“The world’s worst boss might very well be you. Because the most important boss whom each of us answers to is ourselves. And what it means to have a better boss is to have a boss who raises the bar for us but still gives us a break when we fail. What we need is a boss who is diligent and patient and insightful. We need a boss who trusts us.”

Seth Godin, The Practice

I heard Seth Godin talking about us being our own boss. I wondered ‘am I a good boss to myself?’ I reflected on this:

The negative self talk while doing creative work (it’s not good enough).
Poor setting of boundaries.
Not rewarding myself after a good job.
Not actively pursuing new prospects.
Sometimes keeping me up at night.
Not trusting my abilities.

I realised that maybe I am not the best boss to myself. 

Seth says “You would never work for somebody who treats you the way you treat your self”. 

Mind blown. I am a lousy boss to my self, and if it were an external boss, I wouldn’t tolerate it. Simply becoming aware of this can allow me to be better. How can I be better?

I can talk nicer to myself about the quality of my work.
I can set appropriate boundaries.
I can reward myself when I do a good job.
Spend time investing in a better future.
Go easier on my self when I fail.
Trust my abilities.

Reflection

• Am I a good boss to myself?
  
• What can I start doing today to be a better boss?