I am not now that which I have been.
Lord Byron

Every now and again, in my business, I come across a person or an organization who seems to “get it”, when it comes to leadership or management or achieving goals. They “get it” in the fact that no matter the circumstances, no matter the obstacles they are able to plug the leaks, re-tar the seams of their leader-“ship” and push forward. Like Captain Bartlett from the Karluk, they find a way across the frozen ice floes of stubbornness and antiquated processes to safety and sustainability, and then return and rescue their people from certain doom.

This all sounds a little dramatic doesn’t it? But sometimes, that is what is required when it comes to overcoming obstacles: something dramatic. Dramatic decisions lead to dramatic actions which in turn lead to dramatic results… if we’re willing to stay the course.

That is the case with a client that I just had the privilege to work with. When we started our work together over 6 months ago, they were in the proverbial “Rock and a hard place”. This was multiplied by the fact that certain employees, who had enjoyed a position of self declared power were doing all that they could to sink the ship, or at least to slow it down. I don’t think that they wanted to see the ship sink, they just had a bigger picture of their importance in “keeping everyone informed of the way that things should be” than they should have, and as a result, it was having a serious negative impact on the morale of the organization, and the speed of change that was imminent.

As we chatted and strategized the corporate direction, we seemed to always get bogged down by what the “company saboteurs” were doing. I could sense the frustration that they were feeling, but I could also sense their sense of “MUST”, in the fact that they knew that they must fix this situation with the saboteurs, or nothing else that they did would matter at all.

That is the beauty of the MUST attitude. When we get to the place where it becomes an absolute must, then things just naturally seem to appear that weren’t there before… it’s like the universe is just waiting for us to arrive at this frame of mind and then it says, “Well, finally, I’ve been waiting for you to get here. Here is something that you can use that will help you arrive at your goal. If you need anything else, just let me know.”

So, how do we get into this MUST frame of mind? It’s quite easy actually. First, we need to have a purpose or a goal that we feel strongly about, and then we need to have the motivation or the reasons for why it must happen. Without those first two areas, nothing of any consequence will happen. We don’t usually wake up one morning and say, “I think I’ll implement a new process at work today.” Unless we have a reason to do it that has been weighing on us. The same can be said for quitting smoking or losing weight or even getting in better physical shape, it just doesn’t work that way. We cannot become passionate about something that we know nothing about or have a strong emotional connection to.

My father in law tells of the time that he quit smoking and how it happened: He had been smoking for a few years, and the fact that his children had asked him why he smoked was starting to weigh heavily on his mind. Then one day, he was speaking with a colleague about smoking and his colleague said to him, “When you love your children enough, you’ll quit smoking.” He said that the impact of that quote was like being hit with a hammer. He immediately took out his nearly full pack of cigarettes and tossed them in the trash, and he has never smoked since. I think that he was able to quit smoking on the spot and not have withdrawal problems because when he made the decision to quit, he told himself that he was now a non smoker, and that he now saw himself that way. His instant identity was now a non-smoker. The mind is much more powerful than the habit, and in that framework, we can create our own speed of change.

You see, the most important part of achieving any MUST Objective is by having a clear picture in our mind of what it is that we want to create that connects with a part of us that is shouting to be heard. Listening to it and then creating the desires, strategies and actions will dramatically speed up the process. Achieving any goal takes the ability to see beyond the present obstacles and have a vision of what things will be like when the goal is declared completed and having the confidence that we have, or can develop, the strategy to move forward.

This week, if you feel stuck in a rut, discover your true directions and desires. Create a reason for success first, and then get busy and put the groundwork of strategy and momentum underneath them. When you do, you will discover that you can make much more of a difference in both your life and in the lives of others. Take a risk, create a vision, and craft your own success!

To all of the success that you can handle!
Paul

For 22 years, Paul Kearley has thrived in the personal development and coaching business. As a Master Coach for the past 10 years, Paul’s passion is in developing and creating increased potential with both clients and other trainers.

A columnist for two newspapers in Eastern Canada, and editor for his own weekly ezine, Paul writes articles that address the everyday challenges we all have and face in life and in business, and offers suggestions for success.

If you’d like to connect with Paul or subscribe to “E-Motion” his weekly ezine, simply goto the web site at http://www.mustfactor.com or by calling 506 433 4722.