By David Benzel
In business and in life, you commonly state your goals and plot your course for reaching them. However, there will be many days when you don’t feel like doing the work. But go ahead and do it anyway … “feeling like it” is not a prerequisite.
Doing the hard things is often accompanied by “not feeling like it.” However, true champions and those who are successful in the business world are willing to do the hard things despite their feelings at the moment. Digging down deep within yourself to do the things that must be done is the essence of self-discipline. The alternative looks easier, and therefore attractive, but actually carries a heavier price in the long run. Author Jim Rohn wrote, “We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”
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Will yourself to do the things others won’t do, and you’ll have the things others won’t have. |
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If you’re serious about taking your performance at work to the next level, examine your average day or week and identify the situations or opportunities that require you to do the hard things. What are the uncomfortable items for you? Here are some possible examples.
- Completing the paperwork following a sale
- Making cold calls to prospects
- Speaking in front of a group of your peers—or a group of any kind
- Meeting strangers and engaging in small-talk
- Confronting someone over a behavioral issue
- Listening to feedback about your work
- Writing a report
- Sticking to a budget
Overcoming the “don’t feel like it” sensation
The secret to not feeling like it, yet doing it anyway, is to discover the “psychic income” you receive when you overcome the urge to avoid unpleasant tasks. Those who are good at doing the painful, distasteful tasks will tell you that they experience an internal payoff. It’s a feeling of satisfaction on a psychological level that’s rewarding and fulfilling. Be prepared for the natural tug of war that will rage within you as you face the hard things you’d rather avoid. Part of you wants to find something easier to do, but the part of you that says, “I don’t feel like it, but I still have to do it” is the part worth listening to.
The four steps to overcome the “don’t feel like it” sensation can best be described as mental gymnastics:
- Recognize you have a choice. You are at a crossroads where you must choose between two alternatives: the easy way that provides relief, or the hard way that includes some discomfort.
- Take yourself out of the equation by asking yourself three questions: “What choice would someone I greatly admire make?” “Why would his choice impress me?” “What would he gain by his choice?”
- Reinstate yourself into the situation by deciding if you would like to be that person. If so, the answer becomes clear. The choice is yours and so are the rewards.
- Take action immediately, without hesitation or a second thought.
The gains from the pain are positive sensations for having done the hard thing, rather than hiding from it. Fear and discomfort have been overcome. Your “psychic income” is earned, and with it, a reinforcement for doing it again. The long-term gains are best described not by what you get, but by what you become in the process.
Remember that it is more likely for you to act your way into a feeling than it is to feel your way into an action. Will yourself to do the things others won’t do, and you’ll have the things others won’t have.
David Benzel is a speaker in leadership and creating peak performance, and the author of Chump to Champ: How Individuals Go From Good to Great (Advantage Media). As the founder of Winning Ways, he has worked with organizations from Allstate Insurance to Sprint/Nextel. To contact him, call 800-616-1193 or visit www.davidbenzel.com.
June 2008
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