“I’ve had enough.”
Many times I’d heard this from Alice and never really listened … now I couldn’t help but notice, as she uttered the words, the decibels were definitely a notch or two up on ‘the norm’ and I noticed also, she didn’t look particularly happy.
‘It’s too hard, they’re not listening to me, I’m not getting a return on my calls either.’
Alice is our sales lead, she is very good at her job, connects with people, emotive and knows when to ‘close.’ Alice is a valuable ally. Sales was something I was involved with some years ago so I could in part understand her frustration, although there was something else bugging her, I could tell, good at connecting yes, but I sense she’d lost the connection with herself.
Her ‘best friend’ was copping a verbal battering:
‘I don’t think I’m cut out for this, there is not enough consistency, I’m not getting the results and I feel like a failure. I’m just don’t think I’m good enough anymore…’
‘Take a breath, sit back, go for a walk and if you’re still not happy, change.’ I suggested.
Alice was not in a good frame of mind. Warily, I persisted.
‘If you are not happy, change … change something.’ I added.
Like most, Alice thrives in a ‘positive’ environment. If there is something in the way of our happiness then we need to consider change. So, we walked, we talked and agreed that we’d start from the beginning, realise the goal, understand she is successful, change the approach to match each individual day and monitor growth on a daily basis – if there was something that wasn’t working, we’d remove it and start again, we’d be pushing the limits for satisfaction, keep our ‘best friend happy.’
Why not try this test yourself?
Are you satisfied with where you are?
If not, what is ‘still’ the same – what needs quitting?
Consider the ‘next level’ of where you wish to be – and how you can get there.
Just like Alice … ‘Easy done!’ I hear you say.
Think of it this way … would you continue keeping all your money under the mattress if a trusted friend had found you a failsafe way of doubling your net worth?
Would you go to the gym and practice the same weights, day in, day out with the same routine and wonder why you are not getting the results you want?
Perhaps you are doing just what ‘you think’ needs doing to move ahead, although realising that you are staying in the same place?
We all have the opportunity for change at any given moment. To impact our ‘now’, our future outlook, our personal or professional goals for well-being and ultimately happiness.
Alice still berates herself (her own best friend) on occasion although she is now very much in control and even reminds me from time to time, being happy means to embrace change.
CharlieKenny.me 