A Shift in Perspective
May 23, 2021If I just work a bit harder...
If I just work a bit longer...
If I just gain a bit more experience...
...Then everything will get better.
I’m a fan of hard work. But it’s a trap to think that this is the only way, or even the primary way, that progress occurs.
Often the biggest jumps in productivity and satisfaction come from shifts in perspective: recognizing that there’s a better way to handle the challenges we face.
- I’ve been approaching this as a negotiation and we’re getting nowhere. What if I put myself on their side of the table?
- Every month this project comes down to the wire. What would have to change for us to deliver it 2 days early?
- I’ve been assuming my boss is too busy to hear my ideas. What if she’s been waiting for me to speak up?
- I assume Dan will become defensive if I ask what went wrong. But what if I’m mistaken and he'd actually like to talk about?
Continue working hard, but keep an eye on the question: "what have I been assuming needs to be this way, that really doesn’t?"