“I strongly encourage you to find a place to think and to discipline yourself to pause and use it, because it has the potential to change your life.”
—John Maxwell from “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth.”
I went briefly to another piece of equipment in my gym workout this morning. When I came back, this big buff guy was using the bench that I was using. There was another of the same kind of bench next to the one I was using, so I just went to that one. Realizing he had taken my spot, Mr. Buff apologized and we struck up a conversation while we worked out on neighboring benches.
Mr. Buff told me that he was struggling with finding a vocation in which he could find fulfillment. The job that he had now paid the bills but his passion was elsewhere. “But there’s really no money in this geographical area for what I desire to do,” he sighed.
“Have you thought about this? What about that? And have you really spent time asking yourself how you could make money in this area doing what you love?” These were a few of the questions I asked him.
He put the gazillion pound dumbbells on the floor next to my 10 pounders, paused and looked directly at me and said, “I haven’t thought of it like that before. I think my thinking has limited me…I need to really think about this when I leave here. Thank you.”
I knew what questions to ask him, because I have been where he is (and my coaching training has taught me questions to ask.) For a couple of months, an opportunity was staring me right in the face. I was too busy wondering if I could make the opportunity work for me. I didn’t think I could afford it. I certainly didn’t have time for it. But when I paused to think, and asked myself questions about how I could do it, many avenues opened up for me to take advantage of the chance!
In the ”15 Invaluable Law of Growth,” John Maxwell Talks about the power of the pause. We’ve all heard it said that experience is the best teacher. NOT! If we don’t take time to reflect on our experiences, we won’t learn from our successes or our failures.
We all have had important experiences that stop us in our tracks, didn’t we? Someone said something to us and it makes us really think. We made a mistake and we just blew it off, only to continue to make the same mistake over and over again. Or an opportunity came our way, and since we didn’t take the time to evaluate whether that opportunity is a great fit for us, we missed it altogether.
Mr. Buff made a life change soon after that conversation in the gym. After thinking about the opportunity that was staring me in the face, I made a life change, as well.
Has there been an opportunity staring you in the face that you aren’t sure about? Is there an issue that causes a struggle and you haven’t found a solution? Is there an unsolved problem at work? Are you not sure what your next steps are?
Be intentional in scheduling some time to reflect. Ask yourself some questions around the issue. Write your answers. Stay in the questions until you find your solution. You may not find your answer in one sitting, but if you continue to take time to reflect, you will come up with your answer.
If you need some help with questions to ask, I’m just an email away.
Jan
Jan McDonald
John Maxwell Team
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