I agree David’s comments in response to Dina’s further comments and would like to add we don’t always get what we want, but we do always get what we need. We can’t not get what we need.

Stepping back and really looking at a situation, whilst dropping the story around it reveals the reality of it. Where’s the problem now?

Sure is. If someone complains and takes action, they’re in the what’s known as the pre-contemplative stage of change. That is, they have not yet been able to get out of their own way to see the reasons a change is needed so they can manifest that change. Blame is often part of this phase, as is denial that a problem that they can do something about exists.

If you cannot keep focus – you avoid, procrastinate, and find distractions – one must immediately be able to recall and state all the reasons they wanted to change in the first place. If they cannot remember, they’ll be diverted until pain causes them to remember.

Keeping your clients focused on their needs, instead of what their imagination wants, might prove the solution.

David

Is that an example of “being in one’s own way?” And if, say, you’re someone who has trouble dealing with necessary workarounds, or you can’t seem to focus on one thing… how do you change that about yourself?

I’ve known some people who seem to have a real problem getting things finished. It almost seems like a mental problem – like their brains just can’t seem to process the information in a way that leads to action!?

What do you think? Sometimes I even end up talking to clients like this. They ask me about projects, and then they get sidetracked and go on to something else, and then they’re worrying about this or that minor detail. Their thoughts race in circles, and then in the end they claim overwhelm, and I never even land the account. And talking to such people takes up a lot of my time and energy, frankly.

If you can’t encourage people like this to change their behavior… maybe the next best thing is to look for the warning signs and then RUN?

David

Happiness shines through when the little ‘me’ steps aside.

In a simple form, getting out of your own way might involve knowing/believing that you have a solution to a problem that you haven’t yet been able to bring into your consciousness awareness. Perhaps you’re kicking yourself for all the bad decisions you made leading up to your dilemma, and can’t focus on anything except beating yourself up. In this case, you simply need to get out of your own way for the solution to be revealed – to see things in a different light by folcusing on the solution instead of teh problem.

Does that help?

David

Absolutely! The key is to get “unstuck” from our old patterns of thinking and acting.

David