Productivity tip – What do you do when things ain’t workin’?
When I was in Los Angeles earlier this year after serving as a motivational speaker at a women’s conference, I had the chance to visit with an “old” friend of mine. He told me the most hilarious story about attending an event with one of his buddies.
It was a beautiful, warm southern California day with the sun shining brightly. The people in the bleachers at a kids’ soccer game were squeezing in a bit of tanning time while watching their children play. His friend was holding his little baby boy, who’d been dressed by his wife that morning. The child was in a beautiful turtleneck onesie, complete with matching pants and socks. He looked adorable.
As the game progressed, the baby started crying and wouldn’t stop. He’d just eaten. He’d recently napped. His diaper was clean. What was the problem? “How can I get him to be quiet?!?” gritted the Dad through his teeth.
A woman who was seated under a canopy at the top of the bleachers called down to him, “Sir, why don’t you bring your baby up here and sit in the shade?”
“No thanks. We’re OK down here.”
“Sir, it’s really not a problem. I think you’d be more comfortable up here where it’s cooler.”
“No, really, it’s OK. I’m not sure what’s wrong, but I’ll get him to stop crying.”
Alas, the baby kept on crying. Daddy was trying to figure out how to make him hush so as not to disturb the spectators around them.
Finally, the woman called down, “Sir, if your baby could talk, he’d tell you, ‘Get this frickin’ outfit off me! It’s too damn hot to be wearing it!!’”
A roar of laughter went through the crowd, and the man brought his baby up into the shade. The crying stopped.
Sometimes we’re so buried in a situation that we only look at what the symptoms are, instead of the causes.
Have you ever thought about what your calendar would say to you about how overpacked it is? Or what your desk would say to you about how it was “dressed”? Or what your brain would say when you have it scattered in ten different directions?
Can you step outside of yourself to look at your situation the way someone else might view it? Or do you keep your blinders on and keep doing the same old thing?
It’s human nature to do the latter. That’s why it’s important to make a conscious effort to do the former, or bring in someone who will help you to look at your situation from a different angles and perspectives. No matter which option you choose, the important thing is to take that brave step forward and do it.