47 Gold Stamps

You’ve heard of collecting Air Miles /points using credit cards.
I propose you start to collect Gold Stamps.

You cash Air Miles/points in for a ‘free’ toaster, a free trip, whatever.
I propose Gold Stamps for free mistakes!

Say you give a weekly talk and are never satisfied with it. Eventually you give a really bad one and quit. “I’ve had it.” you say to yourself, “I never was really all that good anyways.”
Collect Gold Stamps and ‘cash in’ those instead, means: “One bad talk out of sooo many OK ones isn’t all that bad.” You cash in for a free mistake (ie: no bad consequences)

The trick is to find REAL reasons to give yourself Gold Stamps.
This does NOT work when your reasons are contrived or phony.
Get triggered less quickly when someone brings up a long-standing argument? That deserves a Gold Stamp. Remember, the thin end of the wedge is how to get anything done (See # 24)
And what if you overspend — again! — but less than before. That’s good for one too.

Just look around mentally and you’ll see what needs changing but you’ll also see you’re improving in certain areas. THOSE are the source of Gold Stamps.
Less irritable waking up in the morning = Gold Stamp!

I’ll bet you’re surprised at how many credit card points you already have. That happens because they are automatically assigned every time you use that card or fly that airline. Collecting Gold Stamps gives me a more balanced view of my actions. Nothing is all bad. I note the good things in what I do, experience, etc.

So, find something in everything you do — no matter how small! — that merits a genuine Gold Stamp and start collecting.
After all, what have you got to lose!

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These are related:

4 Common Courtesy – 6 Feed Yourself – 11 Feedback – 22 Attitude – 24 Wedge

26 Discounting Self – 27 Responses – 31 Being at-Cause – 40 So What! – 68 Concentration

73 Killing Frogs – 77 Nine Cows – 90 Good/Bad – 96 Habits – 98 Third Time – 99 Perfection!