ThinkWorldClass.com

When making decisions, we typically start with the presumption that our expectations will manifest with a predictable result. Our intention is clear in our minds, and we expect our decisions to unfold favorably, and life as we know it, will continue to be copacetic.

The Cubs will win the World Series, the sun will rise in the east, and the love of our life is a sure thing.

IF ONLY!

Unfortunately, the decisions we pursue don’t always end up resulting in a meaningful contribution to world peace and universal alignment. Alternative beliefs, influences and interpretations of others often start an avalanche of conflict and unintended consequences.

I thought I was clear

We deal with each other in an imperfect language, a language layered in personal interpretations and individually relevant subtexts. We speak with words, that by their very nature are inadequate in articulating logic and or emotion. Everything we say is subject to the internalization of the listener, and inevitably, the experiences and influences that have brought them to this conversation.

Regardless, we believe we are articulate and clear about what we want, why and how the road before us should unfold. It is our supposition that our actions and the expectations we have of others, should be followed as laid out, it seems obvious. Not buying in could be considered irrational or even treasonous. 

What do you mean by that? 

The words slip out of our mouths, understandings gets muddied and, next thing you know, unintended consequences prevail. Unintentionally we’ve struck a chord, infringed on personal space, and initiated retaliation, attack, or a verbal tirade that appears to come straight out of left field. The misunderstanding is often protecting a thinly veiled self-righteousness ego. It happens, and there is no turning back; unintended consequences start rolling out into the mix.

Four Things To Do When Unintended Consequences Show Up

It’s going to happen. You know it, I know it, and everyone over the age of three years old knows it. So what is the World Class solution to unintended consequences?

1) Listen, 

Because not listening antagonizes and leads to further misunderstanding, before you know it the crap is knee deep. Better to listen and show up as the understanding and truth-seeking hero in this limited engagement story. Listening guarantees you are going to learn something. It could be new information not considered, or it may just be something about the other person’s personality. The World Class know that there are nuggets of knowledge in all this.

2) Be Unattached, 

When others go off, it’s often the result of an emotional trigger. Being unattached to the emotion of others is the absolute best way to hear, assess and arrive at a decision to accept alternatives or stay true to your original premise. When we respond to an emotional attack with an alternative emotion, conflict begins, and we all toddle down an ill-advised path where positions become entrenched, and we all get a little too self-righteous in our justifications. Stalemate!

3) Check Your Logic, 

After all, this is your logic sound; do you still feel secure and committed to your position? If that’s the case, stay true, don’t compromise. We all have a little “people pleasing” in us. A pesky little gene that, if followed, would have us compromising our principals, seeking approval from someone we don’t care about or know. Well thought out and not being swayed from an informed position is a World Class trait.

4) Be Clear, Patient, and World Class, 

Make your point, support your premise with empirical evidence (when possible), and do it all with confidence and decorum. Like my Grandfather used to say “Mud thrown is ground lost.” Choose to walk away when all hope is lost and never compromise your core beliefs.

So, let me ask. Do you have an issue or a problem that’s troubling you? Do you feel like you’re always compromising? If so personal coaching may offer you the help, you need.

I am offering a limited number of one-hour, introductory coaching calls for free. If interested e-mail me at brent@ThinkWorldClass.com.

Have a World Class day my friend.

Quick question: Are you feeling a little donor fatigue? Does it seem like every cash register you sashay up to has a request for a small donation, or your friends and family are out collecting for the “cause” of the month? Are you continually beseeched by schools, marathons, and groups both big and small seeking a financial donation?

The need seems to grow exponentially year after year. Meanwhile, the emotional motivation to give supersedes the practicality of prudent budgeting. It’s enough to find ourselves with the dilemma of feeling overwhelmed, unfocused and out-of-control at times.

Drawing a Line In The Sand

The result can leave us sporting a hardened façade of resistance and often guilt. These causes do need us, and God bless the amazing work that they do.

Like anything else, philanthropic commitments need to be thought out. Is this an emotional donation, in which case no further explanation required. Or is it part of your planned giving.

Giving Gives

Whatever your motivation understand this one important, but often overlooked notion, giving is multi-dimensional. Specifically, your donation offers obvious benefits to the recipient groups and participants, but also giving gives to those who give. It can lift you up, bestow feelings of self-satisfaction, and an innate knowing that you have personally contributed to the betterment of the world.

Give your time, give of your talents and abilities, be present and engaged in your gifts, and give financially to the causes that move and inspire you, make giving personal.

Budget your tithe and plan your giving.

Don’t miss the opportunity to give, it can heal not only the target of your gift, but it can lift you up and inspire you beyond your wildest imagination.

Giving makes you feel aware and alive; most importantly it takes us out of ourselves and provides us with a purpose beyond the worry and fear of our internal dialogue. Feeling down or blue get in front of a cause and step in to lift someone else up. Giving promotes community, it will release and awaken the greater good that indwells in you. Giving takes us out of our head and into compassion and empathy.

Giving allows us to see ourselves and others through a lens of hope rather than one of despair.

Yes indeed, giving sets an example, from a small gift a ripple can become a tsunami, giving is contagious and it starts with you and me.

The greatest gifts are those we receive when we give ~ Think World Class

Not all decisions that we make are the result of analytical thought or reasoning. Many of our everyday decisions are intuitive. It doesn’t matter what you call it; a hunch, impulse or a creative idea; sometimes you just don’t know why you know ~ you just do. This is intuition.

To the best of my knowledge intuition remains this ever-present mystery. A mystery that is beyond being quantified, qualified, defined, consistently trusted or understood.

Every one of us has intuition, and we rely on it with surprising regularity.

Apparently, intuition resonates with the creative feeling side of our thoughts and actions, while analytical understanding remains the foundation of reason and justification. Does empirical evidence trump a gut feeling? Is intuition just being lazy or is it an innate early warning system that has evolved within us? Are intuitive people better listeners, or are they more observant?

How do we become more intuitive or maybe the question should be, do we want to be more intuitive? Is being analytical more desirable or enviable as a personality trait? Do the analytics have an advantage?

Bottom line, it is not an either-or situation we need both the intuitive and the analytical; it would be foolish to choose one or the other exclusively. That would be like choosing idealism over realism both are essential to our existence and more often than not both are influenced by each other.

What I know for sure is that intuition is not to be ignored, listen to your belly button and heed your intuition. Don’t mistrust intuition, just the opposite. But always weigh it with a good measure of both feelings and reason.

When you know; you know ~ Think World Class