TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR DESTINY TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE

Many of us become disillusioned with our jobs (and our lives) at times.  Unless we step back and look at the “big picture,” however, we may base our actions (and assumptions) on part of the puzzle – trying to treat the symptoms rather than identifying the origins or “root causes” of what we see or feel.  We can miss out on the opportunity to “win the war” should we become overly consumed with our focus on winning each and every single battle.  The story of three blind men describing an elephant comes to mind when thinking in such a short-sighted fashion.  One feeling a leg may think the elephant to be a tree.  One feeling the tail may describe it as a rope.  One feeling the trunk may imagine a snake.  All might be right in what they see or feel within their singular focus but not one of them would be able to identify the nature of the beast by focusing on one part – as no one individual can possibly see all aspects of a situation without fully investigating and analyzing the results of his or her research or observations.

There are many ways to move from one situation to another – but often we embark upon the most obvious escape route before seeking alternatives resolutions.  We do not simply draw a line in the sand from which we can begin anew – we excavate a trench that will isolate us from our situation once we have crossed the line (sometimes the trench becomes an obstacle in and of itself as we fall to its bottom and have a difficult time regaining our footing.).  While such tactics WILL move us forward, they often create pain and close the door on any possibility of returning (should we wish to intentionally start over) or generate obstacles that seem too great, discouraging us from even beginning a new journey. 

There are “kinder and gentler ways” to move from a bad situation to a better one than to burn our bridges – no matter how good that might feel in the heat of the moment.  Before “moving on” we should identify ways to maximize the “good” things about where we are while minimizing the “bad.”  Many individuals wish to make instant changes – to put their mark upon whatever they are trying to accomplish IMMEDIATELY – without first seeing what works (and does not need to be fixed) or what is truly broken (needing immediate attention).  Often we seek to mandate change rather than trying to influence it – to “tell” others what to do and how to do it rather than “sell” our ideas by listening to what others think or feel before leading them forward.  We rush headlong into situations that require skills we do not possess (without seeking the training that might equip us to handle them) or have “legacy” status (that must be addressed prior to making a change).  Patience, tolerance and caring (OR not caring) who gets the credit for changes that are made are among the major factors that influence our reactions to the people and situations around us (and help to “make or break” the results we achieve). 

Whenever we seek to make changes in our lives we should first identify what WE are doing that might be detrimental to positive change and adjust our own attitude before doing anything else.  Rather than focusing on what is wrong with the people and things around us or complaining about what we cannot do it might better to invest our resources in the identification of areas that we can make a difference in an effort to “show the way.”  Leverage your personal experiences to help others change by demonstrating how things can be accomplished differently rather than expecting them to think like you do and act as you feel they should when all they might really know is how things have been done in the past.  When initiating any kind of change, start small...identify the low-hanging fruit and begin by making easy corrections that do not “cost” too much in terms of energy or effort.  Identify and save the “sacred cows” that would be difficult to change (long established processes, activities or deeply imbedded and emotional connections) for later.  Become a champion of change rather than a detractor of new ideas in whatever you say or do – a major part of the solution rather than a significant part of the problem – as you seek different results.    

While seemingly difficult, changing our perspective will often make all the difference in the world.  When we identify (and utilize) our strengths, acknowledge (but commit to strengthen) our weaknesses, realize what we can (and cannot) change then intentionally act to resolve (rather than running away from) our challenges we will be able to fully realize our potential.  Rather than looking “outside” to resolve your problems, the first step towards success should always be to look at yourself – at what you are, what you are doing, what you are saying, what you expect AND (most importantly) what you ARE NOT, what you ARE NOT DOING, what you MIGHT NOT BE SAYING or what you ARE NOT EXPECTING.  To “be all that you can be” you must identify how to communicate your ideas, influence those around you and initiate the change process (not necessarily driving it to fruition – but simply deciding to take the first step then follow that up one step at a time). 

Unless (and until) we face the enemy (whom is often us), escape may be the path of least resistance but it is often the first of many detours in life we face before eventually stumbling upon the road we should have originally taken.  Change typically does not simply happen – it is the result of someone taking destiny into their own hands...someone taking risk they feel worth the reward it might bring – in order to initiate alternative actions and results.  If you wish to take control of your life, do not watch from the sidelines...let it be YOU that shapes destiny as you take intentional action to produce not yet identified results.