Want to get ahead at work? Risk the awkward moments | Henna Pryor
2Digest
Hannah Pryor, a workplace performance expert, delves into the "cringe chasm," the gap between how we see ourselves and how we believe others see us. This chasm, fueled by social norms and a desire for approval, hinders our ability to take risks and improve. Pryor explains the "approval mindset," where we prioritize external validation and fear losing approval, leading to playing it safe and avoiding risks. This mindset widens the "cringe chasm" as we prioritize approval over personal growth, fearing judgment and potential loss of approval, even though these situations offer opportunities for improvement. Pryor advocates for an "improvement mindset," where we prioritize personal growth and embrace awkwardness as a stepping stone to improvement. This involves setting internal goals and taking risks for self-development. She suggests "conditioning for awkwardness" by seeking out strategic micro-stressers and deliberate discomfort in areas where we can improve. This involves embracing awkward conversations, owning mistakes, and challenging ourselves to step outside our comfort zones. Pryor emphasizes the importance of deliberate practice in overcoming the "cringe chasm." She encourages listeners to find one goal that makes them feel awkward and practice embracing awkwardness daily to build resilience and confidence. By embracing deliberate practice and conditioning ourselves for awkwardness, we can bridge the "cringe chasm" and unlock our potential for personal growth.
Outlines
The Cringe Chasm: Overcoming Awkwardness for Self-Improvement
Hannah Pryor, a workplace performance expert, explores the "cringe chasm" - the gap between how we see ourselves and how we think others see us. She argues that our fear of awkwardness, rooted in social norms and a desire for approval, hinders our ability to take risks and improve.
The Approval Mindset and the Cringe Chasm
Pryor explains the "approval mindset," where we prioritize external validation and fear losing approval. This mindset leads to playing it safe and avoiding risks, even small ones like correcting someone's mistake. The "cringe chasm" widens as we prioritize approval over personal growth, fearing judgment and potential loss of approval, even though these situations offer opportunities for improvement.
Embracing Awkwardness for Growth: The Improvement Mindset
Pryor advocates for an "improvement mindset," where we prioritize personal growth and embrace awkwardness as a stepping stone to improvement. This mindset involves setting internal goals and taking risks for self-development. Pryor suggests "conditioning for awkwardness" by seeking out strategic micro-stressers and deliberate discomfort in areas where we can improve. This involves embracing awkward conversations, owning mistakes, and challenging ourselves to step outside our comfort zones.
Deliberate Practice and Overcoming the Cringe Chasm
Pryor emphasizes the importance of deliberate practice in overcoming the "cringe chasm." She encourages listeners to find one goal that makes them feel awkward and practice embracing awkwardness daily to build resilience and confidence.
Keywords
Cringe Chasm
The gap between how we see ourselves and how we think others see us, often fueled by a desire for approval and fear of awkwardness. This gap can hinder personal growth and risk-taking.
Approval Mindset
A mindset focused on external validation and seeking approval from others. This can lead to playing it safe, avoiding risks, and prioritizing external goals over personal growth.
Improvement Mindset
A mindset focused on personal growth and self-improvement. This involves setting internal goals, embracing awkwardness, and taking risks for self-development.
Conditioning for Awkwardness
A strategy for overcoming the "cringe chasm" by deliberately seeking out uncomfortable situations and micro-stressers to build resilience and confidence.
Strategic Micro-Stressers
Small, deliberate challenges or uncomfortable situations that help us build resilience and confidence in overcoming awkwardness.
Deliberate Practice
The process of intentionally engaging in activities that challenge us and help us improve our skills and overcome obstacles.
Q&A
What is the "cringe chasm" and how does it affect our ability to improve?
The "cringe chasm" is the gap between how we see ourselves and how we think others see us. Our fear of awkwardness, rooted in social norms and a desire for approval, can prevent us from taking risks and pursuing personal growth.
What is the "approval mindset" and how does it hinder our progress?
The "approval mindset" prioritizes external validation and seeking approval from others. This can lead to playing it safe, avoiding risks, and prioritizing external goals over personal growth.
How can we shift from an "approval mindset" to an "improvement mindset"?
By prioritizing personal growth and embracing awkwardness as a stepping stone to improvement. This involves setting internal goals, taking risks for self-development, and conditioning ourselves to embrace discomfort.
What are "strategic micro-stressers" and how can they help us overcome the "cringe chasm"?
"Strategic micro-stressers" are small, deliberate challenges or uncomfortable situations that help us build resilience and confidence in overcoming awkwardness. By seeking out these micro-stressers, we can condition ourselves to embrace discomfort and grow.
How can deliberate practice help us overcome the "cringe chasm"?
Deliberate practice involves intentionally engaging in activities that challenge us and help us improve our skills and overcome obstacles. By practicing embracing awkwardness, we can build resilience and confidence in taking risks and pursuing personal growth.
Show Notes
When we avoid feeling awkward, we often miss an opportunity for growth, says workplace performance expert Henna Pryor. She shares tips on embracing discomfort for the sake of self-betterment and shows how pushing past the "cringe chasm" — the gap between how we perceive ourselves and how others see us — can open up chances to get ahead at work and in life. After the talk, Modupe shares wisdom on how to get over the fear of being cringe.
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