Articles

Are the Wheels Beginning to Come Off Your Cart?

December 6, 2016 (Number 70) A young executive I once coached typically hurled himself into his work with fearsome velocity.  His approach often seemed to be, "Let's just make it happen now!" – and he was indeed at times quite successful.  But his more seasoned CEO was worried.

"I don't know how well he handles frustration," the chief executive confided in me.  "He just gets more and more driven."  He pursed his lips and added, "Sometimes, the wheels begin to come off the cart."

In other words, this high-achiever’s intensity was frequently throwing him from his center.  And that was compromising his clarity of thinking, his capacity to adapt in agile ways, and crucially, his ability to influence others.

How about you?  Do you also began to wobble a bit when going at high speeds?  The energy surges may be thrilling, but perhaps the costs for you are mounting.

Consider these tips for adopting a more effective approach:

• It is good to continue holding to your goals and your inspired vision of what can be accomplished.  But be aware when, as is usually the case, you can only influence the outcomes of your efforts, and not control them.  This requires humility and a commitment to avoiding puffed-up self-deception.

• Instead of being so focused on what you cannot control – e.g., your sales results or whether someone accepts your ideas – prioritize your efforts for what you can control such as your inner state and how you show up with others.  For example, imagine being unflappable and at ease, your self-esteem secure regardless of your outcomes.  Do you see how this approach will inspire others’ confidence in you and actually make rewarding results more likely to happen?

• Finally, vigilantly track your inner critic.  Likely, you will find that it frequently attacks you for those events (even for how your investments turn out) which you can't actually control.  And when you catch your inner critic in operation, defend against it.  This article shows you how.

Once you redirect your attention to matters that you can control, you will find yourself living more in the present moment, rather than in agitated angst about the future.  That is inherently satisfying – and it will render you more powerful.

Dean Herman, Ph.D.