Choose ‘Turbo’ over ‘Idle’ Performance

Everything is changing at every moment- nothing stays the same. But it moves so fast that we don’t notice. Only in the dramatic moments of our lives, either joyful or catastrophic, do we pay attention. These transformational experiences are all consuming and initially we can only experience what is happening at that moment.

Much fruitfulness is gained by looking back and taking stock. As we stop to contemplate we can clearly see the path forward and find answers. For instance, what is wasting our resources, how we can improve our results and what is moving us in the direction we want to go or not. Reflection has a way of bringing clarity.

As things are hitting us a million miles an hour at any given moment, we have to choose what to focus on. Exercising our choice and not just letting things overtake us is very empowering and enables us to achieve extraordinary things in business or in other areas of life.

When our company is faced with mergers, buy-outs, austerity measures or redundancy plans, we have a choice to fully participate and perhaps have some influence or decide to resist these changes. The change is going to happen no matter what we do or don’t do. So we can either be a positive influence, a negative influence or have zero influence.

The train is going to depart and we can choose to either jump on the moving train, stay on the tracks, get run over or wait for another one. Of course, we may also think that we can prevent the train from leaving the station by obstructing it in some way or by obstinately shouting orders to the conductor.

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” –Will Rogers

We have all used the “kick and scream” strategy as children, to try to get our own way. Usually, staying cool-headed is a far better strategy to influence change and turbo-charge your performance.

Tips To Consider:

1. Realise that you have choices

2. Make a conscious choice; there’s nothing worse than feeling like a victim

3. Choose the direction to take, but it does not mean it will ALL turn out as you want it

4. Decide what is essential

5. Get rid of everything else

6. Adjust Adjust Adjust

   
   

Florence Mackay, Business Psychologist