(Distinctions are subtleties of language that, when gotten, cause a shift in a belief, behavior, value or attitude.)

 

Imagine facing the task of cleaning out the over-stuffed basement of your house. You may find that the thought of what it will take to complete the job is so overwhelming you never start. Attachment to the outcome — completely cleaning it out — causes you to not begin.

When the achieving of an outcome becomes too important, you may form an attachment to it. Get the outcome and you feel good; not get it and you feel bad. That attachment causes you to give up some of your freedom.

Another way to achieve outcomes is to just be in the process. When you have a process which you feel will achieve the outcome and then focus on getting your sense of satisfaction from simply being in action, you can win all along the way. And that’s the key — get your win from being in the process, not only from accomplishing the outcome.

The process of enjoying taking one thing out of the basement each day (a daily win) will lead to the ultimate win of the cleaned-out basement.

 

Coaching Point: What’s something big you want to accomplish and what process can you use to achieve it?

 

Copyright 2007 Steve Straus. All rights reserved.