Tuesday, June 26, 2007, 1:29 pm
My worst enemy...
It's amazing how stubborn people can be. There's one part of human nature that just fascinates me... because it just seems so incredibly stupid.
Yet, I don't have much room to talk. I'm just as guilty of it as everyone else. However, I think recognizing it has truly helped me to grow, and will help me move past it.
Have you ever noticed what people do when something isn't working? They keep doing what they were doing all along... they just do it harder.
It makes as much sense as realizing the square peg doesn't fit in the round hole, so you just try to cram it in harder.
Of course, not every change is as simple as merely finding the square hole for the square peg. Or is it?
What is it about change that makes us resist it?
Think about this. You're driving through town to the grocery store. As you're cruising down the street, you notice that the city has set up a work zone down the road. So, you simply take a different route. Chances are you can come up with about five different routes to the same store on the fly, but chances are you also mumbled a couple of curse words under your breath because you had to change your routine.
Ok, that one was easy.
Now think about this one. You get up in the morning, dreading facing another day. You work for a company that doesn't appreciate you and no longer offers incentives for you to even come in to work. There's no hope for promotions, raises, new challenges or opportunities. It's just a job, but it clearly isn't working for you anymore.
So, what do you do? Keep doing your job, just do it harder... because someday your employer is going to realize what an asset you are and give you those rewards you've been waiting for for so long.
Bullshit!
But this requires significant change. It requires a different mindset, a change in the way we think, a different way of approaching life.
However, I believe it can be done. All a person needs to do is take some time, figure out what is really important to her/him, and then figure out what they need to do to get there. Maybe it is time to find a job that challenges you. Maybe you just need to network more. Maybe you need to figure out just what it is that holds your loyalty to your job. Step outside the box and ask yourself if what you are doing is working.
You have to take the time and do the work and perform the research and listen to the mentors that will help you get there. You can achieve your dreams... all of them.
To quote Fran Tarkenton, "Winning means being unafraid to lose." I've mentioned previously that I believe that in being afraid to fail, most people are really afraid to succeed.
Even if you have to take baby steps at first, write down your goals in life, map ways to get there, act towards them everyday (even if it's just a little), and hold yourself accountable.
Stop thinking about it. Do something. A little action... you can do it.
I can do it.
Natasha Bedingfield
NB