Complaints, excuses, obstacles, and the dreaded “yeah, buts” prevent happiness and desired results in our businesses, careers, and lives-at-large. We can restate these thoughts to get unstuck and produce terrific results.
Like a message to yourself to pay attention, every complaint, excuse, obstacle, and dreaded “yeah, but” is really just an unacknowledged need, want, or desire. No matter the topic,we can acknowledge and flip each such thought into a clear statement about what we need, want, and desire. When we do, a bit of magic occurs: what was a large source of tension and resistance shrinks to become just a problem to solve.
Example 1:
Complaint: “I hate cold calling or networking for business. I can’t stand how pushy and fake I feel.” If success in my work requires that I sell, then this complaint will feel like a heavy burden without real solutions. If I force myself, I will regret it.
Flipped: “I want a way to grow my business without feeling pushy or fake.” Stated as a want, the thought becomes a very solvable problem.
Example 2:
Obstacle: “If I do what I love to do, I can’t make enough money to meet my financial obligations and live the way I have been.” Many people who hate their current jobs are stuck on this thought.
Flipped: “No matter which job, role, business, and projects I choose, they will provide more than enough income to support my lifestyle.” As a clear statement of intent this thought guides me into action to find the right role, project, etc.
Frees things up, ya?
In your corner,
Mike