It’s astounding how often we get praised for work we’ve done and immediately brush it off.

This may come from a false sense of modesty, or we don’t consider the praise to be sincere. Perhaps we can’t take our mind off the idea someone is just trying to placate us in order to boost our self-esteem.

If we dig deeper, we might be able to find an even greater issue at hand. The work we’ve been praised for isn’t something we consider good enough to receive any positive remarks. For us, it doesn’t represent the best we can do or our chosen expertise for which we want to be praised.

That’s when it’s time to really listen.

The items we are getting praised for, when we’re not seeking it, is probably an area we should focus more of our attention towards. This is the work that’s resonating with others.

That’s the work you should be doing and subconsciously, it’s probably the work you’ve been called to do. This doesn’t make it a permanent mainstay, as life is always in flux, but it’s a great place to be right now.

Next time someone tells you they like what you did, the response should be twofold:

1. Say thank you.
2. Do more of it.