The fear is so BIG
A colleague of mine shared a very interesting perspective with me today. She said, “Sometimes I’m so paralyzed by the fear, it seems like there’s no way around it.” Man, did I ever get it.
How many times have we been in a situation with no visible escape hatch from the fear? You try to run and hide, but the fear is so BIG it’s already moved into your favorite and reliable hiding place. Crud.
This is an exhausting game I play… the one called “try to dodge my fear.” Working lots of hours, waking up in the middle of the night, worrying about being worried – these are just several expressions of running away from it.
Then my colleague said, “I’ve gotten exhausted too Preston. But I’ve come up with something that seems to help. Rather than try to avoid the fear, I’ve made up a game called ‘Making a game of failing’.”
Just a matter of time
Five years ago, a friend asked me what time it was just before he noticed a clock on the wall behind me. I said, “It’s 3pm.” Jeff asked, “Are you sure? The clock behind you says 2:55.” I replied, “I set my watch five minutes fast to ensure I’m on time.” Jeff said, “That’s weird Preston. Why don’t you just set your watch to the correct time and simply show up when you’re supposed to?”
That day, nothing made quite as much sense as his comment.
I going to offer you three invitations:
- Consider “time management” is an oxymoron
- We don’t understand the real challenges we have with time
- Using just three leadership tools will change your relationship with time
Disease
During a conversation earlier today, a client shared with me her frustration with how a project is going – or actually not going. Between her teammates not completing a milestone on time, her boss inquiring for the third time on the status of her board presentation, and painful discomfort in her lower back (origin not currently known), she’s overwhelmed and confronted. Adding to the situation was a phone call from her 10-year old asking if she’d actually be home for dinner any evening this week.
And so it goes climbing the ladder of accomplishment, praise and recognition. For most of us, we’ve all logged in the 100′s of hours, the late nights, the back-to-back meetings and the neglect of our larger life.
It’s not surprising that our conversation turned quickly to her back. “Herniated disk. Did it playing volleyball. Can’t seem to get rid of it. Physical therapy is helping though.” Her speaking painted the same picture.
