 In the previous post, I discussed your very own, very real superpowers. In the realm of teens, twenty-somethings, and the tempestuous adult population, we sometimes have to call upon our superpowers to deal with the bullies of this world. Unfortunately, bullying isn’t relegated to elementary school playgrounds, backyard fisticuffs, and rites of passage for people trying to make their way through this incredibly diverse world. Think about it... Have you ever known a bully? Have you ever been bullied? Have YOU ever been a bully? I think I know the answer to the last question above... Yes, you have been a bully. Allow me to explain... In today’s hyper-competitive world of big-ticket accomplishments, all too often, we march onward, upward… with little or no regard for the carnage littering our not-so-distant past. As an optimization consultant, I am constantly amazed at the myopic nearsightedness of individuals and organizations as they pit one asset against another, all while seeking a “good” outcome. This is especially true of the individual: you, he, she, and me. Whether you believe it or not, YOU are ostensibly the most important organization in the world. And, all too often, we sub-optimize our self to the point of internal conflict, deconstruction, and, ultimately, self-destruction. That is to say that "We know we should or should not do" x, y, or z. And yet, we do it anyways. This internal conflict ultimately sets up a battle of the assets that reside within us, raging a war of wits within the only person who truly knows who we are - our One True Self. And trust me: war with yourself can be hell. As any experienced warfighter will tell you, depending on your respective experience, strategy, and tactics, winning or losing a battle can be a toss-up. But to win a war, you need a great logistics support structure; you need to plan for success... and prep the battlefield with the resources required to win not just this current battle, but also the next one... and the next one. Moreover, in addition to fighting the current battles, you need to simultaneously feed the fighter(s), replenish the weaponry, and plan for the next success, all while strategically preparing to defeat the enemy... while facing the ever-present potential for defeat. These are not easily achieved tasks. In fact, planning for future success while fighting the fight can actually be a sub-optimized use of resources. It's true. And if you take nothing else from this extended article, remember these two things:
In the short run, when we choose to look the other way when we see our simply bad or dangerous habits, we are actually bullying “our selves” into a deranged belief that we can somehow win the long war by ignoring our current internal battles. This line of bullied-self-thinking is ludicrousness; it's a type of sheer madness of self-inflicted wounds on a massive scale. Yet, this madness often goes on internally... unseen... hidden... and harboring self-inflicted wounds far more nefarious than those dangers readily apparent in our external environment. In a sub-optimized organization, the organization itself is the enemy. Ultimately, this internal fight becomes not just **A** battle, but rather THEE battle, in and of itself. Sooner or later, we are consumed by this fury within. Sadly, this hand-to-hand combat between “me, myself, and I” can never be won. Oh… sure, we might win the battle of denial. But this "win" is a Pyrrhic victory, at best (a Pyrrhic victory is a "win" with such devastating costs that it is tantamount to defeat). In order to win the battle and the war, we must see things for how they are; we must simplify this seemingly complicated mix of flesh, emotions, actions, influences, memories, dreams, goals, and apparent failures. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's not complicate things. In fact... let's do the opposite. In general, life is simple. In fact, when you actually stop and think about it, life is painfully simple. The pain comes when we, our very own selves, complicate the simplicity of life. What, then, shall we do? What, then, CAN we do? The answer: we must simply simplify. Life is painfully simple. Join me in this simple dare to simplify one specific area of your life. Today, I dare you to... Choose ONE Battle ~ Choose ONE thing that you know you need to STOP… and win that battle by choosing to definitely stop that particular thing… today. Focus! Or… Choose ONE thing that you know you need to START… and win that battle by starting that particular thing… today. Dedicate your major reSOURCEs to this one singular effort! Write that book! Start that hobby! Enroll in that class! Start those exercises! Begin your life-long dream! Change your life – today. If and when you choose to focus on ONE battle, you are much more likely to achieve a lasting victory. And from there, you will have already won the war. Which war? ...the war to become a better you. If and when you select ONE battle on which to focus your energy, your effort, and your emotions...
If you choose just ONE battle, you won't waste time and energy on complicated resolutions or a complex set of goals; you will see the forest AND the trees... one tree at a time. Of course, accepting this dare requires a bit of a cost/benefit analysis. What are the potential consequences? What are the probable costs? Then again, what are the possible payoffs? Though I am not a medical doctor, I assure you, this dare and all of the subsequent dares have been tested and tried. And they are all safe to test and try again. The payoff will be H U G E... Go ahead... I dare you: Choose to start or stop ONE thing... Choose ONE battle! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Accept. Adapt. Achieve! ® ============================ Want the next dare delivered to your inbox? Click here to join John's mailing list ============================  John H. Clark III is an optimistic realist. He believes better development of leaders is what we (all) need. And to be better organizations, we need more good leaders, not followers. To build better leaders, we must start with the individual (you, she, he, and me). Described as “an innovative leader,” John teaches leaders, organizations, and individuals how to inspire each other. With a bold goal to inspire a worldwide community of optimistic realists who continuously accept, adapt to, and achieve the bold and beautiful concept of The Ideal Life, John is leading a movement to inspire people to apply his trademarked mantra {Accept. Adapt. Achieve! ®}. An innovative business manager and retired naval officer, John is fascinated by leaders and organizations that make the greatest impact within their organizational culture and within the “real” world — people who “get it.” Over the course of his life as a military leader, corporate mentor, and innovative content creator, John has discovered a wealth of insight about how we think, act and communicate within our respective work/life environments. As a career naval officer, mentor, educator, and optimistic realist, he has devoted his life to sharing insights to assist in our quests to become better at what we all do – live @ work! An optimist with a penchant for writing about realistic solutions to the challenges of everyday life, John is the author of 3 books: a leadership-development insider, "The Ideal: Your guide to An Ideal Life," a teen-focused guide, "Getting Out: Expert Advice for Today’s Teens," and the Christian-based book, "God’s Heartbeat: A Powerful Premise for Leading a Christian Life." He delivers a unique and refreshing point of view to life's seemingly overwhelming situations. Through books, blogs, and everyday conversation, John's message resonates with an empowering blend of ideals that enrich, uplift, and “authorize” people to set and achieve goals far beyond current mindsets. His trademarked phrase is a winner:  |
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