go of the reins completely, abdicating responsibility without providing guidance or clear scorecards.

That is not the solution.

Abandoning your winning strategy is not the answer.

There is nothing wrong with your winning strategy, but if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

Just recognize your winning strategy for what it is: an incomplete automatic behavior designed to keep you safe.

Your winning strategy is a survival mechanism.

The ultimate winning strategy is the practice of managing your mind so that you’re flexibly responding rather than reacting automatically.

Instead of controlling circumstances or trying to get other people to like you, notice what you’re thinking. Become aware of how you’re shaping reality.

Because the thoughts you think are what generate the feelings that fuel your actions and that’s how you’re creating results.

Make your winning strategy the practice of managing your mind so that you choose the best response for the situation instead of reacting automatically.