Reflect over your life, especially on any leadership roles you may have played. Think about the following questions:
Have you ever “kicked the pail over” in the sense Dr. Buckingham mentions of his father’s cow? Have you ever been primed for success, in a great position, and then self-sabotaged?
How should you have acted or communicated differently? If you aren’t sure, you might use this moment as an opportunity to seek out input from others who know you well enough to have special insight into the situation.
How do you tend to react to praise and criticism? Can you receive praise and criticism without putting yourself down or making excuses for mistakes?
Again, given what you have learned in this lesson, what direction do you need to move in? Begin praying that the Spirit will help you on that path.