Ever get into a rut where you feel that things are not going the way you want them to? It is like what is the point of this social networking if no one pays attention? Why do I blog if no one listens? Every few months I get the feeling that no one listens or that I am becoming, dare I say it, boring. The antithesis of all I work to fight! Die King Boredom! Die!
What do I do in these scenarios?
How do I fight off these nagging feelings of doubt?
What makes the long fight worth fighting for?
The answers are more complex than a single blog post and yet the fundamentals are easy enough to explain here.
First, I do something different. If something is not working then it is time to dump it! Simple enough! Get rid of the flotsam and other waste from your life. I guarantee there are other things to do that can help you.
Second. replace it with something better. I have noticed that whenever I make a change in life that whatever I get rid of was not nearly as valuable as I thought it would be and not nearly as precious as what I found next. We are creatures of habit who continue in our ways simply because it maintains our habitual ways of living. Cut off my arm if you must! Steal my money if you dare! But never, never dear sir do you think for one second that you I will abscond upon my habits!
Third, find someone smarter than you. About a year ago I ran into a problem. It was not that I was smarter than everyone else, but it was that the networking events that I went to I was the most informed person on social networking. That is great for you ego and really bad on your education. You start wondering what else you can learn. It stifles you. So, I sought out people who are smarter than me and expanded my knowledge into different areas. Now I am dumber than others and still learning. Keeps me fresh with ideas. Call me weird, but I like it when my head spins with ideas.
Fourth, get away! Not because you smell, but because it gives you a new perspective. Whenever I go away with my wife for a weekend or longer I find that I am refreshed and ready to conquer the world. It drives me crazy the first 24-48 hours to not be that close to the internet and a computer, but the absence reminds me of why I do it.
Fifth, If no one is paying attention to you in the first place it is that much easier to make the change. You are like a change ninja
in the night. Crawling just beyond the conscious knowledge of the evil lord boredom you are about to attack and overtake! Hiyah! In flash you are the only thing the evil lord will remember. So, what we were talking about again. Oh, yeah! If no one is watching it is easy to change.
Sixth, do something no one else does. I know I have talked about this before, but I actually juggle when I speak about social networking. Who in the world besides for me actually juggles to talk about social networking? Actually on my recent outing with my wife last week (see number 4) we were apple picking and I picked up some apples from the ground and started juggling them. See picture of my coolness!
So, if you got that maybe I should change, hmm, should I do it now type of feeling take at least one of the steps I listed above and do something.
Now, for something even more amusing. About 200 people will read this article in the next 2-3 days. Out of those 200 people I will pontificate that only 2-3 will actually take action. For those 2-3 people I say thank you!
For the rest, I might add a final word of wisdom from the social networking idiot savant. I will guess that within 15 minutes of reading this you will forget about this article. Not realizing that you did not take action until sometime around 3 in the morning. At which point, you will jolt up from your bed, realize that something is amiss, and begin a round of soul searching in which you seek the answers you are looking for. Good! No one is really up at 3 in the morning, so it is that much easier to change.
First of all – love the photo of you juggling apples! Had to smile when I read your article because almost every morning before I get up I think about the day ahead and ask myself “ok, what can I do different?” Seriously …
Marquita,
Thanks! Hope the apple juggling was different?
Do you do something different then each day?
Andy
Very nice read. the question I would have though is at what stage do you know something is not working! If only there was a simple answer to that question!
Lessa,
That is the million dollar question. It is never one hundred percent possible to know when something is working right or wrong. You have to use your experience, team, and intuition to know how to make it better.
Andy