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

 

The electric wiring system in your home has circuit breakers. Their purpose is to ‘trip’ and shut down a circuit if it becomes over-stressed or over-loaded. This saves the circuit. Circuit breakers are designed into the system for that purpose. Once the source of the overload has been resolved the circuit breaker is reset and all returns to normal.

Many mechanical systems or machines have equivalent break-aways built into them to serve the same purpose — they have a part which is reset-able, or fails and is easily and cheaply replaceable, in order to protect the greater system in a time of excess stress.

Relationships benefit from circuit breakers, too. Business and personal relationships are comprised of humans. Humans get stressed. Their relationships get stressed. It’s useful to make sure you have circuit breakers built into your relationships so that temporary ‘slippage’ can occur without breaking the whole thing.

It’s not that broken is bad, sometimes relationships need to be broken so you can go forward.

But when it’s broken, it can’t be put back together. When a circuit breaker trips, it can.

 

Coaching Point: What circuit-breakers have served you? What is a new one you’re ready to build?

 

Copyright 2013 Steve Straus. All rights reserved.