If you’re a coach, or if you’ve ever worked with one, this question is probably very familiar to you. According to Kristin Robertson it refers to “the minor irritants in your life that, once eliminated, could make your life flow more smoothly.” Terry Dean tells us that there are basically two things that motivate us: pain and pleasure. When we look at making changes in our lives, we generally think about things that will bring us more pleasure. For example, my goals for this year include such things as:
- Spend more time on hobbies
- Decorate my home
- Rent a cottage
We’re much less likely to think about eliminating the things that cause us pain, especially if it’s only minor pain. Instead, we just put up with it. As a result, we deny ourselves the opportunity to make things better.
Since today is I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore Day, I challenge you to sit down and list the things that you are tolerating. If you are self-employed, there are probably countless tasks that keep you working “in” your business instead of “on” it. Or maybe those tasks aren’t getting done at all. Either of those situations may be hindering your productivity and your ability to enjoy the benefits of being your own boss.
Once you have a list, figure out how those things can be eliminated from your life. In the above examples, you might consider working with a virtual assistant, who can take those tasks off your plate and free up your time for the work that you love to do.
If traditional goal-setting methods have not been effective for you, why not try this exercise? You don’t have to take it anymore!
What are you tolerating?
Photo courtesy of Jyn Meyer
Sorry Janet, all I could think of was this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ9j2yK2I8U
I guess I need more sleep.
No apology needed, Jacki – I love it! In fact, I was trying to think of a way to work it into my post…
Sometimes it’s really little things that make a difference between being irritated and just getting on with a routine task. Before we moved, we kept the heads of our electric toothbrush in a little plastic holder that was always falling over or getting shoved behind other things on the bathroom counter. When packing up our old house I came across a little china jar that I realized would make a perfect support for the tippy plastic holder. Now our toothbrush heads are always clean and dry and handy to where we want them.
Not the best example because it might be hard to visualize what I’m talking about. Just meant to say little changes can go a long way to reducing what can be major irritations.
Btw, the youtube link that Jacki offered was quite a hit here. It brought Peter rushing into my office to see what I was doing! (Needless to say, thanks to my resolution to avoid looking at emails till at least mid-day (because allowing myself to be distracted and therefore unfocused during my prime creative hours has been one o the things I’ve decided I’m not going to take any more), I was about to shut down for lunch when I checked it out.
Kathy, you are so right! That type of thing has happened more times than I can possibly remember (making a small change which ends up having a big impact, that is).