Monthly Archives: December 2010

LeaderShift! – Bucket full of joy

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Motivation LeaderShift –bucket-full of joy

Anyone can achieve mediocrity. After all, it’s hardly difficult to do so.

As Christmas approaches we hear familiar platitudes that ’tis the season to be happy. Does this mean that for the rest of the year I am meant to be miserable and depressed? Now Christmas is a wonderful time of year and I do find it extra joyful because for me it has real meaning. Yet there seems to be an increasing number of people who just do not appear to be motivated: They have, or at least show, no passion for what they are doing; there’s little joy in their heart and the driving force for doing anything is extrinsic.

Imagine that you have to collect water from a well several miles away from home. All you have to carry the water is one metal bucket. You walk to the well and join the queue to fill your bucket. Already tired from the long trek, you fill your bucket with fresh, clean and crystal clear water. Hauling the bucket out of the well you discover a hole in your bucket and your precious water is leaking out. Now you must run with the bucket to get it back home as quickly as possible, desperately trying to plug the hole with your hand, stemming but not stopping the flow.

Half way home, the water in your bucket is nearly gone and now you have a dilemma:

  1. Continue and possibly reach home with nothing but an empty bucket? It’s Ok your family will understand that it really isn’t your fault and they can last another hour or so without…
  2. Find a welder to fix the bucket and start again? Now where is the welder…?
  3. Return to the well and try again? If you run faster this time and hold the bucket just so…
  4. Ditch the bucket, find and buy a new one with money that you don’t have? Or pinch someone else’s…

Your internal motivation, the passion you have, your joy, is like the water in the bucket. You are the bucket.

As we progress through this life, there are ample opportunities to make holes in your bucket of joy. It’s so easy to hold a grudge, resent someone (anyone!), and blame others for your holes. Practice this well and you too can qualify for being the person everyone else wishes to avoid for fear of being contaminated by the rust of your soul.

Too harsh? Maybe… check yourself on the “Bucket of Joy” checklist:

Choose the left hand statement OR the right hand (there is no in-between).

ü

ü
 

It’s my boss/ spouse/ kids/ company/ Government/ society/someone else well it’s their fault.

It’s my responsibility.

  
 

Feel obligated to do tasks / go to work.

Love my work.

  
 

Tolerate the excessive requirements my company expects of me.

Seek and appreciate opportunities.

  
 

Endure through the days.

Make the best of every day.

  
 

People feel uncomfortable around me.

I inspire others.

  
 

Resentful.

Grateful.

  
 

Do what I have to do.

Go the extra mile.

  
 

Bored.

Alive.

  
 

Total

  

Add up the right hand choices and subtract the total of left hand choices.

  • Score 8 – You’ve already passed this LeaderShift on to someone you know needs it
  • Score 4 or 6 – (You chose option 2 or 3 above?) Pretty decent; plug the holes you already know are there.
  • Score 0 or 2 – (option 4 above?) Time to seriously consider what you want to achieve in life and get passionate about it.
  • Score -2 or -4 – (You also chose option 1 above?) Any friend left? Go talk to them and ask for help.
  • Score – 6 or -8 – (Option 5? Yeah, I know it wasn’t there but you did say “give up”? Seek help, and I mean now!

Leadershift!

Plug the holes in your bucket

Everyone blames someone for their lack of success or achievement. Even when you blame yourself. The reason (aka excuse) usually starts with “if only…”

“If only my parents had____________________” (fill in the blank)

“If only my boss would ____________________”

“If only I had ____________________________”

  • Whatever you filled in for whoever… it’s gone, you didn’t, they didn’t, and she won’t! Learn from the experience and choose to accept. Forgive them (or yourself) and let go of the past.
  • Now choose to overcome the setback/disadvantage.
  • Anything that you chose on the left side – what does it take for you to get over on the right side?

In my coaching and training the most common response to the question “What do you want to be?” is “Happy”!

“What do you want for your kids?” – “For them to be happy!”

  • Is that you? OK then, do it! Be happy! You can choose to be happy. Go on put a smile on your face and say (out loud) “I’m happy!” Think happy, choose happy, be happy.

“But you don’t understand John…” I’m sorry. You lost all control of your brain. You mean someone else is responsible for your thinking?

  • Go to the well. Fill your bucket with joy, plug the holes you can now and run like the wind. Oh, and the welder… give me a call and I’ll tell you where you can find Him.

Joy to the world! Merry Christmas and a Blessed 2011.