Final thought this week:
When we feel stuck we’re dealing with a fierce cocktail of feelings:
- Frustration with our situation
- Disappointment in decisions (ours or others)
- Fear of being stuck forever
- Fear of making things even worse (the unknown)
This is a particularly dangerous mixture of emotions.
As we know, emotions want to be in charge. The stronger the emotion, the stronger it tries to seize control. So, when frustration, disappointment, and fear combine in your mind, they form a powerful, highly disruptive force within you. One that makes clarity, confidence, and good judgment a challenge.
It really tests your discipline, as all strong emotions do.
There is nothing wrong with these emotions. They are there for a reason. You must understand why you feel them and what they’re trying to tell you. But you must be in charge, not them.
Your feelings can inform, but they must not decide. You must keep that power in the firm grip of your discipline.
This is why E+R=O is so valuable. Emotions want to be the main story. They want to be the center of gravity. E+R=O pulls you out of the emotional haze and helps you refocus on the real disciplined target: what outcome am I trying to create?
Then it pushes you into discipline, informed by relevant emotion, but not obedient to it: what series of responses can bring me closer to the outcomes I want and start creating separation from the outcomes I don’t want?
The test, as always, is one of strength and endurance. You will feel frustration, disappointment, and fear. Sometimes all at once. They will try to take charge of you, narrow your focus, and force you to march to their orders.
E+R=O and discipline will free you, and just might save you.
Event + Response = Outcome. Do the work.
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