May 09

What You See is What You Get

Today, a new client announced he will take a break from our work together. He decided to reallocate some business development money to another program.

Immediately, I was disappointed.

What is interesting is not the details about why he is taking a break. Rather, what is most interesting is how deflated I felt and what happened next.

After the fog of disappointment crept in, I became very unproductive. Veeeeeeeery unproductive. At first I just swore a few times. The swearing led to pacing, which led to staring at my forecast, which led to a kind of mental swirl of negative thoughts. What did I do wrong? Why do people always think in on/off terms? Forgetting all my clients are referred to me, I worried, “Where does my next client come from? Damn!”

Eventually, I lifted my gaze and saw a Success Board I made just this weekend. It is a framed collage of images and phrases that keep me inspired and moving forward.

The board worked as it is supposed to. It helped me focus on ideas, attitudes and behaviors that are productive. I read phrases like, “Break through to the next level” and “We get into trouble by ignoring our instincts.” There are images of a yellow Jeep (my adult size Tonka toy), Mount Rushmore (reminding me of BIG Ideas) and a serene Buddha. Smack in the center is the statement, “I’m relentless.”

When I centered my attention on “I’m relentless”, the fog really started thinning out. Shortly thereafter I began this entry and was back up to speed. What is the wisdom here?

The images directly in front of us are crucial to our inspiration levels. What we look at either drags us down or lifts us up.
My inspiration level is linked, like the aorta to the heart, to my productivity level.
Downers happen. They are part of living. Staying down is no way to rise above them.

I have since added this phrase to my Success Board:

Get up! Get going! Get there!

Ahhhhhhhh. Must jet now. So much more to do.

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