3 tips for managing potential successes

“People often rehearse the possibility of things going wrong and how they will react,” explained one sports psychologist. “But it is just as important to rehearse things going right. Some people seem to have a more positive attitude when they are playing ‘catch-up’, because they have nothing to lose. Great performers, however, feel just as at ease when leading. They then focus on how to maximise the opportunity.”

The same rule applies in many areas of life. So let’s look at how you can anticipate and manage potential successes.

1) You can anticipate the potential successes.

“Prepare to win the peace after you have won the war,” is a time-honoured rule for armies. It is vital to build on what has been achieved – because the people in a nation will want food, water and a healthy infrastructure. The failure to look beyond ‘victory’ can leave a vacuum, which is then filled by warring factions. Many leaders win the war or the revolution, then stare at each other saying, “What next?”

Great performers foresee how to deal with setbacks – but they also anticipate how to deal with successes. Superb football teams, for example, rehearse what they will do if they go 2 – 0 up after ten minutes. Poor players then start looking at the clock. Good players say: “How can we build on this advantage?” They continue playing the positive game, rather the percentage or paralysis games.

Try tackling the exercise on this theme which invites you to look at your own life and work. Start by deciding on the area that you want to explore. You may want to focus on one specific area – such as a project at work. On the other hand, you may want to look at all areas of your personal and professional life. Looking ahead, what are the potential successes that you may achieve in the future? These can be big or small achievements. Try completing the following sentences.
The potential successes that I may achieve in the future are:


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2) You can anticipate how to build on the potential successes.

“I spent 3 months searching for work when I became a freelancer,” explained one person. “After getting my first contract, I redoubled my efforts. It was like being a gold miner. They spend ages looking for gold. After hitting the seam, they then work even harder. They do not say, ‘Well, now we have found the seam, we will take a holiday.’ Certainly I take time out to recharge my batteries, but it is vital to capitalise on your good fortune when hitting a winning streak.”

How can you build on your potential achievements? Great performers keep going back to basics. Whether you are facing a setback or seeing the fruits of your labours, you can keep asking yourself: “What are the real results I want to achieve? Bearing this in mind, what are the 3 things I can do to give myself the greatest chance of success?” Clarify your key strategies – then pursue them relentlessly. Looking at the potential successes you may achieve in the future, select one you want to work on. Then try completing the following sentences.

The potential success I want to focus on is:


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The things I can do to build on this potential success are:


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3) You can actually build on the potential successes.

“My biggest challenge was to be ‘fully present in the moment,’” said one tennis player. “I needed to focus on the next point – rather than look at the scoreboard or prematurely celebrate victory. My task was to ‘focus on the principles, rather than the prize.’ It was to concentrate and build on the achievements.”

Think of a success that you have capitalised on in the past. You may have won a new client, taken the lead in a sports event or whatever. How did you build on the achievement? How can you follow similar principles in the future? You may want to be fully present, keep doing what works, give 100% or whatever. Looking at the success you have chosen to focus on, try translating your ideas into a specific action plan.

The specific things I can do to be fully present
and actually build on the potential success are:


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“Kipling’s famous phrase is written above the entrance at Wimbledon,” said the tennis player. “It says: ‘If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster/And treat those two impostors just the same’. I was actually quite good at dealing with ‘disasters’ – or setbacks – in games. The times I choked were when dealing with ‘mini-triumphs’ during a match. Eventually I learned how to build on the successes and up my game. That helped me to become a much better player.”