The One Thing
Posted by Mark Ellsworth on Mon, Feb 13, 2012 @ 08:01 AM
This week we welcome back our good friend and fellow Mindshop member, Jerry Robinson of Atlanta. You can learn more about Jerry by visiting his website at http://www.coo-oncall.com/. Thank you Jerry for your great contribution to our blog.
If you could accomplish change in one thing or area of your life during the next twelve months, “What would it be?” Is your goal for some change in your business, personal or family life? Let me tell you a story I read recently that may assist you in “kicking the habit” of continuing to do the “same old thing” and “saddled” with bad habits or bad business practices.
Many, many years ago there was a young entrepreneur who learned of his people being mistreated so badly that he became intense in help the gain back their human dignity. The entrepreneur put together a business plan prior to going to his Board of Directors. The Board of Directors approved the entrepreneur’s “vacation” as well as revenue for materials to complete a major construction project. The entrepreneur set out on his mission.
When the project was almost completed, the neighbors wanted to have “coffee” with the entrepreneur. A meeting that would side track the project was not in the business plan. Even newly made friends of the entrepreneur made up delaying tactics to keep the project from being completed. However, the entrepreneur knew his Mission Plan (Why are you in business?), his Value Statement (attitude, behaviors, and character), and his Vision (mid to long-term objectives).
The entrepreneur sent his message to the intruders: “I am carrying a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down with you?”
So, as you can expect, the entrepreneur accomplished the change he set out to complete. The project set in motion change for a people who regained their dignity.
To accomplish “This One Thing’ you wish to change, you have to become aware that you must change. You must change your thoughts, which produces a new emotion, and then new actions occur.
Remember the Hippocampus in the human brain? Our thoughts “park” at the Hippocampus waiting for our memory to recall similar situations. (See the article in my blog titled, “How important are first impressions in your life?” If our brain identifies your current situation as already in memory, you begin reacting out of your memory – no change occurs.
In order for you to accomplish “The One Thing”, you must do the following: If you change your thoughts, you will change your emotions, and then you will change your actions. Change seldom occurs until the pain of staying the same exceeds the pain of change. “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down with you?”
What will you do?
Do you have questions for us? Contact either Mark Ellsworth or Matt Heemstra at (712) 324-4614.