Take One Tiny Act Of Power And Watch Everything Open Up

I was coaching an executive who was overwhelmed, underappreciated, working every weekend and not happy.

And our conversation was one of several things for him that delivered a wake-call. Two months later, when we talked again, he was different. He looked different, he looked lighter and more peaceful, and calmer, and happy.

There were several things that contributed but it started when he took a real vacation. The kind of vacation where you hand over the keys to the kingdom to someone else, leave your laptop at home and unplug.

Besides coming back rejuvenated, he came to a powerful realization. He has more control than he thought. He could say no, even several times, if he had to and it could still be okay. He could put himself on the agenda. Even more powerful, he could find support.

I work with many executives who think they have no choice but to get on the 7 x 24 treadmill and stay on it. And so, they do, until one day they find themselves in crisis. And they realize they have to make a change, often a drastic one, often with big consequences.

I say start small with just one tiny act of power, such as taking a real vacation. You never know how that one tiny decision can usher in all sorts of other positive changes.

Try this ONE thing

Listen to yourself next time you find yourself saying, ‘I have no choice’. Stop for a moment and consider whether that is true. Of course it’s not; you’ve just been telling yourself that for so long that you forget that you always have choice.

From that position of knowing you always have a choice, take one tiny act of power to bring things back into your control.

Hey! Are you already successful and accomplished? Do you have many things to appreciate about your life right now? Are you always open to learning more and growing yourself?

Despite all your successes, do you sometimes doubt yourself? Do you hesitate to go after what you really want in life?

Or maybe you dismiss your past successes, putting them down to luck, and don’t really see how extraordinary you really are?

If this sounds like you, you and I should have a conversation. Drop me a line here, karen.laidlaw.theONEthing@outlook.com, and let’s talk!