Vedere Consulting

Years ago, when our children were small, we would occasionally walk to a neighborhood restaurant called Dot’s for dinner. Dot’s is located about a mile from our house and the boys inevitably complained that it was too far to walk. To my husband’s and my environmentalism and love of the outdoors, driving one mile was blasphemy. Our children, when faced with the choice of walking to Dot’s or not going at all, would reluctantly choose to walk. I think the allure of Dot’s chocolate pie was strong enough to overcome almost any objection.

It wasn’t that the complaining stopped. My husband and I were sure to hear many groans on the way as the boys had second thoughts about whether Dot’s was worth it. How did we keep them going? First, we would turn around and say, “Look how far we’ve already come!” The boys would look backward and see how much they’d already achieved, and that gave them a boost that was usually good for a couple of blocks. Second, one of us—my husband or I-- would race ahead and hide. The boys would get caught up in a game of hide-and-seek and run to see if they could find which tree Mike or I had hidden behind. When they “caught” one parent, the other would go ahead and find another tree. Before anyone knew it, we’d be in front of Dot’s.

At one time or another, we all have to walk to Dot’s. We all have to do something distasteful or boring or difficult. We know we need to do it because the end result is worth it, but we dread what we have to do to get there. Over time, we develop strategies to help us get going and keep going. When we procrastinate or put off these necessary tasks, it is these strategies that help us reach difficult goals. It’s also true, I think, that sometimes we forget these strategies and things that are important to us don’t get done. It might be taking time to think through an important long term strategy, it might be leaving work early to be with family, it might be starting to exercise or lose weight. I find that many small business owners put off developing or implementing a marketing strategy. Many executives I’ve worked with have a hard time cutting back their long work hours.

It’s with these important tasks that remembering what we already know can be really helpful. For me, my strategies are similar to the ones I used with our children when we walked to Dot’s. When I’ve begun something difficult or distasteful, I look back to see how far I’ve come. That gives me an energy boost to go on. When I’m stuck, sometimes I stop and ask myself how I could make this fun. For example, when I’m putting together a lengthy proposal for a potential client, I’ll take my computer outside and work in the garden, or I’ll go to a favorite spot in the house or I’ll play some great music. Before I know it, I’m done!

I’m telling you about my strategies for dealing with tough jobs, not because they are the best solutions, but because I think sharing what we know can give someone an idea that will help them over a hump. In that spirit, I invite you to respond to this post and share how you “get yourself to Dot’s.” You just might have the idea that helps someone do something important they’ve been putting off for too long.

Labels: Personal Growth

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