Pride – Harden

Collect Battle Scars

Our Manifesto says…

‘No one earns their 3rd without some ugly action and the scars that follow.  Wear yours like so many medals, knowing each one moves you closer to your goal.’

There’s a certain look to 3rdNut tribesfolk. It’s worn by all, whether they’ve earned theirs sitting behind a computer screen, walking a city street, or climbing a mountain face. It’s a glint in the eye, a tilt of the chin, a thrust in the chest, all pointing to one badass attribute: pride.

Just like confidence, pride is one of those qualities that, once earned, is on a bit of a self-feeding cycle. The more actions you take toward your goal, the more pride you feel. The more pride you feel, the more likely you are to take the next bold step in your journey. The trick, of course, is getting on the hyperloop.

“Quality is pride of workmanship.” – W. Edwards Deming

WRANGLE EXPECTATIONS.

At a most basic level, pride is about feeling good about ourselves. No matter what task you’re going about, from mundane household chores to sprinting across a finish line, you probably have an expectation of what the end result should be. Consistently meeting these expectations is a key to unlocking the pride vault. Yet we have to issue a warning flag: focusing only on end results can land you in the dangerous and counterproductive territory of perfectionism. Trying to be flawless in absolutely everything will likely put a ding in your pride rather than boost it. You’re simply asking too much of yourself.

PUT THE KIBOSH ON PERFECTIONISM.

There’s a couple ways to defeat the perfectionist beast. First, when you think about the tasks you need to complete, add some realism to the mix. Do the sheets REALLY need to have perfect square corners when you fold them? If you’re building the world’s best housekeeping service, that absolutely makes sense. However if creating perfect sheet edges is not central to your quest to Earn Yours, loosen your grip on this expectation. See if the five minutes you usually spend there could be better dedicated somewhere else, and stop dinging your pride unnecessarily.

Second, give yourself credit for the effort you’re putting in, not just the end results. Any 3rdNutter knows that failure is an intrinsic part of the journey. If your pride resides only in the final score, you’ll be on a constant roller coaster. Instead, maintain integrity by putting your best foot forward every step of the way. Hit the criteria, bully for you. Miss the criteria, examine what went wrong and redouble resolve to  to do better next time – but still feel proud of yourself for giving it your best shot.

ELIMINATE PRIDE SUCKERS.

Yes, we just made that term up. Think of pride suckers as little leeches, draining away precious ounces or even gallons from your oasis of pride. Perhaps it’s a demeaning relationship, a bad habit, or even a mistake you’ve made. Resolve to scrub your life of these little (or big) suckers.

ACTIONS TO TAKE THIS WEEK.

• What do you take pride in? Make a list.
• What are your pride suckers? Make a list, and then pick at least one to focus on eliminating from your life.