Venting is a short term release of pressure. Whining is the long term wallowing and spreading of useless despair.
What did you do the last time the S—t hit the fan? If we let our emotions make the choices for us in those moments, we look back in hindsight and have regrets. We regret the things we said, the actions we took, and the opportunities we missed. Let’s face it, bad circumstances are part of life. We can’t prevent stuff from hitting our fans. However, why is it that some people seem to recover from these circumstances faster than others? Why do some people get stuck while others find a way through? Attitude is the biggest driver in turning bad circumstances into great opportunities.
First, let’s clear the air on two issues. First, a lot of the bad stuff that happens to us, we had a role in it. They weren’t circumstances that were out of our control. We made earlier decisions, or ignored the signs, or failed to prepare and then we paid the price. Second, the moments we will focus on today are the ones that came without warning, without our help, and we had no way to control them
Even when we face the circumstances that we truly can’t control, they present us with opportunities. Too many people ignore those opportunities because they are carried away by their emotions: helplessness, frustration, anger, self-pity etc. But in the midst of the emotions there are options. What we do at these moments will determine a lot about our future.
Option 1: We Can Step Up
In the midst of bad circumstances, the person who emerges better is usually the person who decides to take action. A lot of people sit back and wallow in their misfortune. They call it venting, but it is actually whining. Venting is a short term release of pressure. Whining is the long term wallowing and spreading of useless despair.
The person who steps up doesn’t wait for a perfect solution to a bad circumstance. They knock down the first domino in front of them and then move onto the next. They take control of their own actions and handle what is in front of them today. By taking action, they no longer feel helpless. They gain some semblance of control.
Option 2: We Can Decide to Grow
Though the circumstances were a surprise, how do we get better as a result? If we only focus on the stuff that we feel powerless against, then we will never grow. What should we have seen earlier? What can we do so we are more prepared in the future? Who are the leaders who stepped up this time? They will probably be the ones we can count on the next time something unexpected happens.
The fact is, we rarely grow when things are easy. The discomfort we are feeling is a signal for growth. When a tree stops growing, it starts dying. This is our opportunity to keep growing - to keep living.
Option 3: We Can Innovate
When we begin to take action and make a decision to grow, we start finding new ways to do things. The old ways probably put us in this position in the first place. Therefore, we need to find new ways in order to be better the next time. Innovation is often spurred in the midst of chaos. Some of the most dramatic medical breakthroughs in history occurred as a result of wars or pandemics. Without that chaos, who knows how long it would have taken to find the solutions to those medical problems.
In the face of the chaos brought on from uncontrollable circumstances, innovation could be the thing that changes everything for you and for those you lead and love. The same old solutions will not work in this new circumstance. So let’s find a new way and get better.
The Bottom Line:
When the S—t hits the fan, Leaders of Character step up, decide to grow, and innovate. They, not their emotions, make the choices in these moments. They decide to be different from the people who languish in their helplessness, frustration, anger, and self-pity. When everyone else is setting up self fulfilling prophecies believing they are helpless against the circumstances, the Leader of Character is proving them wrong.
Question:
● When have you seen people step up, decide to grow and/or innovate?
● When have the opposite behaviors held you or others back?
Here is a quick assessment that will take you 5 minutes to figure it out. Nobody will ever see your results but you.
Warning: If you are not going to be honest with yourself this is a worthless assessment.
To take the assessment use the QR code above or go to www.MYCHARACTERTEST.com
Comments